FIXED = MACHISMO??

Today I was bouncing around on the intarweb trying to find a track frame for my dad, and I came across a San Diego Union-Tribune article from 2006, about a hazardous new cycling trend: fixed gear bikes. This article, written by one Hannah Karp, is totally unresearched, and I encourage you all to check it out in its entirety here. Here is a brief overview of the main points (and my commentary in response):

- "Fixed-gear models have pedals chained directly to the rear wheel." (Hmm, that sounds dangerous!)

-On a fixie, "because riders can't stand up in the saddle to coast, long rides can result in reduced blood flow to the reproductive organs, which studies suggest may lead to impotence." (What about all the time spent standing up in the saddle to climb hills?!)

-"Macho types... revel at riding a bike they can stop only with their own brute strength." (yup, if any word describes fixie kids, it's 'Macho'!)

-"Don't go ride it in traffic. That would be suicidal." (Ever driven 80 mph on a rush-hour freeway in LA? That's suicidal!)

Thanks, Hannah Karp, for that insightful look into the terrifying world of fixed gear outlaws and all those Macho kids chasing death on bikes with their pedals chained to their wheels!

The Mongrel SS

Today I finished the Ross single speed that I have been working on this week.  I had intended to sell it, seeing as the frame has just been sitting around gathering rust for about 6 months in my shed... but when I got it all together and took it for a spin I kind of fell in love. It's truly a mongrel of a bike- completely Frankensteined together from the mangled limbs of other projects.  There is something about the geometry of the frame that I really dig. It's not the best handling, lightest, or smoothest ride ever (although I would like to take credit for a particularly fine hub overhaul,) but it moves like some dark beast bred of forbidden bike love. 80's Ross Steel lugged frame, SR stem, short chopped Diamondback bars, Oury grips, Pyramid Cranks (44t chainring), SR racing pedals, blue KMC 1/8" chain, 16t Dicta freewheel, DiaComp Bulldog BMX front brake with modified calipers, wheels randomly selected from the pile in the shed. My buddy Rog is selling me a white seat to top it all off. I can't lie.  It's a beautiful creation.

USE YOUR SOLE BRAKES!

I included the option "Portland Stick Stop" in this week's poll on brake preference, so I thought I'd post a video demonstrating this phenomena for those of you who are unaware of the legal ramifications of riding fixt without the proper stopping mechanism, at least in Portland, Oregon.  So here it is!  Enjoy.

LOCK DOWN

Lately in SLO it seems like there is an epidemic of bike thefts. Craigslist is littered with reports of stolen bikes. All these disappearing bikes have got me worried, even though i am always careful lock mine up. The last theft alert I saw, though, was posted by a guy who had his cable cut in broad daylight, right in the middle of the Cal Poly campus. That did it for me, and I decided that it was time to ditch the decently sturdy cable lock I usually use in favor of something much more heavy duty. The problem is, I'm not made of money, and the burly chain/lock combos sold by companies like Kryptonite are pretty expensive- they run anywhere between $30 and $75. So I did what any man worth his salt would do: I went to my local hardware store and bought 3 1/2 feet of big ass chain, and then hit the fabric store to pick out something for a home made protective sleeve. Total cost, about 15 bucks. My wife is pretty handy with the sewing machine, and she stitched me up a chain covering that rivals anything you can buy at the bike shop. I took it on a test ride this evening and it works great, although I think I might shorten it by a link on each side so it fits more snugly around my torso as I ride. It already has some chain grease on it, which is the bike version of the champagne bottle on the bow of the ship, I guess. Also, don't forget to vote for your favorite braking system in this week's poll in the right hand sidebar!

OLD PARTS, DIFFERENT BIKE

Lately I have been thinking that instead of owning 2 fixies, maybe I should just own one really sick one. My wife has been telling my this for months. I know, it's crazy. But here's my plan. I've decided to sell my Azuki, otherwise known as the Black Plague. It's always been a bit big for me, and in all fairness I love my '79 Peugeot more.  So I decided to steal the risers and stem off the Azuki before I sell it. I made a trip to Art's to buy some Yellow Oury's and got a flat on the way.  As I was fixing it, the tire lever slipped and my hand slammed into the pavement.  I think I fractured my thumb- it's purple and swollen. Anyway, in the end I ended up with some really nice risers I can trade with my pursuits when I get the itch. I am also planning on upgrading the Windsor wheelset I am currently riding to matte black Wienemann Deep V's sometime in the next couple of months.

HAIRCUT, ETC.

I've needed a haircut pretty badly for a while now, but Hank has been taking up so much time that it's pretty hard for my wife to play barber and mom at the same time. So today I decided to take matters into my own hands and cut my hair by myself. I have never done this before, and it turns out that it is really, really hard to do. I actually stabbed myself in the corner of my right eye with the scissors at one point. However, I managed to give myself a sort of mohawk/mullet thing that more or less resembles the DIY do's of the popular kids these days and, strangely enough, matches Hank's style as well. Here are some pics of us showing off our matching hair and rocking out. 

In other news, the results of last week's poll were unanimously in favor of the Half-Link as the preferred method of keeping a tight chain on a bike with vertical dropouts. No one voted for the Chain Tensioner, which makes sense considering its hideous appearance, but I was kind of disappointed that no one chose to cast their lot with the Saggy Baggy Chain! I thought at least someone would be purist enough to let it sag.  Anyway, check out the new poll for the week and choose your favorite style of handlebars. Assert your democratic ideals and vote, goddammit!

HOW COULD I PASS THIS UP?

Yesterday I went to Art's to pick up some components to finish the Motobecane and I made the mistake of perusing the tool rack before checking out. Turns out they had just gotten a shipment of the new "Trixie" fixed gear multi-tool made by Pedro's. I couldn't pass it up. Hell, I didn't want to! The tool is made of forged steel, and features a lockring spanner on one end and a 15mm box wrench on the other. It also has 8mm, 9mm, and 10mm box wrenches, a 5mm hex wrench, and the requisite bottle opener. At $27 it's a steal. A lockring spanner alone will cost you that much.

I have to admit that the final selling point for me was the fact that the tool includes a set of wingnuts that can be used to attach it to the water bottle bosses on any frame. The style points alone on this one make its purchase a no brainer, but the really great part is that I don't have to carry all these tools separately with me on my daily commute anymore. My previous method of securing my lockring involved a mallet and a flathead screwdriver, which are completely impractical to carry with me, obviously. Now, if my lockring loosens as I cheat death skidding around the back end of a car driven by some douchebag turning right with no blinker at the bottom of the hill on Santa Rosa, I'm set. If you want to buy one of these, you should check with your LBS first; otherwise you can order one from my favorite online distributor, Ben's Milwalkee Cycle.

MOTOBECANE CONVERSION

Today I finally finished my latest single speed project, a late 70s Motobecane Mirage. I bought the frame on Craigslist about a month ago, and I've been slowly building it up using mostly spare parts. I'm happy with the way that it turned out, although there were some frustrating moments, such as the hour I spent trying to remove the cluster on the rear wheel only to find out after some extensive research that Maillard Helico Matic hubs have a weird spiral and lockring system that makes them impossible to convert to single speed. Also, don't ever use the bar plugs that come with Prologo tape. EVER. Rarely have I encountered anything so badly designed. They will shred your tape and the 3 part system is rediculous. I should have just bought different plugs for 50 cents, but I got mad and decided that this was a battle I was not going to lose. Turns out, nobody wins when plastic hex bolts are involved... in the end it was more like an uneasy truce. This is the first time I have used Prologo tape, and even though it's a fairly comfy cork feel, I think next time I'll spend the extra couple of bucks on Fizik. Anyway, I love the bike; it rides smooth and is quite light. Perks include vintage SR drops, cool integrated Pyramid SS crankset, and a pretty cool old Schwinn brake lever.  Total cost: $67.  Pics:

UPDATE 6/7- SOLD FOR $200 TO A NICE DUDE NAMED MARK!

HALF LINK VS. CHAIN TENSIONER

I keep seeing SS/Fixed Gear bikes around town and on various websites that use a chain tensioner to take up the chain slack created by vertical dropouts.  I don't understand why the chain tensioner method seems to be so much more popular than the much sleeker and user-friendly half link.  For some reason people assume that half links are problematic; I have been told that they cause a clicking sound when contacting the cog and chainring, and that they are difficult to install.  This is totally untrue, at least in my experience.  Recently, I used a half link (which cost about $1) when I converted an old Raleigh with vertical dropouts, and I had great success getting the chain nice and tight.  I even tried a couple different chains to make sure I didn't just get lucky with the first one.  My brother, on the other hand, has been fighting with the chain tensioner on his SS Iron Horse conversion for the last year.  So don't sacrifice style for functionality with a component that looks exactly like the derailleur you just chucked in the trash! Instead, save your money and keep your bike looking good with a half link! 

NEW!!  MAKE YOUR OPINIONS ON THIS SUBJECT KNOWN BY PARTICIPATING IN THE POLL OF THE WEEK NOW LOCATED IN THE SIDEBAR!!