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Hiya,
I must admit that when I started this thread, it was to motivate a discussion. I now feel that you guys who told me that protest songs are no good are probably right. The Poll Tax riots worked because they did incite some violence (mostly from the Right), but they DID work! On the other hand, the predominantly middle class protests against the Iraq War did sod all. I think that we should all take a lesson from the young activists (God that's patronising). No Pasaran, friends.

Awra best

You're so right. Sometimes I just have to have a wall to hit my head off.

Does anybody know what's happened to all the protest and anti-war songs. It seemed the thing to do in the sixties and seventies, but I'll bet there's not many people under thirty could even join in a chorus now. Is it because all the radio stations have banned this kind of material, or are the majority of the people, including the singers so pissed off because nobody listens anymore.

Hello there,

I've been a member of this forum for about three months now. I think it's time that I gave my views on what I've read and learned about the current fixed wheel scene.

First of all, you guys are great. Mad as hatters, but keeping alive a tradition of cycling that was going out of fashion when I was a kid. (I just hope that there's someone putting the same effort into looking after Rhythm and Blues for the next generation). I have ridden fixed since I was thirteen, and only gave it up in 1995 (approx) when I suffered a very serious disc prolapse. By the time I recovered I had lost my nerve and the thought of jousting with the Beemers and Mercs of the business class put me off. I took up jogging, and my search for a quiet route led me to the Kennet Canal path.This was really good. Lots of endorphin release, highs and other cliches. The only thing that spoilt the experience was the mountain bike brigade. Loads of Lycra clad tossers careering along the flattest terrain in Britain with 27 gears.

Anyway, I am told that my hip will no longer take the stress of running, and I am once again preparing a fixed wheel mount as both transport and exercise. So thanks to you all for giving me the confidence to be a loonie on a single speed fixed wheel mount - the most energy efficient transport in the world.

Awra best Charlie

In the 1930's, Horace Bates submitted a special set of Reynolds 531 frame tubes to the National Physical Laboratory for evaluation. The results showed that the tubes were almost twice as resistant to flexing as standard 531 tubes. The secret was in the way that the tubes were swaged down at each end to form an elongated arch. Bates named the tubes "Cantiflex" and in 1935 he was granted a patent protecting the design.

If you ride fast, buy the frame tubes designed to make you faster.

I have a number of tubesets for sale. These are part of the last batch of 531 Cantiflex to be manufactured. All Cantiflex from now will be made from Reynolds 631 tubing.

Set of three main Cantiflex tubes - £52.00.

PM or telephone: 07976 885316

This style of spoking used to be called Spanish Lace. It should be ok for fixed. If you used Spanish with gears, you are better getting the wheels laced from the inside to give more clearance.

The following story is true, although some comedy buffs may spot that it contains more than a hint of Gerard Hoffnung, or perhaps the Dubliners.

I became a fixed wheel addict at the age of thirteen when I became the proud owner of a Paris Tour de France. It was so light and responsive that despite the prevailing trend, I removed the gears. Inevitably, my sixteenth birthday was accompanied by a provisional motorcycle license, and the Paris was relegated to a hook on the garage wall. It continued to be used on occasions when the motorbike was being repaired, and before being sold was involved in one last adventure when a friend asked if he could borrow it for a couple of days. After four days without the return of my mount, I called round to see if everything was all right.

Murray, for such was the friends name, was at home, and from his seat (on a Mini inner tube), told me exactly what to do with the lethal weapon to which I had subjected him. He had not, at the time realised what exactly fixed wheel was, and when he found out, decided that if I could ride it, so could he. The trouble came when he cycled down Easter Road, a cobbled street, which was in the early sixties a main road from Abbeymount down to Leith. As he started to pick up speed he hit a pot-hole. The force of the impact dislodged his right foot from the toeclip. He found himself virtually out of control, and as the left crank, then at the bottom of its stroke started to rise. When it reached the top of its travel, still out of control, it commenced the downward stroke. His left foot, and obviously all parts of the anatomy connected to it - including the buttocks, followed. Before the pedal had reached the six o'clock position.the tender parts of Murray's body hit the rear of the saddle which, being mounted on an old fashioned seat pin immediately tilted the front up to a near vertical angle. The left crank again commenced its upward travel, and reaching the top, started downward, bringing Murray's behind in contact with the front of the Mansfield North Road saddle, a slim affair capable of inflicting high levels of pain even when used in horizontal mode. This sequence was repeated three times before the runaway bike was brought under control.

Murray never did confide in me whether the painful contact was right, left or dead centre, but never again was I asked to lend out my Paris.

Wow,

I didn't realise that vintage stuff had gone up as much. I'll have to give this some more thought, and maybe go through more of my stuff. I've got some weird bits, like Hetchins cycle shoes and bootees and a model frame with very elaborate lugs.

Thanks for all your help. Charlie

Hi there,

I've got a couple of items that I might want to sell in order to raise some cash to get my fixed bike back on the road. Only thing is that I don't know much about what price to ask, I only know they are very collectable. The first is a boxed, new unused pair of Campag, straight skewer, large flange Record hubs. The second is a Campag Hi-Lo hub, new, but without skewer or box. Anybody got an idea how much I would get for them? Thanks for reading this. Charlie