SS road bikes?????
- Thread starter JMAC
- Start date
Done it, actually went out yesterday. It's not bad, not quite as good as SS mtn bikes. On the road, I prefer fixed to SS. Keeps things interesting.
You pedal fast.JMAC said:
That's where it's the easiest. I've tried riding road fixed, racing cyclocross fixed gear, and riding trails with it. The muddy trails were a blast. Racing cyclocross on it was interesting. Dismounting was quite challenging to say the least. But yeah, nothing like having to spin 180+ RPMs to smooth out that pedal stroke. :evil:JMAC said:
I'm thinking the ideal would be fixed/free. Run fixed until you get tired and start pedaling squares and bouncing all over the place, and then have the option of coasting from there on out. Course, that'd be cheating.
OTOH, I've been commuting on my fix and am not at all happy. It'll take a long time to develop the instinctive reactions needed to deal with unpredictable situations (which currently include leveling the pedals and then remembering I can't coast
). I'd probably run the free side then, too. If I had a free side.
OTOH, I've been commuting on my fix and am not at all happy. It'll take a long time to develop the instinctive reactions needed to deal with unpredictable situations (which currently include leveling the pedals and then remembering I can't coast
). I'd probably run the free side then, too. If I had a free side.
Just wait til you've ridden fixed exclusively for a month or so, then hop on a coasting bike. Talk about a screwy feeling, I totally thought something was broken. I find that I have much better awareness on the fixed gear because I'm looking around and ahead much more often.
riderx said:
Maybe it's because you switch back and forth, that you don't notice it. After 10 minutes or so on a SS, it doesn't feel weird, it' just that first 10 minutes or so.
Just built this puppy up. I've ridden it two days now and I don't think I'll go back to a freewheel road bike again. Hell, I'm already itching to take the brakes off.
I can't believe how much fun this thing is..except for the crappy Selle saddle I got, which is hell on me privates.
lux
I can't believe how much fun this thing is..except for the crappy Selle saddle I got, which is hell on me privates.
lux
Lux, you might want to raise your bars, and flatten out your seat. Right now you are going to be sliding off the nose and holding yourself up with your arms, which has to hurt. From the looks of it the excessive drop is likely a big componet of your crotch pain...
Yeah, with the bars that low, I had to tilt the seat forward to make it bearable. I know I gotta raise the bars...but it just doesn't look as cool.SuspectDevice said:
I dunno. I think a flat seat looks alot cooler... You probally want to throw on about a 10deg rise stem of that same length to get a good fit. While you are at re-wrap your bars and raise your hoods. You'll like it, I promise!
I started riding a singlespeed on the road this past year(never ridden road before though) and loved it. Hardest part is dealing with rolling hills, you'll get tossed off the back by someone on a real road bike and it sucks. Otherwise it's an awesome feeling and it's so simple.
The Ito
The Ito
ito,
You need gears to go up the "hills" in SB. I have done lots of road riding down there and Old San Marcos is a bitch even with gears! I remember the first day I got my road bike, I rode from my house on Mission out to Goleta up old San Marcos to Painted Cave up to E. Camino Cielo all the way over to Gibralter and then bombed the 12mile descent back into town. I think that is about a 40-45 mile loop with somewhere around 4000' of climbing. Unless you are talking about just cruising down through Hope Ranch or out Foothill or whatever you gots to have gears yo...
You need gears to go up the "hills" in SB. I have done lots of road riding down there and Old San Marcos is a bitch even with gears! I remember the first day I got my road bike, I rode from my house on Mission out to Goleta up old San Marcos to Painted Cave up to E. Camino Cielo all the way over to Gibralter and then bombed the 12mile descent back into town. I think that is about a 40-45 mile loop with somewhere around 4000' of climbing. Unless you are talking about just cruising down through Hope Ranch or out Foothill or whatever you gots to have gears yo...
lux said:
Raise the bar, level the seat, and leave at least the front on. The bar + seat recommendations are common sense (what good is it to look cool if your crotch hurts you?), the front brake can/will be a lifesaver. Trust me, you want to have a backup in case your chain breaks/throws itself (which will happen at THE worst time.
I agree 'bout the flat seat, and I have a good bit of stem shoved down the steerer. I'd lowered it to get that cool--and damned uncomfortable--track stance.SuspectDevice said:
I road-raced a looong time ago and trained with a track rider. He used to let me ride one of his sprint bikes. I remember feeling like I could lean over just a bit and kiss the front tire. This is my first roadie in many moons, so I'm still feeling it out. Thanks for the tips. I'll raise the brake hoods, too and see how that feels.
Have you tried bullhorn bars? They look a bit more comfy.
Chain breaking? Now, when has that ever happened?Nate at RIT said:
neaky:Thanks for the advise. I'm also gonna lower the seatpost a tad and see if that helps. Hell, I can't even remember how much knee bend I need at full extension.
Or for that ghetto look, flip and cut normal drops.lux said:
Hmm, I wondered all along if that's where bullhorns came from...Nate at RIT said:
or maybe these?:the Inbred said:
If you like riding on the hoods (on drop bars), or on bar ends (on flat bars) seriously try the flip and cut method. Feels like you're resting your hands on the bar ends, but there's a smooth transistion to a neutral wrist position (i.e. not 2 seperate pieces of metal like bar + bar end. And if you get a set of 'cross-top levers, it's easily the best, most natural braking position I've ever felt.the Inbred said: