The Fixie Thread

idesa

idesa

Likes Bikes
Hey Arete I thought those Bulletproof cranks cranks came with a chainring?

Lookin the goods mate ;)
 
Dicky

Dicky

Punter God
caveman_01 said:
.... but while you guys are on the subject, how do you remove the free wheel on the hub?
Click to expand...
You'll need a freewheel removal tool - your LBS should have a few.
Take the wheel with you, in case it's something odd - there are a few different (although rare) designs out there.

Here's where it gets a bit interesting.

There's two basic types of threaded hub:


a freewheel (or 'suicide') hub, which has just one size thread,



or a REAL track hub, which has two different diameter, different threaded sections.


^^ this one's a flip-flop hub, so you can run fixed on one side, freewheel on the other, or two different sized fixed cogs.

The smaller diameter thread is for a track lockring, and is lefthand threaded - so there's no chance that 'reverse thrust' / skids etc will unscrew the cog.


The first hub lacks this feature, so people generally resort to a metric sh!tload of Loctite, and/or English threaded bottom bracket lockrings, and/or a technique called rotafixing (head over to fixedgeargallery.com for instructions) to keep the cog from unscrewing itself. (It's cheaper and easier than buying a track hub.)

If you're removing a freewheel, the first hub is what you're working with, so do some reading before you put it together or contemplate riding the thing :D
 
Last edited:
Pete J

Pete J

loves his dog
I thought i'd revive this thread to ask a question for the fixed heads out there!
I just picked up some MKS track pedals (pictured) but the supplier couldn't get hold of the toe clips i wanted, does anyone know any shops in Oz that stock these kinds of things? I have tried Googling it but for some reason i can't search Australian only sites, not sure what the problem is there though...
I bought these pedals ->

and want these toe clips in L ->


I haven't got a creditcard here so ordering from OS is difficult, however over there my folks can help me out! :D
Cheers for any help.
 
Last edited:
Binaural

Binaural

Eats Squid
I don't know what it is about the fixie thing, but this thread could do double duty as a "post your beautifully fixed up old bikes here" thread. I don't actually like fixed gears much, but I often stick my head in here to see the latest restoration. As a consequence I am fighting the urge to pick up an old italian steel roadie to restore. Damn you all!

PS Pete, try entering www.google.com.au and it will force the loading of the Australian site. For example, I can search the google Belgium site by using www.google.com.be just by entering the name manually...
 
R

Rik

logged out
Pete J said:
and want these toe clips in L ->
Click to expand...
Ummm, ahhh, you're wanting toeclips that don't have a strap, just a plastic "cup" that is a bit shorter than standard? I used to sell them all the time back in the shop, damned if I know what brand it was but I'll ask my shopworker brother tonight. They shouldn't be too hard to find if my memory serves me correctly.

PM me as a reminder if I don't have an answer by Monday.
 
Pete J

Pete J

loves his dog
Rik said:
Ummm, ahhh, you're wanting toeclips that don't have a strap, just a plastic "cup" that is a bit shorter than standard? I used to sell them all the time back in the shop, damned if I know what brand it was but I'll ask my shopworker brother tonight. They shouldn't be too hard to find if my memory serves me correctly.
PM me as a reminder if I don't have an answer by Monday.
Click to expand...
Well, sort of, except they aren't plastic. This particular clip is much thicker than the usual ones that are designed to be used with straps, i don't particularly like straps but still want the front of my foot secured (with normal shoes on).
MKS make a number of different styles of clips and i believe these are called mini's. edit; MKS half clips
Cheers for that though, let's just hope i remember as well! :eek:

Binaural said:
PS Pete, try entering www.google.com.au and it will force the loading of the Australian site. For example, I can search the google Belgium site by using www.google.com.be just by entering the name manually...
Click to expand...
I do exactly that but lately i can't get the option to search 'Australian only' sites. When i first got here i was able to, however now is just says Google Australia and leaves out the extras.

edit: just solved it! I always view Google.com.au in Finnish but changing the page to the English version gives the 'pages from Australia' option.
Geez i am a numbnut sometimes... :(
 
Last edited:
R

Rik

logged out
Cool, this is what I was thinking of. You can see there's alot more plastic on them than standard clips, hence they're rigid enough to allow a bit of pulling up without them flexing and slipping. That's a generic brand and I'm still struggling to remember who does them. Maybe they'd be an equivilent that you'd like?

edit: regarding google search, if you use "site:.au" in your search you'll come back with only .au domains (australian sites), same can be done for any domain... if you want to search farkin using google, you'd use site:.farkin.net, it's pretty handy.
 
Dicky

Dicky

Punter God
Hey Pete,

If you haven't already tried, head over to www.fixed.org.au - the lads there should be able to track some down for you.
There's a few decent links to Aussie importers too.
 
Sleeman

Sleeman

Likes Dirt
Another option if you are still searching is checking out Dan Hale's work at Shifter Bikes. He seems to be able to get his hands on all things fixed. By the way, he is based in Melbourne
 
J

JDB

Likes Dirt
I ended up geting a set of MKS toe clips and sexy red straps from an eBay seller in the USA called Bens Bikes or something. Love the shiny old school pedals and cages. I ended up getting the tourer pedals and XL toe clips due to my stupidly large (size 14) feet. But only cost about $60 all up for the pedals, clips and straps.

 
Oracle

Oracle

Likes Dirt
Please excuse my ignorance, and I don't mean to be rude, but why ride a fixed geared bike? Is riding a fixie more of a 'cycling purist' type statement, or is there some other concept I'm missing?

Reason I'm asking is I saw a couple at my last local race and just don't understand why someone would prefer to ride/race a non geared bike around an XC track - even though some of those blokes were bloody fast. I realise you should be able to knock a couple of hundred grams of weight off a fixed compared to a geared bike (cogs, shifters, cabling etc) but is there something else I'm missing?

Cheers, Lee
 
LordNikon

LordNikon

Uber Geek
Matt from Kookie Bikes is another good resource for all things track and fixed.

www.kookiebikes.com

As for the whole fixed gear thing, people will tell you it's a Zen experience and blah blah blah... Can't say I've noticed anything like that.


I ride fixed because I like the simplicity, turn the pedals to go forwards/faster, push backwards to slow down / stop. That's it. Although I do run a front brake at least (1 of my fixies has 2, because the brake bosses on the frame look ridiculous without a cable).
 
LTR

LTR

Annoys the hell out of Grip!
I ride fixed because its faster. It has also made me a far quicker rider on the road bike... i dont stop pedalling.... ever.
 
n plus one

n plus one

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Oracle said:
Reason I'm asking is I saw a couple at my last local race and just don't understand why someone would prefer to ride/race a non geared bike around an XC track - even though some of those blokes were bloody fast.
Click to expand...

Fixie or single speed? and yes fixie is a zen thing - a f##k maintenance zen thing....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top