# Thinking of getting a single speed.



## croyde (20 Jul 2010)

So I have been riding my Giant M1 26 ins wheels, using the front 48 cog with a 17 rear and not changing gear all week. Not too bad unless I have got the gearing way off and it's a heavy bike, about 15 kgs. Went on a 25 mile run yesterday as I was off work and even got up the steep bit in Richmond Park at the Robin Hood Gate and later back up that slope at Ham Gate. Couldn't get faster than 17/18 mph on the flat tho'.

Have to say I was knackered today and legs ache.

Am I ready?

I fancy the Langster but non of the stores have it in stock and want a deposit just to get one in so I can have a look. If I like it in the flesh I'll want to have a go but I have to see it first. I like the look of the Allez Elite so is the black Langster pretty similar and the 56 cm Allez fits me like a glove so would the same size Langster be OK.

Sorry for the amount of questions but the lbs have not been too helpful. Maybe I'll look to eBay or Gumtree as there is not much to go wrong with a ss.

Cheers.


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## swee'pea99 (20 Jul 2010)

Yup. If you can do that on a 15kg bike, you'll fly on a Langster. Or similar. Or indeed anything around the 10kg mark running on 23mm slicks at 100psi +/-. Go for it. Enjoy!


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## GrumpyGregry (20 Jul 2010)

Do it. You'll love it. and if you don't the s/h market is thriving.


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## croyde (21 Jul 2010)

Thanks guys.

My local Evans had one in my size on the floor so they let me have it for half an hour. Boy is it light! Really enjoyed myself and got used to it's twitchyness, compared to my heavy solid Giant, very quickly and it was surprisingly comfortable over the bad road surfaces.

Returned the bike and was going to think about it but they knocked 10% off the price so I said yes. £405 and they are ordering one in to be picked up on Friday.

Good thing it's black which means between you lot and the garden shed the missus will never twig that I have 2 bikes. I'll just tell her I have got some spare drops if she ever notices that difference.


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## croyde (27 Jul 2010)

Well she saw me bringing it through the house yesterday after a 46 mile round trip to see a mate and she didn't twig.

Loving the Langster and did a quick 15 on it as soon as I picked it up last Fri and I flip flopped the wheel this evening to try out this fixed business. Took it slowly and thought all was ok until approached the massive speed bump and tried to freewheel over as I normally do and could not understand why my feet suddenly flew off the pedals.

I only did about a couple of miles as my young daughter was following but I think I was getting used to the idea but I would not be to sure about getting straight into the cut and thrust of London commuting traffic. During a high stress situation, ie crossing Hyde Park Corner, I'd be bound to forget and do something daft.

Going to keep practising and already like the way the brakes are not needed so often and the ability to stay on the pedals whilst stationary.


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## swee'pea99 (28 Jul 2010)

Ah yes, the speed bumps...always good for a laugh! You'll get used to those surprisingly quickly. The next one to look out for is when you're going round a corner and things are, for whatever reason, not entirely straightforward. One thing your brain will make you do is stop pedaling while you think the situation through...which is when Mr Bike will take over, completely wrong-footing you. 

None of which will detract from your enjoyment. You'll fill your pants a couple of times... but you'll have a great time!


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## crumpetman (29 Jul 2010)

[quote name='swee'pea99' timestamp='1280331037' post='1344089']
Ah yes, the speed bumps...always good for a laugh! You'll get used to those surprisingly quickly. The next one to look out for is when you're going round a corner and things are, for whatever reason, not entirely straightforward. One thing your brain will make you do is stop pedaling while you think the situation through...which is when Mr Bike will take over, completely wrong-footing you. 

None of which will detract from your enjoyment. You'll fill your pants a couple of times... but you'll have a great time!


[/quote]



Yes, don't lean over too far either because you cannot position the pedals to be out of the way


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## Rob3rt (29 Jul 2010)

If you ride a proper track frame with a high BB you shouldnt have too much a problem unless you lean pretty drastically


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## colinr (29 Jul 2010)

Any bike sold as SS/fixed _should_ be designed with enough BB clearance for normal riding.
I've never managed a pedal strike on mine anyway.


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## 4F (29 Jul 2010)

Have you been down a steep hill yet ?    B)


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## redddraggon (29 Jul 2010)

Freewheels are a cop out, keep it on the fixed side.

are you using clipless pedals too? I'd recommend it if you aren't.


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## Femto (29 Jul 2010)

One of my mates has a Charge Plug. He saw me gawking at it last weekend and he said when I'm over for his housewarming, I can give it a go. Looking forward to that one. I may be slightly crazy for thinking about ss/fixed as I live on the edge of the pennines but I'm pretty strong, or so I'm told. 

By the way reddragon; would you go with SPDs on a fixie or some other type of clipless pedals? I'm used to spuds mind you...


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## Rob3rt (29 Jul 2010)

redddraggon said:


> Freewheels are a cop out, keep it on the fixed side.
> 
> *are you using clipless pedals too? I'd recommend it if you aren't.*



+1 You can really tell the difference, especially if your currently wearing normal shoes that seem to bend like bananas round the pedals like my plimsoles did on the recent club ride


Femto, I use Look Keo, dont like them, but have them  But atm they are on my road bike, hence riding recently in plimsoles. Reddragon didnt think it looked very comfortable, hah.


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## 4F (29 Jul 2010)

Femto said:


> One of my mates has a Charge Plug. He saw me gawking at it last weekend and he said when I'm over for his housewarming, I can give it a go. Looking forward to that one. I may be slightly crazy for thinking about ss/fixed as I live on the edge of the pennines but I'm pretty strong, or so I'm told.
> 
> By the way reddragon; would you go with SPDs on a fixie or some other type of clipless pedals? I'm used to spuds mind you...




SPD's work fine


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## redddraggon (29 Jul 2010)

I have SPDs on my Langster, and Ribble. They do the job fine, See no reason to change.

I like my SPD-SLs on my proper road bike though.


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## Femto (29 Jul 2010)

4F said:


> SPD's work fine


Cool. Okay, one other question rattled around my head about this:

On my road bike, I usually uncliip well in advance if I think I'm gonna have to stop or otherwise put my foot down. While running fixed, is this an issue? By this, I mean; if I did unclip am I very likely to get a spud in the back of my leg?

What's the preferred method? Am I missing an important/useful bit of info?


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## redddraggon (29 Jul 2010)

You'll pick up clipless fixed riding pretty quickly especially if you are used to riding clipless with a freewheel. It'll become natural after 5mins.


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## Femto (29 Jul 2010)

redddraggon said:


> You'll pick up clipless fixed riding pretty quickly especially if you are used to riding clipless with a freewheel. It'll become natural after 5mins.



Oh yeah, I'm definitely used to it. Flat pedals feel strange now. I'm used to pulling the pedals upwards. I think I'd tire out a lot faster on a climb if I could only use downstroke.


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## 4F (29 Jul 2010)

Femto said:


> Cool. Okay, one other question rattled around my head about this:
> 
> On my road bike, I usually uncliip well in advance if I think I'm gonna have to stop or otherwise put my foot down. While running fixed, is this an issue? By this, I mean; if I did unclip am I very likely to get a spud in the back of my leg?
> 
> What's the preferred method? Am I missing an important/useful bit of info?




To start with you can unclip but still keep your foot on the pedal until you come to a halt. After a while you soon get used to it and now I don't unclip until I am virtually stationary.

The other thing to get the hang of is getting your foot in the right position to then be able to move off. I press the front brake, lean forward to unweight the bike and then with the clipped in foot move to desired position.
Again after a bit of practice it is now 2nd nature.


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## Femto (29 Jul 2010)

4F said:


> To start with you can unclip but still keep your foot on the pedal until you come to a halt. After a while you soon get used to it and now I don't unclip until I am virtually stationary.
> 
> The other thing to get the hang of is getting your foot in the right position to then be able to move off. I press the front brake, lean forward to unweight the bike and then with the clipped in foot move to desired position.
> Again after a bit of practice it is now 2nd nature.



Well I do sometimes unclip very late but as a rule I unclip and then, as you say, keep my foot on the pedal. Sometimes I don't need to stop and I can just clip back in and continue. I'm sure it'll become second nature once I've tried it. 

[QUOTE 1135486"]
Learn to trackstand
[/quote]

The thought has definitely crossed my mind. Maybe, if I do get a fixie (highly likely), I'll do some practice on my street first.


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## robin IX (31 Jul 2010)

Trackstands on fixed are easy compared to freewheel and brakes.


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## croyde (1 Aug 2010)

So I have been practising fixed on my new Langster but how the hell do you guys have any control over the bike when speeding downhill. Blimey! it's hard.

I switched back to freewheel last night as I do so like freewheeling down hills and thus able to concentrate on steering and braking.

Hats off to you fixie types.


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## 4F (1 Aug 2010)

croyde said:


> So I have been practising fixed on my new Langster but how the hell do you guys have any control over the bike when speeding downhill. Blimey! it's hard.



lol , certainly that is a wake up call when you go down a hill for the first time fixed.

It takes a while but the thing to do is to relax your legs so they are in a controlled spin. It takes a bit of getting used to and I have managed to top out at 34 (200 rpm) which is less then certainly others can do.

For me that was starting to feel uncomfortable and now about 170 rpm is what I feel happiest with.


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## robin IX (1 Aug 2010)

I found that if I let the pedals move my legs round it feels uncontrollable but if I'm trying to keep pressure on the pedals it seems smoother.


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## Gaspode (2 Aug 2010)

same here - as soon as you take the pressure off, it gets a bit 'iffy'......


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## Rob3rt (4 Aug 2010)

Learn to relax your legs and let the bike pedal you. Tap the brakes every now and then when you feel its getting too fast to avoid the runaway train sensation. If you fight the bike with your legs constantly your knee's will be shot!


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## Gaspode (5 Aug 2010)

Thanks for the advice - although to be honest, I think my knees are already shot - probably part of the problem!


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