Nice message Bianca -- Sheldon was an influence on me trying the single speed/fixed gear too. And just a couple weeks ago, I got a friend of mine hooked on Sheldon's site to learn about the same topic. He'd been immersing himself in that extensive site when Sheldon died -- and we were both talking about how interesting it is that someone can have an impact with so many people around the world without even meeting them.
Anyhow -- another thing about single speed and fixed gear riding -- I notice you are using the track bike on the road. I did that, too. There is something very cool about a track bike. But one thing I figured out (and I think Sheldon pointed this out, as well) was on the road, I found that I would have liked to put some larger tires on the bike, but with an actual track bike, that wasn't possible. I'm thinking about finding something like an old "path racer" which has the rear-facing fork ends on the back, like a track bike, but typically has more room for fatter tires.
Kyle Brooks Akron, Ohio
-----Original Message-----
>From: Bianca Pratorius <biankita@comcast.net>
>Sent: Feb 7, 2008 9:03 PM
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Sheldon Brown and fixed gear single speed
>
>
>Sheldon was a big proponent of the fixed gear single speed bike format.
>He recommended it for riding off track, and not just on the velodrome.
>After years of reading his recommendations to try it - try it, - last
>week I decided to give it a go. I've ridden fixed gear bikes on the
>track but never owned one or ridden such on the road. I arranged to
>purchase a nice track bike for on track and off track use. Charles
>Nighbor, a list member, is getting ready to send me the bike and I'm
>stoked. What a coincidence that I finally decided to try the thing that
>Sheldon Brown thought so highly of right before his death. I also plan
>to one day own a SA three speed bike and grow a beard. He and I both
>discovered the pleasures of a recumbent trike too. Whenever I ride that
>track bike in my neighborhood, I am going to think of him. Thanks
>Sheldon.
>
>Garth Libre in Miami Fl USA