Galen Pewtherer wrote:
I built a fixed-gear conversion for a friend of mine about a year ago, and she took to it like a fish to water (she recently completed a 16-hour orienteering race on it in San Francisco, which makes my quads hurt just to think about).
She's mentioned that she'd like to upgrade to something a little quicker and "trackier" handling, so I'm casting the net out there.
It doesn't need to be fancy or cosmetically perfect (or even close), this will be a daily rider/commuter that will see all kinds of weather and hard riding, but if it's drilled for a front brake that would be great.<snip> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A couple of years ago, I bought a really ugly Raphael Geminiani track bike for commmuting. It's hilly here, and my commute includes one very tight 180 degree turn on a ramp. The Geminiani just didn't cut it: too much toe clip interference (>2 cm), and very short stays that didn't like panniers. Although you can attribute it to old age and senility, I've come to favor road frames for on-road fixed gear riding. Just much nicer handling, and a range of "quickness" from crit --> road --> touring.
And as for possibly road riding w/o a front brake, you can guess the intensity of my feeling that it is stupid. The main purpose of the back brake, used correctly, is just keeping the back from overtaking the front, which is might awkward when it happens.
harvey sachs
mcLean va