Kenty

Evening Folks , I peddle to work and back everyday , 40k round trip , East London is not flat , but one gets accustomed to the hills ....I've been commuting since 2018... In the last 2 years it's been on a fixed gear , a Giant OCR3 that I converted , as of two weeks ago , got my first proper fixed gear frame , a Simple SAM , ABSOLUTE value for money , it's nippy through the traffic , fast and light enough to peddle the hills .....I'm running a 46T chain ring and a 18T rear cog , not too spinny and manageable on the hills ...As said in an earlier post , I leave my work shoes at work and a small bag on my back for the daily essentials, socks , underwear and a neatly folded work shirt ... I have a cold shower at work which suits me and have worked out a system over time ....it's is VERY doable to commute by bicycle ..and on my fixie is so so simple....

I know this is from 2021 , but I've been looking for a fixed gear/track bike frame ever since I converted Giant OCR3 into a fixed gear ...Did 3000 odd kays on the OCR3 , but , it's not quite the real McCoy... As I got the hang of fixie peddling , I WANTED a proper frame , but these frames tend to be a tad pricey... Rook I was eyeing, but still not quite took my fancy and then happened on the Simple SAM website .. Did some more investigation, got to this thread and read even more and only found good solid things being said about the SAM... I've now acquired one , a Yellow SAM , and I tell you what , I am BLOWN AWAY!!!.. I peddle to work and back everyday and have already put on 250kays in a few days , SAM is nippy , fast and smooth as you like .. I put my own saddle and Thomson post on , with a decent set of handle bars... Next I'm swopping the Joytec rear hub for my Novatec sealed hub... So , all in all , I'm pretty damn impressed!!!

Good day Folks I'm looking for a GT Gutterball track bike... Thanks...

Mornings , I absolutely hear you and couldn't agree more , hence I'm on the look out for an old steel track bike frame in the 50 to 53 cm range .. .I will get one , in the meantime I will be "gently" be pedaling on the OCR3...

🙈🙈🤣🤣No ..not quite. ..I'm WAY TOO SLOW for that ...😆🫡

Ok , was not easy , half link chain helps a HUGE AMOUNT, but still missing the od few 5mils or so to get that tension on point ... I'm running a 42/18 as this is the same ratio as my SS MTB that I was using for commuting , 2.33 give or take a point....so , for climbing the 42/18 was just right and not too spinny on the flats. But...but...I still needed that extra 5 to 8 mill adjustment ...my one mate is a metal engineer, and he MacGyvered the vertical drop outs for me and it now works a treat ... The OCR3 weighs in at 7,8kg and the old Axis MTB I was using comes in at 13,4kg....HUGE difference and I tell you what , this OCR3 frame is SUPER nippy .. Sooo ..I'm very pleased and will now keep my eyes open for a 52 steel track bike for a future build .. Fixie riding is a drug....🙈😆🤣😆🫡🚴🚴

You took the words out my mouth , last week , just got that "relaxing" down ...must say , once I got that trick sorted , more control...flowing with the bike as it were....

Well , as you say the chain ...last week , I was on a downhill , and over a speed bump I went and chain was a tad slack , as I'm still getting to grips with the tension thing , and the chain hopped off...slight panic , and I put the old tekkies on the back tyre...🙈😆😆🤣...was pretty damn effective indeed ..

Well , it did in the beginning, now , it's just the very steep downhills that are still a tad tricky ....but , getting better all the time...East London is not exactly flat country...🙈🙈😆🤣🤣

Quite correct Boss ...first ride I pulled out of my driveway , 🙈🤣🤣...tried to adjust my helmet and freewheel at the same time , landed on the grass verge ....it's a VERY VERY STEEP learning curve ...indeed ...but...I'm going to be hard pressed to get back onto my MTBs ..

😉🫡🚴🚴Well , firstly , I've never ridden a road bike as such , only ever been around MTBs , then of course a fixie was just a pip of an idea in my head ...Sooo...this Giant OCR3 fell into my hands , I got "sucked" into this fixed gear drug by y watching many many videos in recent years , and way back in the 80s and 90s always read about the NYC bike messenger "underworld" ....has always fascinated me... Back to the brakes...🙈🙈🤣🤣...while I was building this OCR3 as a fixie , a front brake was ALWAYS in the plan.... But , my eagerness got the better of me and the build was 95% done and I just HAD TO take it for a spin ..the front brake still had to put together and in place ... It's now 4 weeks I've been commuting and the front brake is still sitting on my work bench🫡😉😆😆... Somehow , I just "took" to the no brake fixed thing , ...the skid , the conentrted back pressure to slow down , this then becomes part of the pedal every time I get onto the OCR3. .. Absolutely loving it ...

🤣🤣😉🚴😈😈

No brakes...

Evening Folks , wanted to share this pic of Vusi , he is a fellow commuter and his bike is an old frame he was given and then built the bike up to what you see .. Also a fixed gear...he is running a 47 chainring and a 16 rear cog...we commute about 8k together and then he turns off to his place of work ...

I've been commuting to work n back for just on 4 years now...44k round trip , Monday to Friday and the odd Saturday....wind , rain or shine... I started out on my trusty Trek EX 7 , 2011 26er model and she is a beaut old bike , but , was clocking up the kilos.... I had/have an old cheaper Axis 26er MTB hardtail ....I converted it into a 1x7 and used it for quite awhile , AND THEN ...I got x blood rush and got it converted to a single speed ..38/16... Was tough at first , but really started enjoying the simplicity.... THEN ...I really got a blood rush ,🙈🙈🤣🤣🤣...found a 2004 , I think , GIANT OCR 3 ,road bike and went about converting it into a fixed gear ... Enter Jack!!!!.. Folks , I tell you what , I'm gonna be hard pressed to get back into my MTBs... DAMN ...this fixie is fun fun ....I am now on my 3rd week commuting on Jack the Fixie...

🤣🤣🤣..jip...I commute work n back everyday , got wet stuff to put on later .BUT....would not swop it for a car trip home...

Hi Chris ...thanks for that...what I needed ..just some confirm that it was the fall over and yes I now do have a spare and maybe getting one machined as a back up...

I broke my hanger on my beloved Alice...she is a 2011 TREK EX 5...after much searching and panic states ...Ive found out she has what they call a ABP rear set up and hence the hanger is "different" ...since found out they dont really keep many in stock AND to make matters worse there is a RACING hanger and a CLASSIC hanger ...2 different serial numbers....After much Googling my local bike shop sources one ...and I source 2 from a bike shop in KZN...the 2 KZN hangers are correct and the other was not...imo they were not cheap at R380.00 a pop and this is after 2 years of riding trails etc etc.... This happened 60k into a 125k ride and as I was putting down the power to climb a short sharp hill... Back 3 hours to the start of the ride ...I bumped Alice and she fell over on the ground and am I right in assuming that this is what did the hanger in???? As I am very careful when riding and dont really take uneccessary risks ,,,I am now somewhat aprehensive to ride as could this happen under normal riding condition when pedaling hard up hills etc etc...

Thanks Folks...our local hero Adrian Fogg has got me sorted...Alice will be up n about soon...

Jip..thanks ..I am busy with Adrian at The Bike Yard...a great local bike shop here in EL..and Adrian is extremely helpful indeed..

Hi Folks..I have a snapped hanger on my much beloved Alice..she is a 2011 TREK EX 5... Im led to believe , these TREKs had a somewhat different set up at the back ... Is it possible to still get these hangers???..

WOW...thanks looks a beaut!!

Great stuff...please post a pic of your Peugeot...tryna get some ideas of what to look for...thanks again

Howzit Folks....I want a Peugeot oldie...whats a decent model Peugeot bike out there OR where they all iffy???...