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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

So whats it like?

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Old 04-28-04 | 10:20 PM
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So whats it like?

Im interested in fixed gear but haven't bought one yet. Wonder what they are like to ride, I figure there is a reason 18speed are more popular but I dont usually do what is 'in' anyhow. Comared to a standard 18 speed road bike with equal riders which is faster in a city race through trafic for instance. Didnt know what difference there was in a fixed gear compaired to picking an equal ratio on my 18 speed and just not shifting. The frame geometry I have seen looks like it would be a fast handeling bike.
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Old 04-28-04 | 10:27 PM
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Bikes: Can't stand the damn things...

Riding fixed STILL makes me a better lover.
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Old 04-28-04 | 11:50 PM
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If you drink your coffee black, you'll do fine fixed...
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Old 04-29-04 | 12:19 AM
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From: Saitama, Japan

Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy

If you've ever had a major crash that involved spilt blood and a broken bike that you've stood up from smiling, you may well dig the fix.
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Old 04-29-04 | 02:07 AM
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From: Wherever good bikes are sold

Bikes: Thylacines...only Thylacines.

If you can't go, can't stop, can't afford a bike, you'll love fixed.

You know, that'd make a great bumper sticker......if I had a car.
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Old 04-29-04 | 03:32 AM
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Bikes: Titus road, Fort CX

I can pop off a nicely clustered 3 round grouping from a trackstand with my .45
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Old 04-29-04 | 05:44 AM
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From: Wherever the f**k I feel it

Bikes: Cinelli Supercorsa / Surly Karate Monkey

You grow a larger c**k from riding fixed. Sooner or later you have to find a place to hide it so it doesn't get crushed on your tiny seat. Eventually you have to start taking anti-growth pills to reverse the trend.
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Old 04-29-04 | 05:53 AM
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Bikes: Specialized Langster, Trek Navigator 400

If you like a super light bike and lived in a cramped apartment you will love fixed. After owning a Trek Navigator for a while I practically threw my Langster up in the air after trying to lift it. It has to weigh atleast 15 lbs less!

If you are wondering whether or not to buy one and don't want to spend a crap load of cash I hear you brother. See my other recent thread on the Langster. For around $400 you can own a fixie that will give you a bigger hard on than a case of Viagra.

As for speed - this thing is pure torque. Ever see that tech demo movie for the upcoming x-box video game, "Rallisport Challenge 2"? The music and insanity of that is what I think of when I ride this bike. I can't wait to go down a hill on this thing on the drops. Oh dear god help me now..
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Old 04-29-04 | 06:15 AM
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Riding fixed is like having a tiger by the tail, hold on, don't try to stop.

How the hell do you stop the damned thing anyways?
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Old 04-29-04 | 06:21 AM
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Originally Posted by kurremkarm
Riding fixed is like having a tiger by the tail, hold on, don't try to stop.

How the hell do you stop the damned thing anyways?
direct drive = pedals moving = backpressure on pedals = brakes
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Old 04-29-04 | 06:27 AM
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This question is like a virgin asking about sex. You just gotta do it to understand the feeling.
And just not shifting on your road bike is just self pleasure, you might convince yourself that it's the same, but it's not, and you know it.
You know you'll like it, just find one to jump on and ride, you'll want to do it over and over.
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Old 04-29-04 | 06:31 AM
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Originally Posted by crustedfish
direct drive = pedals moving = backpressure on pedals = brakes
What? You mean you can stop? I've been doing something wrong.
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Old 04-29-04 | 06:40 AM
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Originally Posted by familyman
This question is like a virgin asking about sex. You just gotta do it to understand the feeling.
And just not shifting on your road bike is just self pleasure, you might convince yourself that it's the same, but it's not, and you know it.
You know you'll like it, just find one to jump on and ride, you'll want to do it over and over.
Best answer yet!
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Old 04-29-04 | 06:51 AM
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From: birmingham

Bikes: a tvt soon to become a s/s...

i can't be bothered to buy and/or set up deraileurs.

fssb
sparky
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Old 04-29-04 | 08:39 AM
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Bikes: I built the Bianchi track bike back up today.

If you hate your knees, you'll love fixed.

If you think that becoming "one with the road" means leaving a long, bloody trail of yourself on the pavement, you'll love fixed.

If your camel-back is filled with whiskey instead of water, you probably already ride fixed.
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:05 AM
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You people are FREAKS! That's why I would love to meet some of you for PBR, whiskey or whatever HereNT has in his camelbak that day.

Hey 165, is that Auto or Long Colt. I prefer Long Colt but the Auto is definitely more packable.

ClevelandGuy, don't let 'em scare you. Go to Sheldonbrown.com and read some of his stuff on fixed gear. You just have to kind of expose yourself to the concept and see if it grows on you.
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:14 AM
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Bikes: Titus road, Fort CX

1911a...straight
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:38 AM
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Nothin to be scared of. It takes a little bit of getting used to because you'll forget you can't coast at least once. Once you get the hang of it, ain't no thang.

In fact, my fixie is much better at driving me home after a long night of drinking than my road bike ever was.
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:42 AM
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Bikes: 01 bianchi pista, custom. 04 felt f-15, full record.

Originally Posted by [165]
1911a...straight
sorry 165, but since the concealed carry law passed here in Ohio, i pack my h&K .45 usp tactical. Perhaps we should all band together and form some kind of vigilante fixie riders gang, roaming the streets and fighting crime. our batsignal could just be a track cog...

side note: for the batsignal to work, it would have to be cloudy for signal to have something to reflect off of, otherwise you'd just see a spotlight shooting up. Did they only get ahold of Batman on the overcast nights in Gotham?
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by superchivo
Once you get the hang of it, ain't no thang.

...said the man whose left collarbone is conspicuously shorter than its rightside counterpart.
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:56 AM
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Bikes: 2 fixies, 1 road, 29er in the works.

Originally Posted by [165]
1911a...straight
Doesn't anyone use a sawed off shot gun anymore?
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Old 04-29-04 | 09:57 AM
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auk
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Bikes: Specialized Stumpjumper M2Comp; Habanero Ti-Team; Slingshot Road; 1962 converted Raliegh fixer aka: The Beast

You will know if the fix is for you in the first 50 feet of riding. After that, and you are lucky enough to become a convert, you will find excuses to ride the damn thing 50 feet because it is such a ball. It is a perverse thing, like not being able to keep your finger or tongue off a sore tooth.

Expect your riding buds to not understand, but that okay, as you are the one that gets the giggles on every ride.

Dave
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Old 04-29-04 | 10:01 AM
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auk
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Bikes: Specialized Stumpjumper M2Comp; Habanero Ti-Team; Slingshot Road; 1962 converted Raliegh fixer aka: The Beast

Originally Posted by William Karsten
Doesn't anyone use a sawed off shot gun anymore?
Nah, too cumbersome. Speaking of which, I ran across a put gun a few months back. Majorly thick barrel. The old fur trappers used to have them mounted to their river boats and they would fill the barrel with gravel, etc. and shoot ducks. Hmmmm. maybe a mount on the handlebars and.......

DAve
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Old 04-29-04 | 10:12 AM
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Bikes: A lot: Raliegh road bike, 3 fixed gears, 2 single speeds, 3 Cannondales, a couple of Schwinns

It's like smoking skank bud all your life wondering what everyone is going on about. Then smoking some primo Hawaiian bud, and you see god, or your version of a supreme being. It's definately life changing.
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Old 04-29-04 | 10:14 AM
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hello
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Originally Posted by familyman
This question is like a virgin asking about sex. You just gotta do it to understand the feeling.
Best analogy yet! Better than smoking pot for the first time analogy...

George
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