Fixed Gear Bicycles

Fixed Gear Bikes
Ride in the winter? Rides-Self supported Centuries Beyond Commuting Equipment/Accesories Repairs/Maintenance Helpful Links My Bicycles My Fixed Gear Bicycles Still to come Bicycling Safety What About Weather? Equipment/Reviews Home	Ah the joys of riding fixed gear. My favorite summer set up is a 52 tooth engagement ring with a 16 tooth gear on the rear. Of course this isn't the best for long hauls or in heavy terrain, but get out on some paved rails to trails, and you can fly! Okay, so what is a "Fixed Gear?" Good question, and well you should ask. A fixed gear is just that the gear is fixed, like the coaster bike you learned to ride when you were younger. The bike has one gear. Why would you want to ride a bike with one gear when you could get one with 30 speeds? Well, the one gear helps get in shape, building cadence and strength so that when you get on the multigeared bike you can hammer and chew your loc club members for lunch. When I built my first one it was after seeing bike messengers riding them. It looked cool, so I did some research and found Sheldon Brown's web sight, and a great deal of information there on building and some of the whys and where fors, so I continued. Today, I do most of my commuting on a fixed gear. My winter setup is a bit shorter in chain inches, with a 48t engagement ring, and a 17t rear gear. I run 700x35 studded tires, so I need the shorter chain. I have to say there is something about commuting my 23 miles to work with my legs always moving. On a fixed gear there's no coasting. It is a fun work out, and sort of bites when you are faced with a strong head wind. But I have a mantra, "what doesn't kill me, will make me stronger." Hope you enjoy the pics and discriptions below, and that it will spark you into giving riding fixed a shot. Schwinn World Sport Boy talk about a ride. This was the first of my fixed stable, and old Schwinn saved from a dumpster. I dusted it off took off all the old hardware, and fixed it with red rims, building my second wheel with a Surly 1x1 hub, and a red Mavic MA3 rim. That front red rim was a purchase at a LBS. I later tacoed it on the "Raleigh Rocket" Raleigh Rocket Not sure any longer what this bike had going for it. My old roommate brought it home from the apartment building he managed. I liked it, found a fork for it, and rode it. It was fast, and I liked riding the hell out of it, and did. Finally the wheel set I was running it with crapped out, trashing my first Surly hub. I was a bit upset, and took it out on the bike, by dismantling the bike, all the way down to a bar frame, even cleaned out all the grease, and took the head set. (can you say anger management?) Candy-O Yeah I know, naming bikes, whimpy. But this purple Cannondale, is so sweet and I love messing with it. It has taken everything I've dished out, and kept coming back for more. I've had to adjust to this bike, as it is fickle. The drops are vertical, something some fixed riders avoid. I happened on a perfect set up 17t in the back with 53t for an engagement ring. This thing flies. As I said this bike has had many incarnations. Presently it is my single speed. Retro Ride I love old steel, and this one was a lot of fun. I let a friend that needed a bike have it. It's still on the road. I did a century on this bike, something I won't be doing too soon. I have a new one, that I'm working into being a single speed, for the hell of it. Like why not? For more pictures of my bikes, rides, and such Click here

Fixed Gear Bikes

Ride in the winter?

Rides-Self supported Centuries

Beyond Commuting

Equipment/Accesories

Repairs/Maintenance

Helpful Links

My Bicycles

My Fixed Gear Bicycles

Still to come

Bicycling Safety

What About Weather?

Equipment/Reviews

Home

Ah the joys of riding fixed gear. My favorite summer set up is a 52 tooth engagement ring with a 16 tooth gear on the rear. Of course this isn't the best for long hauls or in heavy terrain, but get out on some paved rails to trails, and you can fly!

Okay, so what is a "Fixed Gear?"

Good question, and well you should ask. A fixed gear is just that the gear is fixed, like the coaster bike you learned to ride when you were younger. The bike has one gear. Why would you want to ride a bike with one gear when you could get one with 30 speeds? Well, the one gear helps get in shape, building cadence and strength so that when you get on the multigeared bike you can hammer and chew your loc club members for lunch.
When I built my first one it was after seeing bike messengers riding them. It looked cool, so I did some research and found Sheldon Brown's web sight, and a great deal of information there on building and some of the whys and where fors, so I continued.
Today, I do most of my commuting on a fixed gear. My winter setup is a bit shorter in chain inches, with a 48t engagement ring, and a 17t rear gear. I run 700x35 studded tires, so I need the shorter chain.
I have to say there is something about commuting my 23 miles to work with my legs always moving. On a fixed gear there's no coasting. It is a fun work out, and sort of bites when you are faced with a strong head wind. But I have a mantra, "what doesn't kill me, will make me stronger."
Hope you enjoy the pics and discriptions below, and that it will spark you into giving riding fixed a shot.

Schwinn World Sport

Boy talk about a ride. This was the first of my fixed stable, and old Schwinn saved from a dumpster. I dusted it off took off all the old hardware, and fixed it with red rims, building my second wheel with a Surly 1x1 hub, and a red Mavic MA3 rim.
That front red rim was a purchase at a LBS. I later tacoed it on the "Raleigh Rocket"

Raleigh Rocket

Not sure any longer what this bike had going for it. My old roommate brought it home from the apartment building he managed. I liked it, found a fork for it, and rode it. It was fast, and I liked riding the hell out of it, and did. Finally the wheel set I was running it with crapped out, trashing my first Surly hub. I was a bit upset, and took it out on the bike, by dismantling the bike, all the way down to a bar frame, even cleaned out all the grease, and took the head set. (can you say anger management?)

Candy-O

Yeah I know, naming bikes, whimpy. But this purple Cannondale, is so sweet and I love messing with it. It has taken everything I've dished out, and kept coming back for more. I've had to adjust to this bike, as it is fickle. The drops are vertical, something some fixed riders avoid. I happened on a perfect set up 17t in the back with 53t for an engagement ring. This thing flies.
As I said this bike has had many incarnations. Presently it is my single speed.

Retro Ride

I love old steel, and this one was a lot of fun.
I let a friend that needed a bike have it. It's still on the road. I did a century on this bike, something I won't be doing too soon.
I have a new one, that I'm working into being a single speed, for the hell of it. Like why not?

For more pictures of my bikes, rides, and such Click here