The R3V Bicycle Thread

[Mtriple]

More SS...

[TwoJ's]

Now there's a 'function driven' bike. Has real brakes, can climb steep hills or cruise at fairly high speeds, go off road and the list goes on and on.

Joking. That would all make sense if it were not a single gear. Now just some of it makes sense.

I have to admit the fixed gear bikes look cool because there's nothing on them. But that's about all they do for me. I enjoy being able to cruise at 25-30mph as well as climb hills at relatively high speeds and even be able to stop quickly if the need arises. They're probably cool for just putting around town and for racing, but for actually going places, I'll stick with my road bike.

Just my cup-o-tea I guess.

[Mtriple]

Now there's a 'function driven' bike. Has real brakes, can climb steep hills or cruise at fairly high speeds, go off road and the list goes on and on.

Joking. That would all make sense if it were not a single gear. Now just some of it makes sense.

I have to admit the fixed gear bikes look cool because there's nothing on them. But that's about all they do for me. I enjoy being able to cruise at 25-30mph as well as climb hills at relatively high speeds and even be able to stop quickly if the need arises. They're probably cool for just putting around town and for racing, but for actually going places, I'll stick with my road bike.

Just my cup-o-tea I guess.

For me, SS is all about the functionality and the simplicity...

[Erik]

Okay guys, shopping for new tires, and I want to add a little zest into the mix. I can get celeste matched in a particular set of Vittoria's, but from most accounts I've heard they're pretty mediocre. However, red striped tires are available in a lot more choices.

Do not. I think that looks way too awkward.

[Farbin Kaiber]

there's a web netting that you can get to hold down bandages instead of tape. comes as a tube and you roll it over the bandage...usually does a good job of keeping stuff covered especially when your sweating (it was put on me a few times by race doctors when i used to race years ago). uncomfortable at first, but you forget it is there.

dont remember what its called though.... :(

Coband?

[atomic]

Shitty cell phone pic, but something I just saw in town.

[e30evolution]

Now there's a 'function driven' bike. Has real brakes, can climb steep hills or cruise at fairly high speeds, go off road and the list goes on and on.

Joking. That would all make sense if it were not a single gear. Now just some of it makes sense.

I have to admit the fixed gear bikes look cool because there's nothing on them. But that's about all they do for me. I enjoy being able to cruise at 25-30mph as well as climb hills at relatively high speeds and even be able to stop quickly if the need arises. They're probably cool for just putting around town and for racing, but for actually going places, I'll stick with my road bike.

Just my cup-o-tea I guess.

I rode my fixed bike on the STP no problem.... average speed ~20 was in a pace line for about 2 hours at 25-28 (about died trying to keep up on some of the longer decents). And gurantee I climb hills at higher speeds than people with gears.

Its kinda funny i own 4 bikes, and dont have a single derailer.

[scabzzzz]

I started relacing my wheels last night.

Ben - Wtf is your roommate smokin? Why did he lace the wheels like that? 3 cross on the freewheel side and radial on the driveline? And the same for the front. 3 cross and then radial ? Doesnt make sense.

[TwoJ's]

I rode my fixed bike on the STP no problem.... average speed ~20 was in a pace line for about 2 hours at 25-28 (about died trying to keep up on some of the longer decents). And gurantee I climb hills at higher speeds than people with gears.

Its kinda funny i own 4 bikes, and dont have a single derailer.

Well that's pretty cool. I just know that I can cruise and climb faster on my road bike. That would be kind of hilarious to see you go down a large hill. I don't know if you've heard of RAGBRAI, but it is a huge ride across Iowa in August, and at the end of the last day last year there was a huge hill at the end. I threw it in top gear and pedaled my ass off and I hit 51 mph. That was the coolest fucking part of the trip. I wish I would have seen someone on a fixie on that hill.

[devonjordan]

Where can I go to learn more about road bikes...? Any good forums?

Also, Im 6'1", and about 260... FATTY. Im thinking a frame around 58-60 is about right for me, for a road bike...? This is my new workout plan, haha, Im not dedicated enough for the gym, so Im commuting on my old Mtn Bike right now.

[quikveedb2]

Now there's a 'function driven' bike. Has real brakes, can climb steep hills or cruise at fairly high speeds, go off road and the list goes on and on.

Joking. That would all make sense if it were not a single gear. Now just some of it makes sense.

I have to admit the fixed gear bikes look cool because there's nothing on them. But that's about all they do for me. I enjoy being able to cruise at 25-30mph as well as climb hills at relatively high speeds and even be able to stop quickly if the need arises. They're probably cool for just putting around town and for racing, but for actually going places, I'll stick with my road bike.

Just my cup-o-tea I guess.

fixies were build for getting around the city quickly and provide a very different & intimate sense of what riding a bike is like, they are also very good for perfecting ones cadence and make great climbers if you are in shape (no dead spot in pedaling cycle). the single speed was the first iteration of the bike after the fixed gear, when the freewheel was created. ss mtbs/roadies were designed to circumvent the issues that go with having a cable-tension-based drivetrain and to create a more efficient system, the original road bikes were single speed too. i'll give you that a geared drivetrain has it's virtues, i love riding dh, where you'd top out in no time without some serious high gearing going on.

on to the point, damn near every bike in existence was build with a specific use in mind, a function. my bmx bike has 1 gear, does that mean it has no function? my dirt jumper only has 8, is my old 10-speed roadie more funtional or better because it has 2 more gears? is my RMX better than my 575 because it has more travel? no, they are built for different things and are functional in the environment for which they were designed. road bikes are good for riding on the road long distances while eating lots of shot blocks and considering what brightly colored spandex outfit and $600 carbon bars you should buy after some asshole in a F350 runs you into a ditch and you ruin your elbow warmers, or for training for mtb racing. point is fixies are more than just cool looking, they are functional, as are most other bikes out there.

/rant.

[T3rd Ferguson]

my MKS clip snapped into two pieces last night

[skota]

chain manual? WHAT?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iufHS2ksXxw

[quikveedb2]

^^kewl. i love my fit.

[Erik]

That's crazyyy. If you haven't seen Roam, you fail at life.

Here's Ryan Leech's Prague segment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThLSXiOn0HE