My 29-year old son, Michael, and I spent two mornings this week ebiking the Maui countryside...
Seems way overpriced considering the wheels you get with it.
Weighs the same as my Bowman Weald but I have nice carbon wheels and no electronic shifting
For that budget I could build something really nice and versatile
And that proprietary stem, tall headtube plus press fit BB kills it for me.
No mudguard eyelets either?
My 29-year old son, Michael, and I spent two mornings this week ebiking the Maui countryside...
I agree with Mr Smith , thats a lot of cash for a do it all bike. I feel a bit more soul searching on where you want to ride and what do you want to get out of it , plus a bit of research could net you a cracking road bike at 60/70% of the BMC road machines price. I know its cliche but we dont buy “ do it all shoes” do we, so apply your preferences for a first bike and if you get bitten by the bug you have some cash to put towards your second choice.
Thanks. This will be my 12th or so bike. I just wanted a 2nd opinion because I haven’t bought one since before Covid and everything in my size seems to be sold out! I wasn’t sure if this is a good value or not, but I decided to buy it. I found a slightly used example with less than 1000 miles on the clock and basically half price of RRP, so I thought it was a decent deal with the BMC frame and full Ultegra Di2. The wheels will be upgraded for next season.
I shouldn’t have said do it all bike, it’ll be a long distance road riding with an occasional multi day trip. Also on the road.
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Pawg , apologies I read this as an entree to cycling, so wrong. With 12 bikes under your belt then clearly you have done your homework. Turning to wheels I took advice off here and upgraded my Racing Fulcrums to hand built Malcolm Borg tubeless wheels ( £680) . As they say numbers dont lie and my Strava sections tumbled, so after 30 something years of hearing people saying wheels are the best upgrade I listened and acted.
Ultegra is a solid groupset and Di2 just lifts it . Enjoy and photos or it didn’t happen:)
Here's one of my Zwift Playlists for your indoor motivation
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/74...e88eeb549d4522
RIAC
Park Tool puncture repair kit?
I rode my e-Moulton TSR8 along to the supermarket in the next settlement, just under 6 miles from the house. There was a new Schwalbe lightweight inner tube on the front, replaced like for like. The old one had a hole too near the valve to fix it. Loaded up with shopping and about two miles from home the steering went wonky. I pulled over and discovered a flat front tyre. Not being the sort to rely on others I carry a good toolkit and spare tubes, so I whipped the tube out and put a new one in, pumped it up and re-assembled the bike. The puncture being on the spoke side of the tube, but no obvious spokes sticking out of the nipple. That's the first puncture in many years.
When I got home I whipped out the holed tube, marked the hole with a large cross with a pen and set about with the puncture repair kit. Long story short, the vulcanising solution tube was still sealed and appeared full, but when I broke the seal and pressed the tube there was nothing in it but air. ~`not even a whiff of the glue. Good job that I hadn't relied on it when out on the road. I had a Rema Tip Top puncture kit at home so that provided the solution to the problem. Once again, proof if it were needed that two is one and one is none!
I always tend to recommend Park Tool as makers of reasonable kit at reasonable prices. They have never let me down before. Two new Rema Tip Top kits ordered from Amazon, and a tube of Rema vulcanising solution ordered from Amazon. New rim tapes on order from SJS Cycles.
So, following the Olympics, I’ve decided to do something that I’ve always wanted to do, but never really got around to. I’m going to build a fixie!
I’m going to use a lot of parts from three or four other bikes, but had to buy a frame and some wheels as I’ve nothing suitable. Everything should be turning up over the next few week, then I’ll have to assemble it, I’m only aiming to use it for a local run around, and it is fairly flat around here, so I’m going with a 42/16 as a) this should be about right, and b) the wheels come with a 16, and I’ve got a 42 chain set!
I’ve never ridden a fixed wheel, and am looking forward to it, but also slightly nervous as you hear horror stories. Any tips will be welcome!
Cheers,
Ben
..... for I have become the Jedi of flippers
" an extravagance is anything you buy that is of no earthly use to your wife "
A Fixie is often seen as an excuse for no brakes. It’s a danger to the rider and those around him/her.
A single speed is a better idea
To be honest, I’ve tried single speeds before, and it is the challenge of the fixie that I want to try! Also, I’ve bought a flip-flop hub so that if I really hate it, I can immediately convert to a single speed.
I’m hoping that we will organise a club run to a velodrome to try the track, we’re just not quite that organised at the moment!
I'll vote for giving the fixed wheel a go. Have ridden them a lot and really do enjoy the ride. Did wonders for my technique and strength as a smooth pedal stroke and strong/stable core muscles are rewarded (even demanded) by these bikes.
The whole zen thing is real and the way you can control speed with your legs and ride for ages without touching the brakes is an absolute pleasure.
Definitely be cautious on the road but running a front brake I have never had an issue and commuted in city traffic for years hassle free though did not enjoy riding fixed in the wet!!
Be cautious if you go for a fully fledged track bike on the road as they are STIFF and knock you around plus no bottle mounts etc so very compromised. That said though on the velodrome where they belong they are superb.
If you get a chance to ride a proper velodrome it's amazing. Impossible to comprehend the first time you roll around the bottom of the track but you'll be up the top of the banking in no time and loving it. First go was the most terrified I've even been on a bike (even with having done huge alpine descents in terrible weather and mountain biked extensively the intimidation of the velodrome is very real). Fortunate to have a very high quality new timber track here and loved the sessions on it.
Give it a go and sure you won't regret it (until you forget to keep pedaling and it kicks you up the backside).
And just a word of warning in case you ever consider it, don't give fixed mountain biking a go!!! I tried and man it's hard work and really punishes any poor technique (for those not sensible enough to listen, look for the bolt on cogs that replace your disc rotor and you'll be riding fixed in no time).
(This is not aimed at you personally)Ive never ridden a fixie so just thinking out loud.
People who haven’t ridden fixed always seem to have an opinion but I would say go for it, obviously with a front brake.
I offer that advice as somebody who has ridden fixed since 2007, I even used to take it on club runs but now I just use it for short local rides and use my road bikes or brompton when appropriate.
I’m not a fan of SS on the road as it has none of the nuanced speed modulation of a fixed gear (rode SS mtb a lot which makes a lot of sense especially in the winter)
You have the option to flip the hub but remember you will need a back brake for the bike to be legal if not riding fixed.
What gear inch where you thinking of running? 68-72 is the sweet spot for me.
If you do go the track you will not be able to ride your fixed bike there without removing the brake calliper, fitting a pair of handlebars without the levers and likely fitting a smaller cog to get a decent gear to avoid spinning out.
The bits have started to arrive!
The frame is a Dolan urban frame set with bottle and mudguard bosses. I’ve opted for front and back brakes as I have a spare setup and want to use the levers to lean on. Also as mentioned, if I decide to go down the single speed route, I’m covered.
I’m going to be running a 44/16 as that is what I’ve been got, I’ve got a spare 38 tooth chain ring, but think it’ll be to low geared with that on. I’ll give it a go and see how I get on, the hills are OK where I am, so not envisaging to many problems, I’m fairly strong so think it’ll be OK!
I started gathering parts yesterday, stuff has started to arrive, I think the thing that is going to be slowest is the frame, which will slow things down some…
Still very excited to give it a go!
72.3 inches. if that’s too high for you then get a 17 or 18t. the 38 chainring will give you 62.4in which is very spinny.
Definitely go for it! Obviously, with a front brake unless you want to ride track only.
I used to ride fixed daily and did few longer rides during winter and all I can say it’s great if there’s no hills. Uphill is not that bad as if you choose your gearing wisely you can just find your rhythm, but I sincerely say - fu*k downhill on the fixie. It’s mostly manageable, but as soon as you hit a steeper, longer downhill, it’s not pleasant. Seems like a pointless excercise really.
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I've been riding fixed wheel for years, on the track and on the road.
Gear sizing is a personal thing, depending if you like to spin (high cadence v low cadence). I'm in the low cadence camp as I tend to push a big gear.
Also depends on the terrain that you normally cycle on. Don't pick too low a gear to get up hills cos then you'll spin madly on the descent. Fixed wheel uphill is good. Learn to push down & pull up on the pedals.
Put a front brake on and don't stop pedalling. Ever.
I'd love to ride a fixie again (my brother had one when I was a kid) but my usual cycling routes are just too climby. My dodgy knees wouldn't like it. If I lived somewhere flat though I'd be well up for it.
I set my Orange mountain bike up as a single speed ( not fixie) using the middle ring of the triple eg 32 ( outer and inner junked). Using a spacer kit from the USA I chose a 16 tooth rear so 2:1 using a Shimano free hub
On the local canal rides and gentle climbs it was unbeatable, so fast and quick to respond, but if it went up too much , it was mucho running.
I ride fixed most days on my commute 25 mile round trip. 48x19 suits me but 44x18 also. It's reasonably hilly in North Manchester. Remember to keep pedalling but the bike will remind you. I have front and rear brakes. Don't forget if you have track nuts or hex bolts on the hubs to pack a suitable tool to remove the wheel
Fixee fan here . Would not ride anything else around London. And yes I have two brakes , disc ones actually on my badboy. 42x16 my go to gear. Enjoy .
I do wish fixed riders would stop expressing ratios in chainrings, It’s gear inches!
Makes it easier to understand especially as several different chainring/sprocket combos are the same GI.
“I run 47x16 which is quite hard”
“Really that’s nothing, I run 41x14”
“You are both beginners, I run 50x17”
They are all the same...
My new ebike is 48/14 (Shimano), with just seven rear cogs. The cadence is particularly high in 7th at high speeds (20-28 mph). Thinking of swapping out the 48T chainwheel for a 54. My ebike runs 20"x 4" tires, BTW.
Thoughts?
Looks like a standard 4 bolt spacing and no front mech or chainstay issues so should be an easy swap. What about an 11t on the cassette? Is it a standard freehub?Thoughts?
It’s a moped not an e-bike?
I guess the law is very different in the U.S possibly different from state to state also.
What’s it like to pedal uphill with a flat battery?!
I did actually look in to using a fixed hub with discs, one of my donor bikes is a Cannondale Badboy with an Alfine hub, but couldn’t find any hubs/wheels suitable in my price range. So I’ll steal parts off it, and keep it until I manage to find something suitable at the right price! The other thing I’ve always wanted to do is to build my own wheels, but haven’t got round to that yet.
All in good time…
15m ‘Wildlife’ ride this morning
A large buzzard really close up- then a seal and finally a dolphin off the harbour arm
Fantastic
That depends on the wheel and tyre size. My bikes have 18”, 20” and 26” wheels.
Sheldon Brown is helpful
Which is why the calculators allow you to put the tyre size in! Your bikes could all have the same gear chainrings/cogs but all be different to pedal which is why gear inches make sense.
How far you travel for each turn of the pedals, no need to make it more complicated than that.
(Though there is an argument to switch that to metric but some bike things things have stuck with inches)
Riders of fixed will typically say that they ride a 72 inch gear (or whatever). This dates back to the ‘Penny Farthing’ or ‘Ordinary’ cycling days when the gear size or gear inch was described as being the diameter in inches of the large front wheel which the cranks had a direct feed in to. The distance travelled for one full turn of the pedals could be worked out by multiplying the diameter of the front wheel by pi (3.14). The size of the front wheel & hence size of the gear would be naturally limited by the rider’s inside leg measurement!
Last edited by trident-7; 21st August 2021 at 16:52.
Interesting development from Shimano.
F.T.F.A.
Hi Dadam sorry I didnt see this question earlier . I went for Borg 26 2.1 with sealed hubs. I didnt need the deep section and it was my first venture into custom built wheels. I had them fitted in April and from day 1 they have been true. Borg heat relieve there wheels post spoke tensioning so there is no “ pinging “ or spokes loosening off. As its my summer bike and competes with two others I have only done about 5->800 miles on them , but they have been great. In the first couple of rides my Strava pbs improved by about 15 secs on say 5 min sections consistently.
They are lovely for climbing and still give a compliant ride.
Lastly Malcom Borg is so easy to deal with, email enquiries are replied either same day or latest next day. Often he replies around 10pm the same day. Build lead time was 3.5 weeks and they delivered on that.
Hope this helps even if I didnt go for the 45’s
Steve
To be honest it would be nicer if they sorted out their supply chain and actually delivered some of the current components. If you’re trying to get 105 or Ultegra spares at the moment there’s a minimum ) month wait.
I agree. Both bike shops and sellers have got greedy this year and it wont go unnoticed by the loyal. Production has already returned to pre covid levels with overtime welcome by all to compensate for lack of earnings. That coupled with delivery improving should return some bike shops arrogance and cockyness back to an acceptable level.
Moving forward you wont be able to buy a decent mechanical groupset within 3 years all 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace will be electric only.
I also think we will see a fairly healthy supply of Rim Brakes sales for quite a while if not forever.
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RIAC
Went to the flea market this morning which is normally 90% clothes and 10% overpriced toys and assorted crap. Did manage to find something rather cool though, a seemingly all original Suntour XC Pro / TXL21 / Wheelsmith front wheel from I guess around 92. I think these were spec‘ed on bikes like the original Specialized M2 works so pretty top-end for the time. A bit of a bargain at €3 !
Just began winter bike prep (how depressing), finally got round to putting on my 32mm gp 4 seasons which replaced a set of 38mm continental sport contacts and the difference is night and day. The 4 seasons are so much quicker than the outgoing set of wheels, lots of fun to ride so thanks to those who recommended these tyres. Got a pair of mudguards on their way so those will be installed at the weeekend then the gravel bike is ready to go for worse weather.
Ha, how about that. How long did you have to wait for them? Definitely interested to hear how you get on with the switch.
Thanks for that info
Last edited by ~dadam02~; 7th September 2021 at 07:36.
As much as I love my bike I sometimes wish there was more branding on it
I’ve got some new decals coming today
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAR-SAM-...-127635-2958-0
What’s everyone’s thoughts? Do it or don’t do it. Will they be easy to remove if I’m not keen?
Last edited by ManCityDG; 8th September 2021 at 10:17.