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What's so amazing about fixies?

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    #32
    garlad
    Registered Users Posts: 601 ✭✭✭garlad


    Have also been considering a move to fixie recently. Do a 15km approx commute each way from Cabinteely to City Centre on a relatively flat road.
    Have been on a Hard Tail with 1.5" tyres (used to do a bit of mtn biking in Djouce and 3rock, etc) for about 3 years now, and put SPD pedals on it about 9 months ago.
    Was nearly convinced a hybrid was the next bike for me, especially the sirrus elite (current bike is a hardrock, so will probably stay specalized).
    But then I did some reading up on fixies and single speed bikes, and now I feel like I should give this a go.
    Can anyone recommend a good bike to try? 500-600. the specialized langster looks good to me, and I think it has one of those flip rear hubs to swop from fixie to free.
    Also, are cleats trickier on a fixie than a free?
    Cheers.


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    #33
    souter
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭souter


    garlad wrote: »
    Also, are cleats trickier on a fixie than a free?
    Yes, big time.

    Put my first ever cleats on the fixie this morning, but have used toe clips for a long time, so my comparison is more on free vs. fixed clips.
    With the freewheel you can clip in to the stationary pedal. With the fixie, once you've taken a couple pedals they're going to fast to clip in.
    So frequently at right turns from lights if I missed the first chance to clip in I'd have to pedal on one leg till I'd made the turn then ignominiously stop at the far kerb to clip.

    When you're starting without pressure I find I kind of hop on and clip in simultaneously before starting pedalling.

    That said, so far the cleats are better at clipping whilst in motion, and hopefully will get better as I get used to them.


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    #34
    Lilphich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭Lilphich


    garlad wrote: »
    Have also been considering a move to fixie recently. Do a 15km approx commute each way from Cabinteely to City Centre on a relatively flat road.
    Have been on a Hard Tail with 1.5" tyres (used to do a bit of mtn biking in Djouce and 3rock, etc) for about 3 years now, and put SPD pedals on it about 9 months ago.
    Was nearly convinced a hybrid was the next bike for me, especially the sirrus elite (current bike is a hardrock, so will probably stay specalized).
    But then I did some reading up on fixies and single speed bikes, and now I feel like I should give this a go.
    Can anyone recommend a good bike to try? 500-600. the specialized langster looks good to me, and I think it has one of those flip rear hubs to swop from fixie to free.
    Also, are cleats trickier on a fixie than a free?
    Cheers.

    I had a giant bowery. It wasn't bad. My only gripe was that it was very solid (read heavy) for a fixie. I mainly rode fixed speed as my commute was down some hills. The surly steamroller is meant to be good for around that price range.


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    #35
    Thomas_S_Hunterson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,151 ✭✭✭Thomas_S_Hunterson


    Bit off topic, but here's how to completely over-engineer what is essentially a fixie:

    http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/TheBikeCo-op.htm


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    #36
    rp
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭rp


    souter wrote: »
    Next step is to find some way to nail my hands to the bar, then I might finally achieve nirvana.
    Although a bit pricey, SPD gloves are getting very popular in the free-ride scene:
    http://www.bikemagic.com/review/reviewproductreviews/mps/rpn/23239/prod/Shimano_spd_gloves/rcn/60/rgn/5/v/1/p/1/


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    #37
    Chips Lovell
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    What's the free-ride scene?


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    #38
    rp
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,227 ✭✭✭rp


    el tonto wrote: »
    What's the free-ride scene?
    this sort of thing


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    #39
    jwwie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27 ✭jwwie


    rp wrote: »
    Although a bit pricey, SPD gloves are getting very popular in the free-ride scene:
    http://www.bikemagic.com/review/reviewproductreviews/mps/rpn/23239/prod/Shimano_spd_gloves/rcn/60/rgn/5/v/1/p/1/

    these have been recalled by shimano. ive never heard of these... how do they work?


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    #40
    niceonetom
    Registered Users Posts: 4,833 ✭✭✭niceonetom


    el tonto wrote: »
    What's the free-ride scene?

    'member when you were 8 years old and the kids in the estate would dare each other to jump their bikes off the local death-trap? that phase doesn't pass for some people apparently.

    spd gloves with added benzine? oooh that so rad/narley/bodacious yo.


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    #41
    fish-head
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭fish-head


    I've never had any trouble with cleats on my fixed gear. Just so long as you clip in quick enough you're grand. Sure why wouldn't you be clipping in in the first five seconds of taking off?


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    #42
    souter
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭souter


    Fishy is right - clipping in with cleats in not a problem after a couple of days.
    It was the toeclips that were a nightmare. Because you have to flip the pedal up (foot backwards), then slot in (foot forwards), all in the one rotation - not easy at any speed. Cleats you can wriggle about till they click on multiple rotations.
    btw, looking at those spd gloves I still haven't found the april first datestamp.


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    #43
    Bicyclegadabout
    Closed Accounts Posts: 378 ✭✭Bicyclegadabout


    Last night I saw a guy on a fixie pedal backwards across a high-wire. I was at the circus. Dunno if it was amazing, but it was pretty great.


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    #44
    hunnymonster
    Registered Users Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    cantalach wrote: »
    The hills in Cork ensure that fixies and single-speeds are a very rare sight down here!

    (Cue posts from Cork fixie riders who commute up and down 15-20% gradients and even go home for lunch sometimes too just for the craic)

    We were in lausanne last year at the worlds and the number of fixies was insane. I don't notice too many in cork but then again, I try to avoid cycling in the city as much as possible given the narrowness of so many streets.


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