Our new messenger singlespeed
 

http://stringyspit.net/trashcan/surly_low.jpg

The company I work for just purchased new cycles for the messers, although I still prefer to ride my fixie. But this is not too bad -

Surly 1X1 frame,
Novatec hubs on mavic F219 rims
Blackspire 42 DH ring, 16T cog
Cheapy RPM cranks
Random cheap seatpost, Planet X saddle, FCF riser
Cheap mech disc brakes, Sram 7 levers
Continental Sport contacts

Nice company 'car'. Not too shabby.

Did they have problems with messengers riding their own track bikes or something? Not being able to stop? Because that dual disk setup looks like it'd stop you on a dime.

Too bad I'm a posenger - nobody's going to buy me a sweet new ride :(

Not a prob, these are more like 'backup winter beaters'. When Helsinki fills with 1ft of snow on the street fixies are not the best option, altough I am going to ride Steamroller this winter. But then again, I am a bit silly

Yeah, I've been out when they are plowing downtown from a 1 or 2 foot snowfall on my fix... You try to ride over the two or three foot pile that they put in front of you, but end up stuck hanging over your bars stuck in the snow...

I wouldn't want to ride a free bike in the winter no matter what.

hey, snow softens the inevitable fall ;)

Yeah, there is the softening. I think the thing I hate the most in the winter here is the guys with the big 3 foot wide brushes that clear the sidewalks. I've had them totally coat me with snow - it's not fun at all....

I wreck more in winter, but it's never from ice, almost always from running a pedal into a snowbank. Or from being too drunk...

I still wouldn't want to ride that bike through a foot of snow though, but I hate brakes during the winter. You'll probably end up locking up the wheels and skidding all over the place. You gotta be fixed to deal with winter...

I agree. I rode "Dumbo", my singlespeed On-One cyclocrosser last winter, and found replacing brake pads twice a week real pain in the ass. Also, went trough 3 Isis BB's and split one Mavic CXP22 rim due excessive brake wear. Road salt, gravel and snow combined to wonders for you bike...

You don't want to see the pics of my winter bike. Trust me. Rust everywhere....

Last winter the last time I used my brake, it stuck shut. I had a cab driver in front of me doing a U-turn. It wasn't fun. I don't think I'll ever ride with brakes in the winter again.

Now if only I could ride my track bike without being worried about what the road salt would do to her...

Yeah, I think I'll save my Campy and Phil hubs for next summer, and build a MA3/Surly wheel for the winter. Steamroller frame is good that it accepts 35c cyclocross tires and Nokian ice stud grannies (which weight a ton)

That may be your "beater" but i would love to have one.

Oh well.

phil hubs are great for winter riding. sealed cartridge bearings, y'know?

The bearing aren't what I would be worried about, I would worry more about the salt eating the actual hub body. I know for myself I wont be riding my Phil's this year in the winter, I don't think any hub is good enough to withstand such abuses. I just spent too much damn money on those wheels to see riding them through salty slushy winters like those that we have here in Minneapolis. As for winter riding I think a fixie works better, on icy conditions that is because of the ability to backpedal instead of relying on brakes. In really snowy weather though, I think a SS might be better, because of the dynamics of snow and how a bike rides in heavy snow. But I might ride a SS this year, depends on how I feel...

Phil

aluminum doesn't corrode the same way that steel does, and being that the phils are aluminum, you wouldn't have much to worry about. my rear D/A hub that went through three boston winters is still going strong, still super high polished, and the rim it's laced to is still in relatively new condition, except for a couple scrapes here and there from being under a truck...boston winters, BTW, while not as long as minneapolis winters are still pretty rough as far as salt and sand and other crap that the municipality slathers the roads with.

my hubs always ended up covered in a white film from the roads, but it just rubs off...

i wish my company would buy me **** :-(

Wish my boss would set me up like that. Boy would that be stretch for a teacher, but it would be nice!