Hello all

Argh, the awkward first post. Kind of like the difficult third album, but with feedback...
I guess I'm like a lot of people here, stumbled onto the site while surfing the nerd looking at bikes - I'm stoked on it, thanks for putting so much time and effort in.
As long as I can remember, bikes have been a part of my life. My Dad is a lifelong cyclist, competed in some races in Europe in the 50's and still rides today. When I was about 12 I caught the BMX bug, which still hasn't left me. I'm not any good, I just love riding bikes. When I lived out of London I rode about 40 miles a day to work and back and really picked up the passion for riding in traffic - I just love the way it flows and the way you have to work out what's going to happen next.
I started to get annoyed with my BMX for riding in town, the way you pedal like fuck and then have to coast - then pedal like the clappers again. I can't ride a BMX with the seat all jacked up like some people do, it just looks... wrong.
Anyway, I'm going off the point. I'm currently hunting around for my first fixed bike - what I want and what can afford are two different things, so I'm looking at either a Fuji Track or a Charge Plug (I've got a connection through work with Charge) and it looks like a pretty good deal... I know the Plug isn't out until the end of August, but does anyone have any advice on the Fuji?
I ride to work (Bow to Farringdon) and I'm loving the way it only takes fifteen minutes rather than the 45 or so it does on the Tube...
Yeah the bikes...
Thanks!

Ha - I just noticed that wasn't very clear - I didn't ride 40 miles a day on a BMX, but an MTB...

Great to have another convert. Have you any fixed wheel experience? Remember to get used to it before you hit the streets. Sounds obvious but it threw me right off, both literally and metaphorically. As for the choice, the charge plug is a budget fixie, but if you're going to get a decent discount on it then it might be worth it. Ask about building yer own, you might be pleasantly surprised at how much it'd cost ya. Remember, this is probs the best place to ask questions about it, especially if you're in london!

Thanks for the info...

I've actually been thinking about getting used to the bike, I see several days of wobbling around Victoria Park in my future. That's kind of why I'm looking at the Plug, because it comes with a flip flop hub... I know, I know...

Is there such a big difference between the Plug and the Fuji? They're both retailing at around £400 (with a brake on the Fuji)...

I've actually been thinking about converting an old Geoffrey Butler my brother found in his shed. Got some OK parts on it, but it needs a new BB, headsest and some missing spokes replacing, so I figure just to get it running will be around £80 and I'd be better off putting that towards a new bike... And it looks like the GB is a tourer, anyway...

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it.

the fuji can be had for £299..

a brake doesn't need to cost £100.

It IS a track bike though, the charge plug is a road going ss/fw .

I'd say Fuji, or go for a genesis flyer , instead of a plug

you are a bmx'er and mtb'er therefore you will be used to coasting with your pedals level, it's beginners who lock their legs straight with pedals at 6 and 12 who have problems as this will launch them upwards if you instinctively level your pedals as if to pump a rhythm section all that will happen is you will get pushed round because your legs are bent.
go fixed straight away SS is like sucking a boiled sweet with the wrapper still on.

Cheers for that...

I've seen the Fuji for £299, but I'm into supporting your local shops, and it's £349 in Brick Lane Bikes - there's two brakes on that old Butler of mine and I've got a bunch of BMX levers lying around, so perhaps that's the way...

It probably sounds weird, but I've been peadalling around town non stop to try and get rid of the 'coasting' instinct - it seems to be going OK... Apart from almost eating shit when I leaned too far over in a corner of course... I guess that's the kind of mistake that every novice makes, though... Ha...

I don't suppose anyone wants to buy/swap snowboard equipment for bike stuff? I've got a shit load of equoipment (it's my job) to get rid of... Actually, am I even allowed to post stuff like that?

Thanks again for your help, I appreciate it.

Might see you in Victoria park then! I live right by the canal. You'll be amazed how quickly you get used to fixed. I got a flip-flop for the same reasons your thinking about. Never used the freewheel! Wish i'd got a double fixed hub instead. The GB might be a good candidate. Make sure it's a good size for you and it's good to convert. The folks here will give you all you need to know about cheap wheels, part etc. Good luck.

flip flop hubs are nothing to be ashamed of :). I did that as well, pedalling as much as possible. what you need to look out for is when you stop pedalling without realising. I found signalling and using the front brake were a nasty shock when you forget you can't coast. But after it happens once, you dont really do it again. Also watch big hills! I'm still recovering from my first crash from a hill. I dont actually know what happened cos i knocked myself out, but it hurt. and it was probably down to forgetting not to coast at high cadence. Just a few tips for a fixie convert that i wish I had. If you're into supporting local shops, try doing up the GB and take it to brick lane bikes for the bits/assembly - unless you're experienced in that area yourself of course :)

ah, i would say get the tools and learn how to do it yourself. to be honest i think brick lane bikes are really rather overpriced. you can use that money to buy all your parts, buy all your tools, and even buy a book to learn bike mechanics yourself. if you got all the tools it's not hard at all (apart from figuring out all that different dimensions malarkey on parts). understanding how your bike works completes the whole experience it enhances your riding. and it's part of the fun as well.

fixed is perfect to learning mechanics because you don't need to work with the 2 most annoying parts that can go on a bike - derailleurs. i just serviced an mtb for my friend and i hated those damn things.

as edmundane said, i would always recommend people put their own bikes together. if anything was to ever go wrong with the bike, you'd be able to understand the problem and repair it. plus i find putting together the thing to be quite a bit of fun, but hey.

It took me less than a week to get used to the fix (started about 6 weeks ago). You are "gently" reminded of the need to keep pedalling so don't worry about that. And in terms of practice - pah - it's for softies. I picked my bike up from Condor in the evening rush hour and pedalled across the West End home on the first day... Never looked back.

Re the snowboard stuff - no idea what sort of things you have but might be interested. Nothing to swap but could buy.

Riding fixed isn't hard it, it's just pedalling. It does have a couple of different aspects that freewheelers aren't used to.
The key point is to ride slow when you first start. Don't go bombing through gaps in traffic or down your nearest mountain before you know what to expect!

Can anyone give me an idea of the frame size I should be looking at? I'm 5' 8", 29" inside leg, pretty normal proportions - no gibbon arms or anything. I think the GB is a tad large, it's 56cm top tube, 56cm seat tube (centre to centre)...

I know my way around a bike reasonably well for basic stuff (changing headsets, BB's, etc), I like tinkering around with them - although I don't have any speciality tools - what should I be looking at?

Thanks

for 5'8" i'd go for a 53 or 54. others could confirm? i'm 6' and i ride a 56.

Yeah, 5'10" and I ride 56cm road bikes and get away with 54cm fixed.

Seconed. I was told better to be slightly smaller frame than slighlty to big.

You reckon you can get the bike for the 18th for The Bridges ride?

photoben
You reckon you can get the bike for the 18th for The Bridges ride?

It's a good ride to go on if you're new to fixed. Plenty of help and advice, and the pace isn't crazy.

Thanks for that Object

The Bridges ride looks like a lot of fun, should have either a new bike or my old one fixed up... I'm pretty certain I'm going for a new one, that frame does feel a wee bit big to be honest...

Sweet... I'm going to put my name down on the list...

I've been considering the input you lot have kindly given me and I'm going to have a crack at converting the GB I have. It's got near horizontal dropouts, so I'm guessing it's going to work OK. I'm intending on getting to grips with it all to learn bike mechanics better, ride it around for a bit (it is a bit big), then move on... Reading this site has inspired/doomed me to a life of expensive bikes : )

I don't want to spend too much money on this thing, so I'm going to reuse as much as I can off the original bike, but the obvious thing for me to work out is the rear wheel. It seems to be about 130-134mm between the dropouts, does anyone have any suggestions as to a wheel that would do the trick?

There's a campag crank on there - I think it's a cheapo one - with five arms to the spindle. Is there a regular campag chainring pattern (like there is with Nikon lenses) or are they all different? Any recommendations for a suitable chainring?

Lastly, gearing - I'm don't exactly have powerlifter's legs but I'm not skinny, either. What's a reasonable gearing for London riding?

Thanks for the help, ladies and gentlemen!

Well done mate give it a crack you will learn alot.

Gearing most people range between 70 and 75 gear inches (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/) make sure you select the corect tyre size as if I do my gearing with a 27" rim it give me 78" and with the correct size of 7000cc 23 mm tyre it gives me 75.9 " so a fair old bit.

Can't help you with the crank I am afriad sjs do a good cheap chainring butI can't remember the bcd or how many arms it is to fit.

T

Oh yeah hub just get what ever and put spacers either size of the axel. YOu may need alonger axel but you won't know untill you get the hub.

Wow 7000cc wheels...they're huge ;-)

Thanks Mr T...

And I just found the 'search' button, so I'm off for a mooch on the site and will hopefully return much better informed...

Inabit

TheBrick(Tommy) Can't help you with the crank I am afriad sjs do a good cheap chainring butI can't remember the bcd or how many arms it is to fit.

"Thorn" chainrings, they are. Roadcyclinguk.com gave 'em a good review - I'll be replacing my chainring with one of them soon.