Thanks! I took it for a brief ride tonight, just because I HAD TO ;)

It really feels great. Like I mentioned before, this is my first Single-speed bike since childhood, so the real test has yet to take place. But compared to my old ride (Trek MTB) this thing is CAKE.

A few questions have arisen (and many more to follow as I break it in) - - since this is a single-speed, while there is a quick-release on the front wheel, there isn't one on the back. Best to carry a ratchet in my seat bag in case I get a flat, no? How do you guys handle that one?

Also - since this is a cromoly frame (steel,) a buddy of mine said I should really look after it in the event the paint gets scratched, so I don't get any rust. Anybody know where I can get a tube of matching touch-up paint? ;)

Definitely will be writing a full report soon. And no, no gears! This is the only bike I own. For now.

;)

I think Redline has a real winner with the 925. Nice package. They even thought of fenders...and good ones too. The moustache bars are classy.

I carry a 15mm combination wrench with me.

In reality its far less to worry about than you might think. My steel frame has bits all over it that have a tad bit of surface rust in scratches and what not. If you are really worried, get some automotive touch up paint, or just some black finger nail polish. Or clear works too.

EDIT: I was so intent on answering your questions that I forgot to say- CONGRATS! Welcome to the wonderful world of single speed and fixed gearhood! The 925 at first glance a very well built bike, the components are top notch too. You'll really like the formula hub, its very nice. I have one on my bike. Let us know how you like the moustache bars!

15mm box end wrench (you gotta torque those little uckers down to keep the wheelfrom slipping so i think a box end wrench is really ideal to pervent stripping of the bolts)


if your really worried take it back to the shop and getthem to put frame saver in the tubes. this will prevent rust from the inside (which is more critical to a steel frames well being, i hear). as far as scratches and paint chips go... it's a cheap steel frame, treat them as character marks. it won't get rusted out in the years your riding it, even with no preventative maintenence. on my crosscheck i neither frame savered nor am i planning to fix any scratches and chips. i figure by the ime any of those things get critical i'll be more than ready to try a new frame anyway (maybe 10-15 years if i am unlucky, i'd guess). i don't think i'll have it for that long... ;)

Thanks Rykoala, appreciate the feedback! Did you get your 15mm combo wrench at a bicycle repair shop?

The nail polish thing sounds like a great idea.

How do you feel about the bicycle inner tubes that have the green globby stuff in them that is supposed to help prevent flats?

I think most people here won't reccommend them. I'll go ahead and tell you, if you have trouble with flats, get some nice kevlar belted tires. Specialized Armadillos and Continental Gatorskins are popular suggestions around here. I haven't used either, but I hear the Gatorskins have a smoother ride. Do a search for tires in the commuting form. You will come up with numerous threads.

The best portable solution for the rear nuts is a Craftsman stubby 15mm combo wrench from Sears. Its half the length of a traditional wrench, cheap, fairly light and very effective. The bike specific wrenches I have seen are either very expensive, or cheap pedal wrenches that are not up to the task.
Also I doubt you will be able to fit any studded tire on the 925 with fenders. You maybe able to fit the studded tires without the fenders. I like the long-reach caliper brakes on the bike but they don't have quite as much clearance as a canti.
Craig

Congrats on your new ride.

I got the wrench at sears. Use the closed end only. Should only set you back a few bucks. If they won't sell it individually, try one of the big box stores that have tools (ie home depot, lowes etc not *mart) and they should have their brand individually. Also check pawn shops. Great tools deals can be had!

I've tried just about every tire/tube combination I could think of. DO NOT run slime tubes. They are very heavy. In my case I ran thorn resistant tubes with slime in them. Ugh. Talk about a performance killer. HEAVY. Anyway the slime and other things don't generally work any better than a patch kit, and if you DO have to patch it, you have a gooey mess to clean up before you can apply a patch. Like others have said, if you're worried about flats, get kevlar belted tires or some of the other recommended tires.

Its noteworthy that I haven't had a road debris induced flat all winter. I did have a pinch flat, my own fault (gotta keep tire pressure up!). I was having lots of flats at one point, but I changed how I ride. Stay out of the road grit and watch out for stuff on the road. I run $7 performancebike.com slick tires and they don't have any extra flat protection. No kevlar, nothing. Just your riding technique can make a huge impact on flats. It did for me, at least :)

I bring a crecent wrench with me when I ride my fixed gear. A little bulky, but it does the job. I use MKS chain tensioners which have bolt ends, so I can use it for those as well. I like the chain tensioners because they allow me to get the wheel aligned just right in the track ends in one try instead of honking down on the axle bolts only to find my chain is too tight or too loose.

Tube slime is a pain in the @ss. I've been happy with Vittoria Randonneur tires in 700x28. Even with no tire liners they have done very well for me. My current commuter has tires with Mr. Tuffy liners.

Igloomaster, congrats on the new bike!!!

When you go fixed... remember the when walking the bike, the pedals still move!!! :D

If your going to flipflop, remember when your go freewheel. I freaked myself out that way. Riding fixed then jump on my SS mtb. Went to slow down, so I start putting back pressure. I started thinking "sh:eek: :eek: the lockring/cog are toast" then quickly switched to "DRRRRR freewheel grab brakes".

Thanks for the replies folks - - all great ones. Much appreciated!


Does this "frame saver" stuff add weight to the bicycle? Is it something that I can buy and spray in there myself?

dude, if you got a redline, stop worrying about weight or you will soon not be able to sleep... :p

but i can't imagine it adds more than a couple ounces.

this here is the stuff:

http://www.branfordbike.com/images/bikecare/jpwri.jpg

JP Weigle's Frame Saver
Modern steel frames have thinner tubes and often develop internal rust problems. Left untreated, rust can rapidly degrade an expensive frame from the inside. Frame Saver is easy to apply and will protect your frame from internal rust. Simply spray into open tubes and let dry. Designed for steel or cro-moly bicycle frames but widely used for general rust inhibiting on road and marine equipment, yard machinery and household items. Quickly gets into enclosed areas and prevents rust from forming. Will not harm painted, clear coated, or bare metal finishes. A 4 ounce (132 ml) aerosol can provides 3 to 5 frame applications. Ideal for use on all old or new frames. Safe to apply over light rust. We recommend it as inexpensive insurance for all steel frames. Proudly made in the USA.




i'd bet the bikeshop would do it for next to nothing since you just bought the bike there...

I did it myself, but I used a Penzoil product intended for rustproofing internal parts of marine engines. It was $3 for a 12 ounce can in the automotive department at Menards. Removed the seat post and water bottle screws. Inserted the small plastic straw in the spray can nozzle. Sprayed some in all the opennings including the drain holes in the chainstays. Turn the bike upside down and slosh it around.

I'm not one to disagree usually as I generally feel that everybody is allowed their opinion. However, I must disagree about using a crescent wrench to tighten track nuts. The force required to tighten them enough is more than a crescent (adjustable) wrenche is made for. The tolerances on all but the highest quality ones are just terrible. I tried loosening a track nut on my bike so I could flip the wheel over for a long hill climb (I had forgotten my 15mm wrench at home, that's another story) and I wrecked one of my track nuts completely when I tried to use an adjustable wrench I had on me.

I feel that a closed ended 15mm wrench will work perfectly, and that there is no substitute for it.

Mine is a high quality model. Also, with the chain tensioners in place I don't need to crank down on the track nuts quite so hard to keep the wheel from slipping. I do plan on getting a dedicated wrench eventually though.

this may sound really stoooooooopid, so bear with me ;)
why is it that most of the singlespeed bikes i've seen do NOT have a quick-release thing on the back wheel?

I would assume its because skewers can be overpowered on
big hills etc, and the backwheel might torque to the left slightly over time ??

When it comes to fixing a flat, 99% of my flats have been fixable
without removing the wheel. Save alot of time just leaving on the
bike, just in case that was one of your concerns about no rear quick release.

Actually, it's really mostly fashion. A quick-release hub is quite capable of holding a fixed-gear or singlespeed wheel in place. However, track bikes use these big ol' nuts to hold the wheel on, so that's what's popular. Add to that the fact that too many people don't know how to adequately tighten a QR, and the belief that a QR somehow won't hold a fixed wheel tightly enough was spawned.

So, in sum, the answer is: fashion and a misguided belief that a QR isn't good enough.

i hear you grolby... but when i am pedal breaking down a steep-@ss hill on my fixie i like the security of knowing i got some thick tracknutz holding my wheel in place as oppose to some plastic new-fangled shimano qr ;)

and igloo - lost of new SS hubs come with fun-bolts that use an allen bolts as opposed to the 15mm nuts. thats what my paul and on-one hubs use and they seem fine so far, but you really have to crank em down... and this torqueing actually seems better suited to nice replacable track nuts IMHO.

It maybe possible to get an old style steel QR to tighten down enough to hold a fixed wheel in place but I know I could defeat the new fangled Al and plastic QR. Even with a good QR I wouldn't trust it without a chain tensioner in place. A tracknut or a Phil style bolt can provide a very secure attachment using the leverage provided by a good wrench, while the QR is limited by the leverage provided by the much shorter QR lever acting over only 90 degrees. Tracknuts take about 10 additional seconds to use during a wheel change, I think the security provided is well worth the extra time.
Craig

Well Max, what I think really is nice about axle nuts in general is that you can get a good tactile feel for how tight they are, since you know that you cranked 'em down real tight when you put the wheel back on. It's harder for a lot of people to judge how much force it takes to get a QR nice and tight. I can see this as an advantage, since a fixed wheel coming loose isn't just an annoyance, it can be extremely dangerous. For some reason though, the myth has arisen that a QR won't hold tight enough, and now it won't go away. As with many such myths, I am on a one-man quest to try and dispell this one :rolleyes:.

igloo, I can't wait to hear more about your new bike - how much does it weigh? How's the handling? Do you like the tires? Etc. I must know! :D

That would depend upon the type of QR you're talking about. http://www.juggleart.com/catalog/pro...pg&w=203&h=200
This QR = good.

http://www.amclassic.com/images/Skewers.jpg
This QR = bad.

I know it might be hard to believe, but a rider hammering away on a fixed gear doesn't pull on the axle any harder than a rider hammering away on a derailer bicycle. Back when roadies still had horizontal drops, I don't think that any pro racers felt any need to hesitate before going nuts on their pedals. A QR holds pretty damn tight. Track riders have long believed that they are somehow stronger than other riders and put more stresses on their drivetrains, but this isn't actually true as long as they are driving forward (obviously, a freewheeling rider is incapable of putting stress on the drivetrain in the opposite direction). This belief has found its way into the fixed-gear community, though. A rider in the granny ring on an MTB puts several times more force on their chain and freewheel bearings than a fixed-gear rider can possibly bring to bear. A good thing, too, as that kind of torque would probably strip a hub instantly as soon as they tried to skid!

All that said, I already mentioned that there are benefits to using axle nuts, but that doesn't mean that they are somehow superior to a QR. I'm not too anxious about having to use a wrench instead of a quick-release, but I'm annoyed by the myth of their insufficiency.

I'm not sure how much it weighs, or how i would find that out (i know, duh, just weigh it, but where?)

I can say that it doesn't feel that heavy when i pick it up, it feels nimble enough on the road, and it's definitely a lighter bike than my Trek aluminum mountain bike - despite the fact that the Redline is cromoly.

I actually won't get the opportunity to really really ride it until Saturday since I've been working day and night wed-thur-fri this week, and i only picked up the bike on Tues. And the problem with Saturday is that it's supposed to be about 14 to 20 degrees in the Boston area - - all weekend. Which brings me to my next question:

On a bike you don't have to shift: Mittens, Gloves, or biking gloves (no finger tip coverage) in the winter?

Anybody wear one of those thin face masks that runner's sometimes wear?

at 14-20 definitely mittens... singlespeed is easy with them.

and the face mask thing is called a balaclava. i don't wear one but then i don't usually ride below 20. if your beard is anywhere near as thick as that pic it certainly helps keep your face warm(er).

It actually depends on the quality of the QR. I remember buying these fancy QRs from some Ti manufacturer on closeout. Yep, stupid upgrade from the cheapie Shimanos (that worked fine!).Turns out that the wheel kept slipping, no matter how hard I tightened down the QR. So, I ended up putting the old QRs back on. YMMV

What you say makes sense except the direction of the forces is not quite the same between a horizontal dropout and a track end, however a good QR still should work with track ends. The only problem is finding good QRs as most manufacturers seemed to have switched to aluminum or other weaker material once verticle dropouts became common. The only steel QRs I've had have been on the old road bikes I've picked up that had horizontal dropouts. Still I don't find the tracknuts to be an inconvience so I won't change.
Craig

Well, I'll stop by Sears tonight and pick up a 15mm wrench for those rear bolts. It's not that big a deal to carry a compact wrench in the saddle bag.

Damn I wish it wasn't going to be so freakin' cold on Saturday!

Today, Thursday, in Boston Massachusetts, it is SIXTY DEGREES! SIX ZERO! And I'm stuck here at the day job, wishing I was out riding...

I asked this skewer question on this forum and received the saged advice about using an older style steel QR. I tried following this recommendation but I am not happy with the results. I commute on flat streets 15 miles each way and at around mile 10 on the return trip my chain rolled off because the rear wheel slipped forward. I tightened the QR the previous night where I could barely move it. That did not suffice.

I have since ordered a pair of chain tensioners. That should do the trick ;)

you know you REALLY only need one on the drive side. but lots of people use both for symetry.