keep the fixie, or go cyclocross?
06-25-09 | 01:57 PM
#1
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keep the fixie, or go cyclocross?
My current ride is an all black schwinn varsity conversion. next semester i'm moving to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC. anyone know if a fixie is reasonable for that terrain or should i just drop 500 on a CX?
06-25-09 | 02:09 PM
#2
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From: Central CA
Bikes: A little of everything
Honestly, when I go to SC, I hate bringing anything with 23c tires (like on my speedy fixed) becuase the roads alternate from perfect and smooth, to nasty, decaying, potholed and gravelly; however, SC is mostly flat, and the parts that arent flat are actually kinda fun to climb on a fixed (Laurel/California St area, the hills East of Ocean St, or the mountains outside town). I simply suggest some fat tires (28s or so, and slight tread is nice).
06-25-09 | 02:12 PM
#3
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Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Sacramento CA
Bikes: Too Many
I think after a couple of climbs to campus you will be crying for gears. I would go CX, actually, I would want both.
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I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
06-25-09 | 02:38 PM
#5
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From: Central CA
Bikes: A little of everything
I figured that would be your choice. Its a good price, and it can haul panniers.
Why cant you take both? The fantom as your 'car' to school, and the fixed for the beater/downtown bike?
Why cant you take both? The fantom as your 'car' to school, and the fixed for the beater/downtown bike?
06-25-09 | 02:48 PM
#6
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My brother is a CX guru and lives and rides in Santa Cruz daily (we're SC natives). The CX is perfect if you're going to be spending a lot of time up there - you can hit trails between classes and to get to High St. to take the descent down into town or to the beach. That descent will suck with a fixed gear.
There's a lot of fixie-heads in SC, but most hang out and drink coffee at Cafe' Pergelosi's.
Oh yeah, buy a BMX bike - They're re-building the Fun Spot and I think Ryan Nyquist is redesigning some of that stuff. Us flatland BMX'ers do town crawls and do impromptu freesyle shows downtown every so often.
There's no better town to have a bike than Santa Cruz. Whatever you ride in SC, it's all good.
There's a lot of fixie-heads in SC, but most hang out and drink coffee at Cafe' Pergelosi's.
Oh yeah, buy a BMX bike - They're re-building the Fun Spot and I think Ryan Nyquist is redesigning some of that stuff. Us flatland BMX'ers do town crawls and do impromptu freesyle shows downtown every so often.
There's no better town to have a bike than Santa Cruz. Whatever you ride in SC, it's all good.
06-25-09 | 05:44 PM
#9
some new kind of kick
Joined: May 2007
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From: Smog Valley
Bikes: SOMA Rush, Miyata 912, Kogswell Mod. G, want a porteur bike
you might be able to run a fixed if you had really low gears.
more like the gearing you would have on a single speed mountain
bike. then you would be able to climb but you would have issues
with spinning too fast on the descents--lacking a freewheel.
more like the gearing you would have on a single speed mountain
bike. then you would be able to climb but you would have issues
with spinning too fast on the descents--lacking a freewheel.
06-25-09 | 07:00 PM
#10
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Posts: n/a
Eh, aluminum CX.
This is the route to go:
*BLING BLING*
Actually, I have two BD bikes and love them both. I just drool over the RockLobster. I'm building a steel road bike that will do double duty CX using a Surly Pacer. My brother recommended the RockLobster then I realized the frame ALONE is $1200
This is the route to go:
*BLING BLING*
Actually, I have two BD bikes and love them both. I just drool over the RockLobster. I'm building a steel road bike that will do double duty CX using a Surly Pacer. My brother recommended the RockLobster then I realized the frame ALONE is $1200
06-26-09 | 04:03 AM
#15
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i have a schwinn world conversion, i just threw on fat tires (smooth but 38c) for testing out the cross thing. i added a freewheel, and now im running knobbies. its fun.
id ditch your fenders, and add tires like more like the michelin jet, which is smooth, but designed for cross duty. will help smooth out the roads during your commute. id add a freewheel on the other side, something like a 22 tooth. and you can still try the cross trails.
or you can keep the fenders and the fixed, get a cross bike, and do both. more bikes isn't a bad thing, as long as you have the space for them.
id ditch your fenders, and add tires like more like the michelin jet, which is smooth, but designed for cross duty. will help smooth out the roads during your commute. id add a freewheel on the other side, something like a 22 tooth. and you can still try the cross trails.
or you can keep the fenders and the fixed, get a cross bike, and do both. more bikes isn't a bad thing, as long as you have the space for them.
