»

[Panda Strong]

i guess this could go in the sports section....but whatevs. its just as social/general as sport! but yeah, when i'm back up in 'deen for uni, does anyone want to cycle the streets at night or something? i'd never heard of the beCyCle place - beCyCle - until a few months ago, but i'll defo be checking it out when i'm up! looks like they do rides too. they look for folk to do voluntary work as well, which i quite fancy doing. hopefully getting involved there will let me understand my bike a bit more (i'm still a bit of a n00b).

so yeah. anyone into it? what do people ride? i'm on a brian rourke racer just now. reynolds 531 so it flieeessss. oh and i came across forum celebrity old gold posting on the lfgss forums which was a pleasant surprise! seems like there's a bit of fixed gear thing picking up in aberdeen which is cool.

[Le Stu]

Fixed gear bikes take a while to pick up as they have only one gear. I've no idea what people see in them as they're useless for inclines or travelling at speed.

Hipsters, IMO.

[Old Gold]

They're only useless for inclines and high speed if you've got rubbish legs

[Panda Strong]

Originally Posted by Le Stu

Fixed gear bikes take a while to pick up as they have only one gear. I've no idea what people see in them as they're useless for inclines or travelling at speed.

Hipsters, IMO.

for just now i'd have to agree with you. the amount of hipsters rolling around on fixed is pretty funny. i saw a girl on one today in glasgow wearing a big pair of sunglasses and hot pants. i kid you not. BUT, try telling bike hero sheldon brown that fixied are for hipsters. he's have your head (if he was still alive). i'd admit its an acquired taste, but don't just write them off because some kid bought one from urban outfitters. its just a fad just now. it'll come and go. something new will take centre stage etc....

read what sheldon has to say here - Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road

useless for traveling at speed? have you cycled a decently made one before? if you've got the right gear you fly pretty crikey fast.

but whatever i don't even ride a fixed gear just now. either way, cycle runs should not be limited to your style of bike

[neepheid]

As long as you stop at red lights, go the correct way down one way streets and generally obey road signs, you can ride what and where you like as far as I'm concerned.

[Le Stu]

Originally Posted by Panda Strong

for just now i'd have to agree with you. the amount of hipsters rolling around on fixed is pretty funny. i saw a girl on one today in glasgow wearing a big pair of sunglasses and hot pants. i kid you not. BUT, try telling bike hero sheldon brown that fixied are for hipsters. he's have your head (if he was still alive). i'd admit its an acquired taste, but don't just write them off because some kid bought one from urban outfitters. its just a fad just now. it'll come and go. something new will take centre stage etc....

read what sheldon has to say here - Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road

useless for traveling at speed? have you cycled a decently made one before? if you've got the right gear you fly pretty crikey fast.

but whatever i don't even ride a fixed gear just now. either way, cycle runs should not be limited to your style of bike

Okay, I'll admit that my sole experience of fixed-gear cycles was riding an aging Huffy that felt like it weighed about two tons. It was just my 'ghetto pass' for when I was living in a pretty rough area and I needed to get to the train station and back without getting murdered. And no one ever did steal that piece of shit, even when I left it there over weekends, so it did the job.

Mr Brown makes some good points regarding exercise but I love coasting down hills and I can't stand taking off at lights without gears. I'm just not a purist, I suppose. Or I'm lazy. Yes, that's more likely.

Though, funnily enough, I prefer automatic transmission in cars! (still has gears though)

[Le Stu]

Originally Posted by Old Gold

They're only useless for inclines and high speed if you've got rubbish legs

Yes. In fact, it's been so long since I was last on a bike that I suspect I'll have a problem regardless of gears.

Bikes seem bloody expensive these days. What's up with that?

[Old Gold]

Originally Posted by neepheid

As long as you stop at red lights, go the correct way down one way streets and generally obey road signs, you can ride what and where you like as far as I'm concerned.

Originally Posted by Le Stu

Yes. In fact, it's been so long since I was last on a bike that I suspect I'll have a problem regardless of gears.

Bikes seem bloody expensive these days. What's up with that?

You adapt pretty quickly really, although the slow take-off speed takes a bit of getting used to, although less so providing you don't give a damn about angry motorists. I think Aberdeen is pretty safe from hipsters riding fixed due to the hills making them all sweaty (you do make a fine point as far as that goes).

I reckon the high prices are due to the relatively nice weather and the tail end of the whole recession thing. Best time to buy is probably winter, a little while after the majority of the '10 OTP models get released.

[Teabags]

Originally Posted by neepheid

As long as you stop at red lights, go the correct way down one way streets and generally obey road signs, you can ride what and where you like as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks for your permission. It was starting to worry me that you might be getting angry.

[Old Gold]

Someone in Aberdeen owns a real clean Fuji Track.