5punk

This is quite a good programme if you have any interesting is cycling and bikes: Ride of My Life: The Story of the Bicycle. Not for foreign types I'm afraid.

MrGreen wrote:Youtube "alleycat race" if you want an example of what cunts bike messengers are. Skillful cunts at that.

Christ. So *thats* why people think bike messengers are twats. Because they are twats. It all makes sense now.

If you're going to get gears you will not need a triple chain set unless you're some 50 year old hambeast with asthma.

I am too highly in favour of fixed and single speed bikes, but i would 100% recommend that you don't fuck around with a fixed gear unless you're on completely flat ground and not riding in traffic or can even see a car. You will die. However, if you want to play bike polo some time fixed gear all the way

There's an absolute plethora of singlespeed/fg bikes out there now as they've gone all vogue in the last year. Owning a Charge Plug I can highly recommend it, they're a British company and it was one of the first mass production off the peg ss/fg bikes and is built like a brick shithouse. It's heavier than most others in the price bracket, but what you lose in lightness you gain in bombproofness. So if you're commuting you're on to a winner.

However, i suggest that you go and spend some time lurking on this forum: www.lfgss.com you'll find decent advice there (on all sorts of bikes, not just single speed and fixed) and a minimum of twattery, and I'm sure you'll find better advice than us lot can provide

Sol wrote:Owning a Charge Plug

Christ, the geometry on that is slacker than sheriff's arse.

Edit: for those that don't speak bike, slack geometry is the upwards pipes being a long way from 90 degrees, in that case they're around 70 (at a guess)

Steeper = twitchier, more fine control but can be a bit hairy at speed.
Less steep = more relaxed, good for cruising, but can be a bit cumbersome at slow speeds.

Still toe overlap on the front wheel though, and unless you're on a track there is no need for it, otherwise you'll end up accidentally catching your toe under the front wheel and falling straight on your face. The plug's geometry is pretty average for a single speed

Bought a bike yet buzz?

Not yet, was planning on doing it this afternoon.

Toss up between:

A Merida I can get for a good price and the Giant Defy 3.5. It all hinges on whether the shop I'm going to has the Merida in my size (or can get it for the same price) as it's a better specced bike.

strangely the giant looks to be a bit smaller

You'll need



and



Unless you're blessed with completely bald legs.


And no, I'm completely serious, hair pokes through lycra, tears out of skin when you come off.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn29DvMITu4[/media]

The merida looks nicer and you're not an old man so you wont need the triple chainring of the giant.

Bought. Last years colours, spec is pretty much the same barring rims, tyres and saddle.

Obviously, pics or it didn't happen has to be satisfied:

I like your sloping bricks in front of the shed

Now take the reflectors and bell? off, remove the pedals (15mm spanner, one's a left hand thread) and get some clipless ones and shoes to suit.

Also buy one of These

Assuming they're not splined cranks, check they're tight before and after every ride (8mm hex wrench usually) the aluminium tends to form around the BB for a while, if you don't keep them tight, it costs money.

Then you need to add some tassels, a basket, a pink seat and a card in the spokes. Sorted.

The bike somehow looks fast even when leaning on a bench.

HereComesPete wrote:Then you need to add some tassels, a basket, a pink seat and a card in the spokes. Sorted.

Hehe, that reminds me of a charity bike ride I did with a mate once - he left me with his bike when he went for a piss before setting off, and when he came back the wheels were covered with spokey dokes, and far too many for him to take off before the ride started.

Dr. kitteny berk wrote:remove the pedals

Ow, yeah, stock pedals are shit. And don't forget the threads go in opposite directions for each side, don't spend 10 minutes tightening the pedal on one side like I did.

How's the saddle? I want one of these ones now that I've seen them on the programme I linked to earlier in the thread. They're supposed to get better with age as the leather softens. £100 upwards though.

Yes, I was also thinking about a Brookes saddle anyway due to seeing that program but as I've not been out on this yet (barring a quick couple of minutes from the shop to the car before it pissed it down) I've no idea if the current saddle is any good or not.

As for the reflectors and bell, yes Berk, they're coming off. I also got given one of those folding hex sets by the shop I was at, not a Park one, but it seems alright for a non branded tool.

I need to make a decision about pedals, they're not very nice at the moment and are very difficult to actually get on your shoes. I've got no idea where I'd go for clipless shoes though.

/obvious