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I personally (not being very dextrous) would avoid toe overlap at almost any cost. I used to ride with it but that was on long rides country-side training rides where it is was hardly ever necessary to turn the wheel much, and I learnt to co-ordinate no problem ..
In London, commuting, zig-zagging through traffic, sharp-cornering where there is no time or room to wait for the cranks to be in the right place ???? oh ... no, no, no,! ... disastrous (but probably funny for on-lookers) with my co-ordination ..
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I assume you have the old-non-sealed/cartridge type BB otherwise what follows is nor correct (i.e. you do have loose ballbearings that you can tighten the cups on to).
If my assumption is right then maybe you tightened the lockring-side cup onto the bearings too much?- So ...take the cranks off.
- Take the lock-ring off.
- Loosen the lock-ring cup until the axle has some play in it, then tighten it in just a little so that it turns freely, but no play.
- Then tighten the lockting on whilst making sure that the cup does not turn (and that there is no play when you are done.
- Put cranks on, should be good now .....?
- So ...take the cranks off.
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I rode clips and straps for a few years fixed. Clips need to be slightly bigger than you need otherwise the ends of your toes will touch and this will wear your shoes and also become painful after a while. Single straps are fine, good quality leather best, unless you are track-sprinting, put a twist where they go through the underside of the pedal to keep them in place.
But ... spds are much better in all ways, also diminishes toe overlap.
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Sorry, yes - to clarify. I ride mainly around central London, but I also do some longer rides outside - 30/40 miles, and potentially want to do longer ones (I used to ride a lot a few years ago and am quite fit now, but do not have much experience of fixed- although I rode three Winters off-season on 67 when I used to race). I have used 72" and am now using 76", I am interested in hearing experiences from others about which they enjoy most. I find 72 too low for faster flat/and downhills but also 76 is a bit of a grind up say West Hill in Highgate. Am I just being lazy and not spinning 72 enough? Is it an illusion that on longer rides the 76 seems lots better for cruising along? Just any general thoughts would be gratefully received (thanks for the skid patch calculations but I do - and will continue - to have brakes).
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Timothy Taylor Landlord was a regular at 'The Flask' Highgate, I will check and let you know, next time I am there. Came up West Hill tonight and was not thinking about beer when I got to the top ...not even thinking about the barmaids at The Gatehouse, everything was kind of hazy without drinking anything.
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A good bottled beer is Shepherds Neame ' Bishop's Finger' 5.4% a bitter, findable in London, around North London anyway.
Also Re: Wetherspoons - The Gatehouse is GOOD. The beer is the right temperature, a good range too, nice comfortable atmosphere, don't be put off because it is in Highgate - and ... pretty barmaids too.
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At the top of Highgate West Hill is 'The Gatehouse' - Weatherspoons so cheap, and a very good range of real ales that change weekly, plus the best treacle sponge and custard in the universe. Not only that ... but they have a large enclosed back garden which would a perfect safe place to put a bike should you want to keep an eye on it whilst drinking in the warm. Comfy and not 'high'-class at all, you would feel quite at home in cycling attire. That's my recommendation anyway.
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Okay ... so I admit I have a Tempo.
I recommend it above a Pista because it has clearance for mudguards, and the clearance is such that the front of my shoes does not hit the mud-guards at any point in crank revolution. I rode for a number of years on bikes where this was not the case, but that was for long-distance training where manuevering through gaps in traffic (which is what I do now a
lot) means that overlap matters.48x18 gives about 72", and is perfect for around London, you can comfortably do 25+ and also it is not too big for continually accelerating from slow in traffic. I use 48x17 but I really recommend nothing this big to begin.
25mm tyres are good, 28mm would iron out some of the uneven roads better. The Tempo comes with standard wheels (EX hubs and Mavic rims) 32-hole - I was dubious about 32 as my previous experience was that even with care I break spokes and untrue '32s' but these are excellent - Condor do a free service after about a month of buying - they trued them up (new wheels usually go out of true as they settle in) and since then they are perfect, and I am heavy 85 kilos ish, and I do not always see potholes ...
Let me know if you want to know anything else.
I have a Condor Tempo, I put together a number of fixed myself over the years for Winter-training, but not having the tools anymore I decided to buy one ready built and I am very pleased with it, it does have mudguard eyes and no toe-overlap (size 45 feet and with my co-ordination - and zig-zagging going through traffic - no overlap is very helpful). It also has standard drop-outs which with fixed and mudguards is really helpful too. I looked around before buying and did not find anything as good for me (that was not aluminium which I did and do not want).