Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Velo Fixe => Topic started by: RecordAce on 15 October, 2010, 09:34:46 pm
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Been messing with gears, fixed and SS over recent years and I can see advantages in all of them.
I love the feel and control of fixed.
I love the freedom of SS on downhills and offroad.
Gears, well we don't want to hear about them on here...
So I think this winter I'm going to try SS freewheel for a while and maybe post how I get on. There's lots of 'SS is for girls' threads on here (many written by girls), so if you feel the need you can get away from those nasty fixed-gear fundamentalists and confess your sins. We don't judge. Or snigger.
It also means I can use any old frame I like, any wheels (and needn't worry about my 172.5s)
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OK I'll come out. Singlespeed and proud :)
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Welcome aboard O:-)
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I love my single-speed
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/freddered/Bike%20Stable/Fixed1640.jpg?t=1287182721)
..even though it was a Fixed in this photo.
I tried Fixed and then I tried Single-Speed. I preferred Single-Speed.
I'm not a Fakenger, I'm not trying to look like I ride a Fixed when I ride S/S, I don't aspire to ride a Fixed, if you like riding Fixed then that's fine. Riding Fixed isn't the pinnacle of cycling achievement, it's just another sort of bike, like a Tricycle or Recumbent....or Single-Speed.
I love my Single-Speed.
I love coasting down hills and I love simplicity.
(At certain times I am also a big fan of gears, owning both derailleur and Hub implementations of them)
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I wanted to know what all this "connected to", zen, macine and rider as one bollocks was about so I converted an old frame to fixed. I mean, you read so much about it, it must be right up my street, being a keen cyclist of many years. Let's face it - if these hipster muppets in London can do it without any brakes, it'll be a piece of piss for me, right?
The only thing it taught me was - I've developed a very efficient riding style, both on the open road and in city traffic - and freewheeling is a major part of it. I thought it would be good for scooting around town, but I was spending a lot of time slowing down and preparing to unclip where normally I'd freewheel as a way of modulating my speed - mainly in reaction to stupid drivers pulling out of junctions or dopey peds or drunk students stepping out in a world of their own.
The actual riding along was fine, it was just the interruptions that made fixed a pain. Depends a lot on the routes you do I suppose. So I gave in and bought a cheap Dicta freewheel. I'd like to find a situation where fixed is advantageous at some point though.
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I used to ride singlespeed a lot in India. It was great for that situation, a bike that you can ride anywhere and leave on any street, and that just blends in with the surroundings. The surrounding bikes, that is. The bike was nothing at all like Lee's above, obviously! You can get some pretty good acceleration with one gear, which was more useful than high speed. I've never tried fixed wheel, and the more I think about it, the less I'm attracted to it. I like being able to freewheel!
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Yes I think we all 'get' fixed and I certainly am not going to knock it; I love the direct drive connection.
But some of us don't always find it practical in traffic/down long, fast, twisty hills/offroad and so on.
We can fess up to our 'weakness' on here.
Think I may start a SS alternative to the Fixed Gear Gallery, as that Orbit looks really nice Lee!
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Think I may start a SS alternative to the Fixed Gear Gallery, as that Orbit looks really nice Lee!
Not nearly as pretty but here's mine
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4862271425_281a84dfa0_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_fulford/4862271425/)
Mongrel Fake Dawes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_fulford/4862271425/) by paulfulford (http://www.flickr.com/people/paul_fulford/), on Flickr
It's a 'Dawes' frame bought in the US last year - a pile 'em distributor has bought the US rights to Dawes and a number of other brands with a Roadrat disc fork on. Comfy steel frame which I did my first (and only) imperial century on.
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I've had a fair few s/s over last 7-8 years, mainly for "the winter". Until c.18 mths I also rode fixeds a lot, all year. I'm no longer sufficiently fit to ride a high enough ratio on fixed that will get me UP without being silly low going DOWN. Hence, my "new" winter s/s - altho' I've already done near 700 miles on it in last 8 weeks.
Other advantage is that s/s is a whole lot cheaper!
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p56/wasnti/Bikes/LotusGrd.jpg)
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I am going to join the s s club i just bought this cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=180573532423
i have been thinking about it since the of the summer i will probably use it as a singlespeed as i like flying down hill :thumbsup: been on my mind a good few months so £150 did not seem like much of an investment as i still dont know if it is for me i like the simplicity of it as a commuter and i really do want it to work for me ! i shall keep you posted on how i get on :thumbsup: try this link FIXIE VIKING ROAD DROP BAR CITY BIKE 59CM NEW BARGAIN on eBay (end time 17-Oct-10 19:43:28 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FIXIE-VIKING-ROAD-DROP-BAR-CITY-BIKE-59CM-NEW-BARGAIN-/180573532423?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item2a0b057107)
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They all look great guys. I think utility bikes look just as good as pimped out racers, all have their own charm. :thumbsup:
Oncemore, that is the trade off that tends to push you towards SS over fixed - thinking that 60" would be good over winter, but how would you get that DOWN a 1 in 4?
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As it happens, it is almost exactly 60" (42x18 with 26x2.1s)! Can't see why won't go DOWN 1 in 4 (tho' aren't many around here, except a few v steep residential roads). As for 1 in 4 up, that I always treat as a requiring a 24" gear, which all cycles have!
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No problem on SS but down a 1 in 4 on 60" fixed would be much twiddling - very incomfortable and undignified.
Is 24" the old '2 feet' gear?
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No problem on SS but down a 1 in 4 on 60" fixed would be much twiddling - very incomfortable and undignified.
Is 24" the old '2 feet' gear?
Just so - hence the change to single free (60" is the highest on which I can get up the hill home!). And yes it is!
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Here's mine :
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2584/4019880986_511917f115.jpg)
It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...
It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick (http://thatmessengerchick.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/on-freewheeling/)
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If this is turning into a photofest then why not just post them in the Members Fixed and SS thread over in Gallery ?
Members Fixed Gear & SS (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=22914.msg582106#msg582106)
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My next bike will probably be single speed.I have gone off the fixie idea.
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It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...
Sounds a bit like my experience; I only briefly rode freewheel when I got my fixed/ss bike and the bike had not been set up well by the LBS; I set it right *after I went to fixed. So my only ss experience was not good. I'm not really tempted to go back, though. And since my back wheel is now fixed on both sides, I don't have the option ;)
It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick (http://thatmessengerchick.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/on-freewheeling/)
I don't agree with her at all. She comes across as rather shallow, constantly changing her opinion to match her current whim. If she ever goes back to geared frewheel, she'll probably decide that's the hardest option, suddenly. As for brakeless being safer , she's just nuts. 24tee has it right:
If you ride fixed with no brakes you learn to 1) look ahead 2) turn very fast 3) not expend your energy.
It’s not safer, it is far more dangerous.
It is not easier, it is much harder.
Because it has no safety option (it all went wrong so I pulled the brakes) it is far more skilled if you want to do it right, which is what you do want to do because you’d like to stay alive
I rode into central Brixton today on my fixie in my regular shoes, which meant I had no foot retention (A530 pedals). It was fun, it required more skill than using cleats, it required me to be more attentive and careful, but I'd never pretend it was safer than riding fixed with proper foot retention.
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I did have a single speed road bike for a couple of years, with a 66 or 70" gear depending on what old sprockets I could find. The drive train was made out of old 8 speed bits. The chainset was a triple, I used the 42T
I had 28mm marathon plusses on it and eventually it had a shimano generator hub at the front and a IQ Fly
But mainly it was about taking a load of junk and making it into a useful bike
If you want the old 60cm Tange frame it is still available to a good home
Login (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=27756.0)
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I must confess I bought a new bike (Edinburgh Cycle Revolution Track) intending to use it as a fixed winter commuter.
Singlespeed has been fine, if hard work.
Fixed scared the shoite outta me, and I'm in no hurry to try it again.
I'm finding 42x16 hard enough as a commuting workout, and I have the freedom to coast as and when I feel I need to.
I appreciate that others find a "closer communion" with the bike as fixed rather than free but each to their own in cycling, IMO.
Steve
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Here's mine :
It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...
It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick (http://thatmessengerchick.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/on-freewheeling/)
I am currently using the cappiest of freewheels. It cost about £5, it's crackly, sticky and elliptical.
What's a good make of freewheel (1/8")?
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How much money do you want to waste? You can blow £150 or more if you want, for fractional gain. Frankly, the Formula track hubs are decent quality, good value and easy to find spares for. Trade up when you've acquired enough experience with SS/Fixed to know what you really like.
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I have a ss freewheel I don't want. It's a Shimano, I think.
I need to get it off my rear hub (I don't have a tool, so I shall pop into a decent shop) so I can put a different cog on (and I must be the only person more worried about non-drive side spoke breakage ;D ).
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I have a ss freewheel I don't want. It's a Shimano, I think.
I need to get it off my rear hub (I don't have a tool, so I shall pop into a decent shop) so I can put a different cog on (and I must be the only person more worried about non-drive side spoke breakage ;D ).
I've got the Shimano tool if you need one...
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That sounds like a good idea. If I can link up with you to get the thing off*, then I can pass it on to LEE or whoever.
* Not that I have anything against ss - I ran that way for a while on my Ridgeback before flipping - it just that fixed suits me better.
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My main like of fixed is that it forces me to have a proper workout in a limited time. No matter how I try to force myself to pedal all the way around my 1hr-before-work loop I always end up freewheeling on my SS. The being connected to the bike thing - yes, I get it, but I don't think that it's all that it's hyped up to be.
My main like of the bike in SS mode is the speed that it allows through tight wiggly bends - can throw it around properly and get it leaning over well. I'm sure that a more skilled rider than me can do similar with a fixed, but for my skill level the SS always wins on this front.
Having legs of jelly at the moment due to doing practically no proper riding this year, when the bike comes back out the lock-up it will be in SS mode. when I'm out of form leg braking knackers me out real fast and I just can't help doing it. Plus, the SS uses a cassette hub so it's much cheaper to change to an easier sprocket until I get fit again.
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Ok, got my freewheel off. It's a Shimano SF-MX30.
Anyone want?
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Ok, got my freewheel off. It's a Shimano SF-MX30.
Anyone want?
Well a spare is always useful but if anyone actually needs one let them have it first!
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Here's mine :
It's actually a ss/fixie thanks to the reversible hub. I started off as a single speed but the freewheel was making awkward cracking noise, which led me to riding fixed for quite a while. Now that I changed the freewheel for a nicer one, it feels a bit awkward to have no way other to stop but with the brakes. Need to train a bit...
It reminds me of this blog entry On freewheeling « thatmessengerchick (http://thatmessengerchick.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/on-freewheeling/)
I am currently using the cappiest of freewheels. It cost about £5, it's crackly, sticky and elliptical.
What's a good make of freewheel (1/8")?
I always used old shimano 8/9 speed hubs with lots of spacers and one sprocket
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I am currently using the cappiest of freewheels. It cost about £5, it's crackly, sticky and elliptical.
What's a good make of freewheel (1/8")?
The former was a "vintage" (new old stock as they call it) Shimano from the 70's or 80's. I replaced it with a current Shimano (about 20 quid), which is just fine.
I'm starting to think that the chainline should be very straight for optimal perfomance (mine is slightly off).
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I thought SS was for posing! (a lot 'round where I am) Or on a Cyclo-X/MTB! Here you go! ;D
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I mostly ride fixed these days but I'm not diehard about it. I just like riding fixed. But I also like riding singlespeed. And there are definite plus points to SS, as I'm always reminded when I find myself spinning downhill at 180rpm...
As for the choice between SS and variable gears... I used to think having lots of gears was a good thing, but these days I tend to favour less choice.* I even converted my Brompton to singlespeed. And my last bike purchase was a singlespeed CX machine. I just love the simplicity of having only one gear, whether it's fixed or free.
Generally, I think I prefer fixed for riding on the road, but off-road it has to be SS. I've tried a bit of light fixed off-roading and I didn't much like it. Singlespeed cyclocross is massive amounts of fun and takes me back to my youth, when I used to spend my weekends racing my BMX round the track my friends and I built in our local woods. I don't think I ever wished for more gears in those days.
d.
*This goes for many other things too, not just cycling - for example, I prefer restaurants with shorter menus. Choice is often an illusion anyway. Who really needs it?
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Nice description there citoyen. Like the bit about choice being an illusion, good strap line.
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had a singlespeed for a week and i love it the simplicity is great only problem i have is on really steep climbs !!!! like a 1 in 4 i have to get off and push :( i have a 64 inch gear at the mo i really fancy doing an audax next year on s s what do you think ? is it practical or is it mega tough or is it bearable ?
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had a singlespeed for a week and i love it the simplicity is great only problem i have is on really steep climbs !!!! like a 1 in 4 i have to get off and push :( i have a 64 inch gear at the mo i really fancy doing an audax next year on s s what do you think ? is it practical or is it mega tough or is it bearable ?
Should be fine - I've done my longest ride on singlespeed (100 miles) and that was manageable. Plenty of people audax on fixed so singlespeed should be no harder.
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Out of interest what ratio do you use off road? I'm having my new mtb built up as a single speed - not from choice but because delivery dates for Alfine hubs have slipped again :(
Knackered myself with my first long singlespeed ride of the winter today so next weekend's test ride should be interesting ::-)
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i personally dont ride off road butt on one spec their bikes with 32/16 on 26x2.5 tyres hope that helps On-One Inbred 26er 1SG £649.00 | (http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOO26IN1SG/on-one-inbred-26er-1sg ) :thumbsup:
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I use what the bike came with - 36x16 on 700x34C tyres. It's a low-ish gear - around 64", IIRC.
I might change it at some point but so far I haven't felt the need. I have a hunch that spinning a lower gear suits riding over rough terrain better than mashing a higher gear.
d.
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Thanks, looks like I'm in the right ballpark with 32x16 on a 29er then
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32x16 on a 29er might be a bit tall. I'm running 32x20 which is fine for Cannock and some south Derbyshire bridleways. A bit high for mid-Wales though. :facepalm:
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After failing to sell an old MTB on the bay, I noticed the semi-horizontals. Well, we just can't resist can we?
Decided to do the lazy SS - just loop chain round middle ring and middle cassette sprocket, just to get the junk off and start the process (and get a ride in).
Oh the liberation of un-bolting the mechs and shifters; pulling now-redundant cables through the guides; shortening the chain and - of course - picking up the pile of surplus old metal and weighing it in my hands.
Of course I will take off the other rings and swap the cassette for sprocket & spacers, but I still went on a hilly ride without any slippage or skippage.
Fastest conversion I've done so far!
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Got knocked off my first fixed back in '71 - took many years to try it again. I did though, just to force a decent workout on the local flatlands. After a couple of years of direct drive dalliance I converted to SS. Now this cheap old bike gets far more use than my audax jobbie. I love the simplicity and the freewheeling (it's now legal in the provinces). 43x17 suits me well most of the time. I don't go fast but just like the easy-riding, minimal maintenance, won't cry if gets nicked, back-to-basics cycling experience. Go West young man, but go SS first.
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Since building my first s/s for some time in August, over half my miles have been gear-less and since "winter" officially began on 1 October 3/4 of 1328 miles have been. The 50 quid, 20 y.o. Lotus XC has happily knocked up almost 1500 miles.
I have no particular wish to use any of the 4 27 speeders sitting in the garage.
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32x16 on a 29er might be a bit tall. I'm running 32x20 which is fine for Cannock and some south Derbyshire bridleways. A bit high for mid-Wales though. :facepalm:
It was, now happier on 32x18 although I spin out on the road
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I haven't been on singlespeed since I was a school boy, many many many years ago, I do most of my riding fixed, the geared bike only comes out on summer Sundays, it got put away about a month ago and wont get used till spring, everything gets done fixed over the winter.
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My old butchered single speed Commuting Cannondale was fixed for several years but a job change resulted in a biggish off road hill on the way home, I found that a bit of a struggle so single speed for me :smug:
As a Newbie how does one post pictures?
Cheers
Richard
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As a Newbie how does one post pictures?
Newbies have to stand on one leg and sing "Jerusalem" backwards while drinking a yard of ale. The rest of us upload images to sites like Flickr or Photobucket and then put the url into an [img] tag.
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They're reshowing Sherlock at the moment. This time round, I notice that once of the murders rides a Singlespeed bike, not a fixie. So that's all right then; always knew single-speeders were untrustworthy.
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Came off my Giant Bowery in the ice this week.............bike OK :thumbsup:
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Hi all
I am considering buying a singlespeed to use for commuting. It's 7.5 miles each way, not flat but also not terribly hilly, more rolling slopes with a couple of short steep hills but also a couple of decent fast straights.
I am looking at getting the On-One Pompino which comes with a 49 tooth front sprocket and a 18 tooth rear.
Is this ok?
It's been suggested to me that this would probably 'spin-out' at around 15 miles per hour and although I would like to go a little faster on the straights I'm also mindful that I need to make it up any hills!!!
Do any of you have any recommendations please?
Thanks in advance ;)
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49x18 is about 21-22mph at 100 pedal revs per minute.
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Do any of you have any recommendations please?
gofrit - if you do find it too small, a new sprocket is only a few quid and ten mins at the most to put on.
But if you've not done SS before - give the original gear a chance as you may need to develop your spinny legs a bit.
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(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5366319431_39590c5646_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_fulford/5366319431/)
Singlespeed Swift (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_fulford/5366319431/) on Flickr
Probably my most fun bike to ride currently 32x18 but considering a longer gear for the summer
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Hi all
I am considering buying a singlespeed to use for commuting. It's 7.5 miles each way, not flat but also not terribly hilly, more rolling slopes with a couple of short steep hills but also a couple of decent fast straights.
I am looking at getting the On-One Pompino which comes with a 49 tooth front sprocket and a 18 tooth rear.
Is this ok?
It's been suggested to me that this would probably 'spin-out' at around 15 miles per hour and although I would like to go a little faster on the straights I'm also mindful that I need to make it up any hills!!!
Do any of you have any recommendations please?
Thanks in advance ;)
My 42x17 spins out at 30mph so I doubt it
I could even do 15mph on 34x26 ( this gear was one of two available following an unfortunate incident on Dartmoor )
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Thanks for the replies - it sounds like I have been mis-informed about the 'spinning out'!!!
Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!
I get the impression from this and other forums that the Pompino is a fantastic bike especially at the current price of £449.99, anyone recommend anything else?
Cheers :thumbsup:
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Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!
Depends on what you have on the front. Think 16T are more common.
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Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!
Depends on what you have on the front. Think 16T are more common.
As above - 49T front
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Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.
Put your own figures in:
http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html (http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html)
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Is a 18T rear sprocket ok for a SS noob or am I better off with a 16 or 17?!
Depends on what you have on the front. Think 16T are more common.
As above - 49T front
Sorry, my bad, I missed that. 49x18 should be fine
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Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.
Thanks - high as in I will be able to get a decent speed but will struggle on hills?!
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Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.
Thanks - high as in I will be able to get a decent speed but will struggle on hills?!
Yes. I ride 42*16 (about 69" I think) and it's about right for me in a flatish city and mild excursions into hillier countryside.
EDIT: the above ratio is for a fixed gear, not single speed freewheel.
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It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.
OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.
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It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.
OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.
Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!
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Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!
no they don't & I find it difficult to describe the difference other than to say ss lacks the inertia of fixed that you benefit from & the ability to leg-break.
Can you test ride a fixed for a while?a friend who has one?attend a yacf ride?
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where are you located geographically?
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where are you located geographically?
I'm in Yate - South Gloucestershire
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no they don't
no they don't. It's very hard to turn a SS over at 200 rpm: the dead spot really bites and it's hard to pedal fast enough to stop the freewheel freewheeling. Many fixed riders descend faster than geared riders on long gentle descents because they can spin the gear right up.
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Ah - ok!
I'm not that bothered at the mo about how fast I can go - just trying to work out what SS gearing is suitable for a SS noob.
I don't fancy a fixie - yet!!! ;)
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Assuming 700c rims and 25c tyres, 49 x 18 = 71.8 gear inches, which is a pretty good starting point for the ride you describe, a little high if anything.
Thanks - high as in I will be able to get a decent speed but will struggle on hills?!
Exactly.
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It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.
OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.
Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!
My Madison originally had a flip-flop hub. Rode it for one day single-speed and hated it. Flipped, loved it and have never looked back. Now sporting better rims with a fully fixed rear hub (19T one side, 17T the other).
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It's usual to gear a SS down a bit from fixed cos you don't have to spin down the hills, and 68-70 is a pretty average fixed gear size.
OTOH it's easier to spin out on the flat on SS, so if your riding is mainly flattish or rolling, a bigger gear may work for you.
Sorry for the stupid question but I don't get why it would be different on a fixed to a SS - surely they both ride exactly the same but the SS gives you the option to coast!?!
My Madison originally had a flip-flop hub. Rode it for one day single-speed and hated it. Flipped, loved it and have never looked back. Now sporting better rims with a fully fixed rear hub (19T one side, 17T the other).
That's interesting - why did you hate the SS?!
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Free-wheeling one one gear is something I can do on any regular bike; hell, London is full of people on expensive bikes they don't know how to ride doing pretty much that. It didn't feel like liberating simplicity; it felt as if I'd given up one kind of control with no real benefit. In contrast, as soon as I flipped the hub, I could feel the potential to be in complete control of the bike. Rode it around the block a few times, rode it to work the next day and it's been my primary bike ever since.
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Free-wheeling one one gear is something I can do on any regular bike; hell, London is full of people on expensive bikes they don't know how to ride doing pretty much that. It didn't feel like liberating simplicity; it felt as if I'd given up one kind of control with no real benefit. In contrast, as soon as I flipped the hub, I could feel the potential to be in complete control of the bike. Rode it around the block a few times, rode it to work the next day and it's been my primary bike ever since.
My fixie has slowly taken over. Started out just commuting. Last year almost 3,000 miles on it. This year so far basically all my miles have been fixed. IT’S EVIL.
:P
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I want a single speed with a hub brake for my beach cruiser.
Think its wrong with just a front brake and normal free wheel.
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I want a single speed with a hub brake for my beach cruiser.
Think its wrong with just a front brake and normal free wheel.
You mean a coaster brake? I do like them. Took a bit of getting used to; can't back-pedal, so if you don't brake at the right point, you won't be in a good position to kick off again. There is the old fixie trick of squeezing the front brake and pushing forward, but that isn't always so easy on a heavy cruiser, particularly with plain flat pedals.
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Its a beach cruiser i'm not riding far (around London) and love coaster brakes..but not had a bike with one on just used them as hire bikes.
Now do I try and get one from the states or euope (hub brake, coaster brake back pedal brake etc)
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where are you located geographically?
I'm in Yate - South Gloucestershire
The flatlands of Yate - must be one of the easiest places to cycle around :o
I'm based in Emersons Green and use a 72" Giant Bowery S/S to commute across Bristol.
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It's very hard to turn a SS over at 200 rpm: the dead spot really bites and it's hard to pedal fast enough to stop the freewheel freewheeling.
Yup, I'd say this sums it up perfectly.
On fixed, you spin fast because you have to. I've peaked at around 180rpm on fixed but I doubt I could ever get that high on a freewheel.
d.
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where are you located geographically?
I'm in Yate - South Gloucestershire
The flatlands of Yate - must be one of the easiest places to cycle around :o
I'm based in Emersons Green and use a 72" Giant Bowery S/S to commute across Bristol.
Someone who knows the terrain! :thumbsup:
What gearing is on your Bowery?
Do you find it ok or are you an uber fit racing snake?!! ;)
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where are you located geographically?
I'm in Yate - South Gloucestershire
The flatlands of Yate - must be one of the easiest places to cycle around :o
I'm based in Emersons Green and use a 72" Giant Bowery S/S to commute across Bristol.
Someone who knows the terrain! :thumbsup:
What gearing is on your Bowery?
Do you find it ok or are you an uber fit racing snake?!! ;)
My Bowery has a 72" gear.
It's fine for me, for example going up Bowling Hill into Sodbury, but I would certainly struggle going up Horton Hill !!!
BTW I'm NO uber fit racing snake :o
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where are you located geographically?
I'm in Yate - South Gloucestershire
The flatlands of Yate - must be one of the easiest places to cycle around :o
I'm based in Emersons Green and use a 72" Giant Bowery S/S to commute across Bristol.
Someone who knows the terrain! :thumbsup:
What gearing is on your Bowery?
Do you find it ok or are you an uber fit racing snake?!! ;)
It's fine for me, for example going up Bowling Hill into Sodbury, but I would certainly struggle going up Horton Hill !!!
I know it well - just down the road from me! I go the other way to work and travel to Staple Hill or occasionally into Bristol so I guess my biggest hills would be the short sharp climb on the Badminton Road just before Coalpit Heath / railway bridge or up Besom Lane which is the other side of Wapley Common.
Never ridden a singlespeed or fixed so just wanted to make sure I wouldn't struggle too much on the slopes! ;)
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A 48x18 (72") gear on my S/S has got me around everything in Hampshire so far (but then I know which hills to avoid).
I also managed my fastest ever 200km Audax on Sunday. It's not the hills that are the issue when trying for a fast time, it's that you can't take full advantage of a good tailwind.
On the whole I love the Single-Speed and 72" seems about perfect for everything but the worst of Hampshire Hills, when it all gets a bit "spinny" I just slow down until it isn't. 32km/hr (20mph) is where I start thinking "is it worth spinning any faster?"
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32km/hr (20mph) is where I start thinking "is it worth spinning any faster?"
Thanks Lee - on my way to work this morning I have a fairly long decent road where I was mostly spinning at around 19-20mph and was thinking to myself then that I dont really need any faster. I was up to 27mph at one point but that didnt last too long!!! :-\
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After 2 years commuting on ss, I decided to flip the wheel today and wow what a difference, how do those guys stop? After 4 miles and 1 hill, my knees hurt so I flipped the wheel back - think I'm sticking to ss
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After 2 years commuting on ss, I decided to flip the wheel today and wow what a difference, how do those guys stop? After 4 miles and 1 hill, my knees hurt so I flipped the wheel back - think I'm sticking to ss
How come you changed?! Was the SS not good enough?!
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What's it they say "a change is as good as a rest", try telling my knees that.
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After 2 years commuting on ss, I decided to flip the wheel today and wow what a difference, how do those guys stop? After 4 miles and 1 hill, my knees hurt so I flipped the wheel back - think I'm sticking to ss
I would use my brakes.
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Which should I go for = Pompino or Langster?!!
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I have no experience of Pomps but I can say that my Langster is the most comfortable of all the bikes I own.
It's the one which I try to replicate when setting up the others.
I wonder if I could fit gears to it? :demon:
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I have no experience of Pomps but I can say that my Langster is the most comfortable of all the bikes I own.
It's the one which I try to replicate when setting up the others.
I wonder if I could fit gears to it? :demon:
I currently own a Spesh Allez so know the Langster will be a good fit & comfortable but fancy something a little different! I have no experience of a Pompino either but they seem to have a really good following! They're currently £450 too which isn't bad for a decent bike with a steel frame!
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I have no experience of Pomps but I can say that my Langster is the most comfortable of all the bikes I own.
It's the one which I try to replicate when setting up the others.
I wonder if I could fit gears to it? :demon:
I currently own a Spesh Allez so know the Langster will be a good fit & comfortable but fancy something a little different! I have no experience of a Pompino either but they seem to have a really good following! They're currently £450 too which isn't bad for a decent bike with a steel frame!
you appear to have answered your own question :)
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I have a Langster (2007?). It feels very fast and light and comfortable when I'm not carrying anything. I have ridden Pomps and they're nice too, but feel more sluggish. Some of this might be differences in tyres, gear ratio etc as well as the weight.
What do you plan to use the bike for? If you're planning to fit a rack and panniers at any point, or full length mud guards, get a Pompino/ Pompetamine. You can fit both to a Langster, but not neatly and satisfactorily. I've bodged both on mine.
If you're after a fair weather thrash bike, or don't care about getting wet, get a Langster. If you're going to be riding in the wet, get a Pompetamine and fit BB7s. Probably more choice second hand with Langsters, if you're considering that. Where the Langster is "fun", the Pompino seems a bit more "sensible". But YMMV - my experience wasn't an entirely fair test.
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You can fit both to a Langster, but not neatly and satisfactorily. I've bodged both on mine.
my experience is to the contrary
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I have no experience of Pomps but I can say that my Langster is the most comfortable of all the bikes I own.
It's the one which I try to replicate when setting up the others.
I wonder if I could fit gears to it? :demon:
I currently own a Spesh Allez so know the Langster will be a good fit & comfortable but fancy something a little different! I have no experience of a Pompino either but they seem to have a really good following! They're currently £450 too which isn't bad for a decent bike with a steel frame!
you appear to have answered your own question :)
You're probably right - just trying to make sure ;)
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What do you plan to use the bike for? If you're planning to fit a rack and panniers at any point, or full length mud guards, get a Pompino/ Pompetamine. You can fit both to a Langster, but not neatly and satisfactorily. I've bodged both on mine.
If you're after a fair weather thrash bike, or don't care about getting wet, get a Langster. If you're going to be riding in the wet, get a Pompetamine and fit BB7s. Probably more choice second hand with Langsters, if you're considering that. Where the Langster is "fun", the Pompino seems a bit more "sensible". But YMMV - my experience wasn't an entirely fair test.
It would mainly be a commuting bike.
This is probably a stupid question but what's 'YMMV'?! ???
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Your Mileage May Vary
=
you may think/find differently
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You can fit both to a Langster, but not neatly and satisfactorily.
my experience is to the contrary
Pics or it didn't happen! ;)
There's not enough heel clearance for panniers for my size 9s without the hooks being put right back at their furthest adjustment, which puts strain on the rack and has led to it breaking. You could probably rig up some fancy full length mudguard arrangement -in fact I saw pics once with a gap around the brake, but you can't fit them easily in the standard way. Definitely involves a lot more effort than I'm (most people are?) prepared to put in! Also, I couldn't fit the rack and a chain tug without a horrible bodge involving filed down spacers - it works, but it ain't pretty.
What you surely can't disagree with is that it's easier to fit both to a Pomp, and it doesn't require any/ the same degree of fettling/bodging/custom made parts. The clearances are much greater is the point so it's more utilitarian.
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What you surely can't disagree with is that it's easier to fit both to a Pomp, and it doesn't require any/ the same degree of fettling/bodging/custom made parts. The clearances are much greater is the point so it's more utilitarian.
As I said up thread,I have never owned a Pomp..I accept that clearances on the Langster are tight:my observations suggest that the Pomp. has an advantage in this respect.I have recently removed the rack from the Langster for use on the Longstaff for touring.
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Ooh ee, here's a post that needs to be checked over and, if appropriate, revived!
I was on the verge of posting a new thread to ask how one goes into a bike shop to ask for a single speed freewheel without staff and customers sneering. I was all ready to say "It's for my son's bike, honest" which is true.
I don't suppose the SF-MX30 is still going spare is it?
Ok, got my freewheel off. It's a Shimano SF-MX30.
Anyone want?
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Yes it is. I can't recall if I have your address, so PM me.
It will cost you £0.00
I just need to find it :-[
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broke a chain (SRAM PC7X) on a climb today - anybody suggest a better replacement please (SS 43x17)?
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broke a chain (SRAM PC7X) on a climb today - anybody suggest a better replacement please (SS 43x17)?
How many miles had the chain done? Was it slack? (possibly tried to de-rail itself or sufferd a big load as it took up the slack on a climb). Had you split/rejoined it t all?
I'd say it was a defective chain unless it had done mega miles as there's nothng wrong with SRAM chains that would be much better on another brand.
Chains are hugely strong in tension (which is all it should experience on a single speed) but, famously, only as strong as their weakest link which makes me think there was a defect.
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What Lee said.
I've only ever snapped two chains. One repeatedly, and both were when riding MTB trials as a teenager. Maybe I hadn't joined it properly, or maybe they were just crap chains. Maybe it was just bad luck. Never snapped one since. *crosses fingers*
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Thanks people. Now back from France (gears for that one) and fitting a half link chain. Lee, I think you may have been right about the chain going from a bit slack to full on. I'd just been cut up by a (very slow-moving) truck and had to stamp hard just to get rolling again. next time I'll get off instead of falling off!
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Just bought a Genesis Flyer singlespeed in Reynolds 520 steel. With the help of my LBS I've put a Surly 48t stainless chainring and White Industries 20t freewheel on to give a 63" gear (a bit easier than the stock 67" it came with). I've now done about 250 miles in the Vale of York and over the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds, Howardian Hills etc.
Still early days but what a revelation! After three years of faddling about with 27-30 speed bikes, it's so much simpler to ride and maintain - which is just what I hoped. I also find myself going faster up hills and burning fewer calories which has come as a real surprise.
The only downside is that I am finding that it seems to be placing a lot more strain on my lower back. I'm using pretty much the same position as on my other bikes (1-2cm shorter cockpit, but otherwise identical). I presume it's either a question of getting used to it or that I may be doing something wrong - possibly going too hard up hill too quickly or that shorter cockpit is changing my back position - anyone else had the same when they went to singlespeed?
Overall I'm delighted with the bike....at only nine and a half kilos with the mudguards it feels so light, very comfy and so responsive in steering and handling. For only £500 it's a bargain in smiles per quid! I look forward to meeting some of the other singlespeeders on the forum at some stage! ;D ;D
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The only downside is that I am finding that it seems to be placing a lot more strain on my lower back. I'm using pretty much the same position as on my other bikes (1-2cm shorter cockpit, but otherwise identical). I presume it's either a question of getting used to it or that I may be doing something wrong - possibly going too hard up hill too quickly or that shorter cockpit is changing my back position - anyone else had the same when they went to singlespeed?
You'll probably find yourself spending more time out of the saddle than you would have done with gears and be using your back muscles more. I certainly found that when I started single speed off road. After a few rides you'll develop strength there and won't notice it any more.
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Who makes a good quality Freewheel? (1/8")
The £4 one I bought sounds like it uses gravel for bearings and freewheels with efficiency somewhere between a Single-Speed and fixed.
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brick lane bikes have their own range of freewheels - with 30, 60 and 120 engagement points. iirc they cost £30, £40 and £50 respectively and come in either 3/32 or 1/8 width. the 120 one sounds a bit similar to chris king freehubs, lower end ones are quieter, but they all seem good quality.
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I'm still running the sturmey archer one I got from eBay. Its much better than the dicta or shimano ones.
It's done 2406 miles so far according to the odo. all in crap weather. It still looks and sounds great. Every couple of hundred miles I've squeezed some blue park tools grease through the faceplate and fed it into the bearings. This is so good I've got a couple of spares. I doubt I'd buy white ind. freewheels again the way this is running.
I'm looking forward to it lasting for ages yet :)
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Who makes a good quality Freewheel? (1/8")
The £4 one I bought sounds like it uses gravel for bearings and freewheels with efficiency somewhere between a Single-Speed and fixed.
http://www.whiteind.com/singlespeedgearing/freewheels.html :thumbsup:
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The only downside is that I am finding that it seems to be placing a lot more strain on my lower back. I'm using pretty much the same position as on my other bikes (1-2cm shorter cockpit, but otherwise identical). I presume it's either a question of getting used to it or that I may be doing something wrong - possibly going too hard up hill too quickly or that shorter cockpit is changing my back position - anyone else had the same when they went to singlespeed?
Couple of things spring to mind here, both mechanical
First is you're working your legs a lot harder on just one gear, especially uphill. That will most likely tighten your hamstrings unless you're very good at stretching.
Tight hamstrings tend to lead to lower back pain as it changes the shape of your lower back - a physio will no doubt be happy to show you how to sort that out.
The other point is that the muscle that starts the push down stroke on the pedal is the psoas - it anchors to the lower / middle spine, goes through the pelvis and connects to the femur. If you're pushing bigger gears uphill on SS that will work that muscle HARD.
Hamstring stretch is easy, psoas is harder.
Sit with your hips on the edge of the mattress - lie back so your torso is flat, pull your left knee up to your chest and let your right foot hang down. After 30s lift it and let it drop again, this will stretch the psoas out. Do the same on the other side (right knee up, left foot down).
Steve
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Who makes a good quality Freewheel? (1/8")
The £4 one I bought sounds like it uses gravel for bearings and freewheels with efficiency somewhere between a Single-Speed and fixed.
Another vote for White Industries here. It feels a quality piece of kit as soon as you open the box and is easily serviced. Plus it's available in a wider range of sizes than other makes.
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The main thing is to get a freewheel that takes a decent splined removal tool. The 4-prong ones have a nasty habit of becoming a permanent fixture on the hub, because the tool or freewheel dogs just break when you attempt to remove the thing.
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I got a Sturmey Archer one in the end.
4-prong removal tool required (I'll make sure the tool is securely forced against freewheel)
I suppose you could always get someone to weld-up a seized one, and use the pedals/chain to spin it off.
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The solution to removing single freewheels is simple: take them apart, remove the pawls and springs and you have two "flats" that you can grip in a vice. If it is knackered you don't even have to bother about putting it back together afterwards. Don't have a vice? Make friends with someone who does!!
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I got a Sturmey Archer one in the end.
4-prong removal tool required (I'll make sure the tool is securely forced against freewheel)
I suppose you could always get someone to weld-up a seized one, and use the pedals/chain to spin it off.
Take it along to Just Bikes - they have been great at removing seized freewheels and bottom brackets for me.
Alternatively, if your trying a nondestructive removal yourself use the quick release or axle bolt to loosely attach the freewheel removal tool to stop it jumping out.
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Who makes a good quality Freewheel? (1/8")
The £4 one I bought sounds like it uses gravel for bearings and freewheels with efficiency somewhere between a Single-Speed and fixed.
Good grief..I now have a White Industries freewheel (as part of a bike I bought from RevRob of this parish). It's a different class.
It's so......round. No tight spots, engagement is immediate, QUALITY!!! as mentioned above. (3/32 but that's fine).
You do get what you pay for in this case.
I also got a White Industries ENO hub with the bike. It's not that essential on a bike with horizontal drop outs, a bit too fussy actually, but it does open up a lot of frame possibilities now.
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Good grief..I now have a White Industries freewheel (as part of a bike I bought from RevRob of this parish). It's a different class.
It's so......round. No tight spots, engagement is immediate, QUALITY!!! as mentioned above. (3/32 but that's fine).
You do get what you pay for in this case.
I also got a White Industries ENO hub with the bike. It's not that essential on a bike with horizontal drop outs, a bit too fussy actually, but it does open up a lot of frame possibilities now.
They're a nice piece of kit aren't they?
Its worth getting the White Industries extractor for when you come to remove it, moreso as you've got the eccentric hub as it has an eccentric hole for a skewer. Normally I shy away from the part specific tools but this fits much better than my generic tool and I'm likely to be running White Industries free wheels for a while it's worth it.
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I still find myself saying "It's just a freewheel" when people who aren't looking too closely at my drivetrain ask if I'm riding fixed. Don't know why.
[/quote]
I know what you mean - it's only singlespeed, is what I say if asked.
Can't quite think why I do that. These people look shocked when they see it's only got one gear, or say "how far?" when you tell them you're riding 100k+ today.
Steve
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Perhaps we should come out of the closet and be proud to be free? To be honest, anything that would set me aside from the fixie bell-ends that proliferate our city centres is a good thing imho.
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There's nothing wrong with riding singlespeed,it makes a lot of sense.I prefer fixed it's more fun.Just ignore the nobsters in town and enjoy riding your bike.
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I jumped on the fixed bandwagon a few years ago. I didn't really like it and fitted a freewheel. I love it (I now have two single-speeds).
I ride what I like, I'm not pretending to ride fixed, I like coasting down hills...so I do.
If you are not sure about riding fixed then try a single-speed, they make ultra reliable winter bikes and offer similar training benefits to fixed (and you get to coast downhill).
Basically I'm not a Single-Speed apologist. Single-Speed is different to Fixed and I personally enjoy that difference (I wouldn't mind a bit of flywheel effect on some climbs but not at the expense of spinning 200rpm on the descents).
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I'm the same, I wanted to like the idea but a city like Cardiff is just too stop-start (junctions, lights, cars pulling out of side roads) and I was spending too much time worrying about where my left crank was in preparation to unclip. It just showed me how much I used freewheeling to regulate my speed and go with the varying flow of traffic.
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Perhaps we should come out of the closet and be proud to be free? To be honest, anything that would set me aside from the fixie bell-ends that proliferate our city centres is a good thing imho.
May use that as a sig line :D
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my first ever bike was with a fixed wheel, i was about four years old when i learned riding it, first with stabilisers (doh..), then without. i would look at other kids' freewheel bikes with envy as the only way i could "coast" downhill was with legs apart ;D. not cool. i didn't use that bike a lot - besides fixed wheel it had other horrible "features" like solid tyres, squeaky drivetrain and slippery pedals; and i've grown out of it pretty quickly.
my next bike (when i was 8-9yo) had a sachs/velosteel coaster brake hub - i quite enjoyed that bike, only it was very upright and hard work to keep up with my mates on their singlespeed "racer" type bikes. i was able to service that bike myself and also figured out how to reassemble coaster brake hub (no internet in those days!). i've ridden it for a year or two until i lost interest in bikes and found other hobbies.
fast forward fifteen years, i thought it's a good idea to start cycling again. i've got myself a bso which i broke after few months, then another one which i promptly sold (as it was sh1te) and bought a raleigh racer converted to singlespeed. i had enjoyed riding that bike, and used it daily to get to work, shops etc. this bike has turned me from non-cyclist into cycling enthusiast. i have even signed up for london-brighton charity ride - that seemed like a big challenge then! not only i rode to brighton, but, feeling strong rode back as well - that was a big confidence booster. (and then i came across l-e-l website - don't ask.. :facepalm:)
anyway, i thought i'll try converting it to fixed - why not? i rode it for couple of weeks, but didn't like the experience, and reverted the bike back to ss. couple of years later i thought maybe i didn't give t'cog enough time to win me over and tried again for few months, but didn't like the lack of freedom (what cycling should be about!) and that the bike tells me to obey it rather than the other way around. i can perfectly understand why some cyclist like riding fixed - in the right conditions it's good fun (e.g. in a velodrome or gently rolling hills)!
so yes, you can see i have a special place in my heart for ss bikes, and mainly because of that old-heavy-bendy-steel raleigh that opened new horizons for me.
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Perhaps we should come out of the closet and be proud to be free? To be honest, anything that would set me aside from the fixie bell-ends that proliferate our city centres is a good thing imho.
In London, most of the bell-ends are riding singlespeed. They buy ludicrous, brakeless "fashion bikes" (dayglo matchy-match colours, components made of toffee) and ride them with the flip-flop hub permanently on the freewheel side. People buying into a trend but with no idea how to ride a bike. Looks like they're riding fixed till you take a closer squint. A bunch of tossers who don't reflect on any other part of the cycling community but their own stupidly-vain clique.
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And that subset of tossers are highly likely IME to be running with only a front brake to complete the fixieskidda look.
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And that subset of tossers are highly likely IME to be running with only a front brake to complete the fixieskidda look.
This is my experience as well.
I only ride fixed, but I have nothing at all against single speed riders - apart from tossers without back-brakes!
I haven't ridden a single-speed since I was a kid - I do admit the whole freewheeling quickly down hills does appeal much of the time (I am not a great descender on fixed and I think that it what stops me riding longer distances fixed).
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And that subset of tossers are highly likely IME to be running with only a front brake to complete the fixieskidda look.
oi! you must be talking about my single speed runabout/parkrun/shopper bike (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FQRru8IQD_Q/UM9raUr6yMI/AAAAAAAAChM/FBwzf93yw4Q/s640/photo%25283%2529.jpg) ;D. fwiw, front brake only works just fine. there are rear brakes on my other bikes but i hardly ever use them (brakes, that is).
fixie bike needs rear brake more than ss, to stop legs from running away, imo.
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The beer bike was running an effective single-speed with one gear for around 18 months (rehashed Shimano 105 hub with an old block and no rear deraillieur).
I have just switched over to a fixed wheel which is on the same ratio but is proving a lot harder to get used to.
I'll give it a month.
H
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The beer bike was running an effective single-speed with one gear for around 18 months (rehashed Shimano 105 hub with an old block and no rear deraillieur).
I have just switched over to a fixed wheel which is on the same ratio but is proving a lot harder to get used to.
I'll give it a month.
H
Ride only your fixed wheel bike for a week and you'll be used to it. It's tiring when you start, but you build up the strength/fitness quickly. It's also quicker to unlearn the habit of coasting if you're not swapping between fixed/ freewheel bikes. It's not the end of the world if you forget to keep pedaling, though - your fixie will remember to ;)
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Just for clarity and balance: I love fixed gear, just not the bell-ends that have moved in on the 'scene' (ss, fixie et al).
I also like Singlespeed freewheel as that can be more useable to me day to day.
I also use gears, but have a preference for 1x8 drivetrain and short cage rear mech.
Everything else just seems to over complicate things
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And that subset of tossers are highly likely IME to be running with only a front brake to complete the fixieskidda look.
Well that gives them one more brake than lots of the hipsters (and BSOs) round here!
Actually - there are many bikes with only a back brake (pedal-operated) which are quite fine to ride - but in flat places and slow styles.
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I love my SS but I continually wrestle with the temptation to try fixed to prove the point. I probably will give in soon but I have no desire to trackstand at junctions or give my knees more of a workout than they already get.
There, said it, I feel better for that. How much do I owe for the therapy ? ;)
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What point would that be? Ride what you like, you don't have to prove anything to anybody. I don't even mind those newbie fixie riders who are buying into the trend. So what? It's their money. At least they're spending it on a form of transport I approve of. Most of them are twenty/thirtysomethings and can be excused a bit of foolishness in the pursuit of whatever passes for style and cool when you're young. If I'm honest, I was guilty of far worse offences in my youth.
Singlespeed for me now, though, riding in London- just replaced the whole cheap drivetrain on mine for peanuts having ridden the last one into the ground for god knows how many thousands of mostly city miles. If I had the knees left for the spinning, I would go fixed, as that would be even fewer peanuts to replace when worn. But I live in SE London and there are a few hills here and there. While I can get up a few of them on one gear, it's the descents that my old knees can't cope with, if that gear is fixed.
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I love my SS but I continually wrestle with the temptation to try fixed to prove the point.
Why not give it a go? I find it much more fun than single speed, and never re-fitted a freewheel after trying fixed. Thankfully it's not an expensive thing to try.
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I'm still running the sturmey archer one I got from eBay. Its much better than the dicta or shimano ones.
I just replaced the no-name one on my spare singlespeed bike with a Sturmey Archer one (bought off of eBay), and noticed that it doesn't use the "standard" four prong tool, but a similar one which is a few mm smaller. My four prong tool won't properly sit on it, when it's fitted several other (including Shimano) ones perfectly well. I don't need to remove it yet, but it's a bit irritating.
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When I head out on a club run I ride single speed, means I can keep up when it all gets a bit quick on long down hills or along a fast main roads. I ride fixed when out on my own because I only have to keep up with myself.
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I'm currently converting my giant hybrid to single speed... I need wheels 700c x 32, i'm looking at 44 or 46 x 18 for the chainset (?) I will need cranks also, do I need a derailuer?
Any advice on wheels, chainset (particularly sizing) and cranks would be helpful...
I would use this bike for audax 50-100km so getting advice on the correct chain-set size would be helpful.
If I can buy it all in one go that would be great, i'm finding it all a bit complicated :-[
Feel free to PM me...
W.
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I'm currently converting my giant hybrid to single speed... I need wheels 700c x 32, i'm looking at 44 or 46 x 18 for the chainset (?) I will need cranks also, do I need a derailuer?
Any advice on wheels, chainset (particularly sizing) and cranks would be helpful...
I would use this bike for audax 50-100km so getting advice on the correct chain-set size would be helpful.
If I can buy it all in one go that would be great, i'm finding it all a bit complicated :-[
Feel free to PM me...
W.
Your existing cranks should be fine - I just take off the extra rings.
Are the dropouts on the hybrid horizontal or vertical? If horizontal you can just slide the wheel in the dropouts to get chain tension. If vertical you'll need a chain tensioner unless you can find a 'magic gear'.
As for ratios, it depends on you and how hilly it is where you'l be riding. 46:18 is as good a starting point as any other!
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Your existing cranks should be fine - I just take off the extra rings.
Are the dropouts on the hybrid horizontal or vertical? If horizontal you can just slide the wheel in the dropouts to get chain tension. If vertical you'll need a chain tensioner unless you can find a 'magic gear'.
As for ratios, it depends on you and how hilly it is where you'l be riding. 46:18 is as good a starting point as any other!
[/quote]
Vertical, so will look for a chain tensioner... Cheers!
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You may want to get what is called a 'singulator', another sort of chain tensioner.
Also, depending on your local terrain, you might like to consider 42 x 18 or 38 x16 for your gearing.
(I lived in North Kent on the Surrey border & that is what I used.)
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last consignment of bits of the new single speed build arrive hopefully on monday
all I have to do is build a wheel and bolt it all together and I have next week off work :thumbsup:
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I love my SS but I continually wrestle with the temptation to try fixed to prove the point.
Why not give it a go? I find it much more fun than single speed, and never re-fitted a freewheel after trying fixed. Thankfully it's not an expensive thing to try.
I tried it. I have a fixed wheel I must sell on ;D
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I love my SS but I continually wrestle with the temptation to try fixed to prove the point.
Why not give it a go? I find it much more fun than single speed, and never re-fitted a freewheel after trying fixed. Thankfully it's not an expensive thing to try.
I tried it. I have a fixed wheel I must sell on ;D
I understand completely. And why do so many fixie riders take a peek at one's freewheel and feel beholden to try and convert you to the joys of fixed. Three times this week I have had to extricate myself from the same old boring conversation, despite my assurances that yes, I have ridden fixed, I do know what it feels like and whatever you say I won't be swapping my freewheel for a single cog. The one yesterday kept telling me I hadn't given it long enough, despite the fact he had just met me a minute before at the traffic lights. And all that stuff about only truly feeling as one with your bike if fixed .....do you know what? I think I have been riding a bike so long now, I get that feeling whatever bike I ride, even the little kid's tricycle I ride out of the containers on to the track every Monday at the Herne Hill Wheels for Wellbeing cycling for all session. Just love that little bike..even though my knees practically smash into my nose when I ride it.
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I am beginning to wonder why so many fixed riders are commenting in this thread, it is called The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread. ::-)
Maybe they feel insecure...... :smug:
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I love my SS but I continually wrestle with the temptation to try fixed to prove the point.
Why not give it a go? I find it much more fun than single speed, and never re-fitted a freewheel after trying fixed. Thankfully it's not an expensive thing to try.
I tried it. I have a fixed wheel I must sell on ;D
I understand completely. And why do so many fixie riders take a peek at one's freewheel and feel beholden to try and convert you to the joys of fixed. Three times this week I have had to extricate myself from the same old boring conversation, despite my assurances that yes, I have ridden fixed, I do know what it feels like and whatever you say I won't be swapping my freewheel for a single cog. The one yesterday kept telling me I hadn't given it long enough, despite the fact he had just met me a minute before at the traffic lights. And all that stuff about only truly feeling as one with your bike if fixed .....do you know what? I think I have been riding a bike so long now, I get that feeling whatever bike I ride, even the little kid's tricycle I ride out of the containers on to the track every Monday at the Herne Hill Wheels for Wellbeing cycling for all session. Just love that little bike..even though my knees practically smash into my nose when I ride it.
I have a new response for the next one who tries that. My last fixed ride ended in this after striking a pedal cornering
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JCndvvQtABo/VAIxpJhMMYI/AAAAAAAAGz8/uLhYfB7-DBs/w453-h553-no/image2.jpg)
So far I'm coming up on two months off cycling (all bloody summer) and have another three weeks minimum to go, have two permanent surgical scars on my arm and will be sporting a titanium nail in my arm permanently. Surprisingly enough I prefer being on my bikes riding over riding fixed thank you very much.
(and breathe)
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I am beginning to wonder why so many fixed riders are commenting in this thread, it is called The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread. ::-)
Maybe they feel insecure...... :smug:
In fairness, the parent board is "Velo Fixe" :demon:.
mcshroom - one of our scariest moments on the tandem was a pedal strike, pedalling hard through a corner at speed. It's horrible - and you don't need fixed to do it.
Hope you're healing well.
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I used to do deliberate pedal strikes while racing to baulk the bloke on my wheel in criteriums. It often worked! The rear wheel just steps out a bit and you counter steer to compensate. No major dramas. You find out what angle you can corner at before grounding a pedal pretty quickly.
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i did strike a pedal few times during smithfield nocturne race on the tight corner just before the hill, luckily didn't come a cropper (but seen quite a few riders falling, at least they had a cushioned barrier to plough into). there's the temptation to start pedaling asap after the apex to maintain the momentum up the hill.
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I am beginning to wonder why so many fixed riders are commenting in this thread, it is called The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread. ::-)
Maybe they feel insecure...... :smug:
I wrote this blog about why I tried fixed and didn't like it
http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/no-known-fix/
Fixed gear people said
- You should MTFU, you are a wimp, we are tough etc etc
- You haven't tried it for long enough, after weeks/months you will get it. And then..er...you will be able to ride fixed
- You are missing out on the special mystical shit that only riding fixed can give. We can't explain this but it's great, you should try it. Oh, you did.
- Your bike is wrong, it needs rear brakes, different cogs etc as you are a beginner
Obviously they are all wrong and don't "get it" that they should be riding SS freewheel ;D
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Inbred SS is done
Thanks to Ham, trumpet and MacB for most of the bits
Inbred frame, midge bars, camo tape from ebay, 1/8" chain, zee chainset, BB7 disks, cane creek drop bar/MTB pull levers, Spa Cycles Calder Saddle, M540 pedals
Front tyre is a 42mm Schwalbe Mondial, rear is a clapped out 28mm Marathon Supreme
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sYuFlAKt6HE/VAmg7pj3lKI/AAAAAAAAAts/gN9J2634cMA/w696-h522-no/IMG_20140905_110349.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-B-8_KXWu9qI/VAmhFS9E4BI/AAAAAAAAAuE/HFPYuM1SdXc/w696-h522-no/IMG_20140905_114731.jpg)
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Looking good Vorsprung ! :thumbsup:
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chain's a bit slack ;)
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chain's a bit slack ;)
Indeed, there was more faffing about with brakes after that first photo and the chain is less slack now
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Looks interesting Vorsprung. I like single speed and fat tyres and am thinking about something similar, is the MTB frame the best option for road / light trail use?. It looks like a very low gear ... what sort of usage do you intend?
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Looks interesting Vorsprung. I like single speed and fat tyres and am thinking about something similar, is the MTB frame the best option for road / light trail use?. It looks like a very low gear ... what sort of usage do you intend?
I think the 29er frames are good as they are cheap, widely available and nice and strong. Mostly they are disk brake only but BB7 are cheap and nice
The gear is 68 inches, 36x14 and I tend to ride it on road (poorly surfaced narrow lanes) up hill but not especially 25% hills. Off road will be limited to a bit of hard pack
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Anyone want me to do an impression of a White Industries freewheel self-destructing?
Hit a pothole last night and, from the subsequent noise, I thought I'd broken a rim or some spokes.
Turns out my freewheel was sat at 15deg off vertical and trying its best to seize up. I managed to limp home on a single pawl and spring (the other 2 having abandoned ship) with a bit of occasional slipping as the pawl tried its best to hook-up.
Closer examination revealed that the lock-ring is gone. I assume it snapped because there's no other way it can have gone missing from the bike.
It's an old freewheel, from a bike I bought from the forum 2 years ago and kept after I'd re-sold the bike. I know they are serviceable but I think the parts required will be just as expensive as a new one.
I don't know how old it was when I got it but it had seen some action.
Even though it did this I think that may be rather exceptional and have ordered a new one £75 as they are lovely things when they aren't ripping all the pawls and springs out.
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Ouch! First time I've heard of that happening! On the plus side you at least have some spare parts for the new one :-\
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Ouch! First time I've heard of that happening! On the plus side you at least have some spare parts for the new one :-\
Hmm..possibly. springs are either bent or missing. I have 1 pawl, a bearing that is likely >5 years old and a worn 17T case. The main body is OK though (the bit that never wears or breaks) :-)
I think it's White Industries' way of telling me I should perform regular services.
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Looks interesting Vorsprung. I like single speed and fat tyres and am thinking about something similar, is the MTB frame the best option for road / light trail use?. It looks like a very low gear ... what sort of usage do you intend?
<mick_dundee>
That's not fat, this is fat ...
</mick_dundee>
(http://36x17.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/pugsley-ss.jpg)
Couldn't resist ... sorry.
Actually, the Pugsley is cheating a bit on account of having a single sprocket mounted on a freehub. My green Genesis is the real deal with a White Industries freewheel (accept no substitutes etc.)
During my brief flirtation with singlespeed on the road I ran 42x17 and a lot of off-the-peg singlespeed bikes seem to have gearing in this ballpark - my gear of choice for bikepacking is 32x17 (or 36x17 on the fixed)
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I'm running 43x17 on my Genesis Day1 Disc. (Currently 43x0).
I now wish, like my Single-speed Orbit, it had a flip-flop hub. I never ride fixed but it's a handy get-me-home option.
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Genesis have gone to a freehub for this year's single speeds. I guess it's all about economies of scale, using the same wheels on several models, etc.
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Since I never had a Shimano "freehub" fail in my life it may make more sense.
Does that allow for non-dished wheels?
Anyhoo....my new White Industries 17T ENO freewheel just arrived and it's like a piece of jewellery. Lovely. Now I realise just how bad the bearings had got in my old one.
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Is the consensus still with the White Industries freewheels? Otherwise has anyone tried a Halo Singulator or a Token Cromo?
Looking for a new 18t 1/8" to replace a clunky dicta.
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Haven't tried the others but see no reason to move away from White Industries.
Good luck in removing that Dicta by the way....
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It comes off fine (I removed it twice yesterday). I use anti - seize on the threads, hold the removal tool on with a nut and use a long metal pipe for leverage.
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That's good news, I may have had a different model as mine lacked any removal splines and I had to get 'medieval' to get it off
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Yeah, I had one like that too. The removal process was most satisfying. ;D
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Inbred SS above now has 2 inch slick tyres on. It's a bit more gluely but tremendously comfortable
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I love riding fixed. Nuff said :^)
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I wrote this blog about why I tried fixed and didn't like it
http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/no-known-fix/
To me, bikes are all about a simple equation of energy and motion. I put a small amount of energy in and the bike moves. Other than that it is pretty relaxing.
Nailed it.
The fixed gear experience is the polar opposite to this. Energy (mostly nervous) has to be supplied continuously or else the bike does malevolent things. Maybe some people like this kind of sado masochistic relationship, it’s not for me though.
I think of fixed as being for people who really really like to ride a bike. Some of us are just along for the ride.
Another way of looking at it is as a cybernetic relationship, the legs of the rider become part of the bike.
Paging Flann O'Brien.
All my bikes are singlespeed freewheel.
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I am beginning to wonder why so many fixed riders are commenting in this thread, it is called The Singlespeed Freewheel Thread. ::-)
Maybe they feel insecure...... :smug:
I wrote this blog about why I tried fixed and didn't like it
http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/no-known-fix/
Fixed gear people said
- You should MTFU, you are a wimp, we are tough etc etc
- You haven't tried it for long enough, after weeks/months you will get it. And then..er...you will be able to ride fixed
- You are missing out on the special mystical shit that only riding fixed can give. We can't explain this but it's great, you should try it. Oh, you did.
- Your bike is wrong, it needs rear brakes, different cogs etc as you are a beginner
Obviously they are all wrong and don't "get it" that they should be riding SS freewheel ;D
Your blog describes my Fixed experience exactly.
I've always thought that coasting at 30mph down a hill for a mile or so was one of life's greatest pleasures, the pay-off for the slog to the top.
My brief experience of Fixed demonstrated that this pleasure was no longer available, instead it made the climb more enjoyable than the descent.
It made me notice just how frequently, and subconsciously, I free-wheel in order to rearrange the dangly parts on the saddle. It's quite difficult to arrange the love-spuds correctly at 120rpm.
I'm doing a Velodrome "experience" this weekend so I may flip-flop my wheel back to fixed for a few days, just to get my legs in that frame of mind, but it's being flopped back immediately afterwards.
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You'll love the track Lee, and those lovely light, responsive track bikes. With somewhere around an 80" gear you're unlikely to be spinning out, and the downhills are very short 8) Please tell us how you got on. Have a great time!
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I felt a bit guilty doing so much freewheeling on our Sunday ride. I'm just not used to it. And my Garmin says we climbed more than we descended, and that's technology, so it must be Right. But rolling downhill is a great pleasure, and one I do miss a bit when my legs are whirling around on fixed.
That's why I used to want a PF Welding Fix-Free Hub. Fixed for more efficient climbing; free to descend. In Calderdale, where roads are either uphill or down, never flat, and rarely a gentle gradient, a low gear would be fab.
Find some way to mate it to an S3X, and I'd be made up!
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Compared with derailleur, free has many of the advantages of fixed, including component longevity. The advantage of free over fixed is you can fit a smaller gear, all else being equal. With a smaller gear, you spend less energy to ascend, and the gear size does not affect your descent.
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You can also coast round corners and avoid pedal strike :)