Santa brought me a Surly Fixxer for Christmas!My original plan was to "fix" my Soma so I would have the best of both worlds; Fixed wheel a disc brake. My plan was going great until I realized I should have put the center-lock disc back on before I put the axle back in and adjusted the bearings. Doh!
The Fixxer is well made, and the instructions are very good. I do have a couple of gripes: I recommend using your original Shimano locknuts as the Surly replacements are soft white metal that strip easily. Either that or I've developed monster truck tightening force and didn't know it. Also there is no seal on the cartridge bearing; it'll probably last fine, but being used offroad and in foul weather, a seal would give some pease of mind.
We had considerable melting yesterday, so my Winter wonderland at the res. was now just a paved loop. They had plowed a section of fireroad, which got me all psyched for some dirtroad flying, but alas, it was just a short section cut-through they had plow.
There was a short section of dirt on the way up to the water tower (I scared the shiite out of a MDC worker working up there, I guess he wasn't expecting anyone to be riding up there), that was pure bliss riding with the Northstar bars, Nevegal 2.2's, and the fixed wheel.
There was another section of fireroad that wasn't plowed, but a 4x4 had drove down. Earlier in the week it was packed snow. Now it was ice. Every lap the fixed gear gave me more confidence. By the fourth lap I had built up from my initial tentativness to hammering down the rutted, icy tracks.
The fixed gear give you so much control; I can't wait to try it on real trails. I'm thinking a rear brake might be overkill. Hell, I hardly used the front brake, but I'm not going there...
I sure could get used to this; slept until 6:30 AM, rode for over 2 hours, and came home to some of Mom's pumpkin bread. Life is good!
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