# The most uncool fixed [ss] rider



## totallyfixed (7 Jan 2016)

Following on from the thread "how to brake in single speed", I thought I might throw out the challenge to discover how uncool [or not] we are. Conversely, if you are uber cool tell us, and the reasons why.
I will start,
Mudguards, check
No deep section wheels, check
No carbon, check
Leather saddle, check
Front and back brake, check
Steel classic frame, check
Frame pump, check
No gps mounted, check

I am so uncool I might even be cool


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## fossyant (7 Jan 2016)

The no carbon, leather saddle and steel frame is cool. I'm sure I am less cool.


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## potsy (7 Jan 2016)

Uncool ss rider you say?


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## dave r (7 Jan 2016)

I've never been cool, I've never wanted to be cool, I usually just do want I want, steel fixed with mudguards and carrier, when I was commuting it had lights as well.


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## Hacienda71 (7 Jan 2016)

I only ride fixed on the track.


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## Profpointy (7 Jan 2016)

totallyfixed said:


> Following on from the thread "how to brake in single speed", I thought I might throw out the challenge to discover how uncool [or not] we are. Conversely, if you are uber cool tell us, and the reasons why.
> I will start,
> Mudguards, check
> No deep section wheels, check
> ...



well I do have some carbon, but "raise" you a pannier rack.

The rest, well obviously you'd want steel frame, mudguards, brakes and a brooks saddle .


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## stupug (7 Jan 2016)

I've got mudguards, both brakes, steel classic frame with loads of chips and rust at the moment, lights but I do have deepest wheels. They very much cheaper though


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## stupug (7 Jan 2016)

Does anyone ride with clip less pedals? I'm debating whether to get them


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## PhilDawson8270 (7 Jan 2016)

So does being more cool, actually mean you're less cool?


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## potsy (7 Jan 2016)

stupug said:


> Does anyone ride with clip less pedals? I'm debating whether to get them


Surely nobody would be that uncool, not even @totallyfixed


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## Profpointy (7 Jan 2016)

stupug said:


> Does anyone ride with clip less pedals? I'm debating whether to get them



I do: crank brothers ones. Fine them very easy to clip in and out and the 4-way design is always the right way up. That said, I think they're more expensive than they should be and not as long-lived as I'd like either. I still like em though


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## stupug (7 Jan 2016)

I'm gunna see if I can find some second hand cheap. Had a quick look on eBay but they still seem quite expensive for second hand item


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## Brandane (7 Jan 2016)

totallyfixed said:


> Following on from the thread "how to brake in single speed", I thought I might throw out the challenge to discover how uncool [or not] we are. Conversely, if you are uber cool tell us, and the reasons why.
> I will start,
> Mudguards, check
> No deep section wheels, check
> ...


You forgot....
Being called "TotallyFixed" rather than "TotesFixie", check.


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## Profpointy (7 Jan 2016)

stupug said:


> I'm gunna see if I can find some second hand cheap. Had a quick look on eBay but they still seem quite expensive for second hand item



The shimano ones are very cheap, and though I prefer the crankies, you can't argue with £15 or whatever for the shimanos, as they're not crap by any stretch


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## Profpointy (7 Jan 2016)

the snag of course is the need for "special shoes"


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## Amanda P (7 Jan 2016)

Uncool: all of the above, leather saddle, no carbon etc., plus:
Dynamo hub, front & rear lights
Steel seat pin & separate saddle clamp (it's a Peugeot frame and no-one sells a one-piece seatpin in the right size)
Clipless pedals (but they are mountain bike SPDs)
Luggage rack

Cool:
GPS mount
Matching yellow frame, rims & tyres

How do I score?

I just wanted it for a flat ride to work, day and night, winter and summer, with luggage, and no fancy transmission parts to get wrecked in a salty winter. I don't really care whether it is, or I am, cool or not.

As I now work at home, I'm thinking of selling it. Make me an offer, anyone?


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## derrick (7 Jan 2016)

Ally frame 
normal wheels
lights
Normal clothes.


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## I like Skol (7 Jan 2016)

I must be über cool if you also count the attire of the rider.....
I have been seen sporting some particularly natty headwear over the years, and never, ever cleaning your bike, that's dead cool, right?


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## I like Skol (7 Jan 2016)

I like Skol said:


> I must be über cool if you also count the attire of the rider.....
> I have been seen sporting some particularly natty headwear over the years, and never, ever cleaning your bike, that's dead cool, right?



Sorry, when you said 'fixed gear', well all 27 work now so I thought you meant..... never mind


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## Ian H (7 Jan 2016)

There's a hierarchy of uncoolness:-
The 'obviously-trying-to-look-cool'.
The bike as fashion-statement, designed to be pushed, not ridden.
Lack of road-sense.
Lack of bike-handling skills.
Use of the hideous word 'fixie'.
I've probably missed some.


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## potsy (7 Jan 2016)

I like Skol said:


> I must be über cool if you also count the attire of the rider.....
> I have been seen sporting some particularly natty headwear over the years, and never, ever cleaning your bike, that's dead cool, right?


You are nowhere near cool enough to ride a ss/fixie, be gone with you


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## rideswithmoobs (7 Jan 2016)

Mudguards....of course chief
Standard wheels.....yep
Steel frame......of course
No rack or panniers but do wear a Guy Martin ridiculous bobble hat, baggy shorts and freebe shades. 

Is that scruffy cool or scruffy uncool ?


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## 3narf (7 Jan 2016)

I have a converted '70s steel-framed bike, fake leather saddle, spoke mounted reflectors, SPDs, no mudguards, X-Lite mountain bike bar ends on flat bars, Garmin and a bottle cage mounted ally pump.

I wear lycra and a helmet.

Despite all this I _would_ be cool; except I'm 48.


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## tyred (7 Jan 2016)

I'm the king of cool 
My winter fixed wheel:
70s "gaspipe" frame by some obscure German manufacturer
Mudguards
Metal clips and leather straps
Cheap Chinese Brooks copy 
Aldi rack
Usually Carradice saddle bag
Dynamo lights
Weinmann suicide levers
Steel bars and stem
Unfashionably low gear ratio.
Michelin World Tour tyres

It's only very recently I upgraded from cottered cranks and steel wheels on this bike.


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## totallyfixed (7 Jan 2016)

User said:


> Are you offering these as a list of uncool traits?


Well it was, however I seem to be being out uncooled. Drat, I don't have the leather shoes. I do however have a motley collection of cycling caps.


potsy said:


> Surely nobody would be that uncool, not even @totallyfixed


Don't bet on it. Dr_pink on the other hand is cool, she told me to say that.


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## Pat "5mph" (7 Jan 2016)

@dr_pink is well cool on her bike imo: the rest of you just resemble CTC riders


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## midlife (7 Jan 2016)

Sounds like the CC version of the Top Gear cool wall 

Shaun


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## totallyfixed (8 Jan 2016)

I have a suspicion the definition of cool may be different in London. In relation to cycling, "hipster" was a new one to me and I only found out what it meant last year, another term, "fakenger" was also lost on me.


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## Sharky (8 Jan 2016)

totallyfixed said:


> I have a suspicion the definition of cool may be different in London. In relation to cycling, "hipster" was a new one to me and I only found out what it meant last year, another term, "fakenger" was also lost on me.



Fakenger, isn't that what was called out when the great "Alf" passed you in a timetrial?


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## Lonestar (8 Jan 2016)

stupug said:


> Does anyone ride with clip less pedals? I'm debating whether to get them



Yup and I wouldn't dream of using anything else...Workmate at work has bought a mango.Dunno what made him go fixed though.


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## totallyfixed (8 Jan 2016)

Lonestar said:


> Yup and I wouldn't dream of using anything else...Workmate at work has bought a mango.Dunno what made him go fixed though.


Why would you want to try and ride a mango? I need to get out more.


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## Lonestar (8 Jan 2016)

totallyfixed said:


> Why would you want to try and ride a mango? I need to get out more.



http://www.mangobikes.co.uk/


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## totallyfixed (8 Jan 2016)

I know, sad attempt at being funny.


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## Dave Davenport (8 Jan 2016)

I do about 70% of my mileage on;
1980's gas pipe frame
72" fixed gear
Mis-matched wheels (neither deep section)
Unbranded saddle from a Dutch cycle shop bargain bin
Full mud guards
Drops with two standard brakes
Frame fit pump
Extra large seat pack
Lights
No computer/gps etc. 
No idea whether that makes me cool, luke warm or what.


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## Pennine-Paul (8 Jan 2016)

I do 100% of my mileage on my ally track frame
It's got carbon forks
A Rolls leather saddle
Cinelli pursuit bars
Carbon brake lever
Deep section rear wheel
Only got a front brake
I ride with a messenger bag even on 100 mile plus rides

Definitely not a hipster though or a fakenger
I used to work in the centre of London some years ago repairing bakery ovens and it was much easier to park on the outskirts, take whatever tools and spares I needed and cycle in and back,that's when I started using a messenger bag. I've tried frame mounted bags and panniers but they're not as convenient imho .


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## Stinboy (19 Jan 2016)

Profpointy said:


> I do: crank brothers ones. Fine them very easy to clip in and out and the 4-way design is always the right way up. That said, I think they're more expensive than they should be and not as long-lived as I'd like either. I still like em though



Agreed. I have eggbeaters on all of my bikes.

You can buy a refurb kit for them though, and with a bit of regular maintenence they do last longer but they're not bulletproof.


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## Lonestar (20 Jan 2016)

Profpointy said:


> the snag of course is the need for "special shoes"



It's a bit like golfing though.If you are going to be serious you aren't going to do it in your slippers on a boris bike.


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## KneesUp (20 Jan 2016)

I saw a chap on a shiny new fixed bike struggling up one of the (many) hills around on my first two days back at work this year. He had a face that said "why the chuff did I buy a bike with one gear to ride to work?" Not seen him since. He gets my vote.


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## zigzag (22 Jan 2016)

my runabout ss bike:
flat bars
flat pedals with reflectors
alloy frame
broken mudguards
different colour front/rear wheels
rear rack
34t chainring
d-lock bracket


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## totallyfixed (22 Jan 2016)

I would put this in the "nearly cool" category, let down only by the alloy frame, different coloured wheels, broken mudguards and d-lock bracket, other than that definitely cool.


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## fossyant (22 Jan 2016)

Well, mine might get a bit 'cooler' - gone will be the lights and rack and it will be a training bike, no longer a commuter. Will drop the gear inches slightly


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## totallyfixed (22 Jan 2016)

fossyant said:


> Well, mine might get a bit 'cooler' - gone will be the lights and rack and it will be a training bike, no longer a commuter. Will drop the gear inches slightly


You might want to bring it down our way then, very little traffic, no potholes and hills that you will now be able to manage


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## TheDoctor (22 Jan 2016)

Well, I'm not sure if I'm cool or not. Is is cool to worry about such things?

Purple DynaTech Ti and chromo bonded frame.
Mismatched wheels.
Both brakes, with cross levers on a drop and chop bar.
Black bar tape, with purple tyres.
Rack.
SPDs.
Brompton saddle.
105 chainset with 39T ring, with 15T fixed and 17T freewheel IIRC.
Oh, and I've been touring on it. I suspect that doesn't help!


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## totallyfixed (22 Jan 2016)

TheDoctor said:


> Well, I'm not sure if I'm cool or not. Is is cool to worry about such things?
> 
> Purple DynaTech Ti and chromo bonded frame.
> Mismatched wheels.
> ...



On possible dodgy ground until the last line, on the contrary, you became uber cool [IMO].


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## TheDoctor (22 Jan 2016)

*highfives tf!*


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