Sort of my first proper fixed... 1st impressions.

I previously had a Langster, that I mainly rode single speed rather than fixed before I passed it onto my brother and I have a track bike, but have just (almost) finished my first proper "road-going" fixed bike. It's a Soma Rush fitted with a carbon fork, bullhorn bars, Ambrosio chainset and Miche Hubs laced to Mavic Open Pros, the wheels are temporary (spare set of track wheels), I have a set of Ambrosio hubs (with flip-flop rear) that I as going to build up into wheels for this, though I'll now fit it with the Mavic Ellipse wheels I buying of Mr. Smith.

The bike's currently fitted with brakes front and rear, which I realise many will consider sacrilidge, but I originally intended to start out riding it single speed and I feel unsafe enough in traffic as it is, without brakes front and rear I think I'd be a complete liability. Anyway here's a pick of the current set-up

Sorry it's taken at night, but having ridden the bike today have already decided to change a couple of things and wanted a record of the bike with this setup. First off I'd already decided to change the fork for a steel one, this is ordered and should be here in 3-4 weeks. I'm also going to swap the bullhorns for risers, I normally find bullhorns really comfortable, I put them on the Langster, but they just don't feel comfortable on this bike, they just feel precarious. So it's going to be risers. I'm also going to take the back brake off.

First impressions, apart from the bullhorns feeling precarious, are that, at least at the moment, I'm a damn sight slower on this than my roadbike, on the other hand it also feels a whole lot more direct, I feel much more "in-touch" with the road, also think I'll get faster as I start to feel less tentative in traffic. Though I can't see it ever being as fast as my road bike, not in traffic, but maybe I'll be proved wrong on that over the longer term. It is though a whole lot of fun and I'm sure will be even better once I've got the bars right.

it looks good, why change the forks?

and how much do you want for them?

Welcome to the double-braked fixed Soma Rush with 3rd-party carbon fork club!

Precarious? How does that work?

You'll get used to fixed in traffic. Given that it is in traffic it's a random draw for speed anyway, ie. you could set a faster time fixed than on your road bike simply due to traffic conditions. Empty road, it's a different matter and gearing and conditions will decide.

"I'll now fit it with the Mavic Ellipse wheels I buying of Mr. Smith."
easy tiger, not got my hands on them yet! (have asked my mate to try and get them for the weekend though)

By precarious I mean a bit jittery and nervous feeling, just not as solid as I usually feel on a bike. Stem's the right length and the bars are the right height, maybe a smidge lower than ideal, but I just don't feel entirely comfortable mixing fixed riding with bullhorns on this bike, think with risers it'll be fine. I'll just have to put together another fixie on which the bullbars do feel right.

I won't know how I'll feel after riding fixed for longer till I've ridden fixed for longer, but at the moment I feel I'll always ride more conservatively in traffic riding fixed than with gears and that's why it's slower, I'm sure on a track I'd fly along on the Soma, I'm just careful in traffic, I'd rather live than go super speedy. But that's just me and my hang-ups.

The reason for changing the fork is that i fancy trying bike polo once I feel more confident riding fixed and I kind of think mixing polo with a carbon fork is just asking for trouble. I'm getting a really sweet steel fork made up painted with a black to silver fade that I think'll look great on the front of the Rush. RPM, my brother's already baggsed the fork for a triathlon bike he's building, but if he doesn't use it once my steel forks arrived I'll whisper you to see if you're still interested.

MrSmith "I'll now fit it with the Mavic Ellipse wheels I buying of Mr. Smith."
easy tiger, not got my hands on them yet! (have asked my mate to try and get them for the weekend though)

No rush and sorry definitely didn't mean to apply any pressure, next weekend will be fine, but the weekend after, or after that will be just as good, for the time being the Miche's are fine, just means I won't be in such a rush to build the Ambrosio wheels.

Thought I'd post another update on how this is going. I've now fitted this with some straight handle bars and it feels much better, still feels very direct, but much more stable/solid than it did with the bullhorns.

I'll wait till the steel fork arrives, but when it does I'll replace the straight bars with a set of risers and reduce the number of spacers to compensate, might also fit an ever so slightly longer stem. Anyone got any particular recommendations for a set of risers, I want aluminum, not carbon, in black and standard bore, not oversize.

I now feel far more comfortable with slowing down in traffic by putting some resistance into the cranks, on the other hand am currently thinking of leaving the rear brake on for slowing on steepish descents, I realise a REAL MAN just uses his enormous leg muscles or spins like hell, but at the moment a rear brake doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. We’ll see, but all in all this is progressing nicely, it will though only be truly fabulous when the new fork has arrived!!! Can’t wait.

polybikeuser
I now feel far more comfortable with slowing down in traffic by putting some resistance into the cranks, on the other hand am currently thinking of leaving the rear brake on for slowing on steepish descents, I realise a REAL MAN just uses his enormous leg muscles or spins like hell, but at the moment a rear brake doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

Look as far ahead as you can, get to know the lights and roads (pothole etc.) and how different vehicles behave.

polybikeuser Thought I'd post another update on how this is going. I've now fitted this with some straight handle bars and it feels much better, still feels very direct, but much more stable/solid than it did with the bullhorns.

I'll wait till the steel fork arrives, but when it does I'll replace the straight bars with a set of risers and reduce the number of spacers to compensate, might also fit an ever so slightly longer stem. Anyone got any particular recommendations for a set of risers, I want aluminum, not carbon, in black and standard bore, not oversize.

I now feel far more comfortable with slowing down in traffic by putting some resistance into the cranks, on the other hand am currently thinking of leaving the rear brake on for slowing on steepish descents, I realise a REAL MAN just uses his enormous leg muscles or spins like hell, but at the moment a rear brake doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. We’ll see, but all in all this is progressing nicely, it will though only be truly fabulous when the new fork has arrived!!! Can’t wait.

I'm selling a set on the bay..... black, cut down....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130197729032&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=003

Just the bars, not the risers :)

Polybikeuser, your bike is lovely, brakes and all. I was hurtling down a fucking massive descent the other day and I really wished I had a back brake..

Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

Nicholas Polybikeuser, your bike is lovely, brakes and all. I was hurtling down a fucking massive descent the other day and I really wished I had a back brake..

Thankyou for the compliment, I'll post another picture, taken in daylight, just as soon as I've settled on a final bar set-up.

hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

You sayin I ain't image conscious! Oh, okay, you might have a point, but don't tell anyone, not too publicly like, like on a discussion forum or something :)

hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

says the man with a full carbon specialized with gorgeous white tape and matching white saddle.

lpg [quote]hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

says the man with a full carbon specialized with gorgeous white tape and matching white saddle.[/quote]

The matching white tape and saddle have nothing to do with image, it's well proven scientific fact that matching white finishing stuff cuts down on nano-quark light friction, shaving millions of a second off personal best times. Some of us are just more serious than others about eeking out every last bit of performance from our bikes. Anyway whats wrong with a nice looking bike? Apart from the fact that some slimey b'stard will try to nick it at the first oppurtunity, but that's a different discussion.

hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

Still defending the Shimano Spesh then?

Word on the bike polybikeuser. Don't excusse your self for taking it easy on fixed when you are not accustomed to it. Better to ride within your limits and get faster as your skills increase. There is no prise for taking silly risks and being total hardcore dude.

TheBrick(Tommy) Word on the bike polybikeuser. Don't excusse your self for taking it easy on fixed when you are not accustomed to it. Better to ride within your limits and get faster as your skills increase. There is no prise for taking silly risks and being total hardcore dude.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, and yeah the plan was to take it easy at first, just to make sure I don't have any unfortunate encounters with bendy buses and the like and don't live long enough get faster. Again this is just my preferred personal approach and not a comment on anyone elses choices.

lpg [quote]hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

says the man with a full carbon specialized with gorgeous white tape and matching white saddle.[/quote]

That's how they come from Specialized.

Platini [quote]hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

Still defending the Shimano Spesh then?[/quote]

Actually, my dual-braked fixed is a Soma with a combo of Shimano and Campag. So, I'm not actually sure what you are talking about.
As for the S-Works.. no defense required. It's okay to be jealous Platini.. let it out.. :P

I was sticking up for Campag as I know you've got a down on them. As for jealous, uh-huh...

Calm it, boys.

No willy-waving before lunch.

Spoil sport..

polybikeuser By precarious I mean a bit jittery and nervous feeling, just not as solid as I usually feel on a bike. Stem's the right length and the bars are the right height, maybe a smidge lower than ideal, but I just don't feel entirely comfortable mixing fixed riding with bullhorns on this bike, think with risers it'll be fine. I'll just have to put together another fixie on which the bullbars do feel right.

You should, imho bullhorns are the best bars on fixed gears.. and imho they make it easier to do skidstops ;)

hippy [quote]lpg [quote]hippy Put it this way.. a rear brake doesn't hurt does it?
A real man doesn't remove their back brake, a real man laughs in the face of the image conscious.

says the man with a full carbon specialized with gorgeous white tape and matching white saddle.[/quote]

That's how they come from Specialized.[/quote]

would've thought you'd've gone for Sheldon's(RIP) 'Real Man' Saddle ..

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html