Fixed riding has ruined love of gears

pretty much what wibble said, plus I really don't want to spend thousand of quid on plastic, especially for less than half that I could get this;

Ed,

I have owned two 70s racers and even used to do club rides on them. I have had a 90s Racer (full 105 kit) and two modern 105 equipped road bikes.

Even though the 70s racers were the shitniz back in the day, they are simply poor compared to modern racing bike £500-800 racing bike. Even the 90s racing bike which has older but functionally the same kit (flight deck shifters etc) was poor.

Carbon frame on its way! I feel a bit dirty.

It might be sacrilege to say it on this forum, but as much as I appreciate the aesthetics of some of the vintage stuff, I couldn't give a crap about riding or owning one, why deny yourself a modern better alternative? My bike doesn't have a single vintage component on it, and I don't plan on ever owning anything that does.

Neither. They're both celeste and celeste = fail. :)

But there's sooo many matching outfits available in celeste.

@ the other replies, I'm erring towards the modern kit. What partly influenced the retro idea is my steamroller is just so much nicer to ride than my Giant (SCR3 aluminium frame / carbon forks). Also don't think I'll be allowed to hang it on the lounge wall.

Any ideas where I can get a test ride on a Bianchi in or near SE London?

Well following on from the first post on this thread....

Having got my geared road bike back from the LBS on thursday, i still dislike riding it. Just been out for a shortish cycle and it feel so different and un-natural compared to the fixed.

The bike is running perfectly and in every way it should run rings around the fixed. Obviously in a race it would be much quicker, but feels 'dead' when cycling below 25mph.

I think i will put it up for sale and use the fixed. Fortunatley for me the road bike is worth around £1.5k second hand and i just can make sense of keeping it, when a bike 1/3rd of its value is superior in so many ways.

less than a week and you want to sell it??? (fair enough on the price tag thought) seriously thought give it time, there will be a moment when you want to do a century on a geared bike, there's nothing more fantastic than finishing a century.

neither are them are superior or inferior to each other, they're simply a different breeds.

Well following on from the first post on this thread....

Having got my geared road bike back from the LBS on thursday, i still dislike riding it. Just been out for a SHOREDITCH cycle and it feel so different and un-natural compared to the fixed.

The bike is running perfectly and in every way it should run rings around the fixed. Obviously in a race it would be much quicker, but feels 'dead' when cycling below 25mph.

Well there's your problem, your a hipster first and cyclist second. I'm not surprised it didn't feel natural riding your expensive geared bike around Shoreditch, but put on swap your girls jeans for some lycra and head out onto the open roads, get above25mph and love the gears.

No im deffinately a cyclist.

I just dont feel connect to the bike at all at the moment (even with SPD pedals). I've been undecided whether i was going to sell the geared bike for a while now, as its not really a commuting machine and one ride a week is a bit of a waste.

What tosh.

He's still doing it wrong.

I mean, having a wank is great, but that doesn't mean I feel disconnected from my cock when I stick it in my wife.

as others have said.. if you're not going to do longer rides you won't appreciate gears/coasting..

I bought a geared bike a few months ago, it felt weird and I didn't like it when I just went up/down the road to see how it was.. Then a week later I went on a 70ish mile ride with Pajamas and Dropout into Essex and absolutely loved it

He's still doing it wrong.

I mean, having a wank is great, but that doesn't mean I feel disconnected from my cock when I stick it in my wife.

Love that quote.

Im sure there are benefits for long rides etc. but if im commuting 150 miles a week (during weekdays) id rather focus on running during the weekends instead of a long cycle, suit me for now

25ish miles a day is pretty small to take advantage of a geared bike IMO, like wibble said, if you're not doing long ride soon, you'll never appreciate it.

why don't you do a Century? I think everyone who's a cyclists should at least do a Century (a Century is doing 100 miles in one day), I definitely think that you'll end up loving every piece of it once you did it with your geared bike.

why don't you do a Century? I think everyone who's a cyclists should at least do a Century (a Century is doing 100 miles in one day), I definitely think that you'll end up loving every piece of it once you did it with your geared bike.

I agree everyone should do a century, Ed, but I think we should say: 'You'll definitely enjoy a century more with a geared bike even if you're Bradley Wiggins.'

A century isn't necessarily the sort of ride for someone who's never done it to 'end up loving every piece of it', although it can of course be a fantastic experience even so. ;)

I think my most enjoyable century ride was on 81" fixed.

a century fixed is not tha bad. depending on where you go. on gears must be heaven

Joining this forum has ruined my love of riding fixed. And geared. And walking.

Joining this forum has ruined my love of riding fixed. And geared. And walking.

Will, you're getting distinctly more Larkinesque by the minute!

I mean, having a wank is great, but that doesn't mean I feel disconnected from my cock when I stick it in my wife.

LOLchoke. :D

Joining this forum has ruined my love of riding fixed. And geared. And walking.

You forgot 'breathing'.

25ish miles a day is pretty small to take advantage of a geared bike IMO, like wibble said, if you're not doing long ride soon, you'll never appreciate it.
why don't you do a Century? I think everyone who's a cyclists should at least do a Century (a Century is doing 100 miles in one day), I definitely think that you'll end up loving every piece of it once you did it with your geared bike.

Metric Century ftw!

gears all the way mannnn

a century fixed is not tha bad. depending on where you go. on gears must be heaven

if anyone is looking for a ride using gears the chiltern100 on May 31st is excellent.. or hitch a ride to brighton and back from crystal palace via ashdown forest and ditchling beacon with us one day..

Metric Century ftw!

I did a metric century yesterday. Who gives a shit!

I did realise, finishing my ride yesterday, that cycling through town stopping at lights is a right ball-ache on gears. I was always starting off in too hard a gear or shifting too early and having to coast where I'd prefer to pedal. There's no match for a nicely setup geared bike when you're climbing a mountain or spending the day on the bike.