Archive for November, 2009

I’m never one to follow fads. I was always reasonably popular in school but never really ‘cool’. I couldn’t wear the right clothes or shoes or drive a cool car or act cool. Thus, when I started learning about the fixed gear movement, about two years ago when I moved to Memphis, I thought that seems really stupid and dangerous. Plus, even if I had a fixed gear, I wouldn’t be cool.

After a couple of friends and I attended the Bicycle Film Festival when it came to Memphis, I figured I’d give it a shot. I had an old Peugeot Monaco frame hanging in the garage which was left by the previous owner. I actually put it in the purchase agreement that the frame had to stay, I forgot about the refrigerator. Dohhhh! So, this summer when my wife and kids went to Haiti for 5 weeks, I made it my project.

I flipped the handle bars and cut them to make bull horns. Bought a set of road rims, tires, seat, seatpost, handle bar tape, chain and pedals. I re-greased the headset and replaced the bearings in the bottom bracket. I couldn’t find a seatpost to fit so I bought a 22.Xmm seatpost and shimmed the heck out of the seat tube. I also added a front brake as I am married with two children.

Peugeot Monaco Fixie

I took the first few rides pretty slow. After riding a aluminum mountain bike and city bike exclusively for almost two years, the feel of the steel frame was inspiring. While still rigid, almost no vibrations made it through to the seat our my hands. I also relish the fact that bike makes virtually no sound. I hate the hum of tires and engines which is pervasive almost anywhere there is the slightest bit of civilization. It feels good to ride something so quiet.

Probably my tenth ride on the fixie, and after a few beers, a friend and I were headed on a trek to find him a fixie frame. While trying to turn left across a busy road, I caught my left pedal on the ground. I came down sideways on the rear tire, which rolled and blew out. That sent me to the ground, hard. I skinned both elbows, my left hand, left knee and right foot (I was wearing sandals). A couple of weeks later after truing the wheel and putting on some new rubber, I discovered that I had also bent the heck out of my saddle rails and seatpost such that by looking at them you wouldn’t notice but once you got on, wow, ef-ed up. Since the seatpost was on back order, at least a month went by before I had the bike ride-able again.

I recently started working from home so I don’t need to take my mountain bike to work anymore — I had to hop curbs and navigate oft-wet grass. However, I go to a local gym, about three miles away, every morning. Since it’s not to far and the route is void of major roads, I take the fixie. While I’m still getting the hang of it and once and a while forgetting that I can’t stop pedaling, I thoroughly enjoy the bike. I look forward to mounting it every morning — don’t tell my wife. So, while I’m being a bit faddish, I have to say it’s well worth it.

PS: I can’t lock up the back wheel to slow down. I think the bend in the fork and the short run of the stem doesn’t allow me to get my weight far enough forward to take enough weight off the back wheel. Anyone had a similar issue?