Originally Posted by
StephenH
Hey folks,
I do a lot of randonneuring. And use normal road bikes for that.
On occasion, I get involved in long-distance racing. This is 24-hour time trials, stuff like that. I'm not the fastest guy around, so how well I do depends a lot on who else bothers to show up.
BUT, some of these events also have fixed-gear categories (and/or single-speed categories).
So I'm eyeing that right now.
Ideal bike would be reasonably light, reasonably fast, reasonably cheap, new or used.
And it may sound stupid, but I'd like to have reasonable brakes on the thing. There are some nice track bikes that would work fine if not for the brake issue.
Normal clincher tires in 700x25 or so (ie, not tubulars).
Drop bars, possibly aero bars.
Open on frame materials.
I've been running around 205 lbs, so don't wanna get too carried away on ultralight wheels or anything. Around 58cm frame size. And 59 years old, so I prefer not to be TOO contorted while riding.
Flip-flop hub would be handy but not essential.
Can y'all point me to some options on brands and models that might fit in with that?
I had almost the bike you want built for me by TiCycles in 2011. Basically a very high end late '80s titanium road race bike but with a fix gear specific road dropout. I designed a dropout with ~2" slot and "L" shaped, opening to the front, then down like a vertical dropout. This means I can bolt the wheel over the entire slot AND easily pull the wheel out when I am running my biggest cog/tightest chain combo where the tire nearly touches the seat tube. The dropout is angled 11 degrees. This allows the rim to stay withing the brake pads (I cheat and use Velocity Aero rims for the rear wheel for their very deep usable brake surface) and the BB height doesn't change a lot. Compromise all around but after 9 years and 5 Cycle Oregons, including three with lots of vertical, I am very pleased. Bike runs well in every cog I have seen for sale, now 12 through 24 though it took me a few years to find the 24, (Try the English fix gear sources.) I run a Sugino 75 and 42 or 43 in front. Oh, drawback for you - this wasn't cheap. It was the bike I wanted (though it took a few years to fully realize it) for 30 years.
I get reminded every ride that had freewheels and derailleurs never been invented, this bike would have been a high end race bike that we would have died for 30 years ago. (Oh, I turned 59 shortly after I received the bike. When I saw the preview of that year's Cycle Oregon to Crater Lake ( biggie), first thought was that every day would be a day of needing big gear changes but few of them, that riding it fixed was feasible. (Also that at 59 years of age, this was my last chance. Well, that didn't pan out!) Early on I made a big aluminum chainwhip for 1/8" cogs that straps securely to the top tube. 5 minute cog change, 2 minute flip. Chainwhip is 22" long ad weighs 1 lb. I rode the Crater Lake day starting with 17 and 23. At the rim I unscrewed the 17 and put on the 12. (No flat at all on the rim.) 20 miles into the long descent to camp I changed the 23 to the 17. Last summer CO and I did it again, this time from the other entrance. Did just the same except I conceded I was older and used the 24.
Brakes - dual pivot Shimanos. Picked up used and probably Ultegra though I do not know. I use fairly deep pista bars and V-brake Tektro levers for their huge amount of real estate for my hands climbing out of the saddle. Discovered early on that the reduced braking using the lever mismatch actually was a big blessing. I can come into a mountain curve hot and when I see it is too sharp for pedal clearance, the panic grab comes quite naturally but since less happens when I squeeze those "ineffective" levers, I don't lock up and nothing exciting happens, I just slow a whole bunch really fast!
I ride with toeclips and straps because I never want to pull a foot off accidentally at 200+ RPM. Not in this lifetime or the next. (40 mph on a 42-17. Cars have reported that speed to me many times.) That pedal striking my foot/ankle of calf would be a life long injury, probably with far greater long term consequences than the greeting of the asphalt that would follow. With traditional slotted aluminum cleats ($20 Exustar Track - thank you Exustar fo rthe best cleats I have ever ridden) and qhaloity leather straps, what I know is that even if I un-cleat (at 200 RPM, I have no idea what my foot is doing and there is no way I am going to look down and back to see!), my foot is still n the pedal. I know instantly I'm disengaged but wth brakes, a dip on them and things are under control, I can slide my foot forward and back in and the only health issue I am left with is a HR spike to the moon.
The bike of my logo is that bike, climbing a 2 mile grade of up to 14% (where that photo was taken) in its second Cycle Oregon. I messed up. Didn't realized that this hill was the steep one and I was committed before I realized it so I'm in a 42-17. When I got into camp and showered, touching my forearms with the soap hurt!
I'm a klutz when it comes to posting pics, but if you PM me with your Email I'll send you that photo in real resolution.
Edit: missed the thread start date by a couple of months. Oh well.
Ben