Cycling thread - been a while since the last one

[k9handler]

well my cycling habit is taking off and I decided to build a website and forum to go along with it.

www.b40huckers.com

[john70t]

I think the future form of a bicycle is a centralized/integrated hub/crank assembly which had a low center of gravit....and is the only component needed to unquestionably transfer torque/force.

Like the new concept motorcycle(sorry forgot the name) that has the engine serving as a basis of the frame, the new bicycle will have a feather-weight/and flexible gridwork of seat and fork pickups and shocks/memory metal to support those points.

[cegerer]

Anybody ride a fixed-gear mountain bike? I've decided to sell my full-suspension bike and simplify. This is what I'm looking at right now:

http://www.philwood.com/webcatolog/page17.htm

I'd add a rigid titanium fork, disc brakes and some ultra-light wheels.

[}{arlequin]

Phil's hubs are quite pricey.... I have a fuji I picked up off ebay that I'm working on converting into a fixxie. Still deciding which hub to go with for the rear. I am planning on lacing up the wheels myself and until I pick a hub I can't even determine how long the new spokes should be. Quite tricky stuff.

[911boost]

John, My BMW R1150GS utilizes the engie as a large portion of the frame.

And to keep this thread on topic, after years of collecting dust, my Cannondale Beast of the East was ressurected this fall when I decided to start riding again. A rigid worked fine in Iowa where I went to school, but here in Colorado I needed some susupension, so I decided to start building a new bike piece by peice over time, so I got a FOX F100X front fork, with a King headset, to work with my goofy old school 1 1/4 frame. I got pedals and new shifters, brakes and bunch of other goodies for it too.

It felt good to get back on the bike after so long, and am looking forward to spring.

Bill

Wish I was smart enough to post a picture...

[einreb]

Originally posted by cegerer
Anybody ride a fixed-gear mountain bike?

Do you really mean 'fixed gear'? As in no coasting/no brakes? I've only seen that once and it was nuts. There's lots of messengers in the city that ride them, but its a ballsy move on a mtn bike

If you're asking about single speed, I ride a single speed mtn bike (posted on previous page)... in addition to my santa cruz superlight.

I use the big front ring as a bash guard. I've also added a surly singulator chain tensioner. it allows me to swap out the rear ring and use the same chain.

as for wheels... the guy at www.oddsandendos.com builds nice wheels cheap.

frames... tons of options... maybe a nice steel frame? (dekerf), you could go 29" http://www.mattchester.com for some wild stuff.

forks... i like my kinesis aluminum fork

[cegerer]

Yeah, fixed gear. I know, sounds crazy, but I can always switch to a single-gear freewheel if necessary. I like those Chester Ti frames too - very nice.

[k9handler]

guys I started a forum for cycling and I would love for you to bring your knowledge and personalities to my site! www.b40huckers.com

FIXED GEAR...search for "single speed" and there are parts to convert your current setup. (NOT THE DH BIKE THOUGH) LOL

[CamB]

Originally posted by cegerer
Anybody ride a fixed-gear mountain bike? I've decided to sell my full-suspension bike and simplify. This is what I'm looking at right now:

http://www.philwood.com/webcatolog/page17.htm

I'd add a rigid titanium fork, disc brakes and some ultra-light wheels.

Yeah - you need to single speed on a mountain bike ---> not being able to coast would be a serious downer offroad!! You can get decent wheels built up - there are a number of places which do a bit of singlespeed stuff. In NZ, the best "cheap" hubs are DMR revolvers, although you have a bunch more options over there. For heaps more info, check out www.sheldonbrown.com.

I been out singlespeeding once - I borrowed a "top of the line" single speed. It is a 10yo KHS team frame (True Temper OX Platinum) converted to horizontal dropouts, and had a Fox F100X (surely the greatest fork ever made), Chris King hubs, disc front, v rear, carbon Easton Monkeylite bar (nice and wide), and 180mm cranks.

It was great. The forest most local to where I live has about 60km of tight singletrack and is relatively flat (~100m rise from low to high point). I had 32 front, 18 rear which was a touch low but I'm not that strong or fit). It is hard to explain, but I guess you just "ride" - no gears, not much noise (the CK hub was bloody noisy when you coast though).

Next year I'll build up a singlespeed (may even sell the geared bike), but I can't this year as I'm (a) going to the US/Europe on sunday, and (b) building a fixie.

It is a Holdsworth track bike (and it will be repainted), with early 80s mavic track hubs laced to Mavic open pros. I need to find a decent 1" road fork so I can put a front brake on. At the moment, it looks like this (excuse the crap in the background):

[cegerer]

Realistically, this will be more of a 'training bike' for the road than an offroader. I could go the track bike route, but with a MTB I needn't worry much about riding in gravel, hitting potholes, jumping curbs, etc.

The one thing I haven't figured out with a fixed-gear is how to take a sharp corner without hitting a pedal - apparently, you just don't!

[911boost]

Cam,

That Fox is awesome isn't it? I love mine...

Bill

[}{arlequin]

I forgot whether anyone's posted this yet or not (too lazy to look back) but I think this is the greatest gallery of fixed gear bikes. Very cool indy site. He started it up for free, and later people that submit their pics started to send him some cash here and there. Very cool camaraderie among them.
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com

[CamB]

The fox (not mine) was so awesome that after only 5 mins I started wondering how I could convince my wife that it was a "necessity". I didn't bother though (see the fixie above - I'm not pushing my luck).

I've got a mid priced Rock Shox Duke SL - not a bad fork. For those wondering, "how can the Fox be so good" - there are really two things:

- it has an inertia valve thingy, so it is locked out until a sufficiently large force allows the suspension to activate. In practical terms this means that it is locked out when you need it (out of the saddle, and/or smooth surfaces). In addition, the actual suspension characteristics were awesome (plush - neither bouncy nor over damped).

- it is mega stiff laterally. Either that or (I suspect) my Duke isn't very stiff. It just meant it tracked beautifully.

Curt - if you run fixed gear you should make sure the bottom bracket is at least somewhat high and you should use 165mm cranks and relatively low profile pedals. If you do this it shouldn't be a problem...

[k9handler]

after doing a few big europe DH runs, I now understand the value of good suspension! The New Marzo 888 is awesome....much better than the Jr T I have on my bike.

[CamB]

Dragging this thread out of recent history..

Originally posted by CamB
Next year I'll build up a singlespeed (may even sell the geared bike), but I can't this year as I'm (a) going to the US/Europe on sunday, and (b) building a fixie.

It is a Holdsworth track bike (and it will be repainted), with early 80s mavic track hubs laced to Mavic open pros. I need to find a decent 1" road fork so I can put a front brake on. At the moment, it looks like this (excuse the crap in the background):

2.5 months later, I'm back from holiday (with new cranks, seat and handlebar) and I've stripped the frame and had it powdercoated a sort of brown orange bronze with a pearl (dodgy 70s looking). Still no front brake (you have to use your legs to slow down), so I haven't really ridden it other than around the carpark, etc.

Sorry for the crap picture - its just from my phone.

[Bob Goding]

Cam, I'll have a chrome front road fork that'll fit that if yr interested.

[cegerer]

Nice, Cam. I've still got the singlespeed itch. Keep going back and forth between MTB and road. The current front-runner is the LeMond Fillmore. Only around US$1200 retail.

[ronin]

cege, you still selling the K2?

[CamB]

Bob - thanks for the offer (did I ever need this conversation a coupla weeks ago)! Unfortunately, I just bought the carbon/alloy steerer fork that is on it. It didn't break the bank as I got a good price, so I (my wife ) can live the cost, and now I have a threadless steerer which is stiffer etc.... but I so wanted a chrome fork! I'm going to change the stem to something a little more attractive too...

I'll keep your one in mind as I have a couple of friends who might get enthused now I've done it. Thanks again!

Curt - I saw one of those while I was away - its pretty nice and a pretty good spec (love the frame and fork), but I thought it was expensive (mind you, the frame/fork/flash wheels probably account for that). Personally, I'd choose something with the Sugino 75 crank (which I got, cause its blingy) and Phil Wood hubs (I bought a set back for a friend, and they are uber bling). You should check to see if the wheels are a flip flop hub, and if you can put a freewheel on the other side for singlespeed rather than fixed gear - I wish I had that option.

(edit - yeah, it does have a fixed/free hub: PDF from Bontrager site - very nice)

But it is probably a pretty good choice, especially if it is US made and that matters to you (I assume it is as its a Trek/Lemond/etc). I've only spent about US$750 (plus pedals), but then again I go the wheels essentially for free and got a few (lot of) favours.

Bianchi and Fuji have cheapies at aournd US$600.

[cegerer]

Thanks Cam.

Ronin - the K2 is semi-officially for sale.