Suggest a fixed gear for me

[jrenaut]

@Steve 91116 wrote:

As an aside, this thread could result in my divorce.

I’m often glad my wife isn’t a forum member. At least puts off the divorce discussions until the bike is actually in the house.

[Steve]

Thanks twowheels, that makes sense. It was what I kind of thought, but I did not realize that people used a different chain (1/8’s name makes much more sense now), and so that lateral issue is cleared up.

Unrelated, at least somewhat, is that I noticed in other social medias that vvill uses a peanut butter jar in a bottle cage as a tool kit holder (instead of a seat post bag). It kept the clean line look of a fixie. I personally really liked it, and think I might use that, for my bike that I ride when it’s going to rain all day. That way I don’t have to take off my bag so everything doesn’t get drenched inside. Thanks!

[vvill]

@Steve 91120 wrote:

Thanks twowheels, that makes sense. It was what I kind of thought, but I did not realize that people used a different chain (1/8’s name makes much more sense now), and so that lateral issue is cleared up.

Unrelated, at least somewhat, is that I noticed in other social medias that vvill uses a peanut butter jar in a bottle cage as a tool kit holder (instead of a seat post bag). It kept the clean line look of a fixie. I personally really liked it, and think I might use that, for my bike that I ride when it’s going to rain all day. That way I don’t have to take off my bag so everything doesn’t get drenched inside. Thanks!

Heh, I wasn’t really going for the clean look, it’s more just a temporary solution until I get another seat bag. I may keep the set up though for one of my other bikes without a seat bag (I just throw stuff in pockets or a backpack for those bikes).

On chainline: I use 3/32 chains for everything, and I don’t have perfect chainlines. I’ve used dinglespeed and dixed gear setups so there’s no way I could have perfect chainlines on those anyway.

But generally the teeth on SS/FG rings/cogs are unramped and pointier, so if your chainline is too far off you’ll be twisting/rubbing the chain more than with derailleurs, so in addition to greater wear/tear and friction/efficiency loss, you’re more likely to have a chain break. At least that’s my understanding of it.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@jrenaut 91118 wrote:

I’m often glad my wife isn’t a forum member.

As far as you know. Tread lightly.

[hozn]

Yeah, my understanding has been that decent chain line helps prevent breaking chains. I pay reasonable attention to chain line on my SS (MTB), bit it might be off by a mm or two. I also have always used 3/32 chains on my single speeds, per Sheldon Brown’s recommendation. I have not broken any chains on my SS bikes (I have broken several chains on geared mtb, shifting under load).

[TwoWheelsDC]

Hey Jon, my State is back up and running if you want to do a test-ride. I’m actually planning on using it for the In It Together Fest alleycat this weekend (weather permitting), so if you want to link up before/after that, just let me know. I’m happy to grab a CaBi and ride along wherever you want (not as supervision, but just for something to do other than sit around while you ride ).

[Bruno Moore]

…I may have been the guy who sold your Pista out from under you. Sorry about that…

At any rate, the thing to understand about the Pista is that, despite the brakes on the bars, it is very much a dedicated track bike. The brakes are the only concession Bianchi makes to being sane when riding on the street; otherwise, it’s track bars, 48/16 gear ratio, obscenely fast handling (like you’d need when passing someone at a half inch distance at 40 MPH), and nowhere to attach a bottle cage—after all, water bottles aren’t allowed in velodromes. Even the brakes are a recent thing; used Piste will sometimes have a “No Brakes!” sticker on the top tube. When Sky Yaeger designed the bike, it was with a single purpose in mind.

The practical upshot of all this is that most other single speed/fixed gear bikes, like the Wabi Special and its ilk, aren’t going to feel exactly the same. That really “live” feeling I get when riding a Pista I don’t find with converted Schwinns and “street” fixies; there’s just something about a dedicated track bike with its nervy agility and quick response that feels like nothing else.

…of course, part of that “feels like nothing else” can be “makes you feel the road like nothing else.” Especially, from what I can tell, the Pista Sei Giorni and Super Pista frameset; since you never encounter bumps, cracks, or potholes on a velodrome, there’s not much incentive to focus on compliance over stiffness. Then again, you might hate your bones or enjoy the bike enough not to notice it.

[jrenaut]

@Brünø Moore 91773 wrote:

…I may have been the guy who sold your Pista out from under you. Sorry about that…

Not a problem, I had plenty of time to buy it and didn’t.

Appreciate the feedback on riding a Pista. I definitely need to do some test riding before I buy anything. I do like my bones but I have other bikes for days I’m feeling fragile.

[Author]

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