Edinburgh Cycle Co-op 'Revolution Track'

[bauldbairn]

Never ridden fixed before so always interested in peoples trials.

Glad your okay/uninjured - good luck next time.

 

[Rob3rt]

The edited lowlights/summary; any ride that involves stalling on hills twice, including one incidence of riding backwards downhill for a bit, before coming off, falling off when your right leg spontaneously unclips whilst riding uphill, falling off at traffic lights when you have a clipless moment, stalling in traffic cos you can't time your coming to a halt so as to have the pedals in the right place to start again, cannot be described as an unalloyed success.

Still, the last time I rode fixed was nearly 30 years ago. Once I get the new fixed 18t cog on I'll give it another go, in the mean time she stays singlespeed. 48/16 fixed is too rich for my taste buds.

Sounds............... eventful, glad you arent injured.


By the way what do you mean 48/16 is too rich?

 

[bauldbairn]

By the way what do you mean 48/16 is too rich?

I think he means it's a bit to high/hard.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

One thing they teach you on a rugby pitch is how to fall without hurting yourself, and Ground Control Ranchsliders are one tough pair of cycling trews. Only my pride was hurt en route to a bit of my arrogance/conceit being knocked out of me.

Coming to a halt in town and having to lift the rear wheel off the desk so you can spin the pedals to get your chocolate foot in the lead is.... pants.

48:16 with 700c-25mm is too high a gear for the roads I rode/ride on given my current status as walking wounded/fatboy. 79.1 inches, or thereabouts says St Sheldon RIP. too many inches. story of my life. i wish.

 

[MrGrumpy]

48x16 is a big gear unless you are some racing whippet ( me not ) and like climbing hills 42x15 is what I use now, which is about same as a 48x18? Lot easier on the knees.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

EBC don't stock spare fixie cogs! Ordered an 18t one from Mr Charles Bikemonger

 

[Rob3rt]

Ah I see, personally I'd find 48:16 okay for all but stopping and big hills, hence why I asked.

I ride 48:15, so I can see where you are coming from, slow acceleration, grinding my teeth up any significant incline, I used to have my concerns about it, especially stopping, I cannot skid stop in this gear, tried failed, given up

But for riding I soon adjusted to it, I push this gear with ease now on the flat, and make it up any hills ive encountered, but I imagine you encounter worse hills than me, being that Im living in Manchester.


Hopefully you will enjoy your fixed mode on the bike when you change the gearing.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Yeah gearing is a funny old thing. I don't really have any 'big' hills as such just a couple of places (single chevrons on the OS) where short indiviual stretches of the climb are much, much steeper than the overall %. I guess some of this is technique and tactics for the given slope and maintaining momentum on the approach.

The point of the ss/fixie is a light/simple/fast bike for my 13 mile commute, and maybe the odd club ride, so I will gear it to suit my commute route(s). Of the 13 miles, a mile or so is in town, 3 or 4 miles are country A roads and the remainder is B and C roads. Only 3 sets of traffic lights at junctions and 6 sets of pedestrian traffic light crossings all in the first mile. So stopping starting isn't normally much of an issue. On Satruday I was riding around mostly in town, in traffic, and it was ;-)

 

[Aperitif]

Great story telling Greg! A good laugh - I must try it one day. (Not the falling off or the cycling backwards bit though )

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Actually the best thing about it was lying on the floor holding the traffic up (nice drivers in Horsham on Saturday's generally) still clipped to the bike and laughing like a mentalist as a 'little old lady' tried to stand me back up.

 

[bauldbairn]

Actually the best thing about it was lying on the floor holding the traffic up (nice drivers in Horsham on Saturday's generally) still clipped to the bike and laughing like a mentalist as a 'little old lady' tried to stand me back up.

- -

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

A clever little device to stop a fat lad like me stomping on his pedals and dragging the rear wheel out of alignment because he didn't torque the lock nuts to the proper torque when flipfloping his hub or fixing a puncture.

I've been considering these as I don't carry (atm) a spanner/wrench to be able to remove my rear wheel (have I just tempted fate???). How much were they, and do you tink they are useful? Also, I'm assuming that the idea is that they can be tightened by hand/allen key... is this right, or would I still need some sort of spanner?

 

[longers]

GET A SPANNER!

hope this helps.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I carry an old kooltool adjustable spanner multitool thing from the early 90's where ever I go.Iknow adjustable spanner are listed under 'dreadful engineering practise' but it's my mojo and has helped many a fellow wheeler over the years. Does the axle bolts, does the chain tug nuts, does all sorts of things on BSO's and it includes a chain breaker, a spoke key, and two allen keys.

I bought my No Logo brand tug(s) (I've ordered another just to be symetrical, I'm funny like that, but you only need one) from Mr Charles T. Bikemonger - follow that link and scroll down you will see them. You can spend much more for something that does the same job and doubles as a beer bottle opener. Guess what? my kooltool does that too and is much easier to use in the kitchen!

 

[longers]

You can spend much more for something that does the same job and doubles as a beer bottle opener.

I did when I got mine and it was unnecessarily expensive, any spanner that fits will do.

One bit of advice I did read was to always use the same spanner at home that you carry on the road or else they might be difficult to remove if you carry a smaller one on the road. It was probably written a bit clearer than that but hope it makes sense.