tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post7743243877507650392..comments2024-03-18T08:41:35.438-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: 50 Miles Without CoastingVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-9247868730958453322016-06-26T01:49:49.916-04:002016-06-26T01:49:49.916-04:00I love my fixed gear. (46X18,175mm 27")Rode j...I love my fixed gear. (46X18,175mm 27")Rode just under 50 miles today. Yes to brakes. No to toe clips.<br />I am considering switching from MKS Stream w/0 toe clips to Crank Bros Eggbeaters.<br />Thoughts?CODYVISIONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14173232747722326866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67053848000045805232011-06-08T22:59:28.848-04:002011-06-08T22:59:28.848-04:00Nobody's reading this now, but in case you hap...Nobody's reading this now, but in case you happen to read this, somervillain:<br /> <br />Lifting to position your crank is as easy as positioning your feet on a bike with a freewheel; easier, if the freewheel bike doesn't have foot retention. It requires no thought at all once you are used to doing it. I notice the equivalent technique on the freewheel bike more now when I ride that. It is also a legitimate enough technique that Sheldon Brown describes doing it (though he says he lifted the saddle, which sounds terribly awkward to me; I always use the top tube).<br /> <br />That said, with most gearings it is not usually necessary to lift the wheel as you can stop with the cranks pretty much where you want them most of the time. I usually ride 42/17 or 42/16 and find it trivial to stop in the correct position. The reason I still have to lift my bike sometimes is that I am still working on my trackstand (hey, I just built the bike last winter) and often roll out of my preferred position when I lose my balance.<br /> <br />Samuel Chilbolton:<br />No, the chance is not significant. Drivetrain failure is no more (and probably less) likely than rear brake failure or misadjusted brakes. If someone wants to have all three braking systems I certainly wouldn't discourage them, but it's about as necessary as having both rim and disc brakes on a freewheel bike. If you are using the rear brake to "control" the front, then you need to work on your braking technique. See Sheldon Brown: http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.htmlapophasishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04491833621021343116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-81826191870145095442010-10-26T16:49:19.101-04:002010-10-26T16:49:19.101-04:00sorry to come in on an old post but i thought it m...sorry to come in on an old post but i thought it might be helpful to add a safety warning regarding fixed-gear bikes. Fixed-gear bikes without a rear brake rely on the drivetrain for safe braking control. There is a small but significant chance that the chain could snap or derail while descending and/or approaching a hazard on the road. If this happens then only the front brake is left to control the bike. although the front brake alone is sufficient for perhaps 95% of braking situations, there are times when a rear brake is necessary in order to "control" the front brake and thereby prevent the rider being thrown forwards and off the bike. In addition at the end of a long ride on a fixed-gear the riders legs will be tired and the presence of a rear brake will provide some relief. It is fashionable to remove the rear brake when using a fixed gear but in this case it would be better to die a fashion death than a real death. Most fixed gear bikes ridden on the road prior to the current revival had two brakes, front and rear.Samuel Chilboltonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-44521761231276105942010-07-28T18:11:50.091-04:002010-07-28T18:11:50.091-04:00Nice post, it describes the fixed-gear experience ...Nice post, it describes the fixed-gear experience accurately without wrapping it in predictable hipster-daredevil-Zen cliches or making it seem like such a big deal.<br /><br />What I love about riding fixed is that the bike seems to go by itself since so much of your momentum is recycled. This makes short inclines easier too. There is a feeling of greater control especially in wet conditions.<br /><br />I don't find the pedals being out of sync to be a big issue. Just an extra push from the foot on the ground when you start corrects it. After a while you just get used to it and you can start (and stop) from any position.<br /><br />PowerGrips are probably the easiest retention to use. Try them on a freewheel bike first. Getting out of them requires just a quick flick of the heel, far less effort than even the loosest clipless pedal.<br /><br />I run a 69" gear (45x17, 700Cx28mm tires, 165mm cranks), which is about right for L.A. The classic English touring gear was 65", all the better to enjoy the scenery.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03785062536908882860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-62882421269307389812010-07-28T00:55:08.842-04:002010-07-28T00:55:08.842-04:00Thanks for the comments re the tree pictures. I to...Thanks for the comments re the tree pictures. I took the one where the bicycle is alone. The Co-Habitant took the picture where I am standing in front of the tree looking sullen. We agreed on the composition beforehand. <br /><br />david m - Marianne threatened to run away from home if I got Deep V's. Plus, those wouldn't go well with the fenders. Priorities!<br /><br />kfg - Thanks for your comments on gearing. I am only now starting to understand it, so this is terribly interesting.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73336010723873269392010-07-27T23:26:33.573-04:002010-07-27T23:26:33.573-04:00Justine said...
"... for the streets, you wou...<i>Justine said...<br />"... for the streets, you wouldn't want a real velodrome bike like the one you rode in Vienna because you would feel every single crack in the pavement when you ride it."</i><br /><br />I agree that for the streets I would not want a real track bike (riding brakeless on the backroads was difficult enough; I almost pee in my pants just imagining doing it in traffic)... BUT... FYI That track bike had tubular tires that were like butter going over cracks and bumps. I am trying to forget that wonderful ride quality, lest I start craving tubulars.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-87145431240045264272010-07-27T23:14:31.332-04:002010-07-27T23:14:31.332-04:00P.S. Marianne looks très chic with the upside down...P.S. Marianne looks très chic with the upside down North Roads. You can tell her I said so.kfgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-12953587198517622922010-07-27T23:06:31.804-04:002010-07-27T23:06:31.804-04:00I look away again for a couple of weeks and when I...I look away again for a couple of weeks and when I look back my little girl is all growed up and shit. What's wit dat?<br /><br />Just today I took the Peugeot mixte out for a spin, because I suddenly realized it had turned into a bike that I spend rather more time polishing than riding, and I'm not particularly down with that school of cycling. It wasn't very long before my brain started screaming "My God! This bike is broken, it needs to get fixed!"<br /><br />I haven't ridden a coastie in several months. I found it a rather strange experience despite the many, many miles I've spent on them.<br /><br />My townie this year has been the aforementioned (in an afore post), threatened cruiser, with the wheels from my 925 on it (I'm taking my time deciding whether I'm going to build a 26" fixed wheel for it or convert to 700c). Although it leaves it rather over geared (44x15) and it's "brakeless" (an oxymoron) I never skip stop. It isn't at all necessary and people who do this are having fun/showing off/don't know how to ride. You won't see people on the track doing it very much.<br /><br />In England limited gear time trialing used to be very popular. Medium gear riders (72", which is the neighborhood of 42x16 depending on your wheel/tire size) used to break the hour for 25 miles. Sheldon liked a tooth smaller in the back (which is how the 925 is geared stock, but he liked Biopace rings too), but really, no one needs more than 72" for general riding. Touring riders generally went for something around 65".kfgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-36502756495793400462010-07-27T22:25:35.720-04:002010-07-27T22:25:35.720-04:00Getting a new wheel was not only more cost effecti...Getting a new wheel was not only more cost effective; it was also the wiser choice. <br /><br />A hub that's made for a fixed gear has two tiers of threads on the side on which the cog is mounted. The inner set is for the cog itself. The outer set is for the lockring, and is threaded in the opposite direction from the other threads. If you mount a fixed gear on a regular road hub, the lockring may not stay on tight. The result could be disastrous, especially when you stop.<br /><br />Also, mounting a single gear would have meant realigning the spacers on the hub so that the chainline would be straight. In turn, that would have required re-dishing the wheel: moving the rim further to the right by tightening the right side spokes and loosening the left-side ones. It's usually not a good idea on an old wheel, for the spokes usually become more brittle over time.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73283291119473346502010-07-27T21:08:26.141-04:002010-07-27T21:08:26.141-04:00I warned you: Riding a fixed gear is addictive!
S...I warned you: Riding a fixed gear is addictive!<br /><br />Sheldon Brown used to say that French bikes like Marianne made for good fixed-gear conversions because of their ride qualities. What you say about Marianne confirms that. It's somewhat aggressive, as you say, but you need some of that in a fixed gear bike in order to control it. On the other hand, for the streets, you wouldn't want a real velodrome bike like the one you rode in Vienna because you would feel every single crack in the pavement when you ride it. <br /><br />Interestingly, Marianne is now like a kind of bike that was once fairly common in England and Continental Europe. In England, they were known as "club" bikes: They had the geometry of road bikes and were often made of high-grade tubing like Reynolds 531, but they had fixed-gears "flip-flop" hubs. I more or less emulated that when I built my Mercian fixed-gear bike.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-5036867325585548412010-07-27T19:22:13.580-04:002010-07-27T19:22:13.580-04:00i like power grips more than the (several) other f...i like power grips more than the (several) other foot retention systems i've used. while most of my riding these days is casual enough that i'm happy with no foot retention, i notice that it is more difficult to ride and steer a bike no-hands when i have no foot connection. since no-hands riding relies on a sharp command of body english, more positive points of attachment enable more positive control.<br /><br />fixed gear is fun, but as my knees are invariably the first thing to hurt on any longer ride, it's a pleasure i must forego.toddhttp://clevercycles.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-4571528531768728202010-07-27T17:32:22.166-04:002010-07-27T17:32:22.166-04:00Thanks for the great post. I use cork and I use va...Thanks for the great post. I use cork and I use varnish to color them and shellac to seal them to the elements. Here's an example of my latest set, which is meant to match a Brooks B-17 Aged saddle (after a year of use)<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/vxla/4785339828/vxlahttp://flickr.com/people/vxlanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-86247797846646203172010-07-27T14:52:58.385-04:002010-07-27T14:52:58.385-04:00I'm not a big coaster, either, simply because ...I'm not a big coaster, either, simply because when I'm riding my bike my legs seem to get into "pedal" mode and just go automatically. So perhaps a fixie is more my style than I realized. Interesting to hear that it's actually easier to ride in traffic.Trishahttp://letsgorideabike.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-7325432911987724352010-07-27T11:09:04.616-04:002010-07-27T11:09:04.616-04:00I second the comment on these photos. Did you take...I second the comment on these photos. Did you take them with a timer, or were they MDI's work? Either way, some very nice compositions there.<br /><br />I have used clips or half clips since 1982, and find it disorienting to not have them. There are two things about clips that I find useful. 1) they position my foot in the proper "power" placement on the pedals, and 2) they allow me to push forward a bit as well as provide a little bit of resistance to the upward movement of my foot. The only set I currently have are some 20+ year old *short* MKS nylon MTB models on my Stumpjumper, from which I removed the leather straps. they grab the shoe just enough to keep my feet in and on, in the proper position.<br />I can remove my foot from the clip either sideways or backward off the pedal. Something like this might be worth a try- I'm sure you can even get a used set for pennies at the local co-op to mess with. Try one at a time with your lead foot and leave the other out on the downside of the pedal, like you did on the Waja track bike.<br /><br />Herself, who never used any sort of retention until a few years ago, finds it a comfortable and fast system. (She's of similar height and shares the Stumpy with me.)<br /><br />Anyway you go, enjoy Marianne.Corey Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15381826721030941179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-52132491710451586082010-07-27T03:33:28.516-04:002010-07-27T03:33:28.516-04:00Sounds great to have a fixed gear bike for everyda...Sounds great to have a fixed gear bike for everyday use. Even better that it doesn't look like one of these hipster fixies. Just an awesome mix you have here, I'm sure it's a lot of fun to ride Marianne now.annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14989947994626570874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-14659687741174017172010-07-27T01:37:27.530-04:002010-07-27T01:37:27.530-04:00Saw your earlier post. Buying a new rear wheel wa...Saw your earlier post. Buying a new rear wheel was definitely the more cost-effective choice, and wiser to stick with 27" than to try and convert to 700c for a new wheelset.<br /><br />And thank you ever so kindly for not throwing Deep V's on Marianne and making her into a skid/tarck/"mash" monster. She's still a beaut, even if she's been hobbled by the removal of the Deraileur mount.david m.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08283357634332620315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-76374079285807693742010-07-26T20:27:49.063-04:002010-07-26T20:27:49.063-04:00Thanks Dave - Though I think the courage aspect is...Thanks Dave - Though I think the courage aspect is undeserved, with my low gearing and brakes and all. Now if I were riding brakeless in flipflops while drinking coffee and talking on my mobile...<br /><br />david m. - see my earlier post about the conversion!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-49562803069202466522010-07-26T18:16:38.826-04:002010-07-26T18:16:38.826-04:00I'm still interested to hear about the rear wh...I'm still interested to hear about the rear wheel. Why no specifics, V? Did I miss where you talked about either a total wheel rebuild or what kind of new wheel was purchased?david m.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08283357634332620315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-5048924990474851972010-07-26T17:25:57.376-04:002010-07-26T17:25:57.376-04:00Hooray Veloria! This post should get a silver meda...Hooray Veloria! This post should get a silver medal for clarity and usefulness, and you should get a gold one for clear-headed courage. I predict you will find a foot retention system that works for you, and soon.Davehttp://davidnewtonguitars.squarespace.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67848820218618510372010-07-26T16:38:16.247-04:002010-07-26T16:38:16.247-04:00( just commenting on the coaster brake stopping is...( just commenting on the coaster brake stopping issue- I also automatically stop it how I want it. Although I do a lot of coasting and often while coasting down hill will pedal one degree to get my left and favorite braking foot parallel to the ground so I just step back slightly to slow down.... and I will coast with pedals in position before coming to a complete stop at intersections...<br /><br />I am so dying to try a fixed gear now. Although I am of both worlds. Not coordinated or balanced AND I love to coast. I even coast when I drive rarely tapping the breaks. ( but I was taught by a stick driver who down shifts to slow and rarely brakes unless he's stopping.)MamaVeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09519007680870604271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-87244003610913703032010-07-26T16:23:01.332-04:002010-07-26T16:23:01.332-04:00I suppose having to lift one's rear wheel to a...I suppose having to lift one's rear wheel to adjust the pedals is at least an occasional necessity on a geared-high fixed wheel. But is that a problem? Not any more than backing into a parking spot. You always know how much time you have to park, but you don't know how quickly you'll have to leave (or race for that green light in your fixie)... :)MDIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10810401918223629618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-47299640437878846462010-07-26T10:29:06.574-04:002010-07-26T10:29:06.574-04:00anon and velouria: i think my comments were misin...anon and velouria: i think my comments were misinterpreted. i didn't intend to associate the "bike-lift" with that of an aggressive fixie rider, based on one observation, even though the observation was consistent with an overall demonstration of wanting to be quick at every opportunity. my comment, rather, was meant to suggest that if you are riding fixed and want to have a quick launch (something for which *any* rider may be justified in wanting), then you have to employ some technique to make sure your crank is correctly oriented. this technique can be planning in advance (as velouria mentioned she does), or the "bike-lift" that i witnessed. my main point was that the convenience of using the freewheel to rotate the crank in such situations is lost. i will also add that the "planning in advance" method becomes easier with lower gearing. velouria's bike is geared *very* low, and it takes a shorter distance to rotate the cranks than it does on a fixed gear bike of higher gearing.somervillainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13903377050982678550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-90542683558717767642010-07-26T10:11:30.651-04:002010-07-26T10:11:30.651-04:00rural 14 - Actually, my bikes are all over the pla...rural 14 - Actually, my bikes are all over the place when it comes to brake placement. Some are front left, others front right. If we ever have the time, I would actually like to reroute all of them to front right, I think it is a better system. <br /><br />townmouse - they do make fixed-gear 3-speed hubs : )<br /><br />somervillain - I know, I know. I guess my main point is that my style of riding has nothing to do with the dynamics of <i>that</i> style of riding, and so from my perspective the wheel thing is unnecessary and the coasterbrake method does work. <br /><br />I think P's last 2 sentences are pretty accurate.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-47587717012598168112010-07-26T09:57:21.073-04:002010-07-26T09:57:21.073-04:00somervillain, your analysis of the fixed gear &quo...somervillain, your analysis of the fixed gear "bike-lift" maneuver as the mark of an aggressive or dangerous cyclist is a little unfair. This is my preferred method, and "Danger" is certainly not *my* middle name. It's just a convenient way to get your pedal in the right place. My bike is geared high, so if I misjudged and simply continued to roll until my pedal was where I wanted it, I'd end up in the middle of the intersection. Instead I apply my front brake and spin the rear wheel. It's no different in concept than someone with a freewheel rotating their pedal forward, and it's not meant to look "aggressive". It's a purely practical method, and if she looked aggressive while doing it, I'm sure it was the result of her overall body language. <br /><br />If you come from big coaster brake bikes to fixed, you may not think this is necessary. If you come from small road bikes to fixed, you'll have a different approach.<br /><br />PAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73125052063956843162010-07-26T09:00:31.995-04:002010-07-26T09:00:31.995-04:00One thought re the front brake - if the brake leve...One thought re the front brake - if the brake levers on your other bikes have the front lever on the left as is standard in the US, having 1 bike with the lever on the right will eventually result in a moment of hesitation when using the brakes on your other bikes. Keep it consistent so that you don't have to think about which is the front brake (front does the bulk of the braking / panic stops etc0rural 14https://www.blogger.com/profile/17746081902516727492noreply@blogger.com