Chuck wrote:
>
> Oooops! Did I really type fixed-wheel? What I meant to type was
> fixed-gear...
I've heard a lot of people call it fixed-wheel - is that so wrong? ;)
When I was a young bike mechanic in a suburb of Hartford Conn, I was the designated go-to guy when our Jamaican customers came in, because I could understand their accent better than most of the others. Or maybe just because I liked them; some of the others in that shop were a little racist I think. There was a small but vibrant and cohesive Jamaican community in Hartford, and one thing they seemed to have in common was riding what sounded to me like "fitz-wheels" - usually with enormous gear ratios. They were often in our shop to special-order 56 tooth rings for Stronglight 93 cranks, or the special relieved track hub lockring required for 12 and 13-tooth cogs. They knew what they wanted and were willing to special-order and wait, though they weren't rich. I remember more than one "fitz-wheel" with the pedals bashed off, so the rider's bare feet bore on the pedal spindle. Still, as poor as they were, they weren't going to ride a freewheel if they could help it!
Mark Bulgier
Seattle, Wa USA