Does anyone ride a fixed gear bike?
03-25-2008, 05:21 PM
#21
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Originally Posted by mistertue
if u want to brake, place your family jewels on the handle bars and lock your legs back...hahah pretty much how u skid when you first start off, also toe clips help a lot.
like ppl have said entry level fixed gears, all built, and ready to go under $300 go to www.bikesdirect.com,
i got my first fixie there, it was awesome... here is a pic of latest my ride (the first one)
www.davisfixed.com
like ppl have said entry level fixed gears, all built, and ready to go under $300 go to www.bikesdirect.com,
i got my first fixie there, it was awesome... here is a pic of latest my ride (the first one)
www.davisfixed.com
03-25-2008, 09:13 PM
#22
love the green deep Vs 
I just rode a fixie through philly for the first time tonight!! went from 10/chestnut to art museum area. what a rush...
we also had a geared racing bike I tried out. I def. think I want a single speed, but with a racheting rear hub, so I can idle. fixed was cool, but there are just too many things that jump out, or potholes you can't see on a hill. although the fixed feels very natural and easy to slow (not brake though)
I just rode a fixie through philly for the first time tonight!! went from 10/chestnut to art museum area. what a rush...
we also had a geared racing bike I tried out. I def. think I want a single speed, but with a racheting rear hub, so I can idle. fixed was cool, but there are just too many things that jump out, or potholes you can't see on a hill. although the fixed feels very natural and easy to slow (not brake though)
03-25-2008, 10:58 PM
#23
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your road bike geometry and fixed gear geometry should be the same (as far as seat height is concerned). measure the distance from the center of your seat to your pedal (with your crank pointed at 6 o'clock position) on your road bike... then raise or lower your seat post on your fixie to match.
i do this to all my bikes. once you find your proper pedal stroke you stick with it (kind of like a golf swing). the only bike i have with a slightly lower seat post is my mtn. bike... and thats because you have to move your weight around a lot more when riding off road.
i forgot to mention in my other post... gear selection is critical. i'd start some where in the middle (42/15). how fast you want to go depends on what gears you use (duh?) too big a gear and your not spinning & going up hills will suck. too small a gear and your really spinning & going down hills will really suck
i took all the brakes off my bike and rely purely on my legs to stop. however, for some rides (in the city or where there are frequent stops) i have a mini (bmx) brake lever for the front brakes. that's all you really need... it's also a way to learn how to skid the back (though it's kind of cheating)
youtube has all kinds of fixed gear videos.. good place to learn some tricks (those SF guys are nuts!!)
i do this to all my bikes. once you find your proper pedal stroke you stick with it (kind of like a golf swing). the only bike i have with a slightly lower seat post is my mtn. bike... and thats because you have to move your weight around a lot more when riding off road.
i forgot to mention in my other post... gear selection is critical. i'd start some where in the middle (42/15). how fast you want to go depends on what gears you use (duh?) too big a gear and your not spinning & going up hills will suck. too small a gear and your really spinning & going down hills will really suck
i took all the brakes off my bike and rely purely on my legs to stop. however, for some rides (in the city or where there are frequent stops) i have a mini (bmx) brake lever for the front brakes. that's all you really need... it's also a way to learn how to skid the back (though it's kind of cheating)
youtube has all kinds of fixed gear videos.. good place to learn some tricks (those SF guys are nuts!!)
03-26-2008, 05:22 AM
#24
thanks, the bike I was riding was for a guy that is like 2-3 inches shorter than me, but we have the same inseam (30!) I am 5'11 pant size 32/30.
if I wasn't getting this bike for city riding, I wouldn't worry about the fixed, but I also like my teeth...
can't wait to build it thinking either, making it look like my car (silver frame, dark wheels with maybe blue accents) or a dark silver or matte black frame and red wheels 
so much fun to ride in the city.
if I wasn't getting this bike for city riding, I wouldn't worry about the fixed, but I also like my teeth...
can't wait to build it
thinking either, making it look like my car (silver frame, dark wheels with maybe blue accents) or a dark silver or matte black frame and red wheels so much fun to ride in the city.
03-26-2008, 07:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Motormouth
thanks, the bike I was riding was for a guy that is like 2-3 inches shorter than me, but we have the same inseam (30!) I am 5'11 pant size 32/30.
if I wasn't getting this bike for city riding, I wouldn't worry about the fixed, but I also like my teeth...
can't wait to build it thinking either, making it look like my car (silver frame, dark wheels with maybe blue accents) or a dark silver or matte black frame and red wheels
so much fun to ride in the city.
if I wasn't getting this bike for city riding, I wouldn't worry about the fixed, but I also like my teeth...
can't wait to build it
thinking either, making it look like my car (silver frame, dark wheels with maybe blue accents) or a dark silver or matte black frame and red wheels so much fun to ride in the city.
the main reason I ride fixed is because it has given me a new passion to ride my bike. the adreline rush is uncomparable, although recently Ive decided to sport a helmet. even though i look like im 8 yrs old, its not worth risking getting crushed, even if the PO-PO fell asleep on that road in Santa Clara.
anyways good luck riding.
03-26-2008, 09:55 PM
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i've been using a adapter that converts quail style stems to thread-less... by doing this you open your self up to literally hundreds of stem and handlebar combinations. depending on my mood i can throw on a mtn. bike handlebar (i cut off an inch and a half from each side of a old dh bar) or conventional road bike bars... takes like a minute to swap.
good luck on the build
good luck on the build
03-28-2008, 10:14 AM
#29
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how about the top overlap i have on my mercier. is that normal? I noticed that if i try to turn my bike around a 70 degree angle at the stem i can sometimes rub my toe with the tires.
Last edited by o snap its eric; 03-28-2008 at 10:17 AM.
03-28-2008, 10:50 AM
#30
Originally Posted by WangZ808
i've been using a adapter that converts quail style stems to thread-less... by doing this you open your self up to literally hundreds of stem and handlebar combinations. depending on my mood i can throw on a mtn. bike handlebar (i cut off an inch and a half from each side of a old dh bar) or conventional road bike bars... takes like a minute to swap.
good luck on the build
good luck on the build
03-30-2008, 09:24 AM
#31
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just put on new pedals, and re-wrapped my bars in white! Next on the list are some white leather straps and put on a front brake just for a piece of mind.
03-30-2008, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by o snap its eric
just put on new pedals, and re-wrapped my bars in white! Next on the list are some white leather straps and put on a front brake just for a piece of mind.
u got pics of the mercier?
03-30-2008, 10:28 AM
#33
decided to check out some fixie videos on youtube.
this chick is out of control (and i'm pretty sure she could bench me)..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiE1Qm7HSd8
(sorry couldn't figure out how to embed the video)
this chick is out of control (and i'm pretty sure she could bench me)..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiE1Qm7HSd8
(sorry couldn't figure out how to embed the video)
03-30-2008, 02:47 PM
#34
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I don't ride myself, but my friend is very much into it.
He frequents this forum and rides with them pretty often.
http://www.sffixed.com
You have to apply to become a member of the forum tho.
He frequents this forum and rides with them pretty often.
http://www.sffixed.com
You have to apply to become a member of the forum tho.
03-31-2008, 09:16 PM
#35
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thanks! i've gotten pretty used to skidding. The steeper hills i have to use the brake to slow down. The rest i just skid! Its fun! Hills are the worse though. Looks like i need to upgrade to a cog with more teeth. I'm pretty much upgrading everything on this bike. Its like building the bike all over again.
03-31-2008, 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by o snap its eric
how about the top overlap i have on my mercier. is that normal? I noticed that if i try to turn my bike around a 70 degree angle at the stem i can sometimes rub my toe with the tires.
that just means you have a short wheel base and/or a steep head tube angle. the steeper the head tube (the part that your handlebar stem fits into) the faster steering response will be... the more raked out (think choppers) the slower your turning will be.
this shouldn't be a problem though... unless you ride at 70 degree angles much
06-11-2008, 07:19 AM
#38
I got my bike back in april and am loving it. Skid stopping is the ****! lol.
I ended up getting the Windsor. I just got a set of wheels built:
Weinmann DP18 Blue non-machined deep Vs
silver DT Swiss spokes and silver nipples
yellow Novatech hubs
front radial laced
rear 3 cross.
also, I am chopping my track bars down and adding yellow tape or possibly grips.
I am setting my bike up to match my car since I have blue bands around my rim barrels I got these! should be killer.
example of rims (not the correct colored spokes, lacing or hubs!):
and I think I'm going to go with either yellow striped tires or a rear yellow tire and front black.
I ended up getting the Windsor. I just got a set of wheels built:
Weinmann DP18 Blue non-machined deep Vs
silver DT Swiss spokes and silver nipples
yellow Novatech hubs
front radial laced
rear 3 cross.
also, I am chopping my track bars down and adding yellow tape or possibly grips.
I am setting my bike up to match my car
since I have blue bands around my rim barrels I got these! should be killer.example of rims (not the correct colored spokes, lacing or hubs!):
and I think I'm going to go with either yellow striped tires or a rear yellow tire and front black.
06-11-2008, 06:14 PM
#39
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i will get some pics up as soon as my white saddle comes in. i'm thinking about taking off my brakes as i've gotten really used to skidding. I still have it for a peace of mind.
06-12-2008, 09:34 AM
#40
keep just a front then
the new hubs are awesome!!! the bike is so crazily smooth now. and the chop bars are super comfortable and I can squeeeeeze in tight
my setup as of now:
Blue barrel DP18s, silver spokes, Novatech yellow hubs.
chopped the bars to be straight and very short. added yellow BMX grips.
changed the rear cog to a 16 so I have 48/16 now, but I want to go to a 46/16 probably. easier to skid.
up next: new seat, seatpost, bottom bracket, headset... lol
the new hubs are awesome!!! the bike is so crazily smooth now. and the chop bars are super comfortable and I can squeeeeeze in tight
my setup as of now:
Blue barrel DP18s, silver spokes, Novatech yellow hubs.
chopped the bars to be straight and very short. added yellow BMX grips.
changed the rear cog to a 16 so I have 48/16 now, but I want to go to a 46/16 probably. easier to skid.
up next: new seat, seatpost, bottom bracket, headset... lol
Last edited by Motormouth; 06-12-2008 at 09:38 AM.