Quote from: annguyen1981 on December 19, 2009, 04:19:21 PM
What's the benefit for those types of bicycles? Besides exercise.  

This is the first time I've heard of this type of bike.

Oh, and pretty much just because they're fun. You don't get to stop pedaling, ever. If you want to go faster, you pedal faster, if you want to go slower you just pedal slower. My favorite benefit is that I stay MUCH warmer on the ride to work when it's cold because I don't stop moving. You have a much better sense of traction and what your bike is doing in rain/snow. They're simple so you barely have to work on them, they're cheap because there's not many parts, there are less distractions when you're trying to ride in traffic because you don't have to worry about shifting or braking(if you don't have brakes), you just ride it. Pretty much just goes with the "simple is better" idea, and you feel way more connected to your bike.

Quote from: tt_four on December 19, 2009, 04:48:25 PM

Anyway, I haven't been following this, so let me browse this for a couple minutes before I post a challenge, so I don't repeat!

Check out my sig file for a link to the post that has the list of challenges.

Michael

Quote from: mister on December 19, 2009, 05:15:43 PM

Quote from: tt_four on December 19, 2009, 04:48:25 PM

Anyway, I haven't been following this, so let me browse this for a couple minutes before I post a challenge, so I don't repeat!

Check out my sig file for a link to the post that has the list of challenges.

Michael

Cool, thanks. I was actually browsing the list on page 44, but yours is a bit more completed.... Anyway, I'm gonna go with :

Picture of your bike without either of the wheels touching the ground, WITHOUT using the centerstand.

DAMN IT!

I could get this with little effort if we weren't prepared to get 10+ inches of snow... righ tnow, it's in a tight place and I can't get my front and rear stands in there.

Quote from: annguyen1981 on December 19, 2009, 04:19:21 PM
What's the benefit for those types of bicycles? Besides exercise. 

This is the first time I've heard of this type of bike.

Quote from: tt_four on December 19, 2009, 04:51:26 PM
Oh, and pretty much just because they're fun. You don't get to stop pedaling, ever. If you want to go faster, you pedal faster, if you want to go slower you just pedal slower. My favorite benefit is that I stay MUCH warmer on the ride to work when it's cold because I don't stop moving. You have a much better sense of traction and what your bike is doing in rain/snow. They're simple so you barely have to work on them, they're cheap because there's not many parts, there are less distractions when you're trying to ride in traffic because you don't have to worry about shifting or braking(if you don't have brakes), you just ride it. Pretty much just goes with the "simple is better" idea, and you feel way more connected to your bike.

I love having brakes on my bike. Too many idiots pull out in front of me or step out in front of me without looking. Brakes have saved me numerous times.

But An, as mentioned, they are very simple bikes, easy to maintain, (relatively) light weight, since they don't have derailleurs and cassettes, etc, and usually pretty cheap! They are born on the veolodrome, but have migrated to urban use due to cultural stuff, but basically they are fun and simple, and surprisingly good training bikes. Since you can't stop pedaling when you're moving, it forces you to have a nice smooth cadence (pedal circle), and to maintain your momentum, which means going faster than you normally would on a geared bike. For example, when approaching a hill, I will sprint towards it on the fixed gear so I can maintain my momentum as long as I can while going up. On a geared bike you have the option of downshifting. And because you can't downshift, you use your muscles a lot more which again is good for training.

lol this one is easy, I'm thinking you could just put 2 pieces of notebook paper under the tires.

Quote from: dohabee on December 19, 2009, 07:22:08 PM
lol this one is easy, I'm thinking you could just put 2 pieces of notebook paper under the tires.

Technically it would just be a paper rug, and that's still the floor.

I knew I'd most likely get a bike up on front and rear stands, but I was hoping to see a picture of a bike just laying on it's side, or hanging from the ceiling, haha.

My bike has both brakes now, but that's mostly because I want to be able to walk with my original knees when I'm retired. I was extremely smooth when I didn't have brakes. I'm no where near as fluid of a rider in traffic as I used to be when i didn't have them. I also forgot to mention the biggest benefit of fixed gears. Smooth wheelies! Even if you're not impressed by wheelies, you'll still never get to see me in spandex again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbm2aB-qaIo

Quote from: tt_four on December 19, 2009, 07:28:57 PM

Quote from: dohabee on December 19, 2009, 07:22:08 PM
lol this one is easy, I'm thinking you could just put 2 pieces of notebook paper under the tires.

Technically it would just be a paper rug, and that's still the floor.

I knew I'd most likely get a bike up on front and rear stands, but I was hoping to see a picture of a bike just laying on it's side, or hanging from the ceiling, haha.

If I had strong enough friends, I'd just have someone help me pick up my bike, it's not that heavy (300lbs?).

Quote from: tt_four on December 19, 2009, 07:28:57 PM
My bike has both brakes now, but that's mostly because I want to be able to walk with my original knees when I'm retired. I was extremely smooth when I didn't have brakes. I'm no where near as fluid of a rider in traffic as I used to be when i didn't have them. I also forgot to mention the biggest benefit of fixed gears. Smooth wheelies! Even if you're not impressed by wheelies, you'll still never get to see me in spandex again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbm2aB-qaIo

My knees are bad enough as it is, and I have no reason to screw them up doing showoff moves like skidding if I don't have to. Thankfully just applying a bit of back-pressure to the pedals isn't bad on the knees, so longer stops aren't much of an issue. Plus, it's not like I absolutely NEED to use the brakes, but they are there for emergencies, which is great. Can't wait to get my bike on the track this summer.

Quote from: Alphamazing on December 19, 2009, 11:45:21 PM
[
My knees are bad enough as it is, and I have no reason to screw them up doing showoff moves like skidding if I don't have to.

I never messed around with that business anymore. I used to be able to skid for blocks, but that didn't hurt your knees because all of your weight was on the front tire. Otherwise I'd just apply back pressure, and that's when i could feel some pressure building up behind my knee caps. It never actually hurt, I could just feel the pressure and you knew that wasn't a good thing. When I started riding I only had the front brake, then none, but now I just have both. I don't think there's really a need for the back one, but I stuck a freewheel back on the otherside, so I figured I'd keep both brakes incase I ever want to flip the wheel over.

Riding to work the past two days has been a mess though. I've been riding through winter for at least 5 years without a thought about it, but all of a sudden this winter I'm just not really feeling it.

With all this snow and gross weather I can't believe there isn't ONE person who already has their bike up off the ground for some winter work to take a picture. How long do the responses usually take on this game? I'm still new to it.

Sometimes you'll get three or four in one day, sometimes they go the week without completion.

I'll take the picture in a little bit

Here's my winter-bound baby.





Next challenge:
Your bike in front of a snow plow.

Quote from: annguyen1981 on December 22, 2009, 10:22:31 AM

Next challenge:
Your bike in front of a snow plow.

Does the plow have to be moving? That's gonna be a lot of sacrifice just for a picture.

nope. just a snow plow of some sort.

Hmmm.... snow is around 1,000 miles away, only in the mountains and only in winter (summer down here now, look)....


So... looks like it'll be a trip to the toy store to see if they sell snow plows... maybe a Transformer Snow Plow to go with my Transformer Motorcycles  

Dang. Just checked Google. The only transformer snow plow is Iceberg

And he's a MiniCon. The search continues...

Your bike with a Snow Plow...

Michael

Anyone at home when the snow plow does their street and can manage to get a pic of their bike as the plow goes by? Anyone with a removable plow for the front of their car? Anyone with a child's toy plow?

Michael

I'm shocked this hasn't been completed yet.

Thank Goodness I can't get this one LOL! Hmmm lets see no snow ever and no picture or a ton of snow and a picture. Yup, I'm bowing out 

Mary

Quote from: annguyen1981 on December 27, 2009, 03:25:32 PM
I'm shocked this hasn't been completed yet.

We've had snow in our part of Scotland for about 11 consecutive days - including a white Christmas!!! - so I'm not surprised. This snow has been awesome... falling with an even spread that has produced lots of beautiful winter scenes; and it's the kind of snow that is great for snowball fights with the kids... I won most of the fights... but felt I had to LET them win some.

The 12/14 foot wide trampoline in the back garden is struggling to cope with two feet of snow in the middle... not sure it will recover after the big thaw... if this lot ever thaws.

And then there's the GS... stuck outside on the drive (under a snow-filled cover) and completely surrounded by a metre of snow.  It hasn't moved an inch for a fortnight and not likely to be moved for another fortnight.  Brake calipers are bound to be ceased again.  I guess the chain might be kaput too.  Hoping they'll all recover fine.

Stay warm.

Hey, An. Times up. Seems bikes and snow plows don't mix 

New challenge, please...

Michael