So I'm thinking of getting a Winter fixie in search of the fabled "souplesse" that old school roadmen talk of with a glint in the eye. My options are:
1) Roof space special (c. £150+) - somewhere above my head resides a 23" Reg Holdsworth steel frame in need of a bit of a re-spray. It has horizontal front-facing rear dropouts so I guess I could cobble a fixie together with this, although I'd probably fit new forks, headset etc and I'd need to search Ebay for a fixed rear wheel. However, what I really want is ..........
2) A Specialized Langster (c. £400) ................... or if I'm a really good boy .............
3) On One "Pompino" (c. £450) - mainly because I love the fact that it has a rude Italian name.
So anyone got any recommendations?
Thoughts arising on the Langster are: - 48x16 seems a bit big for anything but flat riding (according to my calcs, at 90rpm you'd be doing 21mph) - I thinking more along the lines of 42x16 for that silky smooth leg spin - can I fit guards on it? Does it have m/g eyes and clearance? - has it got a bottle boss braze on? - I've read elsewhere that the fork is too stiff ("like riding a jackhammer"), does it need swapping for carbon?
Thoughts arising on the Langster are: - 48x16 seems a bit big for anything but flat riding (according to my calcs, at 90rpm you'd be doing 21mph) - I thinking more along the lines of 42x16 for that silky smooth leg spin - can I fit guards on it? Does it have m/g eyes and clearance? - has it got a bottle boss braze on? - I've read elsewhere that the fork is too stiff ("like riding a jackhammer"), does it need swapping for carbon?
I have an 06 Langster and like it a lot... There are a few around now for about £320, as the (red I think) 07 model is out, which is apparently 'softer' (frame angles and carbon fork). I have no problems with the alu fork, but haven't used it for rides over 50 miles yet. It is buzzier that my otehr bikes, but fine by me. There are no mudguard eyes on the front, there are single eyes on the back for a rack. Clearances are a bit tight - I don't think you'll fit guards (?) Yes there are bottle cage bosses. Lots of Langster discussion on the Cycling Plus forums. Weirdy Beardy (but lovable) bunch. Apparently everyone in london has a Langster... Oh, and it came with a 48/18 freewheel on a flipflop hub - so I put a 18 fixed on t'other side.
To be different, what about a Kona Paddy Wagon (no idea what it's like though, or the new Pearson (which does look good).
in message <1156178710.823488.195...@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
Bronzie ('richardm...@mead-estates.co.uk') wrote: > Thoughts arising on the Langster are: > - 48x16 seems a bit big for anything but flat riding (according to my > calcs, at 90rpm you'd be doing 21mph) - I thinking more along the lines > of 42x16 for that silky smooth leg spin
I asked my friend Dougie for a go on his fixie recently. He looked at me rather pityingly. 'I dinna think ye'll turn it' quoth he. 'Why not?' I asked naively. 'What gear have you got on?' '55x12,' he said, succinctly. He'd just averaged 25 mph /uphill/ for five miles on the beast.
48x16 seems quite a moderate gear to me. It equates to about fourth from the bottom on my twenty speed road bike or second from the bottom on my old twelve speed road bike. I'd get up most normal hills on it.
However, if 48x16 turns out to be too stark, you can easily slip a 17 or an 18 on the back.
I keep looking at a Langster in my LBS; I fancy a fixie. It looks very nicely made, but last time I had £400 in the cycling fund I bought myself a new front wheel.
-- si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ ;; If God does not write LISP, God writes some code so similar to ;; LISP as to make no difference.
> I asked my friend Dougie for a go on his fixie recently. He looked at me > rather pityingly. 'I dinna think ye'll turn it' quoth he. 'Why not?' I > asked naively. 'What gear have you got on?' '55x12,' he said, > succinctly. He'd just averaged 25 mph /uphill/ for five miles on the > beast.
That would be a 24 minute "10" which for uphill on a fixed is ....ummm pretty good going.
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
>> I asked my friend Dougie for a go on his fixie recently. He looked at me >> rather pityingly. 'I dinna think ye'll turn it' quoth he. 'Why not?' I >> asked naively. 'What gear have you got on?' '55x12,' he said, >> succinctly. He'd just averaged 25 mph /uphill/ for five miles on the >> beast.
> That would be a 24 minute "10" which for uphill on a fixed is ....ummm > pretty good going.
Wow, imagine if he was going in the opposite direction. He'd be overtaking the flying pigs... :-) Peter
Bronzie wrote: > So I'm thinking of getting a Winter fixie in search of the fabled > "souplesse" that old school roadmen talk of with a glint in the eye. > My options are:
> 1) Roof space special (c. £150+) - somewhere above my head resides a > 23" Reg Holdsworth steel frame in need of a bit of a re-spray. It has > horizontal front-facing rear dropouts so I guess I could cobble a fixie > together with this, although I'd probably fit new forks, headset etc > and I'd need to search Ebay for a fixed rear wheel. However, what I > really want is ..........
> 2) A Specialized Langster (c. £400) ................... or if I'm a > really good boy .............
> 3) On One "Pompino" (c. £450) - mainly because I love the fact that it > has a rude Italian name.
> So anyone got any recommendations?
> Thoughts arising on the Langster are: > - 48x16 seems a bit big for anything but flat riding (according to my > calcs, at 90rpm you'd be doing 21mph) - I thinking more along the lines > of 42x16 for that silky smooth leg spin > - can I fit guards on it? Does it have m/g eyes and clearance? > - has it got a bottle boss braze on? > - I've read elsewhere that the fork is too stiff ("like riding a > jackhammer"), does it need swapping for carbon?
> Cheers > Bronzie
2007 Langsters have a 42T chainring and carbon forks/seatpost.
Also has two sets of bottle bosses (dunno about mudguards tho.)
in message <4kumskFdt3a...@individual.net>, Tony Raven
('j...@raven-family.com') wrote: > Simon Brooke wrote on 21/08/2006 21:08 +0100:
>> I asked my friend Dougie for a go on his fixie recently. He looked at >> me rather pityingly. 'I dinna think ye'll turn it' quoth he. 'Why >> not?' I asked naively. 'What gear have you got on?' '55x12,' he said, >> succinctly. He'd just averaged 25 mph /uphill/ for five miles on the >> beast.
> That would be a 24 minute "10" which for uphill on a fixed is ....ummm > pretty good going.
That would have been a 24 minute 10 but his hernia popped out at the turn. Tough bastard.
Bronzie wrote: > So I'm thinking of getting a Winter fixie in search of the fabled > "souplesse" that old school roadmen talk of with a glint in the eye. > My options are:
> 1) Roof space special (c. £150+) - somewhere above my head resides a > 23" Reg Holdsworth steel frame in need of a bit of a re-spray. It has > horizontal front-facing rear dropouts so I guess I could cobble a > fixie together with this, although I'd probably fit new forks, > headset etc and I'd need to search Ebay for a fixed rear wheel. > However, what I really want is ..........
> 2) A Specialized Langster (c. £400) ................... or if I'm a > really good boy .............
> 3) On One "Pompino" (c. £450) - mainly because I love the fact that it > has a rude Italian name.
I have a pomp' which I love. Its great for baltting around town and suits mudguards.
For winter its got plenty of room for big tyres and guards, twin eyelets on the back for a rack as well. Not so sure about the funny bars they are putting on but that would be a personal thing.
A done up old road bike would be very cool as well, why fit new forks?
> in message <4kumskFdt3a...@individual.net>, Tony Raven > ('j...@raven-family.com') wrote:
>> Simon Brooke wrote on 21/08/2006 21:08 +0100:
>>> I asked my friend Dougie for a go on his fixie recently. He looked at >>> me rather pityingly. 'I dinna think ye'll turn it' quoth he. 'Why >>> not?' I asked naively. 'What gear have you got on?' '55x12,' he said, >>> succinctly. He'd just averaged 25 mph /uphill/ for five miles on the >>> beast.
>> That would be a 24 minute "10" which for uphill on a fixed is ....ummm >> pretty good going.
> That would have been a 24 minute 10 but his hernia popped out at the > turn. Tough bastard.
>>>> I asked my friend Dougie for a go on his fixie recently. He looked >>>> at me rather pityingly. 'I dinna think ye'll turn it' quoth he. 'Why >>>> not?' I asked naively. 'What gear have you got on?' '55x12,' he >>>> said, succinctly. He'd just averaged 25 mph /uphill/ for five miles >>>> on the beast.
>>> That would be a 24 minute "10" which for uphill on a fixed is >>> ....ummm pretty good going.
>> That would have been a 24 minute 10 but his hernia popped out at the >> turn. Tough bastard.
> Isn't that averaging about 70rpm?
Probably.
Not everyone spins, not even everyone who is fast. I couldn't do it, because I don't have the strength.
-- si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ ;; First they came for the asylum seekers, ;; and I did not speak out because I was not an asylum seeker. ;; Then they came for the gypsies, ;; and I did not speak out because I was not a gypsy... ;; Pastor Martin Niemöller, translated by Michael Howard.
The 2007 Langster is looking favourites in my mind at present, but strangely my wife is leaning towards a new handbag and another pair of shoes for herself. A topic for continued "discussion" with her methinks.
> A done up old road bike would be very cool as well, why fit new forks?
I just prefer Aheadset forks now, but I could just get the whole frame re-sprayed and see how it goes. Also, if I got new forks, I'd go for carbon with mudguard eyes, but I used to use the old frame as a Winter hack so I know it has clearances anyway. Will need to check I can get the right chainline and axle spacing on the rear wheel (long axle) before I go to that expense though.
Bronzie wrote: > So anyone got any recommendations?
I have a pompino (bought as a frame not a complete bike though), and a friend has the langster (2006 model I believe). We're both happy...
> Thoughts arising on the Langster are: > - 48x16 seems a bit big for anything but flat riding (according to my > calcs, at 90rpm you'd be doing 21mph) - I thinking more along the lines > of 42x16 for that silky smooth leg spin
Yep. I tried 48x16 for a while thinking that it wouldn't be *that* much harder than my normal 48x17, and just couldn't get comfy. If the Langster comes as standard with a freewheel rather than a fixed sprocket, I'd suggest just leaving the chainring as it is and getting a 17t or 18t sprocket.
> - can I fit guards on it? Does it have m/g eyes and clearance?
I'm pretty sure it doesn't have much clearance, and I'm not sure it has mudguard eyes either. I think the pompino will beat most bikes in that respect.
> - has it got a bottle boss braze on?
It's certainly got one, and I think it probably has 2.
Bronzie <richardm...@mead-estates.co.uk> wrote: > The 2007 Langster is looking favourites in my mind at present, but > strangely my wife is leaning towards a new handbag and another pair of > shoes for herself. A topic for continued "discussion" with her > methinks.
Yeah right. And just how far does she think she's going to be able to ride on her handbag? It seems to me she hasn't really thought this through.
in message <Mv-dneOXgr0pTHfZRVn...@bt.com>, Al C-F
('aloysius_cholmondeley_featherstoneh...@hotmail.com') wrote: > Simon Brooke wrote: >> last time I had £400 in the cycling fund I bought >> myself a new front wheel.
> I could really learn to dislike some people!
But it's /pretty/, Aloysius! It has One Red Spoke!
-- si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ Das Internet is nicht fuer gefingerclicken und giffengrabben... Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das mausklicken sichtseeren keepen das bandwit-spewin hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das cursorblinken. -- quoted from the jargon file
I think I'll have to make one of the spare spokes that came with my Vueltas red, for added bling, and then do a quick swap. If I wait until erindoors is eroutdoors, p'raps I can nick some nail varnish.
Cant argue with some of the prices on Langsters, but I love my Pompino. Takes mudguards without fuss.
It'll take a rack but a Carradice SQR saddlebag suits the look / vibe far better.
42-16 means you can get over big lumps but leaves you wanting a bit more on gently undulating stuff - once you're used to fixed and don't need to freewheel to rest every half a mile. ;) I have 42-15 fixed which is good for my 12 mile commute including a few minutes of hilly stuff.
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