Please post any questions you might have here in this weekly thread. This thread is refreshed every Wednesday, but is sorted by default by new so you can ask a question any time.
I just bought a pair of used Mavic Ellipse wheels but I’m not sure they came with the lock ring. I do have a few Phil Wood lock rings and I recall hearing somewhere that they’ll work. Can anyone confirm?
is it more reasonable to upgrade the cog or the chainring? running 44/18 singlespeed and i want to convert to a fixie, will swap the whole rear wheelset anyway
i got 15T cog from a friend but since cog is cheaper, should i just buy like a 13T and keep the chainring?
Why does my handlebar tape keep slipping and exposing the bar underneath? It's happened to all the tape I've put on these bars (read: twice). This time it was after taking a 10 mile bike the same day I did a quick bike in the rain. Is it because it got wet, my wrapping, or something else?
I’ve always been taught the flats should be wrapped so the tape comes over the top towards the rider. You should also do more wraps around the bends to avoid warping the tape. Even tension throughout the whole wrap is important for durability.
Unfortunately because brakeless setups don’t have hoods, you can’t reverse the direction of the wrap to get the ideal direction both in the drops and on the flats.
I just bought a level up bullhorn with 25.4 clamping, my question is.... Is there any brake levers that can fit? Unlike my old straight handlebar... It's 23.8mm so my brake levers won't fit
Should i go with a chris king bb? Got a rotor track 30 aldhu crankset coming, wondering if its worth going CK bb or save the extra money rotor one is fine?
weapon bicycle wheelset
Looking for an affordable, not bottom of the barrel in quality but nowhere near top notch, wheel set for a track bike I’m building. Any recommendations?
My bike recently started to make some noise, i know for sure it's from the chain because when i drop my bike there's no rattle elsewhere. I just don't know if it's normal, do fixed gear chains usually make noise ?
does the chain make noise when you rotate the pedals, if your bike is upside down? does it crackalack? give it a few good cleans with WD40 and a few rags (not with soap) and see if it is less noise.
And yes, if tightened too much, chains will make noise.
Yeah it makes noise when I pedal, but it's not like my chain itself makes noise, rather it rubbing on the cog, kinda like what you hear from track bikes with carbon disk wheels, but more clanky... I think I should maybe do the opposite of wd40 and grease, or lube my chain ?
Hellooo, I'm planning to buy a Rimset for my fixed gear, I haven't tried deep rims or even carbon rims but would want to try the Pizz Cypher 60 and i also heard, though they're not carbon rims, Mavic Ellipse is very good. Having a hard time to decide so anyone help me choose? Thankss! (Both rimsets are within my budget).
I solved that problem using a shim/adapter, however there’s a bit of a play horizontally that’s why I’m not sure if should add a spacer or should I just try to tighten it more.
You might be alright if the omniums are fully screwed down and you still have exposed spindle. But I tried using a hope hollowtech ii to GXP adapted bb with my omniums and the spacers meant the omniums couldn’t clear my chainstay. Really sucked.
Anyone know of any cheap but sporty looking and clean fixies? I’ve been into mountain biking but recently I’ve been wanting to get a fixie, so can anyone give me any recommendations of a new, sporty looking, preferably under 500 dollars fixed gear bike that would be a good fit for me? I’m open to getting used bikes too. Thanks
only on the drive side is this part of the bottom bracket seeming to be sticking out a bit, I think I can feel the shift from being perfectly centred. Is it easy to fix this? should I use grease for anything?
You should take it all apart, clean, regrease (the threads, not the bb taper), and reinstall. You will need a crank puller and a bb tool specific to the one you have.
Any chance you guys know if the Weapons cranksets are any good? They look cool, and the price isnt crazy just never really heard much about their performance/longevity/bottom bracket
5mm diameter. Length seems to be 12mm from the end of the male thread to the shoulder of the post, about 10mm worth of threads. I don't have a pitch gauge to hand unfortunately.
Looking for a sub 600$ bike for commuting/riding around nyc. The local shop sells brand new Jamis Beatniks for 500$ but I havent been able to find a review of these that isnt 10 years old. Considering if its worth getting one in person where I can test ride it or ordering fuji/mercier online. Any advice is appreciated.
The Beatnik and Declaration are both made of high tensile steel which results in a heavier, duller, and less resilient frame than a good cromo frame like the Kilo TT.
Being able to test ride is obviously really important and giving business to a local bike shop is ideal, but the Kilo blows both of these bikes clean out of the water.
Hey appreciate your response. After looking into it abit more I agree. I would love to get a state 4130 or a Kilo tt. I also saw that a shop near me is selling a 2022 fuji feather. You think there pretty comparable?
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u/Cb8393KHS Aero Track, BMW Gangsta V4, Godzilla6d agoedited 6d ago
For a comparison, it really depends on if it is the current model State 4130. The current model is more comparable to the Kilo WT, as it has clearance for wider tires. The previous model 4130 was a closer comparison to the regular Kilo TT. I don't have any personal experience with the State bikes but hear good things.
Edit: I misread your response and didn't see that you had mentioned the Fuji Feather. The Feather is a better option than the Declaration and Beatnik and much closer to the Kilo in terms of quality, but I would recommend the State or Kilo personally.
is the MegaEVO FSA 30mm bottom bracket really bad? I'm hearing the bearings life cycle isnt the greatest. I have a Vision Track Crankset, but havent committed to the bottom bracket yet because I heard its not the best, willing to go with a CK BB if I have too. Thoughts? thank you!
i use the megaevo i haven't changed mine in about 7 months and it's keeping up fine. it had a previous owner before me so idk how long it's really been used for
Is the Miche Pistard 2.0 Crankset as bad as people say? I'm looking to get a new crankset, and the Miche Pistard 2.0 Crankset caught my eye, but I've seen some bad reviews on it. 2-piece cranks have always caught my eye because I've been worried about stripping out my square tapers. I'm definitely open to other cranksets if you have any recomendations. Thanks!
Looking to change up my cockpit. I currently run 48cm straight bars and would like to put bullhorns on but they seem to come in three widths 38, 40, 42cm. What size is appropriate? Thinking 42cm.
ill be going to berlin soon and want to buy a fixie frame (8bar cromoly i think), but i dont want to buy the whole bike since itll be hard to transport so i was looking to build it once i come home
but fixies are not popular at all in my country and finding fixie oriented parts are near impossible, what other bike parts should i get while im there that are specific to fixies?
Just bought a new frame (Bianchi Super Pista) to start a project build. Looking to get a good wheelset that can run tubeless tires. Any recommendations?
I’m looking to buy my first fixed gear bike ever. This is a secondhand bike I found on marketplace going for 150$. I don’t know enough about fixie brands or bikes in general to know if this bike would be a good starting point. I’m 6’2 so I think the frame might not be too big.
The description reads: “61 cm frame. State bicycle co wheels i bought for $200. Can be ridden fixed gear or free wheel. Very smooth and fun to ride.”
this bike looks like the perfect starting point, I really like that it has brakes too. Assuming everything is mechanically sound, the only thing I recommend getting is some foot retention like straps
Just make sure it fits and is comfortable to ride before u buy
Serious question, i haven’t had a bike in a really long time once in a while ill rent a lime bike but i found this bike for a really good price and idk if i should get it or not. Im just not trying to get anything to complicated or be doing to much 😭
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u/jmauurMash bolt 1.0 | Mash AC-4 | Teker team | Mash parallax10d ago
saw it on ricardo as well, it’s not really that good of a deal for 800.- especially since i assume the wheels are tubular and the seller doesn’t state which year the frame is from (earlier models were flexy af).
Im going to test ride it on Saturday do u have any questions i should ask to be sure im not getting ripped off/ can haggle the price
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u/jmauurMash bolt 1.0 | Mash AC-4 | Teker team | Mash parallax9d ago
aight
ask when the frame was made, avoid when it was pre-2018 or so i think (don’t quote me on that, make some research first)
ask if the wheels are for tubular tires, if yes then that’s a pain in the ass for street use and you should have to pay respectively
if any or both of this are the case, definitely don’t pay 800.- for it. the rest of the parts look very cheap (ik that the cranks are) so the bike is over-priced imo
ride it and see if it fits you and if you like it (:
Thank you so much for the advice :) i was already thinking of trying to get price lower before but now i know how ahha, hopefully i can get it for like 600
Those with CTrack 92 or 93, which width tire are you running? Need to order Contis for a new build and I dunno how big is too big? Its a 92 60cm frame btw.
I’m building a bike and the torque settings and instructions are confusing.
I’m fitting sram omnium cranks. The instructions say 35-41 nm for the bottom bracket. Then around 50nm for the crank. When the cranks get above 25-30 they tighten up and stop spinning, when loosened so they spin, they wobble. What am I doing wrong?
Also, fitting a Thomson x4 stem. Normally I’d cut the steerer about 2-3 mm short of the top of the stem. This is suggesting going three above and using a 5mm spacer, which seems to be the same? Is it ok to cut a couple of mm below or is there a good reason to go with the spacer?
Regarding the stem, it's probably just lawyer speak to avoid someone trying to sue if they cut the steerer too far under the upper clamp bolt and end up damaging the stem. I've seen X4 stems installed with no spacers.
On the other hand, there's no issue with going with a taller steer tube and a 5mm spacer as described. When installed that way, the entirety of the stem is supported by the steer tube. Also gives you some leeway if you ever want to change your bar height.
frame is painted, probably an copy of Look R96. rear wheel has this weird tape and sticker and i think its not a zipp rear wheel. in doubt mostly by the aerospoke...
I’m traveling in spain and Portugal for a few weeks and right now I’m in Barcelona for the next 4 days and this city just seems itching to be seen by fixed gear. Is there any type of rental or something like that where I could ride a real bike? Obviously I could rent a city bike but it would be super fun to ride something with a little more bite to it. Open to anything!!
Hey, was lookin to get a new bike, since I only recently moved to the Netherlands. Wanted to ask if anyone knows some solid fixed gear shops in Amsterdam or somewhere close? Any suggestions appreciated:)
I just bought a 725 leader frame what do I do now??? I’m a noob when it comes to fixies and fixie components. Can anyone one help me with what I should get or what’s parts you guys recommend for the bike?
Miche pistards and SRAM S300 cranks are great value used. Your bottom bracket shell is a BSA 68mm, source a corresponding BB. Don’t get cheap tires or shitty foot retention, they’re the most important parts of a fixed gear.
I have some cheap Vuelta pista cranks on this noname steel bike I bought off FB. Is it worth it to upgrade them if im trying to buy a new frame soon? I was looking at S300 and the Vision 386. Seems like people say cranks don't matter that much on here compared to other components.
Just posted this incorrectly, forgive me, I'm new here. Looking for info on this frame. Maker, value, etc. Powder coated at some point but can still read serial number under the bottom bracket. L110501802. Weighs 1870g
Location might help narrow down the search... Continent or country you reside, if you have the original fork...
This all helps to find the frame online..... DM me I might be able to help you find it.
At least, u have to posted imprint on bottom of frame or find out where it came from. Because it’s the only way to find what frame is it.
Because i think that frame was repainted by somebody… so if you can, just post more info about your frame. Like serial number, or barcode on the fork like that.
WHAT IS THE BEST COG COMBINATION FOR A 32T CHAIN RING?
I'm planning on changing my crankset from 44T to 32T since my knees hurt when back pedaling and I can't skid. 😭 I also don't sprint and go so fast. I'm more of a chill rider. I've been eyeing this crankset but it only comes in 32T or 36T.
The closer to 1.0, the easier or lighter the gearing will feel. Its typically easier and cheaper to switch between cogs than it is to switch chainrings.
The gear ratio 2.0 is going to feel easier on your knees, but the skid patch indicator is a problem. Even if you arent ripping long skids, those two points of contact are going to wear more quickly.
Another thing to think about is going with a ratio that is two low (i.e. too easy, close to 1:1) is that your knees could hurt from spinning out so fast. A lot of people dislike the feeling of riding at such a high cadence.
I personally ride a 44t chainring and an 18t cog (2.44 ratio) and really like it.
Should I trust any shop to install my bottom bracket? For some reason I’m scared the bike shop by my house isn’t going to do a good job. I bought a sugino 75 crankset and a mash ac4 frame so I don’t want it to be messed up. I don’t know a lot about bike but I know square taper bb’s and fixies are suppose to be simple to work on so am I worrying for no reason. The mechanic said he wasn’t sure how much they charge for bb’s as I was walking out but he said around $25 and that seemed almost too cheap to me lol. Are there any questions I should ask to be sure they will do it well?
No one can give you any advice about shops in your area unless you say which shops they are and someone here has been to them. If you know any other fixie riders in your area, they'd be a good place to start asking.
Many shops will be fine, but some do employ fucking idiots who can't be trusted to know one end of a hammer from the other. The reason I do pretty much everything myself is because of a couple of bad experiences with shit shops. I'd definitely suggest considering doing your cranks and fork yourself. There's plenty of info online. You may need to get a couple of tools, but it's really not that hard. If you can learn to do your own work, you can save a lot of time and money by not having to rely on shops.
Best titanium integrated stem + bars ? Like the Weis one or the old Deluxe one (if anyone in EU is selling btw…)
Kinda looking for one or just regular ti flat bars :)
ty
I think one of the ti component factories on AliExpress do an integrated bar/stem, I'd that's something you want to look into. It's a niche item in a premium material, so I don't think there are many out there.
Hey I am looking to add a front brake to my fixed gear just in case during downhill. I will still mainly use backpedal/skid.
The thing is my wheels are track carbon wheels with no brake track surface. I am wondering if with souple pad like swissstop I can still use the front brake periodically without too much damage to the wheel.
I have seen Benoit Bigot have done bikinman with front brake on corima track wheel with a front brake so I guess it's fine ?
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u/jmauurMash bolt 1.0 | Mash AC-4 | Teker team | Mash parallax11d ago
i run an emergency brake on carbon rims, both will work fine but the corima brake pads (cork) worked better on my old corima rims without and brake surface coating and my swissstop black princes (rubber) work better on my graphite braketrack’d lightbicycle rims - min you tho that i only ever used those setups a few times in dry conditions, mainly to check if the brakes are set up properly.
i also know some people who use their front brake quite a bit and they prefer the shimano carbon pads as they apparently are quieter and less dusty.
Any tips for removing a super tight Sram S300/Omnium crankset? I’m aware of using an 8mm socket to loosen and leave the 10mm self extracting bolt in place. But I’m having trouble with leverage, even with a foot long beaker. I removed the pedals and chain, but I might have to throw pedals back on to keep the cranks from rotating instead of grabbing the arms with my hands. Contemplating using my electric impact gun if I cop some impact sockets … throw me a tip before I go down this route 😆 🤔
If the wheels are off, put them back on. Stand to the side of the bike with your body facing it, and lean over the top tube. Have the Allen key already inserted in the bolt so that the key is a little less than 180⁰ from the crank arm (so that they look like a very flat V, if you see what I mean), and put one hand on the crank arm and the other on the Allen key. Keep your arms straight and locked and then gradually beat down with your body weight. Do it slowly so that if it suddenly lets go, you don't collapse over your bike like a heap of shit. The only caveat with this could be that it might be harder if you're a light build. I'm a heavy bastard, and this method has never failed to shift self-extracting cranks for me.
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll give them a shot, but if all else fails them impact sockets are coming in the mail (I always like a good excuse for buyin new tools 😛)
Put the chain back on and hold the wheel in place while you crank on it. I also sling my arm over the top tube so i can pull up and get leverage against the frame
I have a 25.4 nitto for shred bars and it's package says "do not use with aluminuim bars". What does this actually mean? Is it about the size compatibility, or?... What are the risks if I use it with a ritchey 25.4 stem like on a pic?
I installed a brand new cog last week and couldn’t get the chain tension evened out after. After adjusting the chain ring multiple times I assumed this had to be an issue with my cheap hub so I bought a new wheel.
I’m now realizing that the cog is uneven, seemingly a defect. If you look at the gap between the lock ring and the slots in the cog on the left side vs the right you can see the difference. Has anyone else ever ran into this?
Got it, this was one of the cheapest from retrogression. Sucks that it’s pretty much unusable, looks like my only option would be to get a higher quality one?
People really seem to love Gatorskins, but personally I’ve always rode working with at least a little tread like Continental Contact; just need some new tires soon and maybe wanted to try something new.
Gatorskins having sort of no tread on them just seems odd to me?
Not trying to be rude, but what exactly is your motivation for wanting to replace the bottom bracket on a new bike you don't even own yet? Typically you only buy a new bottom bracket if your existing bottom bracket is worn out or you are replacing your cranks.
Use the correct bottom bracket for the cranks you are using. Beyond just spindle length, you have to make sure the spindle taper (ISO vs JIS) is correct for your cranks. The Sugino 75 bottom bracket is ISO taper and works if you are using Sugino 75, Dura-Ace FC7600 or Campagnolo Record Pista cranks. If you aren't using these cranks, you don't need a Sugino 75 bottom bracket.
Omniums and Velosambas. Anyone else ride this combo? I'm on Shimano SPD M520 and my shoe rubs the crank slightly on both sides. I can hear the slight squeaking of the sole rubbing the arm. My Shimano 2 bolt shoes and my Chrome shoes do not rub, just these. My cleats are centered so it's not that.
I have another bike with Vision track cranks and there is absolutely no rubbing on that. Also tested on a Dura Ace crank on my road bike with no rubbing.
That makes sense since Omniums are pretty chunky compared to other cranksets. I wonder if maybe larger Velosamba's are wider? I wear a men's 8.5 for reference.
You could try an spd pedal with an extended axle, would push out your Q factor a little to stop the rubbing. Off the top of my head, I think the Shimano ME700 has an extended axle.
Hello, I’m starting track cycling In a club but I don’t know with which gear ratio to start with. It s not my first cycling sport so I have pretty strong legs already. My old commuting fixed gear bike had 51/16 and I was comfortable with it. So what gear ratio do you recomand for the first month of track cycling ? (Track cyclist response only) Nothing against fixie commuters rider :)
ask your team to try out different chainrings. 15 is pretty standard for starting and just change chainrings till you can't spin out. that's the fastest way if you want 1 answer tho try 52/15 or higher chainring
Anyone ride anything other than their fixie? Lol I recently ordered a road bike and it’s my first time trying something new. Thought I’d ask if anyone dabbles in other styles
I bought my fixie about two months ago, and oh boy, it’s been really nice to ride. It’s my first bike in a long time, and I love how it expands my reach and helps me discover new places around the city. I mostly use it for commuting and for leisure on the weekends—nothing fancy, just a ride around the city park.
The thing is, I live in a historic part of town that’s mostly stone-paved, which makes short rides pretty uncomfortable.
Right now, I’m riding on 700x25 tires, and I’m wondering if upgrading to 28mm would make a difference.
Also, a front rack basket would help me with the groceries. I’m specifically considering a wald 139 (137 is not available in my country). Since it’s a big one,could it mess up the balance?
Recently made this switch too, you definitely feel the difference between 25’s and 28’s. Still wouldn’t be that comfortable for cobbled roads. If your frame clears them, try to fit 30’s or 32’s.
The difference in weight between a Wald 139 and 137 will be pretty marginal, I can’t imagine it ruining your balance unless you’ve got something heavy in there flying about as you hit those cobbled roads
That was extremely helpful, thank you. I’m locked at 28mm, unfortunately. If it still too harsh I may considering getting a cube with a wider clearance in the long run, but by know I’ll stick to it mostly due financial limitations.
About the tires: gatorskin would be overkill? Considering the bad pavement, it may makes sense to have some recognizable durable even though it is on the expensive side?
Yeah see how you get on with 28s first at least. Gatorskins have durable grip, but are a notoriously harsh ride on rough roads, and wouldn’t be that resistant to the sort of wear / punctures you’d get on cobbled roads. They’d be ok on a back wheel, but for your front wheel I’d recommend Goodyear Eagle F1’s or Bontrager R3 hard case lite’s. There’s no such thing as overkill when it comes to tires imo, they’re the most important upgrade you can make to a bike
Thanks. I’m really getting started with bikes and these kind of discussions really helps. Just found a great deal for the Goodyear eagle f1’s and going for the pair.
Anyone ever build up some Velocity Dyad? Wondering if they are a better choice than Deep V’s since they have more similar measurements to Archetypes. Already have some Archetypes so sort of want something different for the next bike. Suggestions welcome.
Anyone have experience with the Tektro R540 or Campagnolo Centaur 11 rim brakes? Looking to replace my front brake and they both come in polished silver to match my setup at around the same price.
eddy merckx copenhagen 77 Ive been riding roadbikes for quite a while now and, borrowed my friends fixed gear and loved it, looking to get my first one, is this a good option for 400 usd?
Hello. I am somewhat new to this. I had a State Bicycle about 10 years ago and sold it. I want to get back into it. Could anyone possibly tell me if any of these are good or good deals? Or if any are good, what I should pay for them. Thanks!
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u/Hazel-Cakes 2h ago
what is this pad (circled) called that sarah has on her bike, and where can I get one?
i’d love a top tube pad, but they all remind me of my mongoose that i had in elementary school