first fixie commute, whee!
 

Just rode into work on my new fixie conversion. Man, that's fun. Only a couple of minor bobbles due to freewheel-conditioned habits (the first and most serious one in my driveway!) but the rest of the 9 mi ride was a blast. Can't wait to go home. :)

Here's a pic , same as in the fixie forum

http://explosive.net/albums/biking/0..._002.sized.jpg

Awesome! Nice conversion! I've been commuting fixed gear for the past 4-5 months, and its a blast. I really really enjoy it. Here's a pic of mine, sans panniers.

http://r2.hostrack.com/ryko/rockhopp...frontright.jpg

Shweet! I love the fixed commute, especially late nights on nearly empty streets, when the quiet bike and connectedness can be really attended to.

Of course, I curse myself on headwind days!

Cool! I'm eyeballing an old touring frame in my garage for conversion.

Today was my first day clipless (I've been using toe clips for 2 years). No problems, I think anyone that's used to toe clips shouldn't have any problem; it's easier to get out of clipless.

I frequently take my fixie on my commutes aside from my regular racked geared commuter bike. I carry a Carradice saddle bag on my fixie.

Dude, is that a Corvair? Aren't those things unsafe at any speed? Good thing you're on the fixie!

Ironically I just un-fixed one of my conversions... the 40 mile round trip commute was getting a bit brutal... and my taint couldn't be happier (riding fixed gets rough that way).

I love my fixed geared bikes but at 40 miles a day the fixies would only be used occasionally. Ofcourse I perfer to not ride more than 10 miles at a time on an upright. Long rides are for recumbents in my opinion.
Craig

Very nice ride, Fixer. Once my bike parts piggybank fills back up a bit I'm looking at some moustache bars like you've got there. My bullhorns were flipped/cut from 42 drops and they are just a bit narrower than I like.

The Corvair's a 64, it was the 60-63 models that didn't reinforce the rear axle to support the weight of the mid-engine and about which Ralph wrote his book. But it is pretty much immobile these days so it's as safe a car as its ever going to be.

Suicide hub? As in a freewheel conversion with a BB lockring, loctite, and prayer/hope/sacrifices to the cycling deities? I tried that on a Fuji Sport 12 conversion w/o success - cog would spin off 1/2 way down the block. Bought a wheel with a flip/flop hub (set up 42x16 fixed or 42x18 ss) from the LBS and couldn't be happier with it. I ride with front and rear brakes, 'cause I'm a wuss and want to be sure I can STOP when one of Northern Virginia's idiot drivers tries to make me into road kill. I stopped using the fixie for commuting when my left knee started bothering me - it's much better now, even after a century 2 days ago, so I may start using the fixie more often. May add fenders so it's better for messy weather. I love not having derailluers to clean and the quiet of a simple drivetrain!

I'd take a second look at your chain, though - looks a little loose in the picture.

sweet bike.

i just got some new handlebars to get mine in (hopefully) comfortable ridable shape again.

OK it's actually not, here's a link that the builder sent me regarding the technique he uses to secure the cog

http://204.73.203.34/fisso/eng/schpignone.htm

I think the chain's about right, maybe could stand to be a bit tighter. There seems to be some conflicting advice on Sheldon Brown's site, "tight as possible without binding" vs "loose as possible without droop" , but it's working well so far so I'm a bit reluctant to mess with it.

http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html#tension

OK, fine. But a lockring costs what ... $5 or $10? And a lockring wrench is, like, $15 or $20? So why not? I may missing something (like a clue), but is getting it off a problem with this technique? Does it increase the chance of stripping the threads on the hub?

re: jnbacon/post 14: looks to me like it puts a lot of stress on the hub threads, cog threads, and the parts of the chain that are forced against the chain rather than against a gear.

I use that method to install/remove cogs. But, I use true fixed gear hubs so I have a lockring, reverse threaded to put on. For that, (I will probably get flamed for this) I use a flat screwdriver and a hammer. No excessive force, I just get it on very tight. I've done this on 3 cogs so far and not had one strip or come loose on me. I wouldn't run without a lockring though, that's just not safe in any way.