Advice
Thread started by
rayrayray at 01.17.09 - 12:15 am
Any advice on riding fixed-gear?
Yes, it sounds lame. But I want advice from people.
As it how they feel about riding it, skidding, handling, etc.
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it's like learning to ride all over again!
get one/make one!
it'll make you a better rider all around.
SO MUCH FUN!
richtotheie01.17.09 - 12:37 am
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It's no big deal. Just get one and pedal. You'll catch yourself off guard a few times starting and stopping and going over bumps, but basic riding is pretty straightforward. Remember that aside from offending the fashion police, there's no downside to having brakes.
JB01.17.09 - 12:45 am
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its no biggy huh?? its like riding a suicide machine haha well kinda, its fun and its super addicting, once you start its weird to jump on a bike with gears or with a free wheel.. but who needs that when you can drive a car..
theshues01.17.09 - 1:09 am
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You kinda bond with your bike. Knowing that you cant necessarily stop just makes you feel like you need to bop it out. You feel insync with the sole object that lets you play out your stamina.
Maybe I just love my bici but thats how I feel about her.
Tarmonster.01.17.09 - 1:12 am
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Ride fixed gear often enough and it will work the laziness right out of you. Or at least it will make an endurance athlete out of you, because you become accustomed to having to do something all the time--either you're working to speed up, working to maintain your speed, working to slow down, working to stop, or working to hold your trackstand. Before you know it, you'll be going out and applying for jobs! You may even get one! (Don't tell anybody here if you do; we tend to frown on employment.)
Practice trackstanding in your living room where nobody but God will laugh at you if you fall down.
Get a brake if you want to. Despite what you may have heard (probably from people who have brakes and are self-conscious about it), people without brakes couldn't possibly care less whether you have brakes or not. For the love of God, though, if you go without one, learn to skid and skip and resist and all that shit *before* you go riding on the street. Don't be That Guy.
Anything else? I dunno...don't try to coast, but you knew that. It's really not that hard; it just takes some getting used to.
PC01.17.09 - 3:49 am
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@rayrayray:
"I did not know that."
lulz
tern01.17.09 - 4:23 am
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PC FUCK YOU!
Before today you were my favorite poster, but lately there has been nothing but shit from your fingers. I'm so ashamed, I don't know why I ever believed in you.
Get a brake, not only is it easier, but you'll slow faster and go faster. Yes thank you I know it's clever and logical. I appreciate your praise in advance in case I fail to read this in the future.
franz01.17.09 - 4:29 am
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I love teh fixed. do it, it's the future
meow01.17.09 - 10:55 am
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the effort you put into slowing down and stopping decreases muscle mass and stamina
get a brake
robin swabin01.17.09 - 10:58 am
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get a box of condums your going to need tem. ive been ridin fix and ive been gettin sooooo much play!
goto go ;-O
BYEEEEEE
User101.17.09 - 11:00 am
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Franz, I still think you're cool even with your brake.
PC01.17.09 - 2:32 pm
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Get a brake, not only is it easier, but you'll slow faster and go faster. Yes thank you I know it's clever and logical. I appreciate your praise in advance in case I fail to read this in the future.
WOW, FRANZ IS AMAZING!
eddieboyinla01.17.09 - 2:35 pm
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Dude I'm telling you you aren't going to be taken seriously unless you have an aero front wheel, top tube pad, and rolling with NO BRAKES. You want to get laid or not?
User101.19.09 - 12:34 pm
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You: Could a fixed gear be a really be the efficient street machine that everyboldy says it is?
You: maybe?
You: well the maybe I should try one?
You: It might make riding more fun
You: But on the other hand what could I talk shit about
You: Just about everything
You: Thats true, but if ride a bike that is perceived at trendy I may lose some of my shit talking cred.
You: It'll stop being trendy the day I start riding it.
You: But people will make fun of me.
You: Thats nothing new.
You: Fuck them, I'll ride a MTB in the velodrome just to prove them wrong.
You: And a road bike in the mountains.
You: And a 2x Suspension MTB on the streets
You: Yeah!
You: Finally somebody i can agree with.
You: Me too.
trickmilla01.19.09 - 1:03 pm
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I was actually thinking of getting one now.
With the perceived lack of "level-headed" cyclists up here in the desert, I'll keep one up here for "desert-specific" riding.
Haul ass down Bear Valley, pull some mad skids in front of the OC transplants that hang around in front of Coconuts trying to strut their stuff in their lifted pickups!!!
Essentially, keep my Hummer for riding all over the place, but use the fixed-gear for desert/out-of-state, "show-of-force" demonstrations!!!
bentstrider01.19.09 - 1:09 pm
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I believe it's to keep the handlebars from nicking the frame, or vice-versa.
bentstrider01.19.09 - 2:00 pm
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@trickmilla
OH SHIT I HAD THAT CONVERSATION FOR REALZ
after my gt got jacked, i rode a fixie.
it was fun.
but IMHO, fixed or geared, its FUN riding an EXPENSIVE bike.
_iJunes01.19.09 - 2:09 pm
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it's more fun riding an expensive bike that you bought cheap from the original owner!!
prplspyder@aol.com01.19.09 - 2:15 pm
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As a kid my BMX bikes used to sport the top tube pad.
I always assumed it was to prevent smashing ones' nutz when getting radical on some whooptiedoos.
Recently, while lugging my bike up 4 flights of stairs to a daily cat-sitting gig i had during the holidays I've begun to appreciate the potential comfort a top tube pad might provide for a shoulder while carrying the bike.
Of course
trickmilla01.19.09 - 10:12 pm
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i had a tt pad on my bike to cover up the cable braze ons so i dont gore my leg in a crash. but then those echo park thieves stole it. i should file off the braze ons. can anyone do that for me?
ruinedbyidiots01.19.09 - 10:21 pm
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any metal file will do.
depends on how finished you want the bike to look.
a sitcker
a blast of spay paint
or some car scratch touch up paint all would be enough to protect it from rust.
trickmilla01.19.09 - 10:36 pm
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Tyler,
If you know someone with a Dremel, it would be easier. Then finish it with a file. Do this with a file and you'll be there all day. Finishing it with some touch up paint would make it look clean. If you're ever in LB you can do it here.
DON'T take a pair of vice grips and rip it off. Someone I was talking to once was going to do that.
User101.19.09 - 11:07 pm
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it's fun! i have two brakes and it's allll good.
et01.19.09 - 11:12 pm
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lemme borrow that dremel! i plan on powdercoating my frame for my birthday in february, so that kills two birds with one stone.
ruinedbyidiots01.19.09 - 11:23 pm
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BRAKES
Never take them off, don't be a hipster.
Look what a hipster did to me on his brakeless fixie on Crank Mob.
Alexcantsee01.19.09 - 11:40 pm
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You'll have to come here to get those tabs taken off. I hate giving my tools out. It just turns into a pain getting them back, sorry.
User101.19.09 - 11:45 pm
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understandable, alan.
alexcantsee, you are just as responsible for that injury as the "hipster" riding brakeless. no one forced you to go to crank mob.
ruinedbyidiots01.19.09 - 11:51 pm
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Tyler,
Is there a Harbor Freight near you? There's this kit for $10 that would do the job,
ITEM 94076-2VGA Call these guys up and make sure before you go.
User101.20.09 - 12:13 am
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Just remember this is 12 volt and probably works off a cigarette lighter or a 12 volt charger. It's not going to be that powerful, but would do what you need to do.
User101.20.09 - 12:17 am
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I thank everyone for thier advise, thankfully, I do have a front brake and use it all the time.
rayrayray01.20.09 - 12:28 am
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@Ruinedbyidiots
I should be responsible because he ran into me? Maybe if he had brakes he would have never hit me. So when the next Crank Mob rolls around I'll come flying 15-20 mph towards you and blame any of your injuries on your irresponsibility.
My Advice
brakes are necessary, don't believe this "NO brake" fixie Fad. Other than that, you should be tip-top.
Alexcantsee
01.20.09 - 1:58 am
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honestly to the people who keep bitching about brakes on fixies.. plz just shut up.... if you havent learned how to skid while sitting on your seat then you have no right to even be talking, im getting sick of people bitching about no brakes just cuz a few people fucked up on a couple of rides. This is the guy's decision and if he feels like he can stop, and manuver in tricky situations then more power to him.
anticrazy42001.20.09 - 2:16 am
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What is the top tube pad for?
In case your top tube takes a dump... it doesn't go everywhere.
CRANK MOB is like gambling for fun with your life.
canadienne01.20.09 - 9:56 am
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alexcantsee, who forced you to go to crank mob? anyone? no, of course not, it was you who went. youll never careen into me at "15-20mph" on that ride because i dont go on it anymore. your logic has bigger holes in it than your leg does.
ruinedbyidiots01.20.09 - 10:13 am
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Ridazz Roulette!
its addictive.