Fixed riding has ruined love of gears

I have been riding fixed to work (13 miles each way)for the past 2 years. It's ideal for the commute and my hybrid has been collecting dust since its creation. However, recently I have been doing longer weekend rides 50miles+, also on my fixed. Fellow riders are geared and I have had to walk up a few steep hills (on my 74" fixed). Gives me an excuse to buy another bike, which I ordered last week, and to whip their arse next time round!

I haven't owned a geared bike since I was 12/13.

interesting ratio.

Geared is the thinking mans choice for any ride involving hills and over about 30 miles at a high pace.

but i like to think that when i'm riding my fixed i don't think.

I can't wait to go back to geared soon for the proper long ride, time to visit Tour De Ville methinks...

What are you gonna get there? A road bike from the 70's? They look pretty but they're shit.

Get a real road bike made from plastic, covered in plastic parts and weighing less than an anorexic midget with dehydration. These are fun.

What are you gonna get there? A road bike from the 70's? They look pretty but they're shit.

Get a real road bike made from plastic, covered in plastic parts and weighing less than an anorexic midget with dehydration. These are fun.

If it's good enough for Merckx, it's good enough for me.. steel>carbon

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;

What are you gonna get there? A road bike from the 70's? They look pretty but they're shit.

Get a real road bike made from plastic, covered in plastic parts and weighing less than an anorexic midget with dehydration. These are fun.

Nowt wrong with the frames, but technology has moved on so much with gears. As much as I want to love downtube shifters for the retro appeal, they're a pain in the arse to use in comparison to modern ergo/sti levers

Nowt wrong with the frames, but technology has moved on so much with gears. As much as I want to love downtube shifters for the retro appeal, they're a pain in the arse to use in comparison to modern ergo/sti levers

So do what I did for my Sunday-best bike: fillet brazed 631 + modern Campag 10-speed and Shamal Ultras + posh full-carbon forks (for the comfort) = joy.

Last sunday, I was late getting home, when my son was due back.... caining it on the fixed.... no trains running.......... I was seriously wishing for a geared bike.....

Can't wait to get my geared road bike.

I was out riding with a mate the other day, punching a hole in the air for him, utterly spinning out when all of a sudden....snick, snick, two gears and the fucker disappears past me and into the distance.

Gears are good.

Doing laps of RP last night and a guy on a geared bike doing intervals continued to blast past me only to slow and repeat 3 times a lap.

Gears are good.

Nowt wrong with the frames, but technology has moved on so much with gears. As much as I want to love downtube shifters for the retro appeal, they're a pain in the arse to use in comparison to modern ergo/sti levers

Technology hasn't moved on since the 1930s, when Sturmey Archer introduced fully-enclosed, maintenance free, indexed, handlebar shifted hub gears.

Derallieurs in comparison are barely any more advanced than the flip-flop hub.

Oh, agreed, derailleurs haven't advanced at all. I was comparing downtube shifters to ergo/sti levers

Technology hasn't moved on since the 1930s, when Sturmey Archer introduced fully-enclosed, maintenance free, indexed, handlebar shifted hub gears.

Derallieurs in comparison are barely any more advanced than the flip-flop hub.

What? Compare a decent current system with one from the '80s even, and the ease with which you can change gear are immense. Dedicated chains, chainrings with notches to ease changes, less friction from cables, etc.

If it's good enough for Merckx, it's good enough for me.. steel>carbon

Argument fail. He didn't have a choice.. and please note Merckx BUILDS carbon bikes now. :P

Oh, agreed, derailleurs haven't advanced at all. I was comparing downtube shifters to ergo/sti levers

the beauty of bicycle is that you can simply removed the downtube shifter, put in those adaptor so you can change gear on the brake levers instead.

Not quite sure what you're getting at Ed, i've seen bar end, down tube and stem mounted shifters; not seen a shifter like that mounted on/near a brake lever before though.

Ahh, or are you talking about using the braze ons for downtube shifters as cable stops for sti/ergo cables ?

[licks lips]
What is your geared bike that you might be now selling, aserota?

Argument fail. He didn't have a choice.. and please note Merckx BUILDS carbon bikes now. :P

I know he didn't have a choice and I know that his name is on Carbon shizzle now but he still did some ridiculously amazing things on 70s steel..

Everyone knows steel is heavier and down tube shifters are less ergonomic but that guy saying it wasn't a **real **geared bike was just silly..

Not quite sure what you're getting at Ed, i've seen bar end, down tube and stem mounted shifters; not seen a shifter like that mounted on/near a brake lever before though.

Ahh, or are you talking about using the braze ons for downtube shifters as cable stops for sti/ergo cables ?

the latter actually!

Everyone knows steel is heavier and down tube shifters are less ergonomic but that guy saying it wasn't a **real **geared bike was just silly..

Just messing. I don't like people raving about old steel like it has some kind of mystic properties the same way I don't like people telling me aluminium rides too harsh to use for long distance or carbon is whippy or titanium is the only gooch-friendly option or all the other silly preconceptions everyone has..

Anyway, forget this toss.. what I wanted to mention was that if you wanted steel is real deal.. I saw this earlier today.. Baum in '05 were doing a 953 frame that weighed 1000g..

"At the Bicycling Australia show, Baum had on display what the company's Jo Banks believes is one of just three 953 frames in the world at the moment (the other two tubesets went to Boston, USA builder Independent Fabrications). The weight: 1000g."

"Baum's Jo Banks told Cyclingnews that this prototype frame was built to the exact same dimensions as "a well-known titanium company's 800g frame." In other words, this is a weight for a smallish 'medium' sloping frame."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2005/shows/australia05/?id=results/australia051

http://www.baumcycles.com/road-bikes.html

Just messing. I don't like people raving about **old steel like it has some kind of mystic properties **the..

But it does. What dyu think the tardis is made out of.

...I don't like people telling me aluminium rides too harsh to use for long distance..

On *really *long rides steel gets orangey and so much softer.

..or carbon is whippy..

Personal preference I suppose, but leather would hurt less.

..titanium is the only gooch-friendly option

er..
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Toying with the idea of upgrading my geared bike and have spotted these 2 amongst others. Which one would you buy?

Second one is supposed to give a great ride on our uneven roads but not sure I like the odd shapes.

Toying with the idea of upgrading my geared bike and have spotted these 2 amongst others. Which one would you buy?

Second one is supposed to give a great ride on our uneven roads but not sure I like the odd shapes.

Well, you don't get to see it a lot when you're on it during a 70 mile ride - so I'd go for the most suitable for the type of riding you do.

Ponce round the park, do 10 miles in your replica retro jersey then spend 2 hours at a cafe sipping espresso with it propped up beside you? Go for the retro look

Like climbing hills\mountains? Go for the lightest.

LIke audax/sportives? Go for comfort and geometry suited for 4 hour + rides

Like racing? Go for the light responsive one.

LIke hanging it on your wall and not riding it at all? *Then *pick the one that looks nice.

@WVM - Easy, the carbon one. The steel one is just 4130 cr-mo, nothing special

If you're thinking about steel go to a local frame builder and get one custom made

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