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You're damned lucky it was too small for Ally ;)

From knee high to the age of 17 I rode bikes. I loved it, I spent all my time riding up and down, nowhere in particular to go, cruising past the houses of girls I fancied at school on the off-chance they might spot me and the next day they would say "Hey, I saw you last night, you looked fantastic riding past, I noticed how you skill-fully avoided that parked car, and the little wheelie you did. Have I ever told you how attractive I find cyclists, because I do... let's make out.". That never happened.

What did happen was that I had my bike stolen, and frankly and honestly we were too damn poor to replace it.

A decade then passes, and about 5 years ago I finally get another. I ride to work, then 6 months later I'm riding aimlessly around London again. Then I buy a road bike and go further, to Oxford, to Brighton, to Southend. Riding everywhere I can when I get a chance. 2 years ago I buy a really smart road bike so I can start racing, which I don't do. Instead I just commute faster and perhaps more recklessly. Last year I bought a Serotta and joined London Dynamo. I do some races on day licenses, learn what it is like to not finish them all. But have a great time doing the Surrey Hills training circuit, and the Richmond Park laps.

Then last summer I decide to buy a singlespeed bike for bad weather cycling (the novelty of cleaning gears and replacing brake pads really wears off fast, as does the replacing of cassettes and chains). I make it flip flop on the chance I might want to train on fixed over winter, and I buy the Bob Jackson.

Then I go to the US and meet a load of people into riding fixed, have a great time drinking and talking shit. And realise that what I always wanted from cycling was more than just cycling. The thing missing from racing was the social aspect, the getting drunk, talking shit and riding home afterwards. I look around for people who feel the same in London, can't find anyone really, but early this year decide it would be a waste of a summer to not do some of that stuff. So I start this forum. Within a few days I meet a couple of cool people and seeing one ride brake-less inspires me to persevere with riding fixed.

So years and years on the saddle, 9 months single-speed, 1 month fixed.

I still love gears, don't get me wrong. I just like the freedom and peace that comes from a single/fixed bike. And now I've ridden fixed for a month, free-wheeling does feel very very bizarre.

Time Atac plus Sidi Dominators.

Not cheap, but flawless and reliable.

http://www.xkcd.com/

It's pretty geek. Sometimes it strays into physics and math jokes. I like it for that.

Reminds me of this:

Second favourite comic strip of all time that is, behind Calvin & Hobbes.

Sure... short ride it is then.

I can fit in Sainsburys afterwards then. Everyone is happy.

We'll make up a route... who needs it to be precise ;)

What time can you guys be at the band stand? I should be good for 6pm.

Brick... you still on for tonight? Want to do the ride or skip it and drink, or even skip it?

I'm cool for doing it, but if you don't want to then I'm cool for popping to Sainsburys and buying some groceries too.

So, those who are skipping... you still thinking of doing the London to Brighton on Sunday? The point of this ride was to test readiness for that for those who were concerned about distance.

I might be able to... dentist at 5pm, and it really depends on how much they drill me and how shaken I am by the experience (I fear dentists, especially dentists who play Wet Wet Wet in the background).

trampsparadise This thread went from alleycat to critical mass how?

Alcohol.

Nope, you're right.

If you fail to finish CM with a pint, something has gone wrong.

I use some Pearl Izumi's that have lasted 18 months so far.

They're a little padded, but not to the point that they slide around or anything.

It will take you much of the day, but perfectly possible.

How will you be carrying all your stuff?

NYC Fixed has this thread:
http://fixed.gr/nyc/comments.php?DiscussionID=2588

It's a digest of Bikeforums.net moments that shouldn't be missed.

The key ones from that:
[ame=http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=292591]Is weed better when delivered on a Fixed Gear or "Fixie"?[/ame]

[ame=http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=293511]If Batman rode a Fixed Gear would kind of utility belt would he wear?[/ame]

[ame=http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=4347553&postcount=70]Chris Habib opinion corner re: The New York Times[/ame]

[ame=http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=293582]newbe claims his bike is better than yours.[/ame]

Er, yeah we were. When we hit the Mall everyone at the front just went for it.

We did hang around at Buckingham though.

That was where the first split happened wasn't it? And then another at Hyde Park Corner.

We heard (I was in the group that went up towards the US Embassy) that the other groups were down near Victoria. We had a plan to circle around and go find them. But the police were hardly helpful in letting us know where they were and then a few of the people I was chatting to ducked down an alley towards the John Snow. It was hilarious to see a whole CM group dive down an alley, whilst a few riders frantically bluffed that it was a dead end and everyone should go back to the street (whilst 5 of us made off towards the pub).

I never finish a CM. We always pass a pub.

It was the anniversary mass. There were free t-shirts and the atmosphere was a lot better than usual. Unfortunately the mass split into three groups after barely a mile or two. I ended up down the pub .

Oh, they run monthly not annually.

Last Friday of every month, underneath Waterloo Bridge, around 6:30pm.

cm?

Nah, he's using a masterlink. He'll unbolt the chain. It is a pretty quick task and no grubbier than having to put it over the bottom bracket.

Football, being competitive, is anti-communist?

A year ago today I split with my Swedish girlfriend of 6 and a half years.

This year I'm married to a girl from Chicago.

Strange what can transpire in a year.

I'll be there.

http://www.reneherse.com/Labor-monobras.html

Tubulars are great for both road and track. They're what a lot of pro's use. The perceived cons surround the need to carry a spare tyre (can't patch an innertube or just carry a spare innertube), and the need to glue. But the pros are higher pressure, less rolling resistance, can be ridden for a short while whilst flat, flats do not damage the rims.

The hubs are for road/single-speed, you could go fixed if you want to do a suicide hub setup. There's a thread on BikeForums.net asking who has actually had an accident because of a suicide hub, the answer was a couple of people. The gist is, you better be checking it frequently and applying a high standard to maintenance of it if you want it to keep you safe for riding fixed.

I don't know how many of you follow the blog/webzine better known as Boing Boing, but they just ran this:

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/05/01/track_bike_riding_in.html

Colby Elrick and Colin Arlen shot and edited this beautiful video of track bike riding in San Francisco. I don't ride a bike, but the feeling this film conveys is so soothing and peaceful that it makes me want a fixie.
Link
(Thanks, Jess Hemerly!)

Is this one of the Bike Film Festival tapes?

Mmmm, hybrid 2 cross lacing.

I'm going for something similar on my new wheels. Supposedly the radial spokes give lateral strength and stiffness while the 2 cross supply the strength for torque. Half spokes are radial, half are 2 cross.

These ones are probably asymmetric with the radials on one side and the 2 cross on drive-train side. Can be done all on one side though, which is good if you're fixed/fixed or fixed/free.