PHILIPPINE ISLAND LIVING human adventures

My Experieince Building and Riding My Fixed Gear Bike

I finally pulled the trigger.

I became fascinated with fixed-gear cycling after my bike trip to Subic.

There were four riders in our group on fixed-gear bikes.

One of the riders leads at the front of the pack.

At the same time, I remember him slowing down to check on people who were left behind.

He assisted me so many times that the idea of riding a fixed-gear bike got my attention.

How can someone do that?

Is the person fit, is the bike superior, or does fixed-gear cycling contribute significantly to both fitness and overall speed?

Bike to Subic.

I’m the guy in the orange helmet, and the interesting fixed gear is the beautiful orange bike.

Before this trip, I was afraid of fixed-gear bikes.

Many people I’ve spoken to negatively viewed fixed-gear bikes.

The comments usually go along the lines of fixed-gear bikes being dangerous, difficult to use and often viewed as reckless cycling.

I was worried about crashing.

I was also worried about how riding “fixed” can be exhausting.

I imagined that I’d eventually hurt my knees.

I struggled with all these thoughts of doubt, but the more I doubted myself, the more I wanted to try it.

I felt emboldened by my negative emotions.

I waited to buy a fixed-gear bike because I was already paying for my bike in installments (the bike in the photo).

So as soon as I had an opportunity, I bought a pre-loved Colossi Cheeko frame set and began my assembly project.

I purchased most of the parts second-hand.

The first purchase was just the frameset. I got a gray Colossi Cheeko, and the seller was kind enough to reserve the frame for me while I saved up for the purchase.

The second purchase was the wheelset. I got Novatec Hubs and HPlus Son Rim that came with a 15-tooth gear. I brought from Mark, the fascinating rider, during our trip.

The third purchase was the Cinelli Lola Bullhorn handlebars, Cinelli Vai Stem, SRAM brake levers, La Bici seat post, Cinelli saddle, Cateye Velo 9, and lights. The seller was kind enough to deliver the items to my house.

The fourth purchase was the SRAM S100 crank, which I picked up in Laguna.

The fifth purchase was the KMC chain, which I bought at a nearby bike store.

The sixth purchase was with the third seller. He sold me his helmet. He also threw in a pair of Merida gloves and Shimano Claris brakes for free. Then he accompanied me to Cristy’s Bike Shop in Buendia Makati. He recommended this shop because he got good deals from this store. I bought the Continental Gatorskin tires, Continental tire tube, clip-less pedals, and bike shoes that match.

The seventh and final purchase was in Tryon Makati. I got the rear brake lever and had a wheel lock added.

I assembled the bike for the 2017 Sun Life Financial Cycling Event. We were a team of four consisting of my uncle, his friend, me, and my friend.

Kevin on the finish line.

Fixed Gear First Impressions:

Fixed-gear riding is difficult at first.

Don’t wear clip-less pedals on the first go.

Clipless riding is hard if you’re not used to it.

You are likely going to fall off your bike.

You don’t need to wear your special bike shoes immediately.

Your clip-less pedals will work with regular shoes.

Compared to my Giant folding bike and the mountain bike, the fixed gear bike is crazy light. Going faster feels effortless.

Climbing is incredibly easier on a fixed-gear bike because of the light setup.

The brakes were a requirement to join the cycling event, but I kept them on after the event for convenience.

Riding downhill is a little scary for me on this fixed-gear bike.

I kept the brakes on because it’s incredibly convenient when trying to control my speed when riding downhill.

Fixed gear riding in the Philippines, in Manila specifically, is scary but doable.

You can move around conveniently if you’re not doing anything crazy.

If you’re new, don’t ever go brake-less unless you are riding in a controlled environment.

Fixed Gear Riding Two Years Later:

I love this bike for its lightness.

I appreciate my mountain and folding bike for what they can do.

What I love about my fixed-gear bike is the lightness and how it feels effortless to move around.

The main downside of this bike is I’m always worried that it might get stolen.

The other downside is how I feel the weight of the load I’m carrying whenever I haul a heavy bag during my ride.

This bike is perfect if you only packed your wallet, phone, keys, and maybe an extra shirt.

If you have a backpack or a messenger with a laptop, notebooks, packed lunch, bottled water, gym clothes, shoes, and a jacket, this won’t be the best bike to use.

My folding bike had been my best bike for hauling heavy loads.

If you’re packing heavy, you want to avoid rough roads because you will feel painful vibrations in your arms when you pass through any imperfections on the road.

Fixed Gear Bike Specifications:

Bike Add-Ons:

Notable Long Rides on my Fixed Gear Bike:

Update 2020

I got my bike, a Cateye Padrone cyclo-computer. I bought myself some cleat covers for my bike shoes. I don’t get to use this bike save for trips to the store because of the pandemic.

Update 2021

My bike got stolen.

Update 2022

I joined the 2022 December 3, 100km Audax event on the mountain bike and missed this fixed-gear bike. I wanted to join a similar event and bring a fixed-gear bike instead of a road bike.

I already have clipless pedals. I just need to build another bike from scratch.

The rubber heels of my road bike shoes have broken down. The nearby shoe repair luckily restored it.

I emailed Colossi to inquire about getting another Cheeko and was informed that it’s been phased out.

The rep recommended I’d get a Colossi Crit instead.

I looked it up, and it looks identical to the Cheeko save for the smooth-looking welded joints.

Do you have a fixed-gear bike? I’d like to see what you ride. Let me know in the comments below.

Written on January 6th, 2018 by Kevin Olega
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