Doohickie

It occurs to me that the proper response to the Cool Story above was in my post upthread:

Doohickie

Finally did my first FG ride of 2013. 28 miles to Downtown and back.

Trying to stay still for the timed exposure


Next to a 1959 Ford Galaxie

Chesha Neko

Finally got my 40th birthday present (purchased some time ago for myself) installed: DA 7710 cranks and BB. Spent the last couple months buying the tools to do it myself, a bike stand, and the rest of the parts needed. Switched to 1/8" while I was at it. New chaining, cog, and chain of course.

-=(8)=-

Nice pictures.
IVe never been to FT. Worth . . . If thats what the d-town area looks like, looks pretty cool

Do you like the Cutter? I roll on the cheaper SS version called "Racer". No issues at all. nice bike for the $$

Doohickie

Yeah, it's pretty much like that. Not the pretty lights on every block, maybe 1/3 of the downtown area has that. They made the bus lanes into bus/bike lanes last year. I had some qualms about sharing lanes with the big boys, but so far I haven't seen any issues. There are several of those shared lanes, and on other streets there are sharrows. It's a very bikeable downtown.

I shouldn't like it. It's heavy hi-ten steel with very basic components. But the balance and fit of the bike are perfect. It came as a single speed (freewheel only) but after a year or two I starting breaking rear spokes and built a new wheel that was fixed/free (my first wheel build) and I've ridden it fixed ever since. I sometimes think I should get something better, but it really fits my needs right now.

The racer has a coaster brake on the back, doesn't it?

-=(8)=-

Yes-The Racer is the coaster model.
My experience is the same. I shouldnt like it--bought as a bare bones commuter--but with some 'Gators and bullhorns I actually like
riding it. Comfortable, reliable and the Alex rims are soaking up anything our bombed out city roads have to offer.

Cynikal 

Well, as of today I can officially post in here.

idoru2005

I'm still 39 (until Oct 2013), but thought I'd chime in as I've recently started riding FG.

Here's my steed: An Eighth Inch Scrambler V3 frame. Running 42x15.

RGNY

just turned 43. spent an hour on the rollers with my singlespeed Leader 722ts.

just a number......

europa

Cor, 43 and still going nowhere.

brauluver

happy birfday

RGNY

welcome to my world currently:

europa

If you were watching the TDU today, that's my world - it looked good but the temp was over 100F which wasn't so bad when I was a young un, say, 43, but's a little different at 56. I've often wondered about this snow stuff, though I suspect I'd be just as wimpy as I am now.
Can't ride at the moment anyway - just had some hemorrhoids cut off and sitting on anything other than my comfy chair is ... interesting. Still, I've tried a bike on the stationary trainer with a gel filled saddle cover and can manage that for a bit though it's obvious I'm tensing up my core and legs to support me At least as things get better I'll be able to keep my cardio fitness tickled up a little.

NedClive

Just came home from my 4 mile commute covered in snow! Come on spring so I can get down to some distance work for Ride 24! (Sorry guys but the FG will become a 3speed freewheel for this event as rules disallow FG and I'll need a little variation over 300 miles!

icyclist 

I posted the photos below in late October, in the SS/Fixie forum, of my new bike frame (with components transferred from another bike).

With only four rides on the bike, I crashed on November 1st, which put me out of commission with a fractured wrist for three months. I kept in reasonable shape using a bike trainer and by doing a minimal amount of jogging, something I gave up about three and a half decades ago.

A week ago, on my birthday, I finally went fixed again and have had several enjoyable rides. Since it feels as if I'm on a new bike all over again, I'm reposting the pics. There is indeed life, and even resurrection, after 40 (or in my case, long, long after 40).

NedClive

icyclist: what a gorgeous sexy bike. Oh yes! Life after 40,50 and 60....keeps on getting better and better after each ride. Don't let up, keep pushing and enjoy!!!
PS hope the injuries heal well!

gregjones

pb12

Hi all,

I'm 49yrs and been riding old converted FG for about 4mths or so on rolling terrain.
I have been struggling a bit but definately getting stronger but I still was seriously considering a bike with 20 gears.
However, previous posts brought me to the conclusion that my gearing is probably a little high.
Current gear is 46 x 16 = 78" (on a 27" wheel). Just ordered a 17T cog which I hope will get me a spinning a bit more at around 72".

Phil

icyclist 

That's a little high if you aren't in good shape for hills. 72" will help, and isn't so low you'll spin out on the flats.

If you could get yourself into great shape, not only would you make it up those hills in your higher gear, you'd also have an easier time on the downhills, because you wouldn't spin out so fast.

I have a flip-flop hub, so that I can run a 70" and and 75" gear. I like the former for easy pedaling around the flat portions of town, and the latter – rarely – for when I want to hold a higher speed, on the flats or up or down the hills.

europa

6
I'd agree that you're geared too high. You need to remember that few people riding geared bikes have any concept of good technique and yes, that includes nearly all roadies. How often do you hear people talk about starting to bounce on the saddle with a cadence of 120, often as low as 100?

I used to ride with 70 gear inches. This gives a cadence of 90 at 30km/ hr. Eventually I pulled that back to 66 gi because on the flats, around town, any sort of head wind meant I felt overgeared. Interestingly, the drop in gearing made NO difference to my point to point times but a lot of difference to my overall comfort. Nor do I merely ride on the flats. I live in the Adelaide Hills and any ride involves hills. Any ride that takes me onto the plains, such as my daily commute, involves a 3km hill that includes a stretch at 10%. On my geared bike, I'll do that bit at over 70km/hr, on the fixed gear, I do it at 50 km/hr which is a cadence approaching 180. My point being that you don't need high gearing, just good technique while the only time my geared bike is an easier choice is when going back up that sodding hill - it is never the fastest choice.

By the way, I'm 56, cuddly rather than svelte and ride fixed by preference because I love the skill set and the control it gives you, brakes really are a blunt tool when it comes to controlling speed, even though I always use my brakes to stop.

Is this post relevant anymore? I forget

pb12

icyclist, europa,

Thanks for the response.

I'm looking foward to seeing how the change in gearing goes. I'm confident from my previous cycling experience that I can peddle in reasonable form to at least 120rpm.
The hills, which are quite tame, are not an issue, it is the head winds where I have been struggling.
Spinning out and bouncing is no fun going down hill but feathering brakes to control speed is a simple solution.

Phil

Fixedbottomblue

Hi I'm new to fixed gear riding and it's been an eye opener the first few times I have been out ,being used to riding a mountain bike and being able to coast , I learnt very quickly not to try and coast .over the weekend I done my first twenty mile ride and to be honest you can keep your mountain bikes I love the symplicity of a fixed ride and knowing its all down to your own input.
regarding no brakes ect I'm keeping mine till I get a bit more skilled lol

gregjones

Here's a handy page:
https://home.earthlink.net/~mike.sherman/shift.html

I entered 16, 17, 18, 19 in the cassette boxes and 44 and 46 in the chain rings (along with wheel and crank size).

You get gear inches, Sheldon Brown's gain ratios and speeds at changeable RPM's. Plus there's a neat chart that compares all eight of the gears within a selectable RPM range.

It's great for comparing relative differences between different chainrings and cogs.

bbeasley

I've had my Wabi for ~month now, it's turning my Roadie into a garage queen

Fixedbottomblue

Hi does any of you gentlemen have suggestions to combat saddle sore I ride between 10and twenty miles per day and have note rode a bike in many years let alone a fixed gear any suggestions would be apreciated