[Closed] 14 Bike Co (warning: sisters jeans content 🙂

Jesus,

They are so niche they can do without pedals.

What next? No chain? No [i]wheels[/i]?

[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/shopfourteen/3646981666/sizes/m/in/set-72157618545682127/ ]snowflakeyness[/url]

I know they're bikes, and I know I should be more...accepting...but i can't help myself...The whole fixie thing just...Tossers.

Sorry

Im building a fixie, **** orf! 😉

I guess some fixie riders are fashion victim tossers, but then so are some mountain bikers 😉 Personally, I like the simplicity of the fixie/singlespeed, though I'll never get a proper fixed speed brakeless setup, that's just daft in the city 🙄

Not enough suspension and needless kit for some folks round here.

looks like some nice bikes on there though, I'm toying with the idea of building a fixie commuter using my Paul Milnes CX frame. mmmmmmmmmmm

I'm building a fixie and all but i'm going for the bull bar look not the cut down riser.

Paint some wheels a pretty colour, put some silly handlebars on a sh1tty old road frame and bingo! You can sell it for way more than it's worth.

As said above, tossers. Fixed is fine on a track, or even out on the open roads if you so choose, but around a City? No.

was wondering when you'd show up CFH 🙂

put some silly handlebars on a sh1tty old road frame

These guys are a bit different, they're doing made to measure bespoke new frames for folk, you go in there and get all measured up, choose your frame style and material, then they build you a custom steel frame, either welded or fillet brazed... though I think they'd also be doing old road frames as well, to offer a more budget option I'd guess...

You should wander into the shop, it's a veritable Alladins cave of shiny bike stuff, I really liked it 🙂

Fixed is fine on a track, or even out on the open roads if you so choose, but around a City? No.

They may argue that our 6" travel Enduro's are a bit daft for the City as well you know 😉

but around a City? No.

Obvious lake of skills?

watch some of their videos on the blog, there's no lack of skills in these chaps. A lot of them come to fixed bikes from skateboarding and BMX, so they're a talented bunch (I wish I had just a smidge of their abilities 🙄 )

What is with the hate leveled at other cyclists? Juct because they are different? Just get on with what your riding and doing and foprget about what others choose to ride. NickC and CaptainFlashHeart you seem to be attacking something you don't understand its pathetic, grow up.

If they ain't hating on you, don't hate on them.

How do you know I don't understand?

Psychle I was talking about CFH.
To be fair using a track bike on the road isn't a smart move. Not due to the fixed rearwheel, but to the odd angles. Specially as your first bike.

How do you know I don't understand?

Because of your normal sweeping comments and pig headed attitiude.

Works of art, form function at its leanest, the bicycle in its purest (I know not its most useful) form - like some of the custom motor bikes for me "because its there" - though some of the 'riding' is a bit ........
- I do like this as well http://www.deus.com.au/#/bikes/bicycles/stock/deus-br-green/
and supposed to be working here and I guess most of you are - but above is more like skool!!!

Sweeping opinion, and one to which I am entitled. Sorry if you disagree, but that's the way it is. I am of the opinion that fixies are utterly pointless as a town bike, as they do not allow for safe braking. Now, at this point, all manner of luddites will be along to tell me that they can stop on a sixpence and really don't need brakes etc, etc, etc, but the number of accidents or near accidents I see around town involving muppets being "on trend" with their fixie-fashion-bikes is such that I have formed my opinion. Hooning through a red light nearly mowing down pedestrians is hardly a good image for cyclists, and one which fixie riders are sadly perpetuating.

fixed ( with brakes!!) bikes are perfect for commuting round the city, i've been riding a fixed pompino round birmingham for the past few years. its the low maintainence thats the big appeal for me certainly not fashion as its got a rack, panniers, lights and mudguards.

Stu, I will indeed give you that fact, fixed with brakes is fine. As you say, simple and easy. The fakenger trend, however, isn't fine in my opinion.

Running red lights isn't exclusive to fixed riders.

but the number of accidents or near accidents I see around town involving muppets being "on trend" with their fixie-fashion-bikes is such that I have formed my opinion. Hooning through a red light nearly mowing down pedestrians is hardly a good image for cyclists, and one which fixie riders are sadly perpetuating.

Well I see a lot of accident involving cyclist with gears and brakes. Plus I run through every traffic light with a bike that have a freewheel it's fine then?

I ride a fixie for pure reliability and lack of maintenance/cost. On a plus side it has made me fit as **** cycling wise.

I get that in terms of lack of gears. But really, is it THAT much more maintenance than a SS in town?

In taste terms, I just plain don't like the black/purple combo, it's garish. The fork is excessively slender paired with the deep-section rims. The saddle is on the hefty side, it's too deep. Don't start me on the cockpit, it's ugly. Aesthetically, then, I'm not with it.

In terms of practicality, that one has all brakes present and correct. Personally I don't do town bikes with no mudguards, but there's a trade-off to be had clearly if you think guards spoil the look.

Generally, the hype around this style of bike is annoying, but I can't help being delighted that large numbers of cool, attractive young people are now wandering about on bikes who weren't only a couple of years ago. That's great. I don't have to like them, and in a lot of cases I'd probably think they were tossers, and they'd think I was a terrible old square. 😀

fixed gear is more efficient on the roads. I have road ss and fixed on the road and fixed wins for me every time.

juan - Member

but around a City? No.

Obvious lake of skills?

I think we all need to jump in to that:-)

Anyway where are the pictures of someones sister wearings jeans?
As long as they are not the baggy arse type .

mountain bikes were a london hipster courier thing too, back in the 80's.. look where we are now. i love the different styles of these bikes and it's getting more people into bikes, it's all good..

it'll calm down a bit after the fashion victims move on, but these bikes will stay around now, i reckon it's like the start of skating or bmx all over again, interesting times!

(i still prefer SS with drops to fixed and little bars tho)

fixed gear is more efficient on the roads. I have road ss and fixed on the road and fixed wins for me every time.

Out of interest, how do you get it's more efficient? Sure, you're saving a tiny bit of weight but assuming that if you're pedalling, the freewheel is engaged and you're not really getting much of a different experience. In fact, I'd argue that you probably lose efficiency going down hills as your ability to take advantage of gravity is limited by how fast your legs can go.

I'm not an engineer or anything but I'm struggling to see how fixed gear is more efficient other than the aforementioned tiny amount less weight.

the fact that your pedalling all the time does help, going uphill slowly on a fixie is a right pain as well so i just try and get them over as quickly as possible.

i don't know if a fixie is more efficient but it does feel faster.

The going up hill etc bit also works for SS. I'm happy to be wrong, but I just can't work out how a fixie can be more efficient than a SS.

fixed gear is more efficient on the roads

How can it possibly be more efficient?
You can't stop pedalling, so the 'motor' is always running. You're wasting energy.
Go downhill, freewheel, recover, speed up more than you would pedalling, get up the next hill faster. Simples.

I agree with the stupid cut down risers, look utterly shite (IMO 😉 ) Mines got drops on it and looks exactly like a standard road bike, as for riding fixed in the city, why live in the city?! I spend my time in rural Norfolk or Aberystwyth when im at uni, Im just really interested to see what its like to ride a fixed gear.

*edited to avoid slagging people off 😀

I like the cut down risers 🙁 though I'll probably have bull-horn type bars on mine when I finally get one...

mines getting tiny drops once its done, tried cuting a pair down and flipping them, but it didnt feel quite right.

How can it possibly be more efficient?
You can't stop pedalling, so the 'motor' is always running. You're wasting energy.
Go downhill, freewheel, recover, speed up more than you would pedalling, get up the next hill faster. Simples.

Well imho I find I am a lot quicker on a fixed than a freewheel ss. Freewheeling is where you waste momentum, keep pedalling and you plough up those hills no probs. I have found that I hardly freewheel whilst mountain biking now thanks to fixed riding.

I am absdolutely not an engineer, but at road time trials down my way you will see a significant number of people on fixed gears, but no-one on single-geared freewheels. I have no idea whether whatever these guys think they're getting is correctly described as "efficiency". 🙂

I get the whole fixie thing. I get the skill involved and the need to be different and individual.

But, after being hit by a chap riding one in London (Kings Cross area) - he couldn't stop, because he didn't have any brakes - I think its for tossers.

Why? Because its hard enough riding around the city on a regular bike and being given grief by motorists and pedestrians, without someone with no brakes riding around riding into people. It doesn't help anyone.

It just plain irresponsible and selfish to ride around with no brakes. Doesn't matter how skilled you are, you will end up riding into someone or something and you or someone else could get hurt badly.

Rant over. 🙂

It is 'kin stupid to have no brakes. These twunts who think it's cool want a clip around the ear 😆

yep, should have brakes, even on a fixie... actually, wouldn't it be against the law to not have them? you'd have thought so...

I am absdolutely not an engineer, but at road time trials down my way you will see a significant number of people on fixed gears, but no-one on single-geared freewheels. I have no idea whether whatever these guys think they're getting is correctly described as "efficiency". 😛

Well that's just it. I'm trying to understand what this assumed efficiency is 🙂

My thought process reaches the assumption that other than a small weight saving, there's no reason at all why fixed would be more efficient/faster/whatever than singlespeed. Unless there's a Derren Brown-esque "wisdom of crowds" which makes bikes go faster if people think they do.

Go forth and try instead of chunnering on and trying to work it out:lol: Fixed is a whole load better than ss on the road I don't know the exact science but it's true.

My fixed gear will have brakes, its a fairly small minority who choose to ride fixed gear with no brakes.

Well the whole messenger scene seems to be able to do without brakes quite nicely.
Down to skillz?

fixed wheels have less of a 'dead spot' feel as the rider and bike's momentum lifts the rear facing crank and this is a big part of why fixed wheels win autumn hill-climbs, plus they handle torque better and while pedalling, will be slighlty more efficient as they are more direct. obviously over a long ride they won't use your energy as efficiently as a geared / freewheel bike, but the transfer of energy will be a fraction more efficient over a set / short distance.

james-o - Member

mountain bikes were a london hipster courier thing too, back in the 80's.. look where we are now. i love the different styles of these bikes and it's getting more people into bikes, it's all good..

it'll calm down a bit after the fashion victims move on, but these bikes will stay around now, i reckon it's like the start of skating or bmx all over again, interesting times!

(i still prefer SS with drops to fixed and little bars tho)

God, that brings back memories.....of this: