Fixed gear growing in popularity?!!?

There is also another aspect to it. With a geared bike, getting up a
steep hill is more a matter of technology than strength. On a fixed
gear,
it's you against the mountain.

--

David L. Johnson

Here is the t-shirt you seek....
http://www.velo-retro.com/teeshirt2.html

Scott G.
What would Fausto Do ?

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 11:52:18 -0800, sg8357 wrote:


There is also another aspect to it. With a geared bike, getting up a
steep hill is more a matter of technology than strength. On a fixed
gear,
it's you against the mountain.

--

David L. Johnson

Here is the t-shirt you seek....
http://www.velo-retro.com/teeshirt2.html

Scott G.
What would Fausto Do ?

shirt has the classic quote:

"I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph
by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailleur?
We are getting soft... As for me, give me a fixed gear!"
--Henri Desgrange, 1902 L'Equipe article.

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 10:12:17 -0800, MJR wrote:


Another nice advantage is that when you're trying to motivate a newbie
- you can tell them "look, if I can take this bridge on this bike, you
can take it on yours!"

"Take this bridge"??? --- please?

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Some people used to claim that, if enough monkeys sat in front
_`\(,_ | of enough typewriters and typed long enough, eventually one of
(_)/ (_) | them would reproduce the collected works of Shakespeare. The
internet has proven this not to be the case.

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 09:58:27 -0600, catzz66 wrote:

What appeals to me is the simplicity of it. I would not want to give up
my gears, but I have been thinking of building up a fixed gear extra bike
using Sheldon's directions. It would be fun to rescue an old frame and
update it with modern brakes, etc. I am not quite confident enough yet to
tackle it, but maybe I will try it this summer.

I'd start with an old freewheel bike--have your LBS pull the freewheel,
move the axle, and redish the wheel. Then screw on a bmx freewheel. If you
want fixed, use a track cog and some loc-tite. Since you're not using a
lock ring for the cog--you must leave both brakes installed!

As for brakes, I did what many suggested here and upgraded my circa '78
Shimano 600 calipers with a set of Kool Stop Continental brake shoes and
they stop better than I need them to. I found mine on ebay-- 11usd for two
sets.

Another cool thing about using an older frame is that many had clamp-on
shifters--I always think it looks nice when a single doesn't have shifter
braze ons on the down tube.

Shouldn't take you more than a couple hours to build one.

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 10:12:17 -0800, MJR wrote:


Another nice advantage is that when you're trying to motivate a newbie -
you can tell them "look, if I can take this bridge on this bike, you can
take it on yours!"

I find my single to make noobs grin in the sense that a lot of newcomers
think the sport is so complicated and the essense of it really isn't.

They always ask "why one gear"? And I answer usually, "because it's all
you need. "

I do also love the fact that I haven't had to wrench on my bike since last
October.

An aside to those building SS bikes at home while it's on my mind: DO get
a single speed chain for your project--they're cheap and will keep the
chain from derailling. I use a KMC nickel plated chain--they sell them at
most xmarts for under a tenner.

maxo wrote:
On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 09:58:27 -0600, catzz66 wrote:


What appeals to me is the simplicity of it. I would not want to give up
my gears, but I have been thinking of building up a fixed gear extra bike
using Sheldon's directions. It would be fun to rescue an old frame and
update it with modern brakes, etc. I am not quite confident enough yet to
tackle it, but maybe I will try it this summer.


I'd start with an old freewheel bike--have your LBS pull the freewheel,
move the axle, and redish the wheel. Then screw on a bmx freewheel. If you
want fixed, use a track cog and some loc-tite. Since you're not using a
lock ring for the cog--you must leave both brakes installed!

As for brakes, I did what many suggested here and upgraded my circa '78
Shimano 600 calipers with a set of Kool Stop Continental brake shoes and
they stop better than I need them to. I found mine on ebay-- 11usd for two
sets.

Another cool thing about using an older frame is that many had clamp-on
shifters--I always think it looks nice when a single doesn't have shifter
braze ons on the down tube.

Shouldn't take you more than a couple hours to build one.


I still have the 20+ yr old Fuji 12 speed I first bought. That might work.

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:49:48 -0600, catzz66 wrote:

I still have the 20+ yr old Fuji 12 speed I first bought. That might
work.

Perfect!

bmx freewheel: 15
chain: 10
new tires: 20 (20 y/o I'm assuming dry rot)
labour: 15 redish wheel and move axle

shouldn't cost more than a hundred even if you freshen all the brake shoes
and cables.

maxo wrote:
On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:49:48 -0600, catzz66 wrote:


I still have the 20+ yr old Fuji 12 speed I first bought. That might
work.


Perfect!

bmx freewheel: 15
chain: 10
new tires: 20 (20 y/o I'm assuming dry rot)
labour: 15 redish wheel and move axle

shouldn't cost more than a hundred even if you freshen all the brake shoes
and cables.





Sounds like a winner to me. It had new tires and brake pads on it
already, so I am down to the freewheel and chain. I'm glad I kept it
around.

maxo wrote:
On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:49:48 -0600, catzz66 wrote:

I still have the 20+ yr old Fuji 12 speed I first bought. That
might
work.

Perfect!

bmx freewheel: 15

Fixed gear is more fun.

chain: 10

May not be necessary.

new tires: 20 (20 y/o I'm assuming dry rot)

Dry rot doesn't happen to any tires made since the 1960s when Nylon
replaced cotton canvas. 20 year old Japanese tires may be treasurable,
if they're not worn out or lumpy.

labour: 15 redish wheel and move axle

That sounds low, but maybe your shop works cheap.

shouldn't cost more than a hundred even if you freshen all the brake
shoes
and cables.

Brake shoes, cables _AND HOUSING_ are a good idea.

See also http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed

Sheldon "Coasting Is A Pernicious Habit" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com
+--------------------------------------------+
| If you haven't yet discovered the novels |
| of Neal Stephenson, don't wait! |
| Start with Snow Crash or Quicksilver |
+--------------------------------------------+

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 15:47:20 -0800, CaptBike wrote:

labour: 15 redish wheel and move axle

That sounds low, but maybe your shop works cheap.

That's what I always paid my wheel guy in Chicago--he could dish, true,
and move the axle in fifteen minutes tops. Seems like a fair price for
fifteen minutes work--even if you consider the other costs of staying open.

YMMV of course.