fixed wheel for Vancouver
 

I recently moved back to Vancouver for another year of school, and seeing how I don't have a car I bought a nice '79 road bike off of a guy that seems to have hardly ridden it in the last 20 years. A steal at $40. Anyways, I'm thinking now about converting it to a fixed wheel. At first I thought that Vancouver was too hilly. There's some pretty steep ones on my commute to school, but then this morning I was taking it easy up a hill and I got dusted by some guy wearing jeans and riding a fixed wheel. I figured that if he can do it, no reason I can't handle the hills too.
Anyone have experience riding a fixed wheel around Vancouver? Is it worth it to give up gears? It would be my first ever attempt at building a fixed wheel, any tips?

I was in Vancouver last week. It is a bit hilly, but there were several messengers on fixed gear riding the streets. I talked to a few and they seemed friendly enough. You may also want to try the track in Barnaby. The only shop I am familur with in Vancouver is Bicycle Sports Pacific, but they didn't seem to have any/much fixed gear stuff -- otherwise a great shop.

Vancouver is hilly?

unless you're talking about the North shore.

[edit]
I guess I should be helpful. I ride a 39x15. Before my month off I was considering upping that to 42x15. I chose this by repeadtedly riding up the hill on W4th from NW Marine and Blanca on my geared roadie and picking the gear I felt most comfortable mashing.
For fixed-related tech info and parts go see Dan at Mighty Riders on Main and Ontario. He's a surly bastard (pun intended), but he knows his sh*t. La Bicicletta and Campione sell high end track parts as well as some more affordable Miche bits. (FYI - DA cogs are only $25 at Campione). There's also always a few fixies hanging up in the Bike Kitchen at UBC.
Oh yeah, and there's a FG mailing list over at Yahoo groups. do a search for fixedvancouver.
and come check out the Burnaby velodrome this winter.
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Maybe it's just subjective. I grew up in Kingston, Ontario which is flat as a pancake. But thanks for the links

Hilly or not?


"I ride a 39x15. Before my month off I was considering upping that to 42x15."

In Dallas, TX I ride 49x15