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Despite Fixies being so fashionable I still fancy having a do on one. Ideally I'd like to try one to see if I am up to riding to and from work (about 10 hilly miles each way). I don't know anyone who's got one locally but hey ho.
Anyroad up, what do those in the know think of this as a cheap entry into the world of fixiedom? http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f%5FProductID=12408&f%5FFullProductVersion=1&f%5FSupersetQRY=C438&f%5FSortOrderID=1&f%5Fbct=c003155c018341
2 brakes good (esp for going down steep hills). Mudguards are a must for commuting. Other than that, it looks fine. Actually, it looks lovely.
I ride 36:15 (on 27" wheels) so make sure your gear's not too high.
Are 'fixies' really still fashionable?
Apart from the chainrings/cranks and the steel fork, that looks like a much better deal than the Spesh Langster, Lemond Filmore etc. In fact, my Filmore also had a steel fork and cost about £200 more than that.
You can get a flat bar version of a fixie/singlespeed for £200. I can't rememeber the name of it but Cycling Plus marked it 7 out of 10 or something like that.
I sometimes ride mine fixed but I much prefer using the freewheel.
found it: [url] http://www.createbikes.com/ [/url]
Are 'fixies' really still fashionable?
I live in Lancashire. They haven't even [u]got[/u] fashionable here yet...
and close up pictures here as well
[url] http://www.unipackuk.co.uk/track-bikes_roadcourier.html [/url]
There's only ever been 3 or 4 in Reading,
Mines going to be singlespeed with 48-20 gearing (on 700c).
Total build cost will probably be arround £200
Spec-
Falcon Strada 531 frame (56cm, PC'd white)
Unbranded carbon fork
ITM stem, spray painted white to match frame
Unbranded 48t SS ring
20t dicta freewheel
Ultegra front brake calliper
Exage 600 levers
Exage 600 rear calliper
Exage 600 cranks
SOMA thick'n'zesty tape
Baby blue cable outer (from BMX shop)
Wheels are un branded but very lightweight ones off a very old tourer, swaped them for the slight tougher exage/wolber combo that were on the falcon.
Saddle and post off the falcon.
Costs
£20 for the bike
£50 powder coating
£35 fork and stem and headset
£5 tape
£3 brake cable
£18.50 front brake
£6 freewheel
£4 rattlecan
Needs a BB to finish, narrowly missed a ti RF one on here the other week 🙁
Looks alright for 300 quid. 48:16 might be a touch ambitious on the hills mind.
My charge plug is 42:16 which is enough for trying to beat cars away at the traffic lights thanks. wouldn't want to go higher than that unless I was out in the country and didn't have many stops or hills.
Bit like a velodrome really.
I commute ~40 miles or so, a couple of times a week, mostly on a 48:18 fakenger/fixie. It's great. Your body gets used to always pedalling very quickly and it will help other types of riding.
I'd advise a bit of caution on using two brakes though. It's actually quite disconcerting if you grab a handful of rear brake and the wheels lock, as often your legs also lock in an unusual position (i.e. not horizontally as they would naturally tend to be with a freewheel). I found it so unsettling that I took the rear brake off. You can generate enough stopping power from a front brake and the resistance your legs can generate to cope with most situations, even emergency stops.
Pie.
Bit like a velodrome really.
but you would be using 85-95 gear inches in a velodrome, so nothing like it.
(fixed gears are not expressed as ratios but gear inches, there are plenty of charts available on the web to work them out)
67-73 inches is a good starting point, wouldn't bother with a rear brake slow down with your legs, stop with the front. using cadence to modulate speed is far more subtle and controlled than using a brake.
those unipak/create bikes are a pile of rubbish and known for bits falling off breaking chains and poor brakes.