New rider tips and tricks

Monsta

you have made it clear why that 2nd brake is so important - emergency stops

You're saying the front brake is the second brake yeah?

I bought the bike, which is an old road bike conversion, off a guy who used to ride it with no brakes. I thought it was far too dangerous without at least a front one, so got one straight away before even stepping foot on it.

After spending some time on Sunday learning how to skid, I can't believe people actually ride around like that. I'm sure you can get it down perfectly, but I found if I hit a bump it'd send my back wheel into the air a bit. It was fun, but by no means safe!
That and the fact that there is 70% more stopping power on a front brake than a back...

BTW, thanks for contributing to this wicked forum guys. I have been spying on it for months and it really helped me understand a few things before I started looking into buying my first fixed.

No

just it is important to have two stopping methods

two s better than one - admittedly if used correctly. Plus you have a failsafe

SO I will finally get to the point i guess as a new user id love to hear your reccomendations:

http://www.lfgss.com/thread40625.html

Brakes yes front and back and no foot retention yet but I do want some just not sure what option to go with I'd like clips as need new shoes anyway but honestly I worry about getting stuck and or just nipping to the shop in what I have on.

get mountain bike shoes then you can nip anywhere you like as you can walk fine in them the word is sidi are best

stustaff

fixed is really not very safe without foot retention, while you are waiting for your pedals to slow down you may still be kicked off the bike

this is indicative of the fact that you do actually need to do some broad research on this topic

I just persuaded my brother to go clipless.

He did a comedy topple at some lights on the A3 on day 2. Spanner.

I see so many people round town riding fixed, no retention, wearing trainers - madness.

I prefer clipless myself, though you will most likely fall off a few times in an embarrassing fashion.

And generally such people are fucking idiots

not so bothered if they hurt themselves

it's the danger they present to others that bothers me

FML. this started with some guy asking a retarded question that has been answered 12134 times already on this forum and has gone onto an even more tedious and even even more widely debated topic - foot retention.

If you want to be safe, use foot retention. If you want to be able to just jump on your bike, night or day, and not worry about changing shoes use clips. If you want the best in terms of performance, at the cost of having to wear cycling shoes, go clipless. If you're really keen, convert your trainers into SPD shoes. The end.

If anyone asks what shoes/ clips to buy, I'm going to cry. UTFS.

Looking back at this thread, DJ gave you a perfectly reasonable reply and you were way-over the top in rushing to have a go at him for getting on your case. Suggests to me that you have been cruising the threads, seeing other noobs get crushed, and decided that you want to make a stand.

Bear in mind that people have helped you, it's not like you have just been told to fuck off.

Long live DJ.

Ha it's funny seeing the word noob being used in a non-gaming context (I know it's not exclusive to gaming but it's just funny).

If I had one piece of general advice if you're thinking about changing things on your bike it would be to measure everything properly. It might sound obvious but literally nothing comes in a standard size so don't just assume "it's going to fit".

what trainers are the most comfortable for clips and straps?

for me, these ones...

Your right and wrong slimjim.

I had been reading the forums and was excited about getting my new bike and it being my first one of this type, so I posted a hello and asked a few questions. however no there was no 'make a stand' plan.

As i have said on previous page I prolly did overeact to DJ's comment but I posted the questions because I hadn't found answers that seemed right to me or that I fully understood. And DJ's imo aggressive manner of telling me made me act defensively.

Im now going to go and look up clips using search :) I am wondering why if they are so important they are selling me a bike without the fuckers mind!!

Thanks for the info and suggestions folks.

stu

you have a lot to learn if you have not yet discovered why you need foot retention riding fixed

please spend some time either talking with other people who ride fixed or do some research

your bike was sold single speed, so clips are not so essential

stu

you have a lot to learn if you have not yet discovered why you need foot retention riding fixed

please spend some time either talking with other people who ride fixed or do some research

your bike was sold single speed, so clips are not so essential

God you're a rude cunt

brilliantly he has proven most of what i thought about him previously

ie has a sharp learning curve ahead

stu

you have a lot to learn if you have not yet discovered why you need foot retention riding fixed

please spend some time either talking with other people who ride fixed or do some research

your bike was sold single speed, so clips are not so essential

Well yeh thats why I was asking questions.

I'll do my best to talk to some fixed riders then, but obviously I cant talk to people on here about it right?

just copy this guy :-)
http://vimeo.com/6200166

Or this guy:

http://vimeo.com/1197316

http://www.lfgss.com/thread9986.html
http://www.lfgss.com/thread32882.html
http://www.lfgss.com/thread11162.html
http://www.lfgss.com/thread14417.html

:)

Personally, I prefer Clips/ Straps. Like to just grab my bike and ride it.

With clips/ straps, the more you spend the more you get... With clips, you can have single strap/ double strap, with the latter being stronger and (perhaps) more comfortable. The other alternative is a 'power grip-type' strap, you can read about these here: http://www.lfgss.com/thread37370.html.

Hope that helps :)

the information is all here, you will probably be pilloried if you carry on asking questions about the very basics

simply put riding without foot retention is very likely to send you flying when you try to stop

there is also a good chance of a pedal coming back round and taking a chunk out of your shins

ade, that video is not helpful, akrigg is more than a little bit talented and can get away without foot retention

I came along, got flamed and also got the answers I was looking for. Strangely I found myself being roasted amusing, a number of the posters on that thread I now consider friends - though fuck I was frightened of "Clefty" when i first joined!

and so you fucking should be.

xx

dj, it wasn't meant to be helpful particularly, it was meant to be enjoyable to watch, you know that thing that cycling is supposed to be about....fun? not bullying people. I'm logging off before you bother to come back with more of your inane anger