Is there any reason I should not buy this bike?

[creadinger]

I’m a dumbass when it comes to fixed gear and Pinarello bikes, but why does it look like there’s a cog on the left side of the rear hub? You can see it in the zoomed in picture. Is it just a style thing, or does it serve a purpose? Maybe it’s a spare in case you ride so hard you wear the one out during the course of a ride.

[jrenaut]

@creadinger 95538 wrote:

I’m a dumbass when it comes to fixed gear and Pinarello bikes, but why does it look like there’s a cog on the left side of the rear hub? You can see it in the zoomed in picture. Is it just a style thing, or does it serve a purpose? Maybe it’s a spare in case you ride so hard you wear the one out during the course of a ride.

Flip-flop hub. One side is fixed, one is free-wheel.

[creadinger]

WHooooaaahhh fancy! So if you’re using the fixed gear, but will be doing some steep descents and want a free-wheel so you can coast, you could simply flip the wheel around and use the other side of it whenever?

[Steve]

@creadinger 95542 wrote:

WHooooaaahhh fancy! So if you’re using the fixed gear, but will be doing some steep descents and want a free-wheel so you can coast, you could simply flip the wheel around and use the other side of it whenever?

Yep. A lot of fixies have flip-flop hubs. You’ll note it in a lot of CL ads and the such.

[DismalScientist]

Have you heard of Italian threading? It’s sort of like reverse Polish notation, but for bicycles. But that’s not it.:rolleyes:

The cog on the other side is either the freewheel or fixed cog. What you’ve got here is a flip/flop hub. You flip your rear wheel to switch between single speed and fixie.

It’s a good thing for the price they are charging that they toss in both the fixed cog (and locking ring) and freewheel.:rolleyes:

There’s always the Chrome Kilo TT for $450 new. I’m sure you would expect nothing less from me.:rolleyes:

[jrenaut]

@DismalScientist 95544 wrote:

There’s always the Chrome Kilo TT for $450 new. I’m sure you would expect nothing less from me.:rolleyes:

I do expect this from you, and have actually considered it. I was originally thinking I would buy a cheap one, see if I like riding it, and then go for the Pinarello new from a local shop. But so long as this auction doesn’t get out of control, this might be the best of both worlds.

[cyclingfool]

@jrenaut 95532 wrote:

It does have a black option, just not on eBay. If I want to pay the full price ($1100) I can get black.

My message was more generally a frustration with the lack of black bikes — be it used on eBay at a good price for you, or (me shouting into a pillow at Surly), “Why don’t you offer the Disc Trucker in black anymore. Come on, Surly, Really?!”

[TwoWheelsDC]

@creadinger 95542 wrote:

WHooooaaahhh fancy! So if you’re using the fixed gear, but will be doing some steep descents and want a free-wheel so you can coast, you could simply flip the wheel around and use the other side of it whenever?

Well, you could, but flipping a wheel is kind of a pain…I mean, it’s easy enough in the shop, but on the road I’d have to be in pretty rough shape to even consider it. I run fixed on both sides rather than fixed/free…I keep a 17t cog for normal use, but then a 19t cog on the other side for harder rides, although admittedly I’ve never used it (was going to use it for Tour of Richmond, but they changed the course to be easier, so…). But if I ever do decide to use it, it’s already mounted and ready to go.

[jrenaut]

It seems to me that bikes should work a little more like cars – choose your model, then choose from the available colors. But maybe there’s some good reason that isn’t feasible.

[mstone]

@jrenaut 95551 wrote:

It seems to me that bikes should work a little more like cars – choose your model, then choose from the available colors. But maybe there’s some good reason that isn’t feasible.

Money. Bikes aren’t sold in enough volume to stock a bunch of different colors of each model and size every year, and the price tag on custom painting them to-order is prohibitive. (Note that there are, generally, way more variants of a bike than a car already.) That said, you can get any color you want on a custom frame, but you will pay for it.

[dasgeh]

@cyclingfool 95548 wrote:

My message was more generally a frustration with the lack of black bikes — be it used on eBay at a good price for you, or (me shouting into a pillow at Surly), “Why don’t you offer the Disc Trucker in black anymore. Come on, Surly, Really?!”

As someone who lives living, and loves a lot of other people who ride bikes a lot, I don’t understand why all bikes don’t come in the most visible colors possible. Or at least coated with reflective paint.

[culimerc]

@dasgeh 95559 wrote:

As someone who lives living, and loves a lot of other people who ride bikes a lot, I don’t understand why all bikes don’t come in the most visible colors possible. Or at least coated with reflective paint.

Because function does not always trump form.

[hozn]

@dasgeh 95559 wrote:

As someone who lives living, and loves a lot of other people who ride bikes a lot, I don’t understand why all bikes don’t come in the most visible colors possible. Or at least coated with reflective paint.

+1.

But culimerc is right: this *is* about buying a fixie, which is at least as much about aesthetics as usefulness — heck, there’s already been one suggestion to throw out the rear brake because only having a front looks cooler

In retrospect, I do wish I’d used the reflective decals on my all-black bike. I compensate by dressing like a parrot — or a Dr. Seuss character, as GuyContinental noted. My commuter is very reflective with wheel walls, and lots of pretty stickers. Having been on the other side of the light seeing bikes in cross-walks (or not seeing them), I know it makes a huge difference.

[mstone]

I don’t think the color of the bike has any impact on safety. (If the texting motorist doesn’t notice the six foot two hundred pound dude in florescent orange, he ain’t gonna notice a 1.25 inch metal pipe, regardless of the color.)

As far as form goes, the black bike has been over done. (Said as a guy who does have a black bike, albeit with orange accents.)

[hozn]

@mstone 95565 wrote:

I don’t think the color of the bike has any impact on safety. (If the texting motorist doesn’t notice the six foot two hundred pound dude in florescent orange, he ain’t gonna notice a 1.25 inch metal pipe, regardless of the color.)

I’m sure everyone here would agree that other things held constant a fluorescent bike + rider (or reflective bike when dark) is going to be more visible than the all-black bike. Presumably increased visibility has an impact on safety. Does it make as big an impact as wearing fluorescent clothing? No — but no one is suggesting that it would.

[Author]

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