New to Cycling- got myself a used Singlespeed from Foffa

[justcycle]

@justcycle - do you have a tall handlebar stem in your bike? Most of the quill stems I have seen would not go that high SAFELY! There is always a line marked round the stem where it inserts into the steerer tube. That is the minimum insertion limit. You should NOT be able to see that when the stem is adjusted properly!

This is important. If you get it wrong then you could find yourself twisting the stem out of the steerer while riding!!!

If you need the bars that high but the current stem is unsafely adjusted then you should swap to a taller stem that can give you that height safely.

Well, it seems, that the stem is quite long. I can’t see a line. It’s also has no movement or anything. But I’ll check the length of the stem. Thanks for your tip. Better be careful 😉

 

[ColinJ]

Well, it seems, that the stem is quite long. I can’t see a line. It’s also has no movement or anything. But I’ll check the length of the stem. Thanks for your tip. Better be careful 😉

There should be a line. Raise the stem enough to reassure yourself that there is, then push it back down so the line is hidden again. I would say that you need at least 2 inches inserted in the steerer, maybe more.

 

[T4tomo]

Yep should be possible as they look like 'interupter' levers

I use a pair of these mounted 'backwards' to enable the cables to sit under the bar tape, nipple sits in the adjuster

View attachment 608631

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but possibly the ugliest front end on cyclechat, I have not doubt its practical & effective though!

I don't think I have a photo my single speed to hand, but it uses proper TT brakes and gives a much neater look.
example from the web.....

 

[T4tomo]

Thats a good idea. For the moment I prefer the bull bar and bar end tt levers are quite interesting. Is there a way, I could have Bothe levers at the same time?

You probably can - Google cyclo Cross brakes or online brakes.
Never tried these myself. Have bull bars with the TT levers on my TT bike and they are ample.

You could run the cable from TT levers through CX interupter levers, but it would look cluttered and thee would be no point, you hands aren't ever very far from the TT brakes anyway, and you have more control by holding the ends of the bullhorns rather than near the stem.

 

[raleighnut]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but possibly the ugliest front end on cyclechat, I have not doubt its practical & effective though!

I don't think I have a photo my single speed to hand, but it uses proper TT brakes and gives a much neater look.
example from the web.....
View attachment 609274

Yep, I originally had forward TT 'extensions' with the 10 speed Campagnolo shifters in them but I couldn't get on with them so was looking for a way to fit brake levers with the shifters in the end of the Bullhorns and that was the only solution. I originally had levers almost identical to yours but they're on my 531 Raleigh Road Ace (see my other picture)

The bike that the 'franckenbars' are on is a 653 TT frame that I used as a night time* 'back lane blaster' hence the bar extender to fit a mahoosive lighting set and you are correct, when you're on the bike the set up is extremely comfortable and practical just a bit ugly.

*I used to work weird night shifts at various firms one of which finished at 2 in the morning.

 

[T4tomo]

Yep, I originally had forward TT 'extensions' with the 10 speed Campagnolo shifters in them but I couldn't get on with them so was looking for a way to fit brake levers with the shifters in the end of the Bullhorns and that was the only solution. I originally had levers almost identical to yours but they're on my 531 Raleigh Road Ace (see my other picture)

The bike that the 'franckenbars' are on is a 653 TT frame that I used as a night time* 'back lane blaster' hence the bar extender to fit a mahoosive lighting set and you are correct, when you're on the bike the set up is extremely comfortable and practical just a bit ugly.

*I used to work weird night shifts at various firms one of which finished at 2 in the morning.

Yes I assumed that was for some sort of lighting rig. with my single speed I obviously didn't have to worry about shifters, because as you say you can only put one control in the end of the bars, and your set up is much more usable than downtube shifters, particular for a dark commute!!

I did like the bullhorns, as you say, very comfy and more practical than drops for a London commute and look the business.

 

[Dolorous Edd]

in general, why aren't there more carbon and aluminium ssfg bikes

The enormous weight of derailleurs means that manufacturers have to compensate by building frames out of lighter but otherwise inferior materials.

Fixed gear bikes don't suffer from this problem.

 

[T4tomo]

The enormous weight of derailleurs means that manufacturers have to compensate by building frames out of lighter but otherwise inferior materials.

Fixed gear bikes don't suffer from this problem.

a great point , also the majority of ssfg's are ridden in flatter area's. Weight of a frame is only really a concern on hills, so why price yourself out of the market by selling a carbon framed steed.

A lot of the london couriers etc historically made up a ssfg from an old frameset, and old steel 531 /501 frames with horizontal rear dropouts are ideal, and a comfier ride than carbon or alu. "New" offerings to the market just ape this, but generally in cheaper but perfectly functional steel in the main.

 

[Sharky]

My two are both alu.
One a Giant Bowery 72, with front and rear brakes on drop bars. This was a "cheap" bike in 2008 ish, but nearly component apart from the frame has been upgraded.
The other a Nelson track frame, for TT's, set up with low-pro TT bars (aka bull horns) and a single front bar end TT lever. Only needs one brake for a fixed.
Also bought this one about 10 years ago, but is onle ridden for about 10 time trials each year, so less than 200 miles a season.

As I said, but are alu. I would love to get a carbon fixed frame, but they are outside my budget and all the nice ones are dedicated track framesets, with no provision for a front brake. I would have to buy the frameset and a set of TT forks to make it rideable for TT's and it just pushes it out of my budget.

I don't really understand why manufacturers don't offer framesets which are drilled for a front brake. Even track specialists would have reason to try out ther bikes out on the road or after track usage, convert to a road fixed or SS.

 

[justcycle]

There should be a line. Raise the stem enough to reassure yourself that there is, then push it back down so the line is hidden again. I would say that you need at least 2 inches inserted in the steerer, maybe more.

ok, so you were definitely right. I would have never checked that 🙈😰 I put it back to the line. I guess I still got a lot to learn about bikes😅

 

[ColinJ]

ok, so you were definitely right. I would have never checked that 🙈😰 I put it back to the line. I guess I still got a lot to learn about bikes😅

Well, fortunately we caught it!

The consequences of your handlebars coming off in your hands could have been catastrophic...