Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
Reload this Page >

The Age 40+ Singlespeed & Fixed Gear Thread

Search
Notices
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)

The Age 40+ Singlespeed & Fixed Gear Thread

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-14-22, 09:50 AM
  #951  
rustystrings61 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,252

Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others

Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 823 Post(s)
Liked 1,395 Times in 694 Posts
I stumbled onto this thread and realized I never posted a photo of the completed Raleigh Competition. I run 44/42T chainrings, a Surly 17/19T fixed Dingle cog and a White Industries 20/22T freewheel for 70-in pavement, 60-in gravel fixed gears, or I can flip the wheel 'round for 60-in general noodling and 52-in gentle singletrack. It's a new favorite.



rustystrings61 is offline  
Likes For rustystrings61:
Old 07-14-22, 01:29 PM
  #952  
Senrab62 
It's the little things
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 781

Bikes: Too many, yet not enough

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 279 Post(s)
Liked 326 Times in 147 Posts
Love seeing the gentleman still riding fixed. Turned 41 in May. I have far too many bikes, but have been mixing it up lately. Will add a pic of a recently completed bike here after work. Great revival of a dying thread!! (Mainly because it's relevant to me &#128514
Senrab62 is offline  
Old 07-14-22, 02:26 PM
  #953  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,891

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4791 Post(s)
Liked 3,918 Times in 2,548 Posts
Qualified for this club 29 years ago. Joined with 17 years of fix gear experience. (Vets in my racing club told me to set my 2nd bike up fixed to improve my pedaling style. First ride - sold!)

I now have three. The winter/rain/commuter that's been my sec0ond bike since that first ride. (Well, everything's been replaced several times. 5th frame.) The bike of my avatar, a TiCycles designed to be at home between my legs in serious hills and mountains. A bike that would allow me to be able to ride most pavement anywhere. (Velodrome worthy drivechain that can handle any 1/8" cog I've ever heard of without messing with chain length.) And my Peter Mooney which has been fixed most of the time since 2017. (Also mountain gearing but a perhaps unique setup. Triple, double sided fix gear hub, and "dingle" for one side. Each cog lines up with its respective chainring. Currently 36-21/42-17 (the "dingle" and 46-12.)

The Mooney is getting a lot of miles this summer because I'm planning to ride it at Cycle Oregon in Sept. It just got a new paint job and looks super so I want to show it off. The Painted Mountains. I've never seen them. The TiCles has done 5 COs. And I'm falling back in love with the ride on the Mooney at a deeper level than ever before because 1) the fix gear and 2) the bike's back to sewups! And it's got "the stem" and brake hoods so I can drop in and be comfortable all days. (Stem now is a Pearl 14; more like 155 in the usual stem world.) Brake hoods (and levers) - V-brake Tectros, Long! My hands love 'em. Plus V-brake levers and regular powerful calipers (cantis) provides emergency braking from the drops with no surprises, even with the adrenaline rush of "Oh s***! I'm not going to make this corner!" (while descending at high speed on a 46-13)



Taken by Gugie on the Banks-Vernonia ride 2 weeks ago


Credit: 52telcaster; same ride
You can see in the second photo I have the arms to manage what looks to be a huge reach quite easily. Green and yellow jersey, white helmet and about half way back; ready to ride!
79pmooney is offline  
Old 07-18-22, 12:04 PM
  #954  
jped1981
Newbie
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 18
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Glad to see this thread is still alive

I'm trying to get back into shape and have some fun. How many miles do you guys ride a day? Do you guys ride daily?

My "training" consists of rides to the grocery store, and short rides of 2 to 3 miles in a day. Maybe 5 or so if I can get some time. Do you guys use a cyclocomputer?
jped1981 is offline  
Likes For jped1981:
Old 07-19-22, 02:35 AM
  #955  
Lazyass
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times in 395 Posts
I'm 54 and after getting into single speeds 4-5 years ago it's all I ride now. I have a room full of geared road bikes collecting dust. I ride 5-7 days a week for 25 miles minimum and in 2022 I have ridden nothing but my Wabi and my Swobo rain bike. I'll put my other bikes up for sale one of these days, but I just dread dealing with people on craigslist.


Lazyass is offline  
Likes For Lazyass:
Old 07-19-22, 03:30 AM
  #956  
Trakhak
Senior Member
 
Trakhak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 5,363
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2479 Post(s)
Liked 2,947 Times in 1,673 Posts
Wish I still had my first track bike, a Reynolds 531 Helyett Speciale, bought for me by my parents in 1964, when I was 13. I've never not had at least one track bike since then.

So I've been riding fixed-gear bikes for about 57 years. Still doing road rides of 4 or 5 hours in hilly northern Baltimore County with a 72" gear, the same as the gearing I started out with.
Trakhak is offline  
Likes For Trakhak:
Old 07-19-22, 12:18 PM
  #957  
bargo68 
Dedicated Detritus Dodger
 
bargo68's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Fairfax, California
Posts: 470

Bikes: Some mighty fine ones at that!

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 191 Post(s)
Liked 603 Times in 247 Posts
53 y.o. over here and rode the SS into work this morning. Did the short ride (park car and ride the rest) instead of the long one. Really enjoying the feel and pace of SS and will experiment with fixed soon. Tried it once many moons ago and it didn't take.

bargo68 is offline  
Likes For bargo68:
Old 07-21-22, 06:21 AM
  #958  
TugaDude
Senior Member
 
TugaDude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,504
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 586 Post(s)
Liked 612 Times in 447 Posts
Rode my '89 Miyata 312 on Tuesday evening and it reminded me of how much I love it. It is the fixed gear bike of a former criterium racer who used it in the offseason for training purposes. Still smooth, still pretty and still making me smile.


Last edited by TugaDude; 07-21-22 at 06:50 AM.
TugaDude is offline  
Likes For TugaDude:
Old 07-21-22, 08:11 AM
  #959  
EJM73
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Oakharbor, OH
Posts: 111

Bikes: 1980's Viner Track Bike, Litespeed M1

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 107 Times in 47 Posts
Just started with the fixed gear thing and I'm 49. It is just easier to jump on and go for a ride after work. Shorts, tennis shoes and t-shirt. I get a good 10 miles on a nice week day evening.
EJM73 is offline  
Likes For EJM73:
Old 07-21-22, 08:28 AM
  #960  
356geoff 
Newbie
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 67
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Liked 114 Times in 35 Posts
I’m 67 been riding all my life. Fixed gear for about three years now. I have a Italvega conversion and a Zeus track bike. I have another on the way and will post pics when I get it.



356geoff is offline  
Likes For 356geoff:
Old 07-21-22, 01:23 PM
  #961  
TugaDude
Senior Member
 
TugaDude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,504
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 586 Post(s)
Liked 612 Times in 447 Posts
That Zeus is quite a score. Very nice.
TugaDude is offline  
Old 07-22-22, 09:56 AM
  #962  
TejanoTrackie 
Veteran Racer
Thread Starter
 
TejanoTrackie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Posts: 11,757

Bikes: 32 frames + 80 wheels

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1331 Post(s)
Liked 764 Times in 431 Posts
I was 64 when I started this thread 12 years ago. Now I'm 76 and if anything I'm more into SSFG riding than ever before. I'm no longer racing, so all but one of the track bikes have have been converted to road fixed gears with a front brake, lower gearing, at least one water bottle and a flashing tail light for daytime visibility. Here are some of my favorites:


2011 Soma Rush with Wabi wheelset


2014 Soma Rush with Velo Orange wheelset


2016 Wraith with Heavy Pedal carbon wheelset


2011 Wabi Lightning with Wabi 650c wheelset
__________________
What, Me Worry? - Alfred E. Neuman

Originally Posted by Dcv
I'd like to think i have as much money as brains.
I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel keeps getting longer - me

Last edited by TejanoTrackie; 07-22-22 at 10:00 AM.
TejanoTrackie is online now  
Likes For TejanoTrackie:
Old 07-24-22, 11:56 AM
  #963  
Speedway2
Senior Member
 
Speedway2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Thornhill, Canada
Posts: 753

Bikes: United Motocross BMX, Specialized Langster, Giant OCR, Marin Muirwoods, Globe Roll2, VROD:)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 404 Times in 245 Posts
I'm only 62 and I prefer riding my SS bikes.
I currently own 2 SS's and looking at adding an All-City Big Block that's on sale at the LBS. My wife has been giving me the stink eye....
Here are my 2 that always like to get their pics posted

Speedway2 is offline  
Old 07-26-22, 05:07 AM
  #964  
Apetimberlake
Newbie
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 3 Posts
I'm 42 and have been rocking a single speed for a year. Stepped it up to a fixed gear I sourced parts for.

Learning to skid and my legs are REKT
Apetimberlake is offline  
Old 07-26-22, 06:29 PM
  #965  
JohnDThompson 
Old fart
 
JohnDThompson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,779

Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.

Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3583 Post(s)
Liked 3,395 Times in 1,929 Posts
Originally Posted by Apetimberlake
I'm 42 and have been rocking a single speed for a year. Stepped it up to a fixed gear I sourced parts for.

Learning to skid and my legs are REKT
Back tire will be "REKT" next. Unless you're riding on a velodrome, there's no reason not to run at least a front brake. Braking will be more effective, easier to modulate, and your tires will last longer.
JohnDThompson is offline  
Likes For JohnDThompson:
Old 07-26-22, 10:46 PM
  #966  
jped1981
Newbie
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 18
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Apetimberlake
I'm 42 and have been rocking a single speed for a year. Stepped it up to a fixed gear I sourced parts for.

Learning to skid and my legs are REKT
I'm 41 and learning to try and do the same!
jped1981 is offline  
Old 07-27-22, 06:19 AM
  #967  
bykemike 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: st augustine fl
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2017 BMC Roadmachine 01 Enve wheels, Sram red etap,Cinelli Vigorelli single speed, 2009 Cannondale Capo, 2016 trek Domane 6.9, disc and Di2, 2016 Scott Scale 710, 27.5 plus tires and boost rims

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 110 Post(s)
Liked 203 Times in 81 Posts
Started riding singles about 5 years ago, 73 now and 80% of my riding is on one of my singles.






BTW, nice Wabi Bargo!!
__________________
"ready to navigate"
bykemike is offline  
Likes For bykemike:
Old 07-28-22, 10:18 AM
  #968  
ceelint
^that guy^
 
ceelint's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Posts: 573

Bikes: '17 Wabi Classic, '17 Trek DS3, '12 S-Works Tarmac SL

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 91 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times in 51 Posts
I didn't start actually riding until I was about 35, am 42 now. Started on a singlespeed Felt Brougham, slowly upgraded that until I picked up my Wabi frameset and did a part swap. Most of those parts have been changed out for the better. Just recently added the front brake because I'm too old to be part of the cool kids club, lol.

ceelint is offline  
Likes For ceelint:
Old 07-28-22, 12:44 PM
  #969  
bykemike 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: st augustine fl
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2017 BMC Roadmachine 01 Enve wheels, Sram red etap,Cinelli Vigorelli single speed, 2009 Cannondale Capo, 2016 trek Domane 6.9, disc and Di2, 2016 Scott Scale 710, 27.5 plus tires and boost rims

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 110 Post(s)
Liked 203 Times in 81 Posts
One of my other boys:

__________________
"ready to navigate"
bykemike is offline  
Old 08-04-22, 08:10 PM
  #970  
Ymerej
FIXED GEAR
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 47

Bikes: 2019 tarmac pro disc 2020 allez sprint track

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 36 Times in 14 Posts
The only reason I’m replying, I’m still logged in😬 I try for 175/week give or take. I love this sled, it’s so engaging. 79pmooney you are my hero keep kicking A$$. Not much of a fixed gear scene down here in socal, only hipster fixies, I set my bike up to to road rides like real men😎

cheers
Ymerej is offline  
Likes For Ymerej:
Old 08-04-22, 09:06 PM
  #971  
79pmooney
Senior Member
 
79pmooney's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,891

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4791 Post(s)
Liked 3,918 Times in 2,548 Posts
I forgot when I posted earlier that my Mooney is a true fix gear but it is not a single speed at all. It has in fact two or three gears that can be very different. Triple chainline. A triple 1/8" crankset as you can see. A double-sided fix gear hub and the option of using a 17-21 "dingle" on one side. Here you see it on the NDS. DS I'm running an 18. (Two good flat ground gears for a century running off the middle 42 and a 36-21 bailout. And the key tool, the Pedros Pixie hub wrench and fix gear spanner. (Really good spanner. Wide enough to make dealing with the bell lockrings for 12t cogs easy. Much, much better than the Park spanners of plate steel.)

Today I ran it as intended. A true mountain setup. The 17-21 and a 13 to use with the 46t chainring. Rode to the Bald Peak summit (1600' elevation and about 1800 total. Almost all the descending in 5 miles. 46-13 (98 GI) on a near 50 mph descent is fun!

Originally Posted by 79pmooney

Taken by Gugie on the Banks-Vernonia ride 2 weeks ago
Cycle Oregon's promised ride to Crater Lake in 2017 featured a ton of gravel with several 1000' ups and downs. Inspired the triple chainline because the Mooney was the only bike I have that could do the fix gear AND run big tires. Well, smoke canceled the ride. But the bike came alive as a fix gear! And this year, it's going to CO to ride the Painted Hills of central Oregon, an area I've never seen. But I've gotta whip my butt into shape to do a short mile week but with a lot of climbing. Once a week fixed trips for the rest of this month to Bald Peak will go a long ways to making CO fun! ANd I need to do it on this bike to 1) get the bike totally dialed in and 2) get the gear changes down to fast and right, especially for chain slack. (And that's a bigger challenge than it should be because 175mm 110 BCD cranksets with velodrome precision to the roundness don't grow on trees. So I have to put up with a real amount of chain slack change as I pedal. I really don't want to throw a chain onto a brand new, beautiful paint job and destroy a very nice tubular tire at over 40 mph. And I'd rather not wreck some rather nice bearings or break the chain.)
79pmooney is offline  
Likes For 79pmooney:
Old 08-08-22, 08:47 PM
  #972  
TNCLR
Senior Member
 
TNCLR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 911

Bikes: Cinelli Supercorsa, Nagasawa Special, Moots Compact, Gunnar Roadie

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Liked 6 Times in 2 Posts

1981 Nagasawa Special w/Campagnolo Pista group
TNCLR is offline  
Likes For TNCLR:
Old 08-10-22, 03:44 PM
  #973  
Jheitt
Newbie
 
Jheitt's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Alberta
Posts: 20

Bikes: 1950 Raleigh Clubman, Moose Porter

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 5 Posts
41 and have one of each! The Raleigh is SS now and the moose is fixed. the Raleigh has drops again now as well but I hardly ride it, you just can't get a decent tire for it.


Jheitt is offline  
Old 08-18-22, 10:05 PM
  #974  
georgiaboy
Retro-nerd
 
georgiaboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Morningside - Atlanta
Posts: 1,638

Bikes: 1991 Serotta Colorado II, 1986 Vitus 979, 1971 Juene Classic, 2008 Surly Crosscheck, 1956 Riva Sport

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 57 Times in 39 Posts
I am 58 years old and have two fixed gear bikes. I own several bicycles of all types gears, no gears, big tires, little tires. I love switching around.

Here are my two fixed gears bicycles.

Samson Illusion 2011 mix of Dura Ace and Nitto parts. Gearing Fixed 49 x 16.






1956 Riva Sport French Bicycle with Vitus Tubing and Nervex Lugs. Velocity Hubs laced to Dyad Rims and Velo Orange Parts - Gearing fixed 44 x 14



__________________
Would you like a dream with that?

Last edited by georgiaboy; 08-18-22 at 10:27 PM.
georgiaboy is offline  
Likes For georgiaboy:
Old 08-21-22, 06:48 PM
  #975  
primov8
Senior Member
 
primov8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: A Yankee in Houston, TX
Posts: 1,074

Bikes: State Bicycle Co. Undefeated Track SS/FG, Lynskey Helix-Bronze

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 115 Post(s)
Liked 204 Times in 95 Posts
New to the SS scene as I just finished building up my first SS bike, a State Bicycle Co. Undefeated Track. With the exception of the stock Essor USA 48T crankset, I built it up with a mix of TRP, Whisky, Deep V, Selle Italia and 3T components.





primov8 is offline  
Likes For primov8:


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.