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pointless thread

good point

Got my randonneur today, easy to put on, though not as easy as a refuse. Dont know what all the fuss was about.

In Ed's defence, someone has to :-), the rim can make quite a difference too.

I recently moved some tryes from an Open Pro where they were so loose they almost fell off to a Navigator rim where it was much more of a struggle.
I think rim tolerances must be larger than I would expect.

The lack of flat combined with angle as the bar goes into the drop makes either holding the tops or sides worse than on road bars. Agree, the position they are made for is riding in the drops for short events.
Look at the longer track events (madison, points) and they are usually using a road bar style which is a clue :-)

You'll have trouble explaining that in A+E!

Especially so soon after having to explain the hoover incident.

I am not conviced that brakeless and 22mph cruising speeds mixes that well. I like to average around 20mph on my rides but I ride where there is very little traffic, very few junctions and even fewer traffic lights meaning I rarely have to stop.

Regular stopping or slowing from 22mph is not good for legs or knees in my opinion.

Too many holes in that holey one for me, although I wouldn't kick one out of bed!

O rly?

http://vimeo.com/2489092

Can't see that as I am at work but no doubt it is showing somone who is actually doing something not so lame (very much in the minority)

I suppose the question is does Kameradsky do that sort of stuff. If not then will be fine. I never exactly took it easy on my singlespeed bikes with carbon forks!

Edit - Oh, just watched the clip. So it was actually someone doing something lame after all. I see the alloy part of the fork broke there, carbon bit was still alright :-)

So, am I right that the higher the number the newer the technique and generally thinner/stronger the steel?

That is not bad for a rough guide although not strictly true. For example I don't think 631 is any better than 531 other than it can be TIG welded (or something like that)

Not with a carbon fork.

Why?

Cross bikes have carbon forks, as do many rigid singlespeed MTBs. (Pace, White Brothers etc,.) I would think carbon would be well up to the job for the type of relatively lame 'freestyle' being done on fixed gear bikes.

there is geared, single speed and fixed version of genesis if we are talking about "flyer" model... it made by ridgeback...
"What started out as one model in the Ridgeback range is now a fully fledged brand. Ridgeback forged its reputation making mountain bike-inspired, flat bar road bikes under the Genesis name. That was five years ago, and in 2006 the Genesis model transformed into a proper brand."

Yes I know, but the model mentioned was the Day 01

Can fixed gear bikes with either one or no brakes stop as fast as a bike with two brakes?

One front brake on fixed would be close as long as the rider was good at slowing with legs combined with the full force of front brake.

No brakes? Not even close. Can't slow with legs that quickly and as soon as any sort of skid is introduced (even skid stopping) then game over. Look how well ABS works on cars and that is because the wheel is always just kept at the pre skidding point.

Doesn't look a million miles away from my Dolan and that makes a great road bike. I don't really do A-B though so can't say what it would be like for that but it is great for the riding I do (20 - 60 mile loops)
The whole alu uncomfortable/steel comfortable thing is a load of bollocks IMO and I go from steel to alu all the time.

Don't know about alu fatigue though, I never keep a bike long enough for that...

I think the frame looks pretty good but I am not hung up on what decal is put on the frame nor do I think that some bloke in UK factory can build a better run of the mill bike that someone in any other country.
Saying that, the tubing is very average and presumably wouldn't have cost much more to have a higher end tubeset that would bring the weight down (and may make the ride better?).

I also think that before asking for opinions you should actually really want them :-)

it won't be any harder than changing the tube on a fixed bike.
you don't take the chain apart do you?
but you can can still get the chain tight enough when it goes back in.

Good point, I hadn't thought that one through!

you don't need to take the wheel off to fix a puncture.

You do if the tube has blown (like those 5 that you blew last week)

Probably not that quick to fix a rear puncture though?

Presume it requires taking the stay off, removing wheel, fix puncture, put stay back on and then retension belt. (Does it need more tension than a chain would have?)

I rode BMX for 12 years with a single back brake in the 80's and if anyone remembers how good those brakes were then it is like riding with 1/2 a brake, what with their ineffective one finger DX levers and levers with 90 degree bends placed half way down the bars and what not.

Never did me any harm, or at least I don't think it did as that part of my life is vague at best in my memory.

you and me both, but in the end, it's just a sticker, isn't really going to affect the ride.

but it will haunt you every time you look at your bike throughout your lifetime, always wishing it wasn't there. Until one day you snap and take a chainsaw to it.

Possibly.

*Specialized Langster come to mind, weighting only 18lbs and cheaper too.

**Genesis Day01 for instance about £550, even with an alu frame and carbon fork, it's 22lbs, same weight as the Plug.

Bit of apples to apples needed here, the Genesis is a geared bike isn't it?

Still also seems to be some thinking that heavier tubes are by default stronger whereas in reality cheaper/heavier tubing will have a lower strength.

I can't argue with that. Still would never have them on a bike.

Don't blame you, nor would I :-)

engine braking then??

Just tried brakeless car driving but think I have fucked the gearbox up. Tried to put it into reverse at 30mph to do a skid stop :-)

Well at least the bike is actually offroad for significant amount of time. I can understand wanting it. I don't think it is necessary, but I think it would be nice to have. With serious DH riding, discs are necessary, the speed and terrain warrants it.

Advantages other then increased braking;

No loss of performance when rim covered in mud/water
No problems caused by untrue wheels
Lighter rims as no braking surface/structure required

Why wouldn't you have them?

Do not understand the need for Disc brakes on any bike that isn't a Freeride, DH or Trials bike. They are just not necessary unless you are riding something really fucking steep and long and that bike will never see those kind of descents.

Further more the whole bike looks gimmicky, like inclusion of disc brakes on bike which blatently don't need it.

Disc brakes are just better brakes for a whole number of reasons.

Even the weight differences are becoming slim so given the choice I would always go for discs on any bike. They are not just for additional stopping power you know.

May be heavy but a better option than a flexy track iron IMO, at least for me

Track iron will be anything but flexy, for the track stiffness matters more than weight. I would guess the Plug's are heavy because of the plain gauge thick tubing which is more a sign of cheap tubing than trying to gain additional strength.

Saying that, probably only a pound or so in it will may not be that noticable when actually riding it which is what matters.

Which only proves my point as to why a lot of brakeless riders are so smooth.
That's exactly what i was talking about...people think that having a brake means they don't need to anticipate things happening....hence why so many of them are so 'sprint...BRAKE' all the time. Good brakeless riders are constantly anticipating things....expecting bad driving ahead...expecting that ped to step out...they're a lot more alert through constantly anticipating.

Agree, and i like to think I ride smoothly. I still think I would be marginally faster with a brake when riding in town/city but guess I will never know as I can't put a brake on and I rarely ride in town...