ShannonH

Hi All,
Having succumbed to the sirens call, I just finished and tried out my first fixed gear bike. It's an old japanese made JCPenney bike with fancy lugs, which I then countered by putting on some nice butch BMX parts on (chain and rocket ring crankwheel.) So it's elegant in a really chunky way. I'll also say that if you are resourceful, you can build one with frame for $150, but the wheels will be a compromise. Anyway, I digress. Here's what I noticed:

1. Like everyone else I coast a lot more than I thought I did. I almost took a nose dive trying to get my foot into the clip.

2. Stopping by backpedalling is like running backwards upstairs. Odd, but not unpleasant.

3. As you get used to the feel, the control is great. Now I see how one could do a track stand or balance while hardly moving forward. I really like the control.

4. I like it. A lot.

Thanks to everyone here who has shared experiences. The posts here alerted me to potential problems so I was ready to deal with thing better.

Shannon

BostonFixed

Got any pics?

pitboss

Thunder...Thunder...THUNDERCATS!!!!!!!!

welcome to the dark side of goodness

absntr

Thundercats hoooooooo!

ShannonH

I'll get some pics today. it was too dark last night to get a decent shot.
Peace

Ken Cox

Shannon wrote:

"The posts here alerted me to potential problems so I was ready to deal with thing better."

Similarly, the time I spent on this forum in preparation for my fixed gear bike prepared me well.
When new experiences, problems and rewards came to me they seem familiar.
It has even helped with the broken ribs.

Martyr

i used to race track but never thought to ride fg on the road. of course this is how it was always done. i can do a lot of the technical stuff but i have absolutely no idea how one does a no-handed stack stand!

have been riding my MTB conversion for the past 3 weeks now and i am here to tell you that there is another stage after the i-like-it-a-lot bit.

i look at my gios in the shed each morning, and while i just love that bike, and have had so much fun on it, this little beast of a fixie is just calling to me from nearby "come on... you know you want to".
so out we go each day. night and day. around town and to work and home again...

occasionally people ask about it while riding. some are in the know, but still see this as some kind of freak activity. a great many just dont get it all. and many of those just seem to be happy so sit in my draught (without rolling though - bastards).

and while i am now tuning into the minor shortcomings of my very much on the cheap conversion (sugino super might cranks are not quite right on the bb - minute play - maybe try to fix with some bmx cranks, again on the cheap) i am convinced that this is the way to go - to the point that i feel a little evangelical about it. this feels like the best thing i have done in bloody years. i just want to tell everyone that i see about it - i feel like a lunatic - a happy lunatic (i think i have crossed to the dark side)

hope i am not highjacking this - just trying to share my recent experiences too. i hope you make fg the major component of your cycling life.


cheers


marty

ShannonH

Hey Marty,
Hijack to your heart's content. If you are passionate about something you will talk about when given the oppurtunity. This forum is such an opportunity.

As far as "evengelism" is concerned, I quite understand. Everytime I talk to another rider about going fixed, they look at me like I'm a nutter, "the lunatic is on the bike" sort of thing.

We can't help it we're all madder than cut snakes.

Shannon

Martyr

This board also made the process of building up my fg easier. most of the shops haven't got a clue and even if they do they want your experience to be an expensive one. one thing i am loving about this is that the whole thing can be done very much on the cheap with great satisfaction.

There is a certain zen-ness about removing back brake, derailleurs, cables, additional chain rings etc.

I definitely have the feeling that we might all be mad. Just as well riding is my therapy <g>

Have you noticed how much better you are riding now?

cheers


marty

powers2b

Snif...he's my special boy....snif..snif