Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Velo Fixe => Topic started by: alan on 02 November, 2009, 03:32:45 pm
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flip-flop hub & facilty to fit mudgaurds & rear rack?
What make/model is it?
Anyone want to recommend,based on experience, a particular bike?
I ask because I am considering selling my Langster & Trek 5000 to finance,to a greater or lesser degree, a new fixed that will take 'gaurds & a rack.
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Well, I do, but it's a Carlton ;D
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Yes. But not off the shelf, I'm afraid, except my Pompino.
I think that there are a fair few that will take a rack and guards with a bit of ingenuity and/or fairly skinny tyres. Condor and Pearson feature models that will. But if you want something that'll take bigger tyres it's more limited. An On-One Pompino will, as will a Specialized Tricross Single. Other people use touring frames with forward-facing horizontal dropouts, or have a custom frame.
I suppose it depends on your budget and what you will use it for.
If you are looking at < £500 I'd go for a Pomp (best all-round package if not very exciting, maybe) and more than that I'd be thinking something like a Mercian I think. Big budget is a different matter, of course.
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I do :). Condor Tempo. Came with 'guards on, plenty of clearance for 25C tyres. 28C might be doable, but would be getting tight.
I fitted a Tortec Ultralite rack a while back. Went on easily, plenty of room to carry my Ortlieb panniers without hitting my heels. A surprisingly good load-carrier (at least until you hit the big hills...). I've de-racked mine now, but wouldn't hesitate to put it back if I was in the mood for some reasonably-lightweight fixed touring.
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I'll recommend a 45yr old Holdsworth frame with Dave Marsh forks, new brazings for bottles, brake cables and cantis. It has mudguards, a rack and a double-sided hub.
I don't know if there are many about. Mine's not for sale.
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Cotic Roadrat:
- Heavy but bombproof.
- Loads of clerance for tyres even with 'guards as it's designed as a kind of fixed cross bike.
- Full 'guard eyes and rack mounts, plus disk mounts (I run a cable Avid BB7 disk on the front which is great for winter commuting - no rim wear etc). Also has V-brake mounts if you prefer, and I've also run a Paul Racer centre-mount brake on the back in the past.
- No toe overlap.
- Nice & stable when spinning, so would probably be good loaded up at the back (whether fixed + loaded would be good is for you to decide).
- 132.5mm rear spacing so you can use any 130 or 135mm hub - I use an On One 135 at the mo.
Recommended, except they don't seem to be available in black anymore, only cowpat brown. :sick:
EDIT: Mine's a custom build - it doesn't really come as you want it off the peg (should've read the orginal post a bit better, doh).
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Trek Soho S (http://www.bonthronebikes.co.uk/516-231309) a fine easy-rider workhorse bike. I like mine a lot
I've also got a Mercian and a 1950 Merlin. If I ever consider selling either, you'd be near the top of the list, Alan :)
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Well single-speed - branded as SE Lager in the UK
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I've got a Specialized singlecross. It ticks all the boxes, and is a reasonably nice ride.
(http://haigh.org/20022009-2.jpg)
The hubs aren't the best. I had to replace the rear wheel with a couple of thousand miles on it, the original one had rubbish seals that resulted in corroded bearings, plus I managed to break a spoke on it (the first for a very long time).
The original bottom bracket also went noisy after a couple of thousand miles, that's been replaced with a standard Shimano part.
The saddle is a pain in the arse, literally (though that's probably true of many standard equipment saddles), I did almost 100 miles on it (a week of commuting) before putting a B17 on.
It comes with lightly-knobbled tyres, which got replaced quite quickly. It takes standard 700c tyres, I run it on 28s - you could probably fit 38s in there if you want to go that way.
There is plenty of clearance for mudguards (SKS black ones on mine), I've got a Tubus Fly rack on it which looks really good.
I'm tempted to remove the cyclocross-style secondary brake levers from the top of the drops, they work OK but I don't really use them and they take up valuable bar space.
It sounds like a lot of things have gone wrong, but it has had a fairly hard life - it lives outside in Sweden - and gets zero maintenance until something breaks as I don't have all my tools over there. If you can pick one up for the right price (mine was £350 new in a sale) then they are really good value for money.
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sounds like the job description for a pompino!
Now available in white :)
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Yeah, a Pompino has probably the best overall package as I said upthread. I'd echo what MattH said about the wheels on the Spec. and this is a common problem on off-the-shelf bikes. The Pomp is one of the few budget all rounders that has pretty good components in all departments.
Makes a great audax bike too:)
(http://www.bosphorus.f2s.com/bikes/audaxbike.jpg)
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If you can afford to go to Mercian, you'll never regret it. Even if you get them to make the frame and build it up with mid range components, it'll be the business. Mine is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
Mind you, I also have three other fixers (four if you count the penny) and they're all lovely.
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for Mercian read Bob Jackson, and it comes out the same. ;)
Is a white Pompino a Pimpino?
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(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/4013989901_e0b35b230e.jpg)
I am using a double fixed hub but I think flip flop will work. Rack eyes on the seat stay, would have to use the mudguard eyes on the track ends. Flat Earth Bob has a rack on his. 25mm tyres, long drop brake.
It's a Dolan FXE Terry Dolan (http://www.dolan-bikes.com/fxe.html)
Not an expensive bike.
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bog-standard Pompino with added m/guards & rack gets me to & from work very happily every day
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I'll recommend a 45yr old Holdsworth frame with Dave Marsh forks, new brazings for bottles, brake cables and cantis. It has mudguards, a rack and a double-sided hub.
I don't know if there are many about. Mine's not for sale.
What a tease you are :demon:
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If you are looking at < £500 I'd go for a Pomp (best all-round package if not very exciting, maybe) and more than that I'd be thinking something like a Mercian I think. Big budget is a different matter, of course.
Somewhere between £500 & a grand.That should get what I need.
If not I may have to take up golf :hand:
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Pearson Touche
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Alan, if you want a closer look at a Pearson Touche you know where to come. ;)
And before you ask, no I will not swap it for a Langster.
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I have a carrier on my sh*t brown :o Langster. I would have crudcatcher full length mudguards were I not riding down the bumpy A584 every day and able to put up with 23c tyres, but I am wimp that wants a bit of comfort and run 25c tyres and Raceblades instead.
Wifee has a Specialised Singlecross, and it probably is the bike I should have bought in the first place. Mudguards and carrier possible. The frame is the best bit of the Specialised bikes. Run the rest until the bits run out and upgrade as you go. I'm off to learn how to build wheels after Christmas, but the bearings in my original have held up through three Lancy winters, with irregular regreasing.
I suppose if you really want to blow the budget you could get Brian Rourke to build you something exotic. G'waan. You know that's what you really want.
You are thinking about it, aren't you?? ;D
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If you want to see/ride a Pearson Hanzo/Byercycles fixed, you can have a go on mine. I might even be tempted to take the Langster off your hands too.
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:demon:
Yes, & a ride to Mercian from here would make a nice day out & back(maybe Friday) :demon:
I have a rack on the Langster but want full mudgaurds to deal with the cowcrap & mud on the lanes hereabouts.
Having said all that the Langster is the most comfortable & best fit bike I have.I shall have to make a note of all the critical dims. before I sell it.
ooops: made a real dog's breakfast of editing this :-[
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But my serious point was that fixed-wheel is a good use for an old, classic frame.
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Alan, if you want a closer look at a Pearson Touche you know where to come. ;)
Thanks for that .I may well take you up on that :hand:
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If you want to see/ride a Pearson Hanzo/Byercycles fixed, you can have a go on mine. I might even be tempted to take the Langster off your hands too.
Thanks Chris,I will probably take you up on that offer.
The Langster is under "first refusal" with a forum member atm & in any event I do not foresee the new bike arriving & the Langster going untill Christmas or New Year.Availability of a new bike will determine all this because I do want to be without a fixed so it will be one in & then one out.
If the Langster is not wanted elsewhere I'll let you know.
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sounds like the job description for a pompino!
+1
Though in fixed only in my household. Nice and comfy and a bit sedate.
Mercian is indeed a nice place to go; they worked on a couple of my faster bikes, lovely they are!
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Kinesis Convert 2
http://www.kinesisdecade.co.uk/product.php?id=7 (http://www.kinesisdecade.co.uk/product.php?id=7)
Flip-flop hub, 'swop-outs' and braze-ons so you can convert it to a geared bike later on, pannier rack mounts etc.
Though mine's in black :thumbsup:
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Looked at a Fisher Triton at OYB today. Rack mounts, but no 'guards (doesn't bother me - I prefer raceblades ;) )
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Don't forget on any of the rear facing dropouts a set of 'Secu' clips off a front set of guards make it easier to remove the wheel when used on the rear mudguard stays.
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(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2103/1571101086_a47a240e22.jpg)
rack added since this photo
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Pearson touche here, had it over two years now
User Media - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting (http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=K2wDoLHl8xw8WQ8BAvbzxg%3D%3D)
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Can't really go wrong with a Pomp for the money altho the Tricross Spesh is a nice bike and a Condor Tempo is v.v nice. I'd rather have deep-drop brakes rather than V's and if I was getting another Pomp I'd have a carbon fork
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You could use any suitable road frame of your choice in conjunction with a White Industries ENO rear hub. Probably a bit cheaper to try and get an older one so you're not tied into White Industries proprietary sprockets.
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FWIW my vote is for a Tricross Single.
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Crappy wheels though.
The Pomp is maybe not as sexy looking, but the equipment is generally pretty good. It's the only budget off-the-shelf fixed bike that I'd not change the wheels on as soon as I could.
If you buy a Tricross, I'd do what Tuggo did and sell the wheels unused to fund some decent ones.
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Kinesis Convert 2
I saw one in the flesh today in the Cycle Centre in Congleton.A nice looking bike.
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I've got a Specialized singlecross. It ticks all the boxes, and is a reasonably nice ride.
(http://haigh.org/20022009-2.jpg)
The rack & SQR bag look v. similar to how I how I have my pompino setup. Only I can't actually load & unload the SQR as the rack is in the way. Looks like you have the same issue.
What's the secret? (Do you have a larger picture?)
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The Cotic Roadrat looks interesting.Anyone have experience of it?
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The Cotic Roadrat looks interesting.Anyone have experience of it?
Hell yeah. It's great. :thumbsup: You can have a go on that too when you come round, though it's not really set up for road riding.
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I saw one in the flesh today in the Cycle Centre in Congleton.A nice looking bike.
I thought so too, and so did a random employee at work, though as I approached the random stranger standing eyeing my bike I was a little concerned until he asked 'is this your fixie?'.
Praise for bike is, I figure, comparable to praise of children.
I wanted to pat the bike for doing a good job sitting around looking fast all day.
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The Cotic Roadrat looks interesting.Anyone have experience of it?
My comments about my Roadrat are on the first page, but like I say you'll need to get F+F only then do a custom build to get what you want. That's not to say it has to be pricey though, and it's always nice to have a one-off, eh?
I'm sure Chris'll put some slicks on his for a spin out. It was his 'rat that sold me on one.
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Thanks PaulD.Short attention span on my part :-[ It's an age thing ::-)
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+1 for pompino. For the money, a fantastic bike. Durable (I've prob done around 75k on it, and it's going strong). My shopping list for features was pretty much what the OP was looking for.
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The Cotic Roadrat looks interesting.Anyone have experience of it?
My comments about my Roadrat are on the first page, but like I say you'll need to get F+F only then do a custom build to get what you want. That's not to say it has to be pricey though, and it's always nice to have a one-off, eh?
I'm sure Chris'll put some slicks on his for a spin out. It was his 'rat that sold me on one.
'twas recommendations from here (or rather There, IYSWIM) that caused me to buy a Roadrat. Depravo has a front disc brake, mudguards, rack, hub dynamo etc. etc. and the only problem with setting it all up is that the clearances are frikkin' huge when used on road tyres, so you may have to bodge the mudguard attachments a bit.
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I see that current colour choice on Pomps is sh7tty brown or sh8tty green :sick:
I want a blue one or a white one if I choose a Pomp
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The green
looks OK. I agree about the brown :sick:
The blue isn't my favourite shade either, but I've grown quite attached to it in the almost 6 years we've been together :)
There were some silver ones once, and some black ones. Much nicer.
edit: I've just looked again. The green's foul also, isn't it ?
They never were much good with colours - the Kaff went from a fairly nice deep blue to a shitty mud colour.