Should I ride my first fixie back from the shop (in London)?

It's not so hard isn't it? it always seemed worse than it is.

as for front brake, just get the cheapest Shimano one (like 105), you don't need that much stopping power on road than on MTB, it's more than enough once set-up properly.

is it just me or have shimano 105 brakes doubled in price recently?

Well done fella, hope you enjoy your new steed.
Sounds like the brake just needs a revised lever position and the blocks bedding in.

Well done fella, hope you enjoy your new steed.
Sounds like the brake just needs a revised lever position and the blocks bedding in.

A light mist of WD40 on the rims will help the blocks to bed-in.

:-)

A light mist of WD40 on the rims will help the blocks to bed-in.

:-)
this sounds like a bad idea, please prove me wrong though.

A light mist of WD40 on the rims will help the blocks to bed-in.

:-)

:-)

Well the thing with the brake is that they're the ones you have on drop bars so they're very long. Also, they're very shit Tektro brakes and I've tried fiddling but they're not getting better. Ideally what I'd like is one of the mini levers placed towards the centre of the bar like I saw on a Bianchi Pista in BLB. I'm sure there's a special reason for these levers but I like it because I don't really want to have to hunch over the bike everytime I want to brake. I don't really think I need a back brake as it seems many people on here don't have them and I can control my speed quite easily just using my legs anyway.

Obviously a rim brake is never going to be as good as my (frankly fantastic) XT disc brakes on my MTB, but I am sure these brakes really are terrible.

Oh you're talking about brake levers?

is it just me or have shimano 105 brakes doubled in price recently?

No, it's just you that's doubled in price. Frankly I'll have to take my business elsewhere from now on...

Sorry I meant Tiagra, not 105, Tiagra's cheaper and still function perfectly well.

Oh you're talking about brake levers?

most people here don't have front brake because they're pretty experience, I suggest keeping the front brake on mate.

No I'm talking about the lever and the brake.

I am keeping the front brake, the back brake is what I don't want.

That is just craziness. Hobnobs and a cup of tea make the world bearable

fixed.

This thread is beyond ridiculous.

@ OP, there has been far too much good advice given already, stop asking questions and ride.

Is it a dual pivot caliper? In all honesty if its a dual pivot already you will not notice any difference swapping it out for an alternative brand of precisely the same design. Yes, Tektro isn't Shimano but the physical principles employed are the same. If the Tektro thing is getting to you then just get busy with some blue metal polish and de-brand em ;).

Are you sure they're set-up correctly - close to the rim without touching, cable nice and taut so that they start to engage with minimal lever travel etc.?

Any bike shop should be able to adjust your brake for you. You might even learn something if you watch them fiddle with it.

Is it a dual pivot caliper? In all honesty if its a dual pivot already you will not notice any difference swapping it out for an alternative brand of precisely the same design. Yes, Tektro isn't Shimano but the physical principles employed are the same. If the Tektro thing is getting to you then just get busy with some blue metal polish and de-brand em ;).

Are you sure they're set-up correctly - close to the rim without touching, cable nice and taut so that they start to engage with minimal lever travel etc.?
They're completely unbranded so that doesn't bother me. I've tried adjusting them but I can't seem to get them close enough to the rim. I've tightened the cable and it's slight better now. I'll just keep fettling... Thanks for the advice.

Ok, last bits of advice then...

Make sure you've got the toe-in adjustment right - google it - and that the caliper is centred so that the pads engage the rim simultaneously. What I do to get the final adjustment just right is completely loosen off the cable from its anchor bolt - then turn the barrel adjuster on the caliper so that its close, but not all the way, to the slackest setting (screw in) - then I get a big spring clamp (the plastic DIY type) and clamp the pads tight onto the rim - this frees up your hands to pull the cable through taught and lock it down in place with the anchor bolt. Then remove the clamp - the pads will still be tight up against rim but then you loosen off the adjuster a touch (thats why you dont do it up all the way) to get them just moved a fraction away from the rim. Make sure the wheels are true of course or you will have to have bigger gap or an annoying rub.

Ok, last bits of advice then...

Make sure you've got the toe-in adjustment right - google it - and that the caliper is centred so that the pads engage the rim simultaneously. What I do to get the final adjustment just right is completely loosen off the cable from its anchor bolt - then turn the barrel adjuster on the caliper so that its close, but not all the way, to the slackest setting (screw in) - then I get a big spring clamp (the plastic DIY type) and clamp the pads tight onto the rim - this frees up your hands to pull the cable through taught and lock it down in place with the anchor bolt. Then remove the clamp - the pads will still be tight up against rim but then you loosen off the adjuster a touch (thats why you dont do it up all the way) to get them just moved a fraction away from the rim. Make sure the wheels are true of course or you will have to have bigger gap or an annoying rub.

Ah that's a great idea with the clamp, cheers for that!

I'm finding it really awkward to centre the brakes ATM because of the slope of the downtube and the allen keys I have won't fit into the bolt properly. Think I may head down to the LBS on Thurs and borrow theirs :)

You should be doing most of your riding on the hoods (plastic bit on top of brake levers), with the brake levers within easy reach. You don't need to be in the drops (the droppy bits of the bars) to use the brakes. You can get cross-top levers (like the Pista) but they are a waste of time, don't know of anyone who has kept them in their bike. The other option is to ditch the standard road brake levers and loose the most comfortable hand position (on the hoods) in exchange for some BMX style levers close to the stem. This is the most fashionable setup, with the excpetion of brakleess which is so cool you know, but you loose the option of riding on the hoods, and you can't reach the brakes when you are riding in the drops.

If the brakes don't have much power at the moment, new pads and a bit of a fiddle may be required.

:-)

Well the thing with the brake is that they're the ones you have on drop bars so they're very long. Also, they're very shit Tektro brakes and I've tried fiddling but they're not getting better. Ideally what I'd like is one of the mini levers placed towards the centre of the bar like I saw on a Bianchi Pista in BLB. I'm sure there's a special reason for these levers but I like it because I don't really want to have to hunch over the bike everytime I want to brake. I don't really think I need a back brake as it seems many people on here don't have them and I can control my speed quite easily just using my legs anyway.

Obviously a rim brake is never going to be as good as my (frankly fantastic) XT disc brakes on my MTB, but I am sure these brakes really are terrible.

The other option is to ditch the standard road brake levers and loose the most comfortable hand position (on the hoods)

More comfortable than riding on the flat of the bars?

yes

yes

In my (very limited) experience I disagree, but okay.

Surely the cross top lever is the same as the BMX suggestion you just made? When I'm above the hoods I can brake obviously, but I don't really feel like I have decent control of the brake.

More comfortable than riding on the flat of the bars?

Yes, unless your bike isn't set up correctly. Watch any road racing on tv, the riders spend most of the time on the hoods. Drops high speed solo efforts, and really cranking it, on tops for steep hill climbs or the occasional chat in the peleton, but most of the race on the hoods.

Yes, unless your bike isn't set up correctly. Watch any road racing on tv, the riders spend most of the time on the hoods. Drops high speed solo efforts, and really cranking it, on tops for steep hill climbs or the occasional chat in the peleton, but most of the race on the hoods.

We're not talking about a race bike. Yes, I ride most of the time on my hoods on my race bike because its set up that way although I'm not sure its more comfortable to be leant that bit more foward but it is better all-round in terms of accessability of brakes/gear levers and aerodynamics.

So to conclude I survived.

But did you ride it fixed or single-speed . . ?

Ride.
Don't be such a vag

I can't rep you but this needs repeating. :)

One trick when riding fixed for the first time is to keep saying to yourself:

"pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal,..."

It helps.

Or when riding over those Wicklow mountains eh clive? :P

Ah that's a great idea with the clamp, cheers for that!

I'm finding it really awkward to centre the brakes ATM because of the slope of the downtube and the allen keys I have won't fit into the bolt properly. Think I may head down to the LBS on Thurs and borrow theirs :)

Slope of the downtube??? WTF?

Just grab the caliper and pull it side to side and you will centre it.

Also, cross top levers are inferior to normal levers and braking from the hoods or drops. I think you need to give it some time to adjust to the non-mtb nature of the kit.

As for not getting pads close enough to the rim, this could also be a problem. Most people set their brakes up with the pads as close as possible. I, on the other hand set the brakes up so that the pads are engaging when the lever is say, in the middle of it's movement range. Setting brakes up this way basically means you have a much firmer grip on the brake levers when they start working rather than only just have your finger tips on them. Basically it's great for braking power and modulation.

Clean your pads (run them across a metal file) and clean your rims - dish scourer to take off the surface crap.

Rim braking in the wet you may have noticed is quite different to discs - get used to it, adjust your speed to the circumstances and your ability.