Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
-
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2013 7:17 pm
Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby Newcastle Dave » Tue Mar 22, 2016 3:49 pm
My son has a new bike that was built around a track frame and includes a flip flop (fixie/SS) hub. He uses this for commuting from Richmond to RMIT and also as a general commuting bike. He insists on running it fixed, but I reckon that this makes it inherently less safe when dicing with Melbourne traffic.
Thoughts ?
- HappyHumber
- Posts: 5072
- Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:48 pm
- Location: Perth, (S.o.R.) W.A.
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby HappyHumber » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:05 pm
Personally, I think the issue with you sons bike should be brakes rather than whether its fixed or freewheel. This may well come down to how much of a fashion tragic your young bloke is.
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
- bychosis
- Posts: 7256
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
- Location: Lake Macquarie
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby bychosis » Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:29 pm
Definitely fit a brake though.
- Mulger bill
- Super Mod
- Posts: 29060
- Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
- Location: Sunbury Vic
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby Mulger bill » Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:33 pm
He'll need brakes.
He may never use them but he needs them.
London Boy 29/12/2011
- HappyHumber
- Posts: 5072
- Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:48 pm
- Location: Perth, (S.o.R.) W.A.
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby HappyHumber » Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:44 pm
That's what I've always run or within ~5 traditional gear inches to and fro along the Perth coastal plain which is pretty flat.
Your son should ride a more sensible road ratio for a fixed setup. You can have the look of a track bike, but track ratios aren't suitable for every day, on road use.
If he's pushing the brakeless aesthetic - lower ratios are also easier to skid on.
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
-
- Posts: 293
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:42 am
- Location: lower Blueys, NSW
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby Wollemi » Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:24 pm
What does GI mean as in; 'I run 72 GI on one bike and 76 the other' ?
Does it apply to cycling my other bicycles with gears?
- bychosis
- Posts: 7256
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
- Location: Lake Macquarie
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby bychosis » Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:41 pm
- P!N20
- Posts: 4034
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 6:50 pm
- Location: Wurundjeri Country
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby P!N20 » Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:24 pm
Here’s a basic calculator that tells you how many gear inches you get with which sprocket, chainring and tyre size: https://allcitycycles.com/calc
-
- Posts: 2842
- Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:44 pm
- Location: Middle East, Melbourne
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby ironhanglider » Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:58 pm
Fixed gears rather than single speed give you a real appreciation of the plusses and minuses of different gears. It is all well and good to talk about grinding and spinning but when you find yourself having to work to get up a hill and you wish it was easier, you then turn around and find that you can barely keep your feet on the pedals and you wish the gear was harder.
For road use I've gone as low as 65GI but was more commonly 70GI. Racing on the track I would be anywhere from 88 - 100 GI.
Cheers,
Cameron
- jaseyjase
- Posts: 2993
- Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:00 pm
- Location: Perth
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby jaseyjase » Fri Sep 20, 2019 10:11 am
82 GIs currently, but Perths pretty flat.
What i learnt recently is tire width impacts make a difference!
ie, running a 50/16 with 28mm compared to 40mm is not the same thing!
- P!N20
- Posts: 4034
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 6:50 pm
- Location: Wurundjeri Country
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby P!N20 » Fri Sep 20, 2019 10:19 am
Harden up, Jase.jaseyjase wrote:I run a single speed to commute into work
-
- Posts: 730
- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:53 pm
- Location: Sydney -> Melbourne
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby minhyy » Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:24 am
Blog: https://villaveloframes.wordpress.com/
FB & IG: @villaveloframes
-
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:29 pm
Re: Fixie in Melbourne Traffic
Postby rogerzilla » Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:36 pm
On a fixie it's easy to trickle along in slow traffic with one foot unclipped and hanging, because the bike keeps the pedals going in a circle. This can be useful if you have pedals that are a bit fussy to clip in and out of.
Return to “Fixed Gear/ Single Speed”
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+11:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.