My team mate rides his look track bike 48X14 down a 6% grade in Hamilton Ont. at over 80 km per hour and loves it. I personally think he's nuts, but then he's 19, races in downhill skiing "downhill" (you know those kooks that hit 130 km/h on the flats) and fears nothing.
Having once hit a tree with my head and seen coroners' reports, I play it safe.
46X18 on my fixed. Front and rear brakes.
Let's see:
No brakes - plenty of bravado, trashed knees, look cool
Brakes - plenty of years ibuprofin free, live to see my kid another day.
Lawrence Toronto, Canada
Warren & Elizabeth wrote:
> 48X18 is just the ticket for commuting in my town...land of the flat
> asphalt. I prefer a 16 but it hurts my aging knees. My fork came
> pre-drilled...no guilt. Although I can lock up my rear wheel, it
> would never stop me as quickly as my little Weinman front brake with
> it's little BMX lever. It lets me go faster and has saved my butt on
> a couple of occasions.
>
> Drivers are pathetic. Cabs are a menace. Pedestrians are the worst.
> Doors are the enemy. Be careful out there.
>
> Warren "18 years of commuting & counting" Young
> Toronto
>
> >In this recent thread regarding stopping fixed gear bikes several people
> >have mentioned their choice of gearing for road use. It sounds like
> >everyone is using a higher gear then me. I started using a fixed wheel
> >for road riding in about 1973. The old timers that coached us advocated
> >a 63" gear (42x18). I've stuck with that through my 14 year racing
> >career and the 16 years since. What do you guys ride?
> >
> >Jamie Swan - Northport, N.Y.