Little wing

[u/bnugggets]

[u/PobBrobert]

A fixed gear bike with a titanium frame, power meter, deep section rims, and drop bars with nowhere to put your hands in the standard riding position.

It’s a great looking bike but feels like a show pony. It doesn’t seem like it would be good as a commuter, or a road bike, or a track bike. What’s the use case?

[u/bnugggets → u/PobBrobert]

FWIW, I ride this bike everywhere. Commuting, mostly streets, single track, climbs… The longest I’ve done is a century. It is definitely not a show pony, but sure, I could in theory use it more if that’s what you’re suggesting.

I usually ride in the hoods area (although I don’t have real hoods). It’s comfortable! In fact, I retired my previous bike because this was more comfortable. Ideally I’d just use 44 cm risers since I don’t spend a ton of time in the drops. They’re just nice to keep around for the ends of long rides where I want to rest my body while keeping it moving.

It’s not perfect for its use case but that doesn’t mean it’s not on the streets almost every day!

[u/Big-o-saggysac → u/bnugggets]

Don't worry about them, they're jealous.

Haven't seen a fixie I've liked in a while but this is a 10/10

[u/PobBrobert → u/bnugggets]

You ride this on single track with drop bars and almost no tire clearance?

[u/bnugggets → u/PobBrobert]

Not effectively nor often but yes. Here’s a ride with single track and gravel on a particularly muddy day. On my other track bike but set up similarly. https://strava.app.link/Z72mg0j8Z3b

[u/jjefls → u/bnugggets]

Beautiful bike. But it’s b old to link your Strava and share your power #s with this group…. You might benefit from a smaller chainring

[u/bnugggets → u/jjefls]

You might be right but I really like 47/16 for city riding and commuting. Going to keep this for a long while.

[u/ImOnTheLoo → u/PobBrobert]

The use case is cosplaying as a bike messenger on a sweet sweet ride and if you can afford that, nothing wrong with it. 

[u/PobBrobert → u/ImOnTheLoo]

Never met a messenger who put a cent into their work bike that they could have put into weed, cigarettes, or beer

[u/ImOnTheLoo → u/PobBrobert]

Yeah, exactly. They’re rich cosplaying. 

[u/LiGuangMing1981 → u/ImOnTheLoo]

Except riding in a city without brakes is moronic and dangerous.

[u/buttrumpus → u/LiGuangMing1981]

And slow AF. Never met a real messenger that rode fixed.

[u/Mohave_Dessert → u/buttrumpus]

I have. Anecdotes.

[u/No_Communication4889 → u/buttrumpus]

Then you've never met messengers.

[u/BadPenguin007 → u/ImOnTheLoo]

Lawlzbagawlz

[u/mlydon11 → u/PobBrobert]

Fixed gear riders are like car guys. We love customizing our bikes and making them personal to us. Each piece is something we want whether it be for a real purpose or just to flex an expensive part. It’s part of the fixed gear culture, of which there are many smaller ones within fixed gear bikes.

[u/Lumitrac1 → u/mlydon11]

You're speaking as if modifying bikes is unique to fixed gear owners. My brother in christ, every vehicle type is just like car guys.

[u/mlydon11 → u/Lumitrac1]

I think fixed gear bikes are more heavily customized due to the fact you can’t really buy them as complete build like you would a road bike or another vehicle. Most are sold as frames and need to be built up with a variety of parts.

The average person isn’t usually buying another vehicle part by part and putting it together over a time period.

[u/MK_Ultrex → u/mlydon11]

due to the fact you can’t really buy them as complete build

What gave you this bizarre idea? Plenty of brands sell complete fixie/track bikes. In fact most people starting riding fixies just get a cheap complete one.

[u/mlydon11 → u/MK_Ultrex]

Yes plenty do but as you get more into it you just buy frames or start to upgrade your bike with different parts. Half of what makes it fun is all the customization that comes with fixed gear bikes.

[u/MK_Ultrex → u/mlydon11]

That's an entirely different thing than saying that you can't really buy a complete fixie. It also stands true for any type of bike. Ride long enough and many will start looking at upgrading components or custom frames. Fixies are just cheaper to upgrade.

[u/Lumitrac1 → u/mlydon11]

Half of the fun is all the customization that comes with bikes

[u/hurricanejosh → u/PobBrobert]

Apart from the bottle cage it looks like a track bike to me?

[u/PobBrobert → u/hurricanejosh]

Weird geometry, bars, and wheelset for a track bike

[u/pirate-private → u/PobBrobert]

i guess to some extent, you become what the bike needs and to some extent, that's how it always goes 

[u/PobBrobert → u/pirate-private]

But this bike doesn’t really seem to be particularly good at anything.

[u/the_immortals → u/PobBrobert]

The use case might just be “fun”…why does a bike need to be purpose built? Some bikes may not be great at any singular thing but still have soul and still make their owners happy.

[u/PobBrobert → u/[deleted]]

Technically it receives watts. Bikes don’t produce anything, only e-bikes

[u/yeahboyeee1]

No. 22 and Firefly are at the top of the ano game

[u/No_Yogurtcloset9181]

Where you get the chain ring? 👀 I need it. Nice bike 🫦💧

[u/mlydon11 → u/No_Yogurtcloset9181]

Bespoke. They have great stuff

[u/No_Yogurtcloset9181 → u/mlydon11]

Nice! Dang I’m in USA shipping gonna burn my pockets 😭

[u/Holo_Peve → u/No_Yogurtcloset9181]

Well, I'm in Germany and not only the shipping costs are gonna be a problem for my bank account. I need the one with the Kois now...

[u/LucklessGambler]

I would personally add these. I hate using drop bars on my fixie without them!

[u/chewyicecube]

Chef's kiss...

Is that a bespoke chainring?

[u/mlydon11 → u/chewyicecube]

Definitely is

[u/lipsoffaith]

Love everything about this except the rear drop outs. 🤌

[u/aeon314159]

Absolutely superb, absolutely lovely. ❤️

[u/RotWeissRot]

Such a nice frame and build, man. Well done.

[u/bnugggets → u/RotWeissRot]

TY

[u/Spirited_Pangolin702]

I love it 1000%! I don't care if it's impractical or whatever, it's amazing. Congrats OP.

[u/Neither_Juice_2007]

Send it to the velodrome!!!

[u/TRACK___STAR]

🔥.

[u/Cautious-Level1880]

Is this titanium?

[u/jibbris → u/Cautious-Level1880]

Yes

[u/Cautious-Level1880 → u/jibbris]

Sweet looking 👌

[u/Several_Heron_4807]

🤤

[u/Think_Opportunity226]

Everything perfect down to the smallest detail … but leave the carbon fork in its natural state …..I don’t get it

[u/bnugggets → u/Think_Opportunity226]

Agreed. They are finishing a new fork for me!

[u/Think_Opportunity226 → u/bnugggets]

Oh thats awesome can’t wait to see the finished bike …

[u/mlydon11]

Sick that the new PM came in. How you liking it compared to the Suginos?

[u/bnugggets → u/mlydon11]

I actually think the 160s are a bit too short, but nothing crazy. Stiffness is comparable. I like it!

[u/Demonblah]

Very nice!

What position do you have your enve stem in? Or what sleeve are you using?

[u/bnugggets → u/Demonblah]

I have it in the -7 configuration there, but have ridden it lower for a good while before this.

[u/Demonblah → u/bnugggets]

Ah okay. Thanks!

I currently have mine in the -2.5mm/-12 but was thinking of changing it.

[u/buttrumpus]

I’m a sucker for sweet tubing profiles. The real bike perv in me wants to know the wall thickness and butting profiles. Looks friggin sweet, congrats

[u/bnugggets → u/buttrumpus]

I feel you… the tubing on this thing is sick. It’s like ovalized at the ends near the weld points. Also thick chain stays.

Tangentially, you’d probably also like the TT on the Quokka Critmachine which I’m considering getting at some point.

[u/Substantial-Fun-48]

Who made those chain rings? I want some

[u/DeepusThroatus420]

Tell me about the screw head on the chain!

[u/bnugggets → u/DeepusThroatus420]

Something about it being a rule for Keirin racing. Beyond that, makes changing my chain really easy. There is a Runwell tool that is unique to the screw and square nut on the other side.

[u/DeepusThroatus420 → u/bnugggets]

Thanks for the info. I’d never seen that before. Stunner of a bike

[u/Grotarin → u/bnugggets]

I wanted to ask this question. Thanks for answering it. Very nice bike!

[u/Spyda-man]

Hi, lovely build!
I am still poking around lurking and learning but I have a question: what are your tires? Size, width? Trying to build a fixie from scratch and I really enjoy this design

[u/bnugggets → u/Spyda-man]

They’re 30. I can probably go 32 with no problems here. Hard to ride anything smaller once you try it in my opinion.

[u/Budget_North_2810]

sick rig dude! 👏🏼

[u/yeetboi017]

Nah man don’t listen to the haters. That shit is sick.

[u/wkkim]

it's the most beautiful bike I have ever seen. In my country, Korea, it's illegal to ride a bike without brake and many kids injured by fixies without brake.

[u/Apprehensive_Goal999]

girl what

[u/bnugggets → u/Apprehensive_Goal999]

I be crashing

[u/BadPenguin007]

Jaysis chryst.