I think this should be a 55+ thread. I have nothing in common with 40 yr olds... (buncha young smart asses)

>50 Years of FG
 

Hanging my FG on it's hook after this PM's ride I realized that sometime this month it's been more than 50 years ago that I rode my 1st racing bike.

My neighbor next door growing up had raced on the board tracks pre-WWII and still had his track bike in the basement.
We spent a winter overhauling bearings, gluing fresh tires and talking racing.
The 1st really nice weekend of Spring we hauled it up and after a brief matter of fact reminder of fixed gear riding technique I was off.
Still at it today, sans wooden rims..... :thumb:

-Bandera

word

51 yo punk here

Dropping like flies. Over the years three friends have been killed cycling. Yea over 60 counts:thumb:

If you live around Bandera you have some great country for riding. In in Huntsville but will be moving to Pflugerville just north of Austin this fall.

I'll join in, 61 next month. At our age endurance rides get easier, our threshold for pain is higher :)

I won't be there until next year. (40 years of riding fixed. Before that first ride, I wasn't really living.)

Ben

I can't imagine that, I gave fixed a try for the first time about 2 weeks ago. Conclusion NOT FOR ME! Single-speed, you bet, I actually prefer not having to decide what gear I should be in, just peddle or coast.

47 here and just bought my first fixed gear yesterday and rode it to work this morning. Love this bike.

Mailman44,

Welcome aboard. Fixed gear rioding grows on you.

Ride Safe,

Joe

True about riding longer....not so sure about the pain threshold, though. I usually ride longer because I forget how long I've been out already. What were we talking about?

Nice thread. No crazies on it and it seems like genuine support about going out there, having fun, and staying fit. Once my bike it up and running I just may have to post a pic of it.

64, this June. :thumb:

Age 57 (58 in August), riding fixed since 1999 when I bought a Cross Check and converted it. The Surly suffered a parted driveside chainstay earlier this year and I replaced it with this 55cm Wabi Classic. It fits, barely, but I should have gone for a 58cm frame, I think. You can see I had to flip the stem and raise the seat post to its limit (short torso, long legs). Maybe I should buy a 58cm Lightning SE frameset from Richard? Or?

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=464188

Buy a 59cm Schindelhauer Viktor, Viktor Red Race, Siegfried or Siegfried Road. Belt drive at its' finest, but then I'm a biased owner of one :thumb:

Thanks, I like the Siegfried, though $2k strikes me as being a little steep. German precision and labor, the Gates belt drive, and Schindelhauer's custom parts no doubt factor into setting the price. I had never heard of Schindelhauer before, so kudos to you for an interesting suggestion!

The wheelbase looks pretty short. Do you ride yours on 50+ mile rides?

That's interesting I'm in my 30s now and I always wanted to try it but figured it was too late.

It's too late to become an elite level trackie, but at a local level you can excel even into your 40s. Also, master's age graded racing begins at 35, so you are never too old to race with your peers. I never got past Cat 2 on the track and never qualified for elite nationals, but I've got numerious high placings at master's nationals both on the road and track. How good you become is more about the effort you are willing to put into training and your mental toughness to push though the inevitable pain when the racing gets fast.

Another 66 yo blundering into this thread for the first time. After this post, I plan to read more and talk less - I promise.

This spring, I threw some spare parts at an old Raleigh frame and made a fixie. I have totally bonded with the bike and FG in general. Thinking of moving the Brooks B17 from my geared bike to the fixie. Over time, I may upgrade this bike or get another, but for now, this is the one I usually ride. It's a 25lb, scratched-up embarrassment, but I don't care.

Yesterday, I made it up a hill that I used to consider tough on the geared bike, using the lowest gear (39/21, I think). The fixed gear is 51/21 - super low, I know, but hell, I'll be 67 in November. Making it up that hill after only 2 months of FG, I think I'll be able to use a smaller cog soon.

Anyway, great thread.

Awesome job!!!

Smaller cogs are not needed, enjoy and rock the big cog. My knees are pretty roughed up, so I use a 22 and enjoy the heck out of it!!!

+1 on that. I started on the track at 55. I am loving it. The local track has great development programs and anyone that can ride a bike is welcome to take racing classes.

Thanks. I've been practicing standing up on hills - it's getting easier to do for longer periods, and it seems to take the strain off the knees.

Well, in that case you should also blunder into this thread. :)

http://www.bikeforums.net/singlespee...-thread-2.html

Ah-HA! Thanks!