How to Ride Faster….

I was pondering about ways to ride faster and improve my flow this afternoon.

I’ve progressed a fair way since I started riding Fixie in January, but I felt the need to step it up a notch.

 

I think the best way to speed up when riding Fixie is to do away with anything that slows you down. The one last thing on my beloved steed that slows me down is, of course, the front brake.

I also think the wing bars leave me too far over the front of the bike, in a position that’s almost comfy but not quite. So I needed to change my position too.

 

So I nabbed a pair of random riser bars kickin’ around and a spare Charge stem (a little longer than my original). Stripped the front brake off, cut the bars down to a silly narrow width so the grips meet the edge of the rise in the centre of the bar and then stood back and grinned a lot.

 

I’ll post pics soon, so check back in a day or so!

 

Here’s to the next step!

The Shape of Things to Come

I recently acquired a new digital camera from the wonderful thing that is eBay.

So, as a result, I’ll be working on some interesting new features for the site.

 

I really want to create some interactive maps of fun Fixie routes through Bath. This means I’ll be out on my lunch breaks riding around and taking photos, and fun stuff like that, so expect a fair amount of new content within the next week or so.

 

I’m also jumping in at the deep end and learning some HTML so I can further the site from a design aspect. We shall see how quickly I learn!

 

I’ve seen a fair few hits recently from the site, which is encouraging.

If anyone has any cool ideas/thoughts for future content give me a shout using my email, which is located in the “bath fixie” section.

 

Also, check out this vid. Damn skillful stateside style.

Bath Fixie

For all you local Fixie riders out there, I’d like a show of hands who’d be willing to meet up and ride/hang out, get some Fixie progression on the go.

You can contact me using:      jonathangentle@hotmail.com

I have no idea how to do a “mail:to” link so just copy paste it!

Give it a week and I’ll post an update.

Holler at me!

Do it, Do it, Alright!

My short bout of man-flu stopped just in time for The Go! Team concert.

I got let out of work early and moochied across to Frankie’s, before catching a bus into the centre of Bristol.

We had a couple of drinks at The Commercial Rooms and met up with Claire.

We then proceeded to the concert venue.

When we got inside one of two support bands were playing (and I can’t remember their name for the life of me). They had some kickin basslines and a lot of guitar-orientated goodness goin’ down.

The next support act were The Micro Girls, who we’re a bit crazy. They hail from Finland, with music based a lot around 12-bar blues, but in a really upbeat style. 1 on keyboard, 1 guitarist/vocalist, and a drummer with spaghetti arms.

The Go! Team we’re soon on and the entire crowd was absolutely buzzing with excitement. They made a dramatic entrance with lots of smoke and then proceeded to go straight into their amazingly energetic repertoire of upbeat, make-your-soul-light sorta music. We got told to sing lyrics and shout “Do it, Do it, Alright!” a lot, which was entertaining.

 

All in all, an absolutely awesome evening. An awesome band. Awesome company.

 

Do it, Do it, Alright!

A little off-topic

I don’t just ride Fixie. I like to dabble in other bike riding styles.

I’ve just built a new hardtail, after selling my short travel full sus Giant Trance.

So, I’m now the proud owner of a Charge Blender (in pimpy white).

 
The Blender is designed primarily as a 4X bike, but I guess I’ll use it for everything, including jumping over gaps in between perfectly shaped mounds of dirt.

 
I love the way that so many bike riding skills are transferable.
Riding a Fixie has helped me in my balance and poise on a “regular bike”.
I’ve found freedom in the amount of movement and balance I can get with a freewheel.

At the same time I wouldn’t knock riding Fixie, because it helps me make the absolute best of any situation that gets thrown at me whilst riding any other bike.

If I’m halfway through a pedal stroke and I’m completely off-balance I can still throw in a perfectly sizeable hop, for all those times I need to hop over small objects, dogs, hobos.
I have yet to see how my balance can be transferred to the trails, but needless to say there’ll be an update soon.

 
So how am I feeling right now?

I’m happy to own 2 steel-framed Charge bikes.

After all, steel is real.

Sniffle

After the frantic BMX track action yesterday, and my recent habit of burning the candle at both ends, I’ve contracted a severe case of man-flu.

It’s a horrible affliction, turning even the most mild-mannered guy into a grumpy, over-exaggerating, useless pile of scrunched up tissues, amid moans that signify the sufferer is blatantly close to death.

I’ve got way better since feeling dizzy this morning, which is a bonus, because I really want to go to see The Go! Team on Saturday at the Academy. A night not to be missed, and a night that has me excited to the point I’m uttering girlish squeals and jumping up and down.

Be gone pathetic sniffles! There’s a good time to be had!

Staff Training!

Now I don’t claim to love staff training, sometimes it’s just an irritating waste of time.

This morning, however, was a complete polar opposite to the usual stereotype.

We had a guy from Marin pop over to show us a couple of new models, the Quad 140 range.

Who would agree that riding around the car park next to the shop to test these bikes out would be completely lame? Yes that’s what we thought too.

So, we met Fin at the newly refurbished Bath BMX track. Check it out here.

 

We proceeded to blast around and have a hell of a good time putting the bikes through their paces. I even took my Charge Blender up there and had a rant around.

It was a dull morning with freezing fog, but nothing dampened our spirits as we thrashed the bikes around.

At the end of the hour that we spent there it was time to head back to the shop and open up, so we hit the road on our steeds and blasted on down.

 

Thanks go to Fin for letting us ride all manner of wonderful bikes.

Thanks also go to Tim for driving me there and back today, cheers!

Grease = Bad

I was pootling along on my beloved steed, on my way to work this morning.

I love riding along the river first thing in the morning, watching the mist rise eerily from the surface. I love hearing very little but the rushing of wind past my ears and the dull whirring from my chain as I zip along the towpath.

 

Nearing the end of my ride and turning in behind the train station, I focussed on missing a couple of pedestrians and then, without warning, the front wheel decided that it would rather lose traction and made a dive for a nearby row of parked cars.

Narrowly missing the cars I slid across the floor, half on top of the bike, half grinding against the floor. At that point I was glad I was sliding and not suddenly gripping on the tarmac.

Coming to a halt after a metre or so, and peeling my bag from its strangle-hold on my neck, I assessed damage to both bike and self and limped around the corner to work.

 

I could’ve pointed blame at several factors, but there’s only so much you can do about a front wheel wash-out. So I just shrugged and got on with it. I feel battered. Win some, lose some I guess.

Roll with the punches, or maybe not specifically “roll” in a fixie sense.

Gert Brizzle Ride

Another cold evening, clear skies and sub zero temperatures. Not phased by the greasy roads, Tim and I headed into Bristol for a ride.

We proceeded to hit some fairly dark backstreets around the centre, in amongst some rather upmarket harbour-side apartments, close to @ Bristol.

We hung out at some of the street riding spots we frequent in sunnier months, and got our skid on. I imagine Tim will soon have photos posted on ghettosnake, so chickety-check it.

We proceeded onto the mean and crowded roads around the city centre for an education in technical weaving, toying with the traffic. Although it was uncertain at some points who had the upper hand, motorists in various guises, or us.

Riding in some uber-traffic leads me to devote some serious respect to fixie riders who brave this manic sort of riding every day, and do so with style and without getting dead.

In short we got educated. It’s a progression thing right?

Why I love not being able to freewheel

I got home a few nights ago after Tim and I went out for a nice chilled out ride.

I felt shattered after a hard day at work and a short but hectic commute to and from said establishment.

But I felt happy. I mean, my heart felt light sort of happy. The sort of feeling that’s synonymous with having few cares or worries. No pressure.

I can’t describe how good that sort of feeling is. It can set me up for days.

Eventually something will happen to bring me back down slightly but it’s slower than usual. I can deal with pretty much any curveball I get thrown.

Enjoying the simple pleasures is ultimately the greatest.

Riding fixie allows me to concentrate on just that task. It’s escapism in a really simple form. I can lose myself pretty quickly. Then I don’t have to think about freewheeling, it becomes natural to keep pedalling. Maybe I’ve finally found my bicyclical niche? How amazing would that be?….