Usually you count the # of pedal rotations for a short time period and multiply to see how many revolutions per minute you are cycling at. Examples:

count for 10 seconds and multiply by 6. (10 seconds x 6 = 60 seconds or 1 minute)
count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 (15 seconds x 4 = 60 seconds or 1 minute)
count for 20 seconds and multiply by 3 .... and so on...

The longer you count for (and lower you multiply by) the more accurate your number will be.

-OR-

You can just ride for fun and not worry about top speed. If someone asks me how fast I can ride- I lie. Its a lot easier than doing math and I can get way more street cred for a lot less effort.

Who just rides for fun anymore? My top speed on this thing is like 39, and I just got it. HAHAHA. Has my street cred gone up yet?

Only if you did it on a bike without brakes or foot retention.

I know, you should worship the ground I walk. Just kidding. But seriously.

Fail.

He said 39mph while replying to my post telling some of the guys in this thread to lie when discussing their top speeds.

Just a little. 39 mph on flat after a week would be unhuman.

Computer that has cadence is expensive.

I completed the ride ahead of all but 2 other cyclists yesterday. I'd have easily been the first on around the loop but there were a lot of hills. I was easily passing people on the way up but I can only spin so fast on the way down the other side of each hill. As far as I could tell I was the only ss/fg bike there.

It was a beautiful day and I had a great time. Maybe next year I'll throw a second brake on the bike and ride the 62 miles as a single speed.

What is the chainring pattern for these suckers?

that is hardcore. Mad props to you, I think i would die if I rode fix, i am still sorta new, so still riding that free wheel.

Anyone here know of a good flat handle bar? I'm thinking of getting a flat handle bar with rubber grips and running two brake levers on it.

You wouldn't die. Riding fixed feels a lot different than riding a freewheel but it isn't really "harder". Nothing wrong with riding the freewheel though.

I've actually never ridden the freewheel side of my hub because when I first got the bike I wanted to try riding fixed. Once I started I was having so much fun that I never wanted to flip the wheel around. I think my next bike will be a [freewheeling] SS so I can put in a little more distance on it. (completing a metric century is cool. completing a metric century with only one gear is hardcore.)

As for new bars- if you have a local bike co-op you might go see if they have some MTB risers taken off an department store mountain bikes they could put you into or cheap. Otherwise, I'd watch Nashbar, Pricepoint, and JensonUSA for a good deal on some risers/grips.

Thanks Ryan, what you think of this handle bar from nashbar? I don't know what they mean by a 50mm rise, but from the pictures, it looks pretty decent. and our bike stem clamp is 25.4 right?

https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...B%20Handlebars

i have that. it's good, check the stem just to be sure.

i was looking at my stem yesterday, where does it say? and do you have a pic of your handlebar on your bike? and what brake levers are u using?

Thanks understanding.

where you find it would depend on how you put the stem on.


i don't know if all BD bikes are the same this way, but you'd find it on the side, behind the handle bar clamp and on the side.

i'll get picture when i get home.

what kind of lock is that red one?? i like it!

i have an old MTB brake lever on it, i want to get a cross lever soon.

That is a pretty sick handlebar.

thought i should finally post up a pic of my orange messenger. so here it is:

hot.

when the time comes, i'll powdercoat it orange.

Jealous, i am jealous, but i still love my blue. I didn't get orange cause i'm gonna lock it on the street. the hotness of orange will attract too much attention.

now, down to brass tacks, what's the bb length on this anyway?

are rubber grips one size fits all handlebars?
What is the difference between long pull and short pull brake levers?

so which will effect my ride more? a smaller chainring, or a larger cog?

i'm looking to get a 47-46t chainring, but if a 17t cog would do me better i'll get that.

Cogs are soo much cheaper, but in the long run 48t is a pretty high chainring. I will be getting a 46t when I get the chance. I have spare cogs that are doing me no good right now at 13 and 15.