Beginners Guide to riding Fixed/Single Speed in London

feckin' A. .
tesco special FTW

As if I would have my butler suffer the indignity of stepping into a "Tesco".

Urgh! shudder

feckin' AAA. .

tesco special FTW

.

haha

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Benex_Wind-Up_Front_Light/5360034648/

Sorted

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Benex_Wind-Up_Front_Light/5360034648/

Sorted

** Benex [st]Wind-Up[/st] Piss-Take Front Light**

Paul-Michel, good work on pulling info on here together, and thanks for the plug for the LCC. A couple of constructive criticisms:

(1) It is not true that you need a helmet to start riding. I suggest you indicate that this is optional and invite people to make up their own minds, with links to relevant information.

(2) The list seems to omit other tools that really are essential, like a multitool or spanners in certain sizes.

(3) Under 'bike' you only seem to mention conversions and OTPs but not ready-built or custom bikes offered by FGSS-oriented bike shops.

(4) Finally, not everyone is necessarily keen to get everything right straightaway, but might rather want to live and learn. I'd suggest inserting a remark to the effect that if you want to gradually find out what you need through trial and error (e.g., getting caught in the rain without an adequate jacket can be fun), these are the things that are truly indispensable, and here's more stuff that's also very useful, etc. People need to prioritise and I don't think you should make them feel that unless they have a roomful of equipment they can't start--it might be counterproductive.

Sorry if any of this repeats posts by others, as I haven't read the whole thread yet.

All this talk of batteries and no li-Ion.

http://www.ayuplights.co.uk/

+1, i think you are gonna piss off a few more calling those bags gay

this gay thing is gay

David: No, I'm not gay I'm just celibate.
Cal: I think? I mean, that sounds ga- I just want you to know this is like the first conversation of like three conversations that leads to you being gay. Like... there's this and then in a year it's like, "Oh you know, I kinda wanna, ya know, get back out there but I think I like guys" and then there's the big, "Oh I'm I'm a g-gay guy now".
David: You're gay for saying that.
Cal: I'm gay for saying that?
David: You know how I know you're gay?
Cal: How? How do you know I'm gay?
David: Because you macramed yourself a pair of jean shorts.
Cal: You know how I know you're gay? You just told me you're not sleeping with women any more.
David: You know how I know that you're gay?
Cal: How? Cuz you're gay? and you can tell who other gay people are.
David: You know how I know you're gay?
Cal: How?
David: You like Coldplay.

If you like Coldplay, then you're not gay. You're necrophile.

Wasn't that just on TV?

Here's my guide. Take a long ride with an experienced rider to get used to the feel of riding fixed on london roads. Then sell all your shit to get a flashy bike, ride brakeless and drink stella whilst riding. Go through all reds (when on wife beater). Or you could get a raleigh lizard. You know this shit makes sense.

Sigh...
Like i've said before...''If you're gonna speak for a whole generation....you better know enough to handle it's education''

The running backpacks you hold so dear are designed for....running.
Cycling specific bags are different.
The backpacks you recommend AREN'T 100% waterproof...and they AREN'T tough enough or big enough to handle a daily commute if you're the kind of person that commutes with a laptop,spare shoes,clothing,tools...etc
There is a reason that messenger style bags and backpacks are so popular...and it isn't JUST because they're seen as cool.
They're made from very strong cordura...the best have extra reinforcing....better padded backs and straps...floating liners to make them waterproof rather than simply relying on a single layer of fabric that the manufacturer claims is waterproof...but after a few months of having things scraping against it actually isn't. They're big enough to fit plenty in...a lot of people do their shopping after work so need a big bag to fit that in too...and again the best ones can be compressed or expanded depending on how much is in them.
They're quick to adjust and access without having to completely take them off.

I said before that calling them Gay was a naive response...and i stand by that.
So long as you're happy with your running backpacks that's fine....but recommending other beginners use a bag designed for a different purpose when there are far better options out their isn't so helpful....and then claiming that another reason they're not good is cos they're too expensive is again very naive.
A good bag will outlast most peoples bikes...and plenty of people....beginners included seem happy to splash large amounts of cash on H+ son rims and other in vogue products. As is often the case...you tend to get what you pay for.

Sorry for the rant....but as a bagmaker i get a bit annoyed when people who clearly don't understand why a good bag is a good purchase start criticizing things they clearly don't understand.

also, listen to thrash metal on full blast so you can't hear shit.

you remember those head leatherette sports bags with the detachable section? I use them.

Point well made scott, when it comes to bags, you buy cheap, you buy twice, hence why my main Kata 'professional' camera bag costs about the same as a high quality point and shoot camera. But I was more than happy to spend this money knowing that nearly 2 years later it has suffered week after week of daily abuse, exactly as it was designed to, and it has done so without so much as a hint of wear.

you should delete this bit, put me off reading any further...

" I did not give a shit and neither should you"

Thanks for the comments and criticisms guys. As I said in the post, I am a clueless twat so this is all very useful for me and I am sure other clueless twats too.

I will update in due course.

Cheers

Sigh...
Like i've said before...''If you're gonna speak for a whole generation....you better know enough to handle it's education''

The running backpacks you hold so dear are designed for....running.
Cycling specific bags are different.
The backpacks you recommend AREN'T 100% waterproof...and they AREN'T tough enough or big enough to handle a daily commute if you're the kind of person that commutes with a laptop,spare shoes,clothing,tools...etc
There is a reason that messenger style bags and backpacks are so popular...and it isn't JUST because they're seen as cool.
They're made from very strong cordura...the best have extra reinforcing....better padded backs and straps...floating liners to make them waterproof rather than simply relying on a single layer of fabric that the manufacturer claims is waterproof...but after a few months of having things scraping against it actually isn't. They're big enough to fit plenty in...a lot of people do their shopping after work so need a big bag to fit that in too...and again the best ones can be compressed or expanded depending on how much is in them.
They're quick to adjust and access without having to completely take them off.

I said before that calling them Gay was a naive response...and i stand by that.
So long as you're happy with your running backpacks that's fine....but recommending other beginners use a bag designed for a different purpose when there are far better options out their isn't so helpful....and then claiming that another reason they're not good is cos they're too expensive is again very naive.
A good bag will outlast most peoples bikes...and plenty of people....beginners included seem happy to splash large amounts of cash on H+ son rims and other in vogue products. As is often the case...you tend to get what you pay for.

Sorry for the rant....but as a bagmaker i get a bit annoyed when people who clearly don't understand why a good bag is a good purchase start criticizing things they clearly don't understand.

One word about inno-v8 though: THey are incredibly tough despite their lightweight. And although you are right they are not totally waterproof, you can always put something like this inside it:

http://www.outdoorscotland.co.uk/shop/accessories-dry-bags-tpu.htm

My biggest problem with messenger bags if seeing how you can do decent speed on them up big hills, etc because of their awkward shape (not that I have tried so perhaps I should).

are you gay James?...

Now what the fuck has that got to do with anything?

And if we are going to talk about total practicalness, why are not talking about panniers?

And if we are going to talk about total practicalness, why are not talking about panniers?

Because this isn't C+?

Paul-Michel, it's good that you've gone to the effort of putting this together, but a lot of the stuff just isn't necessary on a daily basis – you'd probably need one of Scott's biggest bags and the panniers to carry it all. Of course different weather needs different kit, but for the most part, for most people (and I'm not talking about those who search out hills, or add extra miles on their daily ride for the hell of it) need little more than a bike, some lights, tools, a puncture kit, pump and a quality bag to carry it in.

I read somewhere that the average London cyclist only gets really wet about 12 times a year. Depending on where you work and what you do, you could keep emergency t shirts/socks/pants etc at work and if you really get shit on on the way then you've got something to change into. Going home, who cares? You've got warm stuff and a shower when you get there.

Proper messenger bags fit you properly, so the 'awkward shape' problem doesn't exist. And maybe you should try one before you judge them!

Anyway. Cheers for the effort. People will disagree with some of what you said, but there you go.

My biggest problem with messenger bags if seeing how you can do decent speed on them up big hills, etc because of their awkward shape (not that I have tried so perhaps I should).

that is bollox too. (best not say anything else, unless your 100% sure eh?)

feckin' A. .

tesco special FTW

Too right!£3.99 each.I attach mine to my gay bag.

One word about inno-v8 though: THey are incredibly tough despite their lightweight. And although you are right they are not totally waterproof, you can always put something like this inside it:

My biggest problem with messenger bags if seeing how you can do decent speed on them up big hills, etc because of their awkward shape (not that I have tried so perhaps I should).

Your bag may seem incredibly tough to you but as i said....unless you're carrying your laptop,shoes,tools,a few days worth of shopping in it on a regular basis, then it's really not going through any abuse at all.
You CAN'T fit all the stuff i mentioned into a running backpack no matter how you dress it up.
As for awkward shape...you should DEFINATELY try riding some distance with one on both empty and fully loaded.....both myself and most other bagmakers go to a lot of trouble to make their bags fit very comfortably...especially when you have to carry very heavy loads.
Both myself and everybody else i know who uses a decent bag has no problem climbing hills wearing a good messenger bag.
Maybe it's your hillclimbing technique at fault here?
A top quality messenger bag has the right fit and the right stabilizing/x-straps to stop swinging and unwanted movement.
No matter what backpack you have...if it has the equivalent weight in it as a messenger bag, it will always suffer from bounce on potholes,kerbs,road bumps...whatever.

As is always the case...if you haven't actually tested something extensively...you should leave it to those that have to talk about the pros and cons of said product.

As for panniers...why would anybody want to have to keep removing and refitting them everytime they have to lock their bikes up...go to tescos...etc when they can just use a good quality messenger bag or backpack.

If you're more interested in bags for riding long distance rides and hillclimbs...don't go claiming those bags are a better option for commuters...when you're talking about two completely different situations.