Surly Steamroller owners...

Nothing wrong with a rear brake for the first few hundred miles as your legs get the muscle memory from constant spinning and attempts to slow down.
Of course....... getting your feet pinged of the pedals, bucked off the bike and slowing down using the back of the car in front, your face, a tree, a wall are much easier and radder :)

I think the first rides thread i charted my recent try out.
Don't go for a monster gear.
Run dual brakes.
If you can, go to one of the forum socials ( i couldn't) get some tips and schooling from actual regular fixed riders. That is the one thing i would have liked to have done.

Took me about 50 miles to get smooth, and another 50 to get the muscle memory, when you just forget to pedal the bike will bite you :)

Thanks @edscoble, I'm a fairly seasoned roadie so will be clipping into the new bike (I use Crankbrothers pedals/cleats) and the Surly is going to be my winter trainer/commuter, although I suspect it might be my daily driver through the summer too! It's coming with just the front brake but the LBS have offered to fit a rear brake and SS on the flip flop if I want.

Fair enough, you'll be fine as long you keep thinking about not pedalling (probably the best advice).

One word of warning, the Eggbeaters pedals while are great and have some lovely float, may not be enough to slow down without accidental unclipping, due to the relaxed spring.

If you want to really slow down by backpedalling, the cheapest and easiest alternative is the Shimano SPD pedals.

@853Superfly thanks for the advice! It's a long hill up to the office (3km flat and 5km 5-10%) and the same in reverse home. I'm thinking start the descent really slow and get used to the feeling of resistance and build up the speed over a few weeks/months.

Indeed, I use Eggs on the CX bike and Candys for the summer bike but I do have SPDs and cleats kicking around so can change them out if they disengage too readily (I hadn't thought of that really, good shout).

I would take the rear brake.

I would take or fit yourself a freewheel as they are so cheap. If you have a bad day you can swap from fixed to free mid trip.
I run SS but still have the fixed sprocket on in case the dicta freewheel fails :)

keep thinking about keep pedalling

this. like actually say it out loud to yourself when you first ride it.

I would take or fit yourself a freewheel

Fuck that shit.

how did you even manage to do that?

Well if the first ride goes wrong on fixed the fella can just do the fixie push home instead. I would rather swap the wheel round and ride........

I am really looking to ride fixed as opposed to SS, partly out of curiosity and partly to improve my technique for riding in the summer on a 'normal' geared bike.

Reading between the lines it seems much like riding clipless for the first time; you will fall over at traffic lights at least once, and you will have moments where you forget you're clipped in and try to pull your feet off, but once your brain understands that your feet are in without you having to remind it then you're good and you struggle to remember what it was like in flats.

The back brake is potentially a good idea, I'll try to practise a bit first before trying any big descents and see how it goes.

I'll post some pics when I pick the bike up next week - after all, this is the Steamroller owner's thread!

Righty ho, I picked up my new (ex-demo) Steamroller from my LBS this morning.

I was pretty nervous about riding fixed for the first time but my worries came to nothing, jumped straight on it and after a few laps of the car park I was off to work (10km).

Here are a few pics, and spec is:
2015 Steamroller Frame (53cm)
BLB Mosquito Saddle
BLB Seatpost
BLB 165mm Cranks
Crank Brothers Candy 1 Pedals
46x18 Gearing
H Plus Son Archetype laced to Novatech Rear Hub
38mm Carbon Rim laced to a Hope RS Mono Front Hub.
Specialized XC Upsweep Bars
Miche Front Brake Calliper
23mm Vittoria Rubino Front and Rear

This bike makes me grin more than any other bike I've ridden. It's not super fast or crazy light, but it is completely fucking brilliant.

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noice.

What fork is that?

Clean look.
Lean and Clean :)

Very nice, though I'd ditch the bottle cage ;)

+fasih in reply to @Shannonball

A very nice build. Did you get cable guides welded on to the frame for the rear brake cable?

Nice cranks too - what are they?

Yes. When it was resprayed I got cable guides and mudguard eyelets fitted, too. Cost about £50 for that.

The cranks are Suguino 75.

Here's mine.

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looking for a 62cm...

Lovely, same colour as mine!

Tidy

My Steamroller on a frosty morning. Really enjoying it as is but some form of front rack, cowbell bars, smaller gear and a wider rear wheel would finish it off. Maybe a new powdercoat too.
One day I might admit to myself that I can't get far enough over the bb without a gaston style seatpost.

Replace it with a Pelago San Sebastián?