Road Bikes and Frame Sets

[johnny4ever]

I have ridden them, I do not own one.

"Most" of the people I know riding fixed gear bike here in the USA are bike messengers. "Most" of them take foolish risks in traffic anyway so why not remove our brakes and fix the hub too...

Nothing wrong with "learning the dynamics" on a fixed gear but to put someone out on the road with traffic and other dangers without the ability to coast when his natural instict is going to be stop pedaling when applying the brakes is foolish. Using one in a more controled enviroment OK. I'm sure he can learn to do it but should this be his first road bike? Not in my opinion. And I will stand by that.

Please clear this up: Why would anyone ride a single speed bike with no brakes anywhere much less in traffic??

I thought a fixed gear was the same thing as a single speed. Am I to understand that a "fixed gear" bike has one speed and no brakes?


I made the mistake of going to the bikes shop today and revealing my noobie ideas about buying an older steel frame and building it up with parts of my own choosing. Needless to say, the shop guy stomped on my dreams. I went to the shop for parts and to get fitted on a road bike so I can search correctly for my steel frame. I think a 58 is the right fit but now more options and decisions. Do I want a road bike, cyclocross, or hybrid? I know to take some of the shop guys monologue with a grain of salt because he wants to sell me a bike but exactly how badly narrowed will my component options be if I try to outfit an older steel frame bike?

 

[crholliday]

A fixed gear does not freewheel like a single speed does. If you are moving on a fixie, the pedals are spinning. If you are moving on a single speed, you could be coasting and thus the pedals would not be moving.

The idea that a fixie should not be ridden in traffic is absurd. It is one of the best training devices a cyclist could employ. However, I dont advocate riding without a front brake. I also agree with Ozcal that it is not for everyone.

 

[Corbet]

I'd look for a classic/traditional race frame if your looking for one bike.

Cyclecross bikes are cool and mine is my personal choice to commute on. However the geometry is set up for a different kind of race. One that involves some off road riding in a kind of bicycle steeplechase. They do not offer the stability at speed or the cornering ability of a traditional race frame. But are a lot of fun.

When you say hybrid this means a road like frame, 700c wheels, with mtn bars to me. Is this what ou are asking? If so it will share more with the cyclecross bike than a traditional race bike. Might as well just put slicks on the mtn bike then.

Hope that helps.

 

[MJADDICTION]

Seems like the hair would be grown back in before the scab comes off. Wouldn't scraping all your skin off kinda take the hair too by default?

If you rip off enough skin to take all the hair off, you'll be looking at some Surgery to get a skin graft. NO, the hair stays there, with the first few layers of the skin gone. Then when you get your bike back up off of the ground, and get home. Take some tweezers and pick the gravel out, get some peroxide and some alcohol on that sucker (when you wiped out, you prob landed in that damn RedNecks chew plug), and clean the wound out... Cover it up with a big ass bandage and hope it heals up. We may look like sissies in the spandex, but it takes one hell of a tough athelete to really participate in this sport...

 

[Cruiserdrew]

It really isn't complicated. Many modern bike shops are mass retailers like so much of the US shopping experience. Look for a shop run by a family that's been there for many years. Every city has one. You need to just find a good frame and build it up. 58cm is a common size if you are in the six foot range. I'm 6'1" and ride 58 cm, but I've also had 60 cm that were ok. If you have to make the call, generally, slightly small is better than too big.

The trick will be sorting out the quality from the junk. That's where a good shop could really help.

 

[johnny4ever]

If you rip off enough skin to take all the hair off, you'll be looking at some Surgery to get a skin graft. NO, the hair stays there, with the first few layers of the skin gone. Then when you get your bike back up off of the ground, and get home. Take some tweezers and pick the gravel out, get some peroxide and some alcohol on that sucker (when you wiped out, you prob landed in that damn RedNecks chew plug), and clean the wound out... Cover it up with a big ass bandage and hope it heals up. We may look like sissies in the spandex, but it takes one hell of a tough athelete to really participate in this sport...

When I say "Bikefags" I mean those dudes that can freakin chew up hills and ride for miles. I have a huge respect for the physical accomplishments believe me but the costume is gayer than a speedo.

Hoping I can ride well enough to earn the right to wear sissy bike wear.

 

[OZCAL]

I have ridden them, I do not own one.

"Most" of the people I know riding fixed gear bike here in the USA are bike messengers. "Most" of them take foolish risks in traffic anyway so why not remove our brakes and fix the hub too...

Nothing wrong with "learning the dynamics" on a fixed gear but to put someone out on the road with traffic and other dangers without the ability to coast when his natural instict is going to be stop pedaling when applying the brakes is foolish. Using one in a more controled enviroment OK. I'm sure he can learn to do it but should this be his first road bike? Not in my opinion. And I will stand by that.

Yeaaah, I can see backpedaling is important to you.

Messengers use fixed gears because they are safer in traffic. You can stop on a dime. You can accelerate from the saddle. Your center of gravity stays at the bottom bracket, and doesn't transfer to the front wheel in braking situations, as it does on a bike with a freewheel.

It would be a foolish thing to say a fixed gear bike is safer than a freewheeler for a first time road bike, but the danger would be virtually eliminated by the steps I suggested. In any case, I would never suggest anyone rode in traffic. Further, he is more likely to crash in traffic messing around with gears, or throwing his chain shifting to a smaller chainring, than he is to crash from some "danger" you perceive from a fixed gear. I still can't figure out what danger you are talking about, given the steps I suggested.

Case in point - I worked in pro bike shops for years, and a very common new client was someone who walked their almost new bike in with one crash and stitches on the chin. Typically they had (incompletely) shifted to the small chainring as they pulled up to a red light, then accelerated away at the green light with the chain in no man's land but a sprung derailleur, and off goes the chain and over he goes on his face...in the middle of an intersection. This was because he bought a new bike from the middle of the range shop down the road, which was not professionally assembled and road tested.

You didn't ride a fixed gear long enough to get over that "instinct" to coast. I goes away quickly, probably before he finishes riding on the grass at the park.

 

[OZCAL]

...
Is there such a thing as non-gay road bike wear?

No. Road bike wear was almost dignified until about 1980 when lycra became the norm and jersey designs started to look like a Sonny and Cher skit.

 

[OZCAL]

We don't shave our legs for speed, you've got that confused with the swimmers. Shaved legs make it easier to pick out the gravel when some douch bag in a P-up, with a rebel flag on the back, runs your ass off the road. Hair and road-rash don't mix...

We shaved our legs because it was easier to talk the team girlfriend into a massage.

 

[OZCAL]

I ride my fixed gear with brakes, unlike track riders. In my mind a fixed gear is good for your pedalling motion, but no brakes in traffic would be stupid. ...

Please clear this up: Why would anyone ride a single speed bike with no brakes anywhere much less in traffic??

I thought a fixed gear was the same thing as a single speed. Am I to understand that a "fixed gear" bike has one speed and no brakes?

...

A fixed gear does not freewheel like a single speed does. If you are moving on a fixie, the pedals are spinning. If you are moving on a single speed, you could be coasting and thus the pedals would not be moving.

The idea that a fixie should not be ridden in traffic is absurd. It is one of the best training devices a cyclist could employ. However, I dont advocate riding without a front brake. I also agree with Ozcal that it is not for everyone.

Definitely you have to have at least one hand brake on a fixed gear. Your legs are the rear "brake", but if you pull your feet off the pedals you need an emergency brake. I said that in my first post.

 

[johnny4ever]

Officially looking for a 58cm road frame.

Comparing entry road and cyclocross frames of newer models.

Really want to find an older 70's through 90's frame. What limitations on components should I prepare for?