My S/S, Fixed & Track obsession

[GGJ]

Just joined, I need something to whittle away the time whilst I recover from a fractured T4 vertebrae


Been back cycling for about 14 months now and thoroughly enjoying it, or I was until the T4 fracture.

Back in the late 80s I always wanted a fixed gear bike, but what with work and family it never happened so roll on 25 years and here I am with a mixture of single speed, fixed gear and track bikes for you to ponder over.

I decided last autumn that riding a fancy carbon framed geared bike in Scotland throughout the winter months would be an expensive exercise so started looking out for a single speed. I was lucky enough to find someone locally who was older than me (and that takes a bit of going) who had bought a Genesis Skyline in 2008 and after covering a total of 20 miles on it decided it wasn't for him, so it was stored away carefully in his garage. When I first saw the Genesis I thought it was brand new, no chips or dents, no scratches, brand new saddle and the suede finish on the bar tape was like the day it left the shop, even the tyre casting pimples were still on the original tyres. This was a 6 year old time warp and here was me taking this old(er) chaps shiny pride and joy out in the wet weather for a test ride. The Genesis was perfect in every way, the size correct and a deal was done and I was the new owner of my first single speed since the 1960s.

The Genesis is as it left the factory apart from a saddle change and a set of Gatorskins
Frame: Reynolds 520 Cro Mo
Fork: Genesis Carbon
Gears: Single speed-18T & Fixed-18T
Crankset: Sugino Track 48
Brakes: Shimano R450 Dual Pivot
Levers: Shimano BL-600
Wheels: Alex AT-400 32h black with CNC sidewall rims
Formula Track sealed hubs
Tyres: (Conti Ultra Race Folding 700x 25c) Conti Gatorskins 700/23
Handlebar: 6061 Aluminium 420/440
Stem: Genesis Alloy A head
Saddle: (Genesis RD2 with Cr-Mo rail) Prologo Scratch Pro T20
Seatpost: Carbon 27.2mm
Pedals: Shimano SPD-SL

I've managed to cover about 2000 miles and 120,000 feet of climbing in my time with the Genesis and enjoyed every minute of it. My longest ride being 89 miles and 5000 ft of elevation on 2nd January, what a day that was...

This was the bike as bought and just arrived at its new home

And now it looks like this

I remove the wheels and chain every now and then to give it a thorough clean, the Shimano freewheel I like to soak in a bath of turps and then give it a soak in a tub of fresh SAE 30 engine oil, this has kept it running smooth over the last 2000 miles.

 

[GGJ]

My obsession with simple machines led me to trying out track riding on fixed gears and I managed to get my accreditation at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome last year. On the lead up to getting my accreditation I started hunting for a nice second hand track bike and managed to find one down south at a reasonable cost and it sat in my garage until I was finally fully accredited for track riding. To date I have clocked up 380 miles on the track, I don't do racing but use it to keep fit during the worst of the winter weather

As bought

A change of saddle and bar tape, sadly the saddle didn't work and it is now fitted with a 4ZA Cirrus which is much better

The jury's still out on the bar tape, it blends in with the silver of the custom paintwork but looks a bit too much like duct tape

 

[GGJ]

So once riding 'the boards' I decided I wanted to try riding 'the roads' fixed. I had flipped the wheel on the Genesis a couple of times but for some reason it never felt quite right, so the hunt was on for a proper fixed gear bike.

An ebay bid had be drive through to the other side of our coast and collect a Czech built Fort Veto RO.78.DB2 much to the horror of SWMBO.
It had been used at Meadowbank velodrome for the first few years of its life then destined to turbo trainer work since then. I'm not sure of the age but it was in reasonable condition but requiring a bit of TLC, so I started by replacing the headset and bottom bracket, I fitted a front brake then some new bullhorn bars a shorter stem and some pedals. It looked good but I couldn't get on with the bullhorn bars so they are now off and I've fitted some drop bars, it feels much more comfortable for me now.

As bought

Turbo work on the headset ruined it

Bottom bracket was in need of changing

and after a bit of hard graft it started looking the part

I currently have my Mavic SSC lever on which will be removed this week to fit some Campag Brifters I bough cheaply and I will redo the bar tape with some black Fizik

 

[kloeshuman]

All sharp looking bikes, I have sold my full carbon geared bike and I now have 2 SS bikes and one more in the rack that I'm working on.

 

[GGJ]

Thanks, I'm glad you approve

Not going to get rid of the carbon or the gears, nor the steel or aluminium just yet, I enjoy them when the sun is shining and I hit the bigger routes

 

[GGJ]

This will confuse the fixie fans in my area, brifters on a single speed...

The Mavic SSC levers are worth too much money and rather a scarce item to have on this bike, plus the fact that braking from the hoods was difficult due to the positioning of the leverage so I managed to pick these up for a mere pittance They are certainly very comfortable and braking has dramatically improved from the hood position...Modern technology/ergonomics certainly seems to be working for once

 

[Andrew1971]

That's one good looking bike you have there

 

[GGJ]

Just can't help myself...

I bought this frameset last night for a few pounds, I was expecting it to be in poor condition given the price the vendor was advertising it for so was pleasantly surprised when I saw it in the flesh. My initial plan was to strip my Fort track bike and built the Omnium with the parts, but I think I might have to buy some new parts and build something nice as the frame is lovely. So for now I have borrowed the chainset and wheels from the Fort to see how I get on with the Giant. I bought some bar tape and the rest of the bits came from my parts box

Both track bikes together

My initial tootle round the garden shows the Giant to feel more road orientated compared to the Ridley, so I'll need to try it at the velodrome before deciding its future

 

[windym]

Very nice stable of bikes there, I have always loved SS and fixed either road or track I went down the Lo Pro route, not UCI legal now but great fun to ride. Hope the T4 sorts itself out with out the need for surgery I fractured and broke C3 and C4 quite a few years ago bloody painful but good now, spent about 6 months in body armour but went back to racing TT,s.

Andy

 

[GGJ]

I've decided the Omnium is too good to use as a beater so it's going to be built for using at the velodrome. New parts will be required and I will put the other parts I 'borrowed' from the Fort back onto the Fort and use it as a beater.

I managed to find some NOS American Classic 420 Aero track wheels, the only problem with them are the decals are not stickers but painted, so a day's work with paint thinners and Farecla to remove and clean one wheel has now taken place. One down and one to go.

I've ordered a Miche Primato Advanced 50T chainset and some Vittoria Diamante Pista tyres, just need to source some 1/8" sprockets for the wheel and a decent seatpost and it's ready to go

 

[GGJ]

Wheels now de-blinged and I now have fingers like bananas

 

[ChrisMc]

Some real smart bikes there mate. The Giant looks awesome, I have always fancied a SS or Fixie and this thread is really persuading me to get one.

 

[GGJ]

I have always fancied a SS or Fixie and this thread is really persuading me to get one.

I wish I had bought one 25 years ago, I enjoy the simplicity of them, the lack of gears and not having to think about shifting them, then there's also the ease of maintenance in the winter, plenty positives and few negatives. Get yourself something of quality, the cheap £199 ones are that price for a reason. The Genesis Flyer which is the replacement for the Genesis Skyline (see above) is a lovely riding bike, expensive for what it is but nicely made and soaks up the miles. If you go fixed make sure you have at the very least a front brake fitted

 

[just jim]

Like the Giant - how much was the frame?

 

[GGJ]

A new Omnium frameset is £700

I've seen used framesets going anywhere between £75 to £400 so you need to keep looking for the bargains and condition is everything, especially with aluminium frames.
The Omnium frame to me feels more road orientated than my Ridley Oval track bike, so should be good for road riding, but note that the rear brake bridge is not drilled and from looking at it I don't think it would be possible to drill and fit a brake caliper to it, so front wheel braking only. This would (by law) rule out using it as a single speed.

The law states that fixed gear bikes are permitted to have only a front brake but single speed (freewheel) bikes require front and rear brake.