# First post



## Pottsy (6 Jul 2007)

Oooh, can I be the first in this category, can I, can I !!

Just to qualify I have a Pompino fixed and a converted old 853 Kona Explosif set up as singlespeed.

Hi all.


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## Rhythm Thief (6 Jul 2007)

Hi Pottsy. I've got a fixed bike too, but it's in bits in the shed. I used to ride it a lot though.


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## Pottsy (6 Jul 2007)

Get those spanners out and build it back up! Then ride it of course too.

The Pomp was the first bike I've built myself and I really enjoyed the process (and learnt a lot too).


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## Trembler49 (6 Jul 2007)

I have a single speed MTB, which I love. I can't justify a fixed really because I don't go out on the road enough. Honest it's nothing to do with being old and fat and lazy!


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## christian dieu (6 Jul 2007)

I have ridden single speed and fixed for a few years now. Recently bought an Orange P7 One which has put the fun back into it for me as I selected Fox Vanilla 140's which just beg you to ride a bit madly!


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## piedwagtail91 (6 Jul 2007)

been riding a fixed (steel frame ,unknown make) for 10 months, wished i'd started years ago.
just did our clubs 200 miles in 24 hours on it. felt ok on the ride ,but could hardly move 2 days later.more miles needed i think!


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## Sore Thumb (6 Jul 2007)

ive been riding fixed to work on a langster. 48 front 16 rear. Around 220 miles a month.


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## rshall (7 Jul 2007)

I have bodged together a mid 90's Raleigh MTB into a road going singlespeed and it is great fun. Looking to either convert another bike to proper fixed/singlespeed (horizontal dropouts)or buy a dedicated machine. Must stop visiting LBS as he keeps tempting me with shiney things


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## graham56 (7 Jul 2007)

Never been on a fixie for 35 years ,it belonged to a mate of mine, and all i can remember about it were the words being shouted "keep pedalling; keep bloody pedalling". I`m sure i had to check my pants later-if you know what i mean.


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## migmiller (7 Jul 2007)

I'm just about to embark on this fixie lark. Am I mad.
A collector is building me a 1957 Bill Gameson frame into a pretty authentic recreation of what would have been about at the time.

As the day dawns I am becoming more nervous about taking it on

Apart from a full suit of armour any other tips


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## Pottsy (7 Jul 2007)

Top tip, like graham56 says, just keep pedaling.

It's a lot more strange sounding than it actually is doing. Once you try it, it's like, why didn't I do this before. I love the feeling of the momentum of the bike feeding my pedal strokes.


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## starseven (7 Jul 2007)

there is something about a singlespeed, bikes can get very complicated. I have just sold a singlespeed racer and a geared MTB. Favorite to replace them will be a single speed MTB. On One (edit) may be there first but you have to have one bike that is just a bike!!!


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## Amanda P (10 Jul 2007)

I'm slowly building up a fixie on a fairly nice old Peugeot frame. It'll be my first - I just wanted to find out what all the fuss was about, but I'm too cheap to buy one new. And they say that half the fun is building your own anyway.

I want to do the thing properly, so I've swapped the rear drop outs for track ends. Then I found that the track ends put the rear axle at the same height as the ends of the chain stays, while the drop outs had them half an inch lower. That meant I had to raise the rear brake bridge to clear the rear wheel, so there's been altogether more metalwork involved than I envisaged. It looks a bit messy now, but a little more tidying with a file and some emery cloth and I think it'll look OK. Plus the paint always makes everything look 100% better. Sometimes misleadingly...

I'll post some pics of the progress when I have them handy.

I got some fixed wheels from  these guys  - with the exchange rate as it is, it seemed a good deal. The rear needed a little truing, though of course I haven't ridden them yet... The bearings are _very_ smooth.

I've got all the bits I need, including a 48 tooth 165mm chainset (cheapish 1980s SR), except for brake cables. I've got an 18 tooth fixed sprocket - is that going to be a bit of a low gear for my flat commute, anyone?


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## NickM (10 Jul 2007)

Uncle Phil said:


> ...is that going to be a bit of a low gear for my flat commute, anyone?


71" on an average 700c tyre - sounds OK to me. Largely a matter of taste, but you don't want to find yourself being conditioned to pedal slowly. 

I use 48 x 19 (~68") on my flat London commute, and it suits me fine. My fixie has mudguards and robust tyres, so may be a bit slower than yours anyway.


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## laurence (10 Jul 2007)

i've got an Orange Clockwork set up for single speed. had the back re-welded with track ends. rides like a dream. when i ride it, that is.

L


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## Rhythm Thief (10 Jul 2007)

Mine is an anonymous chrome 531C frame with track ends. It's going rusty around the bottom bracket shell, so one day I'll strip it and rebuild it onto an _immaculate_ 50s Freddie Grubb road frame that my girlfriend's dad gave me. Should look like a classic when it's done.


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## migmiller (3 Aug 2007)

OMG the Gameson is here and it is just beautiful. Unlike the modern jobs it has quite a lot of air and little frame.

Tomorrow or Sunday will be the christening.

Apparently Tommy Godwin rode Gamesons but I cannot find any other info

I'm still a bit nervous as we gave up on the SS and have just gone fixed so if you live near Cheltenham and hear screaming it is either me having a ball or losing one


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## peejay78 (4 Aug 2007)

i have a fuji with lots of different bits on it, including nice wheels. 

in two weeks time i am getting my grubby paws on a bob jackson vigorelli. that gives me two weeks to work out how to break the news to my girlfriend. 

i think i may ask for two receipts, that's if the "i found it" line doesn't work. 

any excuse to post a pic:


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