Last night a couple 19 tooth 1/8" track cogs arrived in the mail. I went downstairs, stuck the Rudge Clubman in the stand, took off the rear wheel and mounted the cog, snugged it down, then the lockring.
I took a ~14 mile ride this evening on the Clubman as a fixed gear.
Lately I have been having these moments of near-childish joy from riding, or grabbing my Pentax MX with 50mm lens, or picking up a live cicada. It was a blast to ride the Clubman as a fixed gear. I haven't ridden a fixed gear for myself since 2009. This is actually the most I've ridden the Clubman, even more than with the 16/20 freewheel. It's like rediscovering a bit of the real fun of riding. This bike has me so connected; the gear ratio is good, the chain slack is just enough to allow smooth rotation, but also perfect for track standing. I did a good minute trackstand waiting for a traffic light to turn on my way to the Schuylkill path. It's just so much fun. My legs feel a little more like noodles than they usually do, but that's good. Knees don't hurt, everything feels good.
Here's a photo of the Rudge Clubman just before East Falls.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/545...031023Ride.JPG

I’m 72 , my bike riding started when I was probably around 12 and I dragged home an old three speed “English” bike someone had thrown out in the trash.
I managed to get it to work as a single speed . I never owned a new bike until I was in my early thirties and bought a cheap department store bike , to ride with my daughter , but it didn’t last long and my interest changed.
In my mid fifties I bought an old Schwinn Heavy Duty at a yard sale and my love of riding regularly grew along with my love of single speeds .
I’ve gone back forth between single and geared bikes with my interest in single speeds taking over .
I just recently converted my Schwinn CrossCut and CrossCross , along with a Trek MultiTrack.
And my Specilized Hardrock .
Never tried FG but thought about it . I have a frame or two laying around and a couple of flip flop hubs , so who knows .
Is 72 too late to start FG ?

My first brief dabble with SS was in the ‘70s. I got a new Azuki “10 speed” in 1975, a 23” frame. In a a couple years it seemed small and I got a nicer 25” frame. I turned the Azuki into a single speed. I only used it on shorter, around town rides and eventually I gave it away.

I didn’t get back to single speed until about five years ago. Since then, I’ve had two bikes, a road frame and an MTB frame and both have been set up single speed for more than three of those years.

I’ve put gears back on briefly for two intervals, but riding an actual single speed just seems to make me happier.

One thing I’ve gone back and forth on is gearing. Lots of time as 42/16, but sometimes I switch to 42/17. I tend to prefer to push a little harder than some, but I started running regularly again a year ago. I seem to manage the overall load of cycling and running if I use the 42/17. Also, when the leaves drop, the wind is more of a challenge on windy rides and the lower 65 inch gear is easier to stay on top of.

Otto

No. Do it. It takes a little getting used to, but fun once you're over the learning curve.

Finding the right gearing
 

I highly recommend the white industries dos eno dual freewheel, for on the road manual gearing changes. You do have to convert from track 1/8” to 3/32” chainring and chain, but it’s great. I have the 17/19 and 20/22 tooth combos. Important to size the chain just right, so it will cover either rear wheel cog in the dropout space available. And locate the rear rim brake pads vertically just right for both cogs. With a 50t upfront and 17/19, I have either 79 or 70 gear inches available on my ride.

For a recent 50 mile club ride, used 47x17 for the first 20 mile flattish section, and swapped over to the 47x19 at a regroup for the next 20 mile hilly section, but eventually got dropped by the group. Can only go so far keeping up with the geared up, fully kitted and aero bunch :/ Save the 42t up front, for the mountains and major hill climbs.

I’m sure that works great for people who ride roads and do group rides. I ride solo rides nearly year-round almost entirely on our various trails (except brief bits on roads to reach the trails). So there is no drafting, I do all the work and something around 65-70 inches works well on level ground and is tolerable on hills.

If I started to do rougher trails, I could see running 42/39 front and 17/20 in back. 42/17 for easy surfaces and 39/20 for single track. The MTB is freehub, so putting two cogs on is trivial.

Thanks!

Otto

Yes, trails/mtb are completely different
 

Very true. Trails/MTB riding is completely different from road riding. I’m addicted to the speed of roads, but understand the attraction of trail riding. No longer have that bike anymore, after a few too many scrapes on rides with friends. Seems like at least one person got bloodied on every ride :-/

We have a high-quality MUP system with a state park trail that spans the state and lots of trails in and around town that are rather tame and very well used. I quit road riding thirty years ago when these trails emerged to avoid the inherent danger of cycling near cars. Haven’t really done any single track riding. Seems more likely to cause serious injury which I try to avoid.

Otto

Fresh build
 

Finished putting this one together this morning.
Rode a four mile cruise around the neighborhood after the game .
Smooth riding , no name, light bike .
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3f4d3e2d1.jpeg

bumping thread for the New Year...

mid-50's, back to bikes in general -- and fixed gear in particular -- this summer. Riding a bit this winter with studded tires -- mostly to and from the train. I had a Bianchi Pista about twenty years ago but traded it away during law school because no place to keep it in the high-rise we were living in.

Currently riding a crappy Schwinn Regent "track-ish" bike (track dropouts, anyway), running a nice easy 65 inch gear (46x19). Pulling the trigger soon an a Wabi Classic frameset to build into an all-rounder to try easy group rides (apparently lots of that on Chicago's North Shore), randonneur, and maybe a gravel race in MN this summer. Good times!

I'd forgotten how awesome riding fixed gear was...

Welcome back (to bikes). I'm new to fixed gear riding and enjoying it; mostly commuting but doing a bit of randonneuring. It's a hoot.

Cheers

Welcome back! Not fixed, but I’ve been riding single speed for a year so far, and it really is awesome. Doing road group rides, usually 50+ miles. Great, except when spinning 100+ rpm and over 25 mph on the flats when I get dropped due to gearing.

Haven't previously seen this thread, I hopped on the SS bandwagon by converting an old horizontal road bike to a SS in 2022 for the cross season, only managed to do one race on it, and despite 3x having to stop to reposition the wheel after ripping it out of place, my time was better than the year prior which had me hooked. i particularly like riding it with the kids, they're getting faster but using the SS helps to level the playing field for them so some extent. For 2023 the wife and kids bought me the motobecane UNO for father's day. The thing was a bit of a beast and weighed about 30lbs. The plastic pedal survived 3 miles before tearing apart, replaced them with platforms for riding with the kids but tossed on some old ritchey spd style for racing in the fall. I rebuilt the wheels with some pub carbon rims and butted spokes for a 4lb weight savings and for 2024 would like to find a carbon fork to ditch the beast of a steel fork it comes with and install some trp hylex hydraulic disc brakes. I used it to race cross nationals in Louisville in december and placed 70th out of 74, not bad for racing with the flu and being too sick to remember to bring the dry condition tires that I should have been running. I like to think without the flu and with the right tires I could have placed in 62nd which was my placement based on national rankings but really the best I think i could have done was about 67th/68th. Either way, heading back next year to try for a better result, it was too much fun.

72 and have been riding fixed since 2008. Just completed a 70s bike boom conversion to SS as I already have a fg. The gearing is 42x17...it's a little light on top so I'm going to go to 46x17 as I've got an old Origin8 chainring. The victory for me in this build is using the old single pivot calipers and finally figuring out how to set them. lol I used to just automatically get dual pivot calipers because the singles were such a pita to set. I've cracked the code! Cheers from New Zealand! 🇳🇿

Didya miss me? I haven't posted around here in ages, and it's been almost a year since my last fixie ride. I have a 2009 Schwinn Cutter made with wonderful Hi-Ten tubing. It was originally a single speed, but on my first foray into wheelbuilding a built a fixed gear wheel for it and rode it until I wore it out. A while ago a friend was retiring to a beach house and sold off a bunch of his stuff and I bought a track wheelset from him with Dura Ace hubs, Sun Rims, etc.

Pretty good deal. The only problem is I use my front brake and the radial lacing on the front started to loosen up due to the braking torque. So I got new spokes and relaced it in a 3-cross pattern. I just took it out for a shakedown ride and it was fine over 12 miles. Feels good to ride fixie again.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9edb1a2cfa.jpg

After doing some 100k rides and one 200k on the fixie, I got the idea of doing a full super randonneuring series fixed.

200k 2,800ft
300k 8,500ft
400k 10,400ft
600k 12k feet

Well that was hard AF but not impossible. Not sure I'll do that again, but then who knows?

I just saw this thread again and realized that my Mooney, now fix gear, was conceived in 1978 (with horizontal dropouts just so it could go fixed if I ever wanted to) and delivered in '79. 45 years old and qualifies for this thread. Been fix gear since 2017. Little danger it will ever go back.

My legs made the transition in 1976. Now the majority of my life's miles are fixed. (I did single speed 4 years before I went fix gear. Crashed first FG ride not thinking and coasting (with too high a seat). Still, got home and I was sold! Haven't ridden SS since.

I doubt it. Torque is far less when using a rim brake than a hub brake. But you did a good thing anyway, relacing the wheel.

Welcome back to riding fixed. I like riding fixed occasionally. I did it every day for a couple of months, but that was many years ago. It's not a way of life for me as it for some.

I built my first "Track bike" back in 1975 I think it was. I was working in a bike shop just down the street from my high school. It was a frankenbike built from a hodge-podge of parts. It started out as a Peugeot "10-speed" though. I own two Wabi's now (A Special and a Classic) and I love the ride on both of them. Did a 20 miler today on the Special.

I've got both of them rigged-up as single speed and not fixed gear. A bad crash in 2020 left me with a shattered wrist decided to leave the fixed gear in the rearview mirror for a while. Yep, mistake on my part.

The Wabi Special:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c1761202ec.jpg


The Wabi Classic:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f3f241266c.jpg

The Motor:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e3ce635e80.jpg

Pulled out my city/rain/winter fix gear for the first time since early COVID days. It's been my workhorse since 1976 though crashes, a theft, a frame failure have taken their toll. It is on frame #5, an early '80s Trek 4sopmething? (Basically a Japanese sport bike of the day, hi-ten steel; decent ride.) Took it down last night. Deep in sawdust. Tires totally flat. Pumped up, did a little cleanup with a rag, squeezed and looked at the brake. Tossed the small Ortliebs on the LowRider racks.

Wheeled it out this morning to go the farmer's market 8 miles away. I felt strong and the (primarily downhill) ride in was fun. I could still do the 44-17 and go decently fast. Shopped and rode now heavier bike over some bumps of hills with short 10%+s. Yup, the last time I rode this bike I was still in my 60s. Not any more! Coming up the long grade going home was slow and largely out of the saddle. Bike's gotta see changes. A 42 is going on. Probably not long until the 18 happens. And sadly that lower gear will be a lot less fun in west Portland where low gear downhills hurt or I drag the brakes a lot. (Or trade this carcass in for one 40 years younger. Best scenario by far but I haven't got the right connections.)

Still, it was a fun ride and good to be back on a bike that has served me very well. (I think I have about 22,000 miles on it in i9ts current mode and frame and in all year riding.)

And the bike in its current format - 59 cm frame with a -22 175mm quill (TiCycles custom - I have arms that go forever). Ordinary probably Nitto drop bars. A Sugino 110 BCD cranset with a think, an old blue anodized Haro 1/8" BMX ring. Miche hub in back, Campy Tipo front laced to Open Sport in front and Velociy Aero in back. Brakes - Mafac Racer front, Weimmann something in back. (I broke up a set of each and made the Mafacs fronts, the Weinmanns rears. Ace Hardware bolts. Easy. And Mafacs are a real step more powerful, the Weinmanns a real step stiffer. That combo, brakes feel the same and brake the same. Serious city stoppers! And with a two wheel revolutions heads up real rain stoppers. Campy Chorus post (came to me scratched beyond decorum. This bike doesn't care). Specialized seat that I don't want to like but works really well and with its plastic covering, doesn't care at all about being wet. Narrow white Planet Bike fenders. Front has a low plastic flap, not the Planet Bike toy. The workhorse Shimano semi-platform track pedals with the unique toeclips. I am not sure why, but this bike has the easiest pick-up of just about any bike I've ridden. First pickup in traffic almost every time. Tires - 28c Paselas. For city use year 'round, day and night on a fix gear you want to keep rideably fast, I don't think a better tire was ever made. (Well, on the Portland freezing rain days, you need something else. Or a sanity check. Or the acceptance that maybe where I gotta go just isn't that important.)

Accessories - those LowRiders, two WB cages, a newish TA and a King. The old and new super reliables. Krypto U lock with the bracket on the seat tube. Small tool bag. (I keep the keys to my three U-locks plus house on both my Gerber and Leatherman multi tools. So I never have to worry about grabbing the wrong keys or bike.) LED flasher on the left seatstay. Sometimes a NiteRider headlight on the bars;

Looks - its got the blue sky powdercoat which is a stock color. Purchased a roll of blue 3M reflecting tape on-line (from an industrial supply outfit). Exact same blue! Almost the entire bike is covered with tape Not one of the brighter colors but there is so much the bike really lights up at night! Daytime at a distance you don't even see it. Black cloth handlebar tape. Two layers because I don't like seeing aluminum through the holes. Tape is very beat up. I don't think this bike has ever been photographed.

A little reminiscing. That bike rarely gets mentioned but until COVID was one of my solid rides. Any time it was a ride into Portland or lockup territory it as this or the geared city bike and if I didn't need the back panniers, it was a almost always this bike. Edit: And last year, give or take, it qualified for this thread!

Goodbye, Trixie da Fixie III. . . . .
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...15ee330b4e.jpg

Hello, Fix da Fuji, uh, Fuj da Fixed, um, Espree da Fixed. . . . .
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a7b8179220.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...626f9a5b37.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0b196b938c.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f18caba3ec.jpg

mort1369 is that the new Sturmey 3 speed fixed hub?
Phil

is there a new one?
I saw one years ago and didn’t buy it. I’d consider using one now.

There's the old ASC and the "new" S3X.

Phil

It's an older one. I've had it on the Trek for a while now. . .