Re: [CR]Fixed or just shiftless?

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2002)

Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:57:33 -0500
From: Marcus Coles <marcoles@ody.ca>
To: CLASSIC RENDEZVOUS <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]Fixed or just shiftless?
References: <8867EB6C-C500-4D94-AEC7-8B53927236AE@mac.com>
In-Reply-To: <8867EB6C-C500-4D94-AEC7-8B53927236AE@mac.com>


Mark Fulton wrote:
> You all just knew I'd have to chip in on this stuff sooner or later.
>
> I guess I'm bi-cyclist. I go both ways. I have three perfectly on
> topic multi-geared road bikes including a Locomotief, a 3Rensho and
> the Aero Rossin that you all heard about recently. And I also have 10\u2014
> at latest count\u2014fixed-gear bikes. But wait! They all came by it
> honestly. They're TRACK BIKES! They date from 1970 to 2007. From
> Limongi to Waterford. I've been riding track bikes on the street since
> my racing days\u2014back in the early 1950s. Now I build them so that other
> people can do it too.
>
> I guess while I"m at it, I might as well confess to a certain degree
> of deviant behavior, so here goes: I also have two single-speed Gary
> Fisher mountain bikes. But only one is a fixie. Both employ Surly
> chain tensioners that bolt right on to the derailleur brackets as if
> that were what the brackets were designed for.
> I thought I was bad with four road ridden fixed gear bikes (only one a track bike) all within the CR timeline and the only one that started with a derailleur hanger still has it. I also own a few bikes which coast.

What the heck is with the fixed gear mountain bike thing? I hope that doesn't catch on, that mountain bike fad has gone on long enough. How many more Schwinn Excelsiors have to die?

Marcus Coles London, Ontario, Canada Where 52 x 17 @ 90rpm = ~35kph (A good gear for traffic)