The Age 40+ Singlespeed & Fixed Gear Thread

[TejanoTrackie]

OK. Since you live on the west coast, which is a culture all its own and completely different from the rest of the country, I will afford you special dispensation to use the effete term "fixie", if you wish. You will notice that the title of the main subform is "Singlespeed & Fixed Gear", not "Singlespeed & Fixies." Furthermore, most posters ecominize by simply referring to their bikes as SS or FG, and everyone understands, even "hipsters."

As to your comments regarding track bikes .vs. fixed gears, I see fixed gears as being the genre and track .vs. road being the application, although I concede that in common usage FG means a bike meant for the road. The distinction is somewhat blurred depending on the extent that the bike is set up optimally for one purpose or the other. I actually have several fixed gear bikes, 6 to be precise, and they vary from track only to road only to multi-use. Three are steel and three are aluminum. None are carbon fiber, although two of them do have cf forks. Most of the characteristics of a track frame, such as a higher bottom bracket to minimize pedal strike, are desirable for both track (velodrome) use and road use. A track bike can be converted into a comfortable road bike by a simple change in handlebars / stem, and addition of a front brake for safety. Unless you are racing in the national / world championships, the same wheels / tires can be used on both the road and track. An example of this is my latest FG bike, which I intend to use on both the road and track.

[KRhea]

"Special dispensation" accepted and appreciated, thanks. Now about your 6 "fixies"...just kidding, thanks for the "hipster free safe haven" for us older guys!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

KRhea

[Chad1376]

Alright..I joined this forum because of this thread. My fixed gear road bike has been my favorite since I built it several years ago. It's always the bike I consider first before a ride. For some reason, I like it better than my geared bikes when I'm out of shape and getting back on the saddle...and I love it even more when my legs are back and I can get the tires singing.

It's just a beat up old C-dale frame with some discarded components, and cheapo schrader-valve rims.



So..on to my latest bike. I originally built this up as a single speed, but after looking at the name "Fixation" for a few years, I decided to spin off the freewheel and spin on a cheapo track cog (with a healthy dose of red loctite). Wow, is this bike fun now. I can actually do hipster skids (in the dirt) without blowing out my knees and crashing. The only downside is the occasional pedal strike going over rocks. Oh well, pedals are replaceable.

[TejanoTrackie]

@Chad1376. Welcome to the forum and this thread. I'm glad to see that this thread is bringing in more members, and helping to dispell the myth that SS & FG is only for youngsters. I think both your bikes are hot and spot-on.

[bbeasley]

TejanoTrackie,

I was born in Los Angeles and lived there for 17 years and 364 days. My family pre dates state hood. Because of this family lineage I feel somewhat compelled to apply for a permit to use the banned five letter word.

However, on my 17th year and 365th day of life I left California to live elsewhere. Because of this, I feel somewhat compelled to use FG or Fixed Gear.

I'm sure you now can see my dilemma. I'm clearly a POMPG (Person of Mixed Pedaling Geography).

To make matters worse, I'm going to build a (yet to be determined name) bike. I really like the Wabi Lightning frame set. Wabi, just my luck, is in California. Other components will come from my LBS. This will make my (yet to be determined name) bike a BOMG (Bicycle of Mixed Geography).

With all this on my mind you can imagine how the banned word jumps out at me as I search for components for my (yet to be determined name) bike. I now mentally catalog every place I see it including this one:

(warning page contains a word(s) some might find offensive)
http://www.sram.com/sram/road/products/omnium-crankset

Please advise.

Bob

[TejanoTrackie]

Bob. Consider this thread an opportunity to liberate yourself from the faux bike culture exemplified by terms like f****. Understand that manufacturers like SRAM seek to exploit this market by promoting their products under this moniker. The fact is that people who buy such products do so to impress others, as they walk their f**** to the local overpriced cafe spot. So, consider my intolerance of such terminology an attempt to bring a mature perspective to FG bikes as actual rideable bicycles rather than toys or style accessories. You are completely free to post and start new threads in the general SS&FG forum, where you can use such terminology with impunity, but please refrain from doing so here.

[macnab]

+1 to KRhea

get over it TT

[tadley62]

[QUOTE=TugaDude;12006252]Just did my first "fixed" ride the other day. I've been riding singlespeed for awhile, and of course when I was young that was all I had. My first ride on my 2008 Madison was awesome. I learned a lot...[QUOTE]
Welcome, although I'm usually only a reader here.
I noticed you also have a '74 Letour. I am in the midst off converting it to a SS/FG townie.
I am far from anything like an expert, but I suggest you go out and ride, as often as you can. Practice a circular pedal motion, and be safe. Riding fixed is as simple as forgetting about gears. Sounds cliche, but that's how it feels to me.

[proantibicycle]

You are completely free to post and start new threads in the general SS&FG forum, where you can use such terminology with impunity, but please refrain from doing so here.

You need to just let it slide. Why? It's part of the dialect of cyclists from particular areas of the country. Censorship is an ugly word. Besides, typing the word "fixie" is a lot easier that SS&FG or f*****. To many shift keystrokes required. Just let it go, dude. If you don't, we may start referring to your track bikes as "trackies". (^__^)

[TugaDude]

[QUOTE=tadley62;12117523][QUOTE=TugaDude;12006252]Just did my first "fixed" ride the other day. I've been riding singlespeed for awhile, and of course when I was young that was all I had. My first ride on my 2008 Madison was awesome. I learned a lot...

Welcome, although I'm usually only a reader here.
I noticed you also have a '74 Letour. I am in the midst off converting it to a SS/FG townie.
I am far from anything like an expert, but I suggest you go out and ride, as often as you can. Practice a circular pedal motion, and be safe. Riding fixed is as simple as forgetting about gears. Sounds cliche, but that's how it feels to me.

I was going to switch my '74 Letour into a FG/SS bike, but after buying it, cleaning it up, replacing all of the cables, etc. I noticed that it shifts like butter and am having a hard time pulling the trigger to switch it. I still might, we'll see.

[TugaDude]

You need to just let it slide. Why? It's part of the dialect of cyclists from particular areas of the country. Censorship is an ugly word. Besides, typing the word "fixie" is a lot easier that SS&FG or f*****. To many shift keystrokes required. Just let it go, dude. If you don't, we may start referring to your track bikes as "trackies". (^__^)

Personally, I don't care much what people call things if used in context. If you say fixie, I know what you mean, so as far as communication goes it is fine. I don't want to speak for TT, he can speak eloquently for himself, but I think that some people hear "fixie" and find it sort of disparaging. It somehow cheapens fixed gear bikes to call them fixies. Maybe that is part of it.

Now, what does bother me is when people either are too lazy or don't care enough to spell brakes properly. Don't know how many posts, even on this forum where people should know better, where people claim to have cantilever breaks, or sidepull breaks. That does bother me. I also don't like that the word Mixte, which from what I can determine is pronounced "meekst" has not only been mispronounced "mixtee" but is frequently misspelled mixtie. Some will read what I have just said and say I am wound too tight or too picky. So be it. To each his, or her own. I don't have any issues with trying to raise the bar. Too many folks are sneaking under it these days.

[proantibicycle]

Hey Tejano, I just posted a new article on my blog about this video that caught me eye and kind of reminded me of the f**** question. Check it out. It's a great video. Based in Seattle.

http://proantibicycle.blogspot.com/2...hilospohy.html

[Asystole]

How cool is this. Just happened across this forum a couple days ago and it was meant to be. Just turned 49 about 2 weeks ago and after riding road bikes now for almost 30 years I just had my first FG experience today.



About 9 to 10 months ago I purchased a Specialized Langster frameset to build into a FG bike. After many months of visiting my LBS and spending a lot of time poking around Ebay and Craigslist she made her maiden voyage today. What a fantastic way to roll down the road and I love the way this bike feels, I am hooked. Originally I built it with the intention of riding it with my wife since see complains that I am to fast on my regular bike I thought the FG would slow me down a little. Can't wait to ride it again, it just may turn into my favorite steed.

[TejanoTrackie]

Welcome. Happy to see another cyclist enjoy a different perspective and participate in this forum. Glad to see you are enjoying it.

[Chad1376]

.. Originally I built it with the intention of riding it with my wife since see complains that I am to fast on my regular bike I thought the FG would slow me down a little....

This is why I've been riding my fixed gear a lot. I'm just getting my 8 year old into road riding (He's got a new Fuji Ace 650c), and of course he's not super fast (yet). Orginally, I had my road bike geared with a super easy 38/17, and I'd spin-out at about his top speed, so we were compatable. I just went up to a 48/17, and now I find myself feeling like I'm riding extremely slow at his pace....Long story short - maybe ride an easy gear with your wife and work on your RPM?

[nashcommguy]

Here ya go guys and gals. A 48 year old man named Gunnar Shogren finished this race on a 45x22 fg. I'm doing it this year on 38x34 freewheel. Enjoy! See you there in November! Give the vid about 20 seconds for the regular ad bs.

http://www.wqed.org/tv/its-pittsburgh/watch/ Then go to www.dannychew.com and get all the lowdown on the event if you want to participate.

[Plymouthfan]

Another first time poster here as well. I'm 41, live in Philly and have been riding this 2001 Bianchi Pista for about a year now. At this point the only original parts left are the frame, fork, headset, seatpost and wheelset.

Just repainted the frame/fork, added a new set of IRD Defiant cranks! I guess it looks exactly like a million other "retro" single speeds out there, but I love it!

[TejanoTrackie]

Welcome to the forum. That bike looks really sharp and spot on with the details. A lot of manufacturers are now going the "townie" route with their fixed gear bikes, such as Surly with their 2011 Steamroller.

[TejanoTrackie]

Just returned from an 1 1/2 hour ride, temps in low 60's, steady 15 mph north wind. I just built this bike and this is the first chance I've had to put it through its paces. Gearing is 46 x 17, which seems just about perfect. I plan on taking it to the track in a couple of months, where all I have to do is remove the front brake and replace the front QR with a bolted skewer. This bike weighs under 16 lbs and is very stiff and responsive, but still has a smooth ride with its carbon fork, bars and stem. In case you're wondering, the saddle is quite comfortable although a bit too slippery.

[xkillemallx16]

hey, what kind of camelback are you using?

[TejanoTrackie]

hey, what kind of camelback are you using?

That's a Rogue, and it's the smallest of 3 that I have. I also have a medium size Lobo and a large size Mule. I've had them all for a while, so IDK if those models are still made.

[icyclist]

I purchased my FG bike a little under two years ago. When I bought it, I liked it. Then I realized that I'd of fit in more with the young crowd if I'd pulled a beater out of a dumpster or purchased an old bike at a garage sale, and converted it to an FG bike.

And then I realized I just liked my bike. After a while, I discovered that for me, a part of the fun was putting together the accessory package: the lights, the cyclometer, the pump and the water bottle. The bike itself is still mostly stock.

Currently, the bike is geared at 42/14, for about an 80 inch gear. While that's a little high for riding up a hill of any significance, I can crank out a few more rpms on the downside than I could with the stock set-up.

That's me and my bike on a visit to Manhattan (I live in Los Angeles).

[tedi k wardhana]

Hi all!
Would like to join.
I -not like other veteran track racers- first rode my fixed gear (not 'fixie'!) some 5 months ago.

[tedi k wardhana]

I didn't realize there was this thread for 'old' fixed gear riders like me, until a while back!
I bought a sovos quando flip flop hub, and just converted the rear wheel of my 1980 sovyet roadbike.

[TejanoTrackie]

I didn't realize there was this thread for 'old' fixed gear riders like me, until a while back!
I bought a sovos quando flip flop hub, and just converted the rear wheel of my 1980 sovyet roadbike.

Welcome to this thread. Do you have any photos that you can share with us? I'd be interested in seeing your conversion.