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That was the same reason for me to take a size smaller.

The result of this is, that I haven't really had a need to cut down the steerer yet. It looks somewhat awkward for bars being so high. From the distance it looks like I took a too many sizes too small..

Somehow I believe the top tube is just lowered, but the geometry actually resembles 2-3cm taller frame than it actually is. Who knows? About time someone asks? About time we just stop moaning and cut the steerer for more aerodynamics?

P.S. just to make matters worse: The Cross-Check is even 1cm longer compared to the Steamroller (despite the angles being plus a longer fork). If I'd choose to get one one day, I'd need to go another step lower down.

But in the end, that might not be a real problem. I also happen to have pretty long legs and a very short reach. I know guys who are some cm shorter than me, but live happily with a geometry I just can't reach comfortably. So it may just depend on the proportions of limbs and whatever...

measure the top tube length of your cracking SE.

If the SE fit you fine, i.e. not too long or short, then match the top tube length of the SE to the Steamroller.

Job done

(If you don't have the SE Cracker with you, there should be an geo sheet online).

Yeah, that was more important to get the right size of my frame.

The length of your legs will only give you an almost right idea about which size you need. But your reach dictates at a higher priority. If you already have an other frame which suits you, measure it's length or get yourself measured.

Mudguards fitted using P clips. I managed to 'cut' the struts after fitting using a pair of (Shimano) cable cutters. If you do this I seriously recommend at least eye protection against the flying/ricocheting waste bits.

I'm getting more interested into this.
Where would you suggest I could get those p-clips? Went to a hardware store the other day, but had no luck finding them.

What a laugh.

After my post from last night, I proceeded to ride 46/15 today.

It was actually worth it. Felt more like being a mad man on the roads. But it was a pain in the arse to get of from full stops. It isn't really a good ratio for commuting during the busy hours. It just takes too much energy and a loooong time to accelerate.
That counts for the city.
Since I stay in the far outskirts of Munich and have got several kilometres to cover before I actually begin to feel like being in the big city, it was quite a relieve to have the bigger ratio. That does pay off for longer distances.

It's about time I put up mine...
Currently stuck in a complete mess trying to manage and troublesome get to my pictures. So it'll take time..

Anyway, several weeks later with several hundred more miles covered with it, it is slowly feeling more to be more like a part of my body now.
I still just can't believe how smooth and calm it can idle along the road...

Currently 46/16

Going to mount a 17 on the other side this weekend. I feel too fast with riding with the average cyclist. Additionally, Munich is quite a populous city with many cyclists and riding at high speed can lead to many close misses..
But on the other hand, I'd like to give it a try with 15/14/13... teeth on the back. You know, thanks to the "Autobahn" culture here in Germany, it is fucking unbelievable how fast the people love to drive their cars here. And dangerous, but many do know how to drive a car, though...

He's still got to true the wheel with the lace off the shoe.

that's a hell of a seat post you have there

guess tall people have a bigger upper body and longer arms to make up for the drop

Proportionally, yes. But it can still lead into strange directions. I can ride a ridiculously high drop too, but have no reach.. For being 190 cm (guess that makes me much shorter than fletwck), most would say I'd need a 62 cm frame. But nope, even with a 59 cm frame I wish to mount a 60 mm stem. With 54-56 cm, reach problems don't exist but end up with a drop looking scary, but still perfectly ridable for me...

new thread, franken/rat cyclists

There are a few that out there that would fit into such a category. :D

46x16 = roundabout 71"

The roads in Munich are flat and straight.
Have got a 15 teeth on the other side...

To ride a Steamroller: a dream!

So nice, so quick and responsive yet still calm

Fuck, got my chainline wrong.
Using a halo hub with all-city cranks and a 110mm BB and it looks like the chain is 1-2mm something off line...
Didn't do my homework properly. :-(

My frame finally arrived! It's being currently built and can't waaait for a ride...

Now comes the fun to find the right bottom bracket for a straight chain line...

The picture was shot in Melville Street, Edinburgh. Not far away...

Is that maybe an older picture? I kind of recognise that bike. The geometry, saddle config and even that duck looks like more than a coincidence.

If it is the same bike I'm talking about, then it belongs to a guy I know based in Glasgow. But it has more colours, beads, stickers and a different cockpit now.

But the duck is the best part of it. :D

Ah, can't wait, getting excited now.

I've ordered the frame and parts. But have to wait until they'll be delivered.

You might like KERS.

A light light light weight version for bikes might be helpful to start from a red light. ;)

Hello

Yes it's what I mean, and (important point) in the context of a urban situation where most of the effort is used to accelerate.

I'm no specialist in physics but I don't think the difference in rotating/non rotating part is huge when for example climbing a mountain. In this case, a gram is a gram, rotating or not (even if sometimes to regain some speed the climber has to accelerate).

In urban situation where the main point is to accelerate again and again and again, the moment of inertia becomes important.
And to be precise I suppose that the place of the weight is important. A rim, a tire or a tube can cause a big variation in this moment of inertia, I doubt a hub can.

This is easily verified in real life when using heavy tires (I remember using Schwalbe Marathon Plus on one of my hybrid bikes… the first day it was a huge surprise..)

To this we need likely to add friction , tires rolling resistance, global behavior of the wheel like (lack of) lateral stiffness that can translate part of the effort to a lateral movment instead of a forward movement, same consideration about stiffness applies to the frame itself (highend road race frames are.. stiff.. really stiff...)

The weight is not always the enemy. When riding on the flat out of this repeated acceleration context, it is of low importance, and when riding down hill, a heavier set will go faster.

But at the end, what I wanted to say was just that we can safely love Mr Steamroller even if it is slightly heavier than other frames.

Luc

Reference to kinetic energy of rotating mass: [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotational_energy[/ame] - now you can calculate the energy you put into a set of wheels after shooting of from a stand. :-)

The speed of rotation is a factor with the power of two to the angular momentum. Hence, it is quite an important factor defining the characteristics of handling. This gets even more important at high speed and of course the characteristics of acceleration and deceleration.

I once had these Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres too and switched to a road bike this spring. The difference was huge. I could accelerate like hell after being used to these nuke proof tyres.. But on the other hand, I noticed how much light weight wheels can take away your stability as the angular momentum is a great contributor to the stability of a bike.
Also, keep in mind that a rotating mass has kinetic energy stored. That means, lots of stored kinetic energy will help you move up a hill until the wheels stop (no kinetic energy left), i.e. like a fly wheel. I'm waiting until the day someone will come up with the actual idea to use a fly wheel to store braking energy for acceleration afterwards. ;)

That's my crappy knowledge of physics explained.

One thing for sure I've learned is, that heavier wheels are not a big problem on flat land. But if you're looking for speedy acceleration, aggressive handling and climbing: lighter wheels -> win

And apart from that, what I've read so far, the 'rollers are built for steady hard work in mind, which is why it isn't the lightest build on the market. So no serious pro wins on tracks. BTW, has someone got experience with them on a track?

The size was answered. Should read further down the thread..

Same here, my build is going to go a similar way:
All Black for most parts.
Although, I was unsure if that was going to be too black... yours looks very good. btw, what size is your frame? 59 cm or 62 cm?

I'm still unsure which stem to take as well.

And had to loose my connection whilst trying to add:

I'm generally new to the idea of riding a fixed gear. Haven't got a bike yet, and looking very forward to the fun.

:-)

Hi there!

New here, have no fixed gear yet, but soon and will hopefully learn to love it once I've got it - Never had one before.

I'm in the process of moving to Germany soon, so will not have the pleasure to enjoy the potholes here in Glasgow while being fixed...
Wanted to get one before flying over, but too late, so I'm ordering the parts in Germany...

Bitrunner - I think consensus is that shimano make some if the best road calipers around.

I do agree with their quality. Unfortunately, Shimano sells with the intention of you having to buy their product a second time once it brakes. I was always happy as long as they worked, but you cry when you realise that some broken simple peace of plastic results into buying the whole new set.

err,... :-)

This is the Steamroller thread, no hate thread of one's opinion about a certain brand. Don't want to follow it any further here...

Btw, I'm new to this community. Never had a fixie before, but after riding with fixed blokes on the road made me change my mind and can't wait until I've got the ride set up.

Thanks for the responses. Somehow I realise a day later I hijacked the thread.
Sorry about that, but after being a potential owner, I thought it might be justified in this case. ;-)

Anyway, I'll go for the dia compes. Some time ago I came to the point never to use Shimano parts any more.

So maybe today or tomorrow the order will be off, but it'll take time until all parts are there and built.

Pictures will be shown once set up!

I plan to go fixed.
Still hope to get a set though, just in case.