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Seen on the street (FGSS 'spotted' thread)

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Seen on the street (FGSS 'spotted' thread)

Old 10-25-15, 08:31 AM
  #601  
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Originally Posted by ThimbleSmash
I don't know why people act like riding SS with just a front brake or fixed without foot retention w/ front brake is taboo. I've had more complications riding fixed brakeless then riding either of the two ways mentioned and yet that seems okay by most.
I have to admit that my townie is currently set up that way, single speed and only a front brake. It was set up as a fixed gear with a larger bail out freewheel on the other side. Recently I flipped the wheel over so I could take a hillier route and have not flipped back yet.

Riding brakeless on the other hand is something I will leave to the younger guys, i don't feel safe doing it and am too cheap to skid my Schwalbe tires.
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Old 10-25-15, 08:38 AM
  #602  
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Just wait until you encounter some slick conditions and lock your front wheel, because you have no breaking capability in the rear. Then, you will understand why you always want the ability to apply breaking to both the front and rear wheels on a bicycle ridden on the road.
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Old 10-25-15, 09:06 AM
  #603  
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Oh I totally agree with that, and intend to flip the wheel back. But I still feel more comfortable, or should I say less dangerous, than riding fixed brakeless.
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Old 10-25-15, 09:45 AM
  #604  
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Originally Posted by ThimbleSmash
I don't know why people act like riding SS with just a front brake or fixed without foot retention w/ front brake is taboo. I've had more complications riding fixed brakeless then riding either of the two ways mentioned and yet that seems okay by most.
Fixed + front brake + no foot retention is asking for a disaster. I am going to assume that the MASH posted above is SS and not fixed. I hope that it is.
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Old 10-25-15, 12:40 PM
  #605  
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That's silly.
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Old 10-25-15, 04:39 PM
  #606  
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Nothing wrong on riding no foot retention and a front brake on fixed. I mean given the fact that you're always moving, I think one should always have foot retention on a fixed gear, but if your legs are strong enough for the "backpedaling" you should be fine
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Old 10-25-15, 05:15 PM
  #607  
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Originally Posted by TenSpeedV2
Fixed + front brake + no foot retention is asking for a disaster. I am going to assume that the MASH posted above is SS and not fixed. I hope that it is.
Originally Posted by seau grateau
That's silly.
Gonna have to agree here. Why would fixed with a front brake and no retention be worse than single speed and only a front brake?

Hell, I rode around my beater for a few months with only a back brake. #yolo
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Old 10-25-15, 05:34 PM
  #608  
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Originally Posted by SpeshulEd
Gonna have to agree here. Why would fixed with a front brake and no retention be worse than single speed and only a front brake?
Wouldn't it be better because you can still slow down by just resisting the motion?
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Old 10-25-15, 08:16 PM
  #609  
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Old 10-25-15, 08:32 PM
  #610  
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^^Nice bike, but if I was going to run only one brake lever, it would be an interrupter type. A single hood just looks JA.
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Old 10-25-15, 08:38 PM
  #611  
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Couldn't agree with you more. This setup - not the first time I've seen it - is just begging for a second hood, even if it isn't connected to anything.
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Old 10-26-15, 06:18 AM
  #612  
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Originally Posted by rex615
I have to admit that my townie is currently set up that way, single speed and only a front brake. It was set up as a fixed gear with a larger bail out freewheel on the other side. Recently I flipped the wheel over so I could take a hillier route and have not flipped back yet.

Riding brakeless on the other hand is something I will leave to the younger guys, i don't feel safe doing it and am too cheap to skid my Schwalbe tires.
Originally Posted by SpeshulEd
Gonna have to agree here. Why would fixed with a front brake and no retention be worse than single speed and only a front brake?

Hell, I rode around my beater for a few months with only a back brake. #yolo
I knew I wasn't only one pulling this **** and somehow managed to escape the cold hands of death. Not saying it is ideal, but you can get by till things are set right.
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Old 10-26-15, 06:56 AM
  #613  
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
Just wait until you encounter some slick conditions and lock your front wheel, because you have no braking capability in the rear. Then, you will understand why you always want the ability to apply braking to both the front and rear wheels on a bicycle ridden on the road.
Learned about this on a motorcycle long ago.
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Old 10-26-15, 09:40 AM
  #614  
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Just here to point out the fact that you shouldn't be riding fast enough on ice to lock up your front wheel *and* loose the ability to stop.

Also: ride with studs in the winter. They really improve your traction.

Last edited by hohum; 10-26-15 at 09:45 AM.
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Old 10-26-15, 12:32 PM
  #615  
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Old 10-28-15, 03:53 PM
  #616  
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Old 10-28-15, 08:47 PM
  #617  
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Originally Posted by leegf
Slightly better photo:

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Old 11-03-15, 02:16 PM
  #618  
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Life... is a blur. And so is this photo.

(Yes, this bike again.)

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Old 11-04-15, 02:44 PM
  #619  
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Thought this was cute. They were locked together, so I'm assuming his n' hers (or his n' his, or hers n' hers).

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Old 11-04-15, 07:36 PM
  #620  
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Originally Posted by leegf
Thought this was cute. They were locked together, so I'm assuming his n' hers (or his n' his, or hers n' hers).
thats sexist. what about hers n his!?
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Old 11-04-15, 08:25 PM
  #621  
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Originally Posted by Mumonkan
thats sexist. what about hers n his!?
Good point
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Old 11-05-15, 06:56 AM
  #622  
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reported.
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Old 11-05-15, 10:00 AM
  #623  
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Originally Posted by leegf
Thought this was cute. They were locked together, so I'm assuming his n' hers (or his n' his, or hers n' hers).

Some nice bits on the outer one. As ubiquitous as Bianchi Pistas are in NYC, you don't see a lot of them with Record Pista cranks and perforated Supercorsas.
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Old 11-05-15, 10:15 AM
  #624  
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Originally Posted by garlic_rice
Some nice bits on the outer one. As ubiquitous as Bianchi Pistas are in NYC, you don't see a lot of them with Record Pista cranks and perforated Supercorsas.
Agreed! I do wish those parts were on a nicer frameset, but there's fundamentally nothing wrong with what's shown.

Originally Posted by Mumonkan
reported.
To BF HR? Uh oh...
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Old 11-05-15, 10:32 AM
  #625  
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Originally Posted by leegf
Life... is a blur. And so is this photo.

(Yes, this bike again.)


I've looked at this picture several times and am really liking it.

It is a perfect snapshot of NYC life. I miss it so much.
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