would like opinions of this SS
 

I posted this on the "Your Fixed Gear/SS Photos!" Sticky, I would like for most to take a look and give honest opinions :) I can take the bad as long as its not just someone being an ass and downing my bike for some kinda sick personal pleasure ;) its just a simple ss that I use just to get around :)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...pyyappy003.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...pyyappy002.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...pyyappy001.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...llhorns003.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...llhorns002.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...llhorns001.jpg

It's not so bad, but I'm tired of looking at it.

OK, let me rephrase the posting: for those of you that havnt seen it yet I would like an honest opinion :) I just figured not everyone looks at the "Post Your Fixed Gear/SS Photos!" Sticky :) for those of you that are tired of looking at it please dont look! :lol: ;)

its a pretty ccool bike, im not a fan of colored chains that much, but it works on yours.

Can i come over and play guitar hero 3?

Nice lever set-up on the flats. Did you keep the levers on the drops just cause you didnt want to retape them? I hear ya...but getting rid of those extra levers would clean up the look of your bike tons.

And speaking of extra things...you might try riding with just a front brake? My SS came with two brakes stock and I took the back one off just to see how it would feel. That was about 2 months ago. Maybe its just placebo, but the back end does feel noticeable lighter and racier? There isnt much more that you can take off the bike, but I -am- a weight freak, and for the simplicity and weight savings, I don't miss the extra stopping. (You might endo just once, though. I did about a week later.)

Aaaanyway, it's just personal preference. I dig the blue chain, tape, and frame though.

Um, Ilikebikes, please DO NOT take the rear brake off of your SS. you will be/look foolish coasting along without it. thanks.

I understand the whole "clean bike thing" but Id rather stop in an emergency ;) guess Im just not to secure in my riding skills :) plus I just had them installed! :lol: Im glad to hear you guys like the bike :) so far :)

Haha yes, listen to the superior reasoning of a senior forum member. "Foolish!"

dude, at least im not rideing around on a freewheel with no rear brake while everyones snickering at me. go endo into traffic.

Wait, but I flipped the hub and now I ride fixed with one brake...does that fit into everyone else's expectations of what is and isn't cool? Good, cause yknow...I was so worried about that!

You can't stop faster with two brakes, only safer. And that's not a problem if you know how to brake with the front...I took some lumps for it, only cause some ***** ran a red.

^not saying anything about what is and isnt cool. what is and isnt safe.

you can ride fixed with one brake because you can stop the rear wheel with your legs.
you can ride SS with a front brake because you want to look super fixie cool. get over it. put the back brake back on.

as far as the weight concern goes:
Dude. your riding in the street. not racing or whatever makes you need to shed the <3lbs of rear brake weight.

Nice, now I can do it because you said I can.

You know that...the stopping length is...longer for the rear brake than the front brake, right?

Check out this sweet totally to scale diagram:

F------------
R--------------------------------

I'd rather stop with the shorter line, myself. And having the option to stop longer doesn't really appeal to me....since I'll only be using the shortest braking distance I can. Makes sense if I want to stop fast, no?

The only issue is knowing how to brake safely. Once you know how not to endo, there's no difference. But don't take my word for it for I am a lowly street punk:

sheldonbron.com/fixed.html...scroll down to flip/flop hubs and get your ass handed to you yourself.

look, we can stop this now, cause i really dont give two craps if you ride around like that. but this guys just getting into ss/fg/whatever, and i dont think its very privvy to suggest to other people ways not to be safe. that is all, im done here.

Alright, I'm getting sick of this. YES, sheldon brown does advise running a front and back brake. In fact, here are the situations he gives where he thinks a rear brake might be important:

Since my front wheel -did- flat a few times while I was riding freewheel, on the road, and I brought it to a complete stop, and then walked it home, I think it's safe to say having a rear brake wasn't less safe in that situation. But assuming you don't flat, don't have mechanical failures, and don't brake a ton while riding down hills, the front brake is most effective in every other condition. I don't brake over bumpy surfaces cause I've ridden trails before and am also not an idiot (it's not even a good idea to use a REAR brake on bumpy ground...skip city. But of course you know that right?)

So what does that leave us with? The front brake is less effective in the RAIN. Wow, that sounds kind of like all brakes, doesn't it? Maybe that's why I, um...try not to ride in the rain.

Anyhow, I leave you all with this lovely bedtime reading, and encourage you to decide for yourself if you should run a rear brake. Personally, I ride fixed, and since it's acceptable by traditionalists to ride a fixie with only a front brake, I'm in the clear. Phew!

Come on guys, I didnt want this to turn into an aguement :) you like running one brake, the other guy likes two, if it works for you thats all that matters :) no big deal, evryone has their prefered method, I feel cycling is just like life, you do it your way! :)

you really:D need to stop :) ****ing doing this :mad:

Its the way I express my emotions while Im on the comp :) if you dont like it dont read my post :rolleyes: its really as simple as that :)

My only complaint is that the blue of the beverage doesn't quite match the blue of the frame. Quite a shortcoming on an otherwise fine bike.

It looks fine to me (except the welds on the rear dropouts).

The brake setup looks like it could be fun on the road. The color scheme doesn't do it for me.

Is that the $30 fixed gear off of eBay? If it is, you should post up a review for everyone, because I don't think there is one (a review) out there yet.

I honestly dont know what type of frame it is, I bought it off of C-List and added saddle, wheelset, bars and in line brakes, please send a link to that "ebay fixed gear" I keep hearing about, Id like to know if it is one :)

It looks like a Target of X-Mart frame, to be honest. That shouldn't keep you from enjoying it, however.

Not at all :) I honestly wouldnt care if it was a Huffy.....wait, maybe not a Huffy :lol: as long as its a sweet ride Im all over it ;)