This is my first bike ever built, and also my everyday companion. It's an Ammaco frame so nothing fancy. 39cm Nitto downhandlebars, Carrera saddle, stock seatpost and stem, Campagnolo Mirage for the cranks and Chorus for the bottom bracket (runs so smooth and light, I love it!!), Christophe cages.The geometry of the bike is surprisingly comfortable, and is very strong (got ran over by a car once!). This bike has went through several transformations as my love for bikes grew.
Whats fancy about the bike is the story behind it: bought it off eBay for 50 quids, but didnt realise that it was a pick up only. So,I had to pick the bike up from Basingstoke. Not too far, but managing to cycle from Waterloo back home. It was the first time cycling in London, you know!. I thought it was gonna be proper tough, but it didnt really break a sweat. I swerved through London's hecticity and got home safe and sound, falling in love with what just happened before. So straight away, I took it to my friend's place (someone who actually knows about bikes back then), cleaned all the dust webs and made it look white again, and from there I figured, She's my baby!
This wasn't really the first appearance of the bike. Took off the decals on the down tube as well on the top tube and seat tube. There were also decals of the Campagnolo champion stripes all across the fork the down tube and the seat tube. It looked too crowdy so I took them off as well.
Whats fancy about the bike is the story behind it: bought it off eBay for 50 quids, but didnt realise that it was a pick up only. So,I had to pick the bike up from Basingstoke. Not too far, but managing to cycle from Waterloo back home. It was the first time cycling in London, you know!. I thought it was gonna be proper tough, but it didnt really break a sweat. I swerved through London's hecticity and got home safe and sound, falling in love with what just happened before. So straight away, I took it to my friend's place (someone who actually knows about bikes back then), cleaned all the dust webs and made it look white again, and from there I figured, She's my baby!
This wasn't really the first appearance of the bike. Took off the decals on the down tube as well on the top tube and seat tube. There were also decals of the Campagnolo champion stripes all across the fork the down tube and the seat tube. It looked too crowdy so I took them off as well.Then, I found Brick Lane Bikes, a store which apparently took only 2 minutes from my flat. That bike shop just opened my eyes towards custom 'slick-looking' bikes. While I was there, I didnt know what was called what, I know what theyre called in Indonesian but that didnt really help so pointing with my fingers made more sense to them. To be honest, i felt a bit intimidated in being there, you know. I mean, the bikes there were slick. It looks like the kind of bikes which the owner actually cares for the details, you know. Then looking down to my clutter old bike felt like a turn off.. I'm glad I had to take the bike out the next day cuz if I didnt, i think I'd never take it out unless its nice-looking, you know.
That night, I looked up fixed gear on youtube. MAN. Looked up bikes from US, Japan, London, every fixed gear bikes are never identical I thought. Its like theres an inter-relationship between those dudes popping their tricks with their bike. I discovered that theres so much play of colours and I love colours, man. Shit, i didnt know there was a green tyre. So that was my next plan for the bike. Went to BLB and got some green gran compe tyres.
Still, i didnt know much about the bikes, I couldnt even change the tyres, man. I was just afraid to do something to the bike cuz i might brake something or misplace something which might get me into an accident, you know. So, i took it over to the same friend who knew abt bikes, and when i told him im into fixed gear, he was like:'Its dangerous, you know. The brakes are your leg unless youre hooking up your front rear on.' He kind of get what I meant that night so while he was working up the bike, in the same time he was also teaching me about bikes. that night the bike looks like this:
My buddy hooked me up with some carbon handlebars that was lying around the house. Its an FSA but I didnt like the paint on them, so had to sand them off to get that slick-casual look. Notice its still double-cranked, and it was still 8 gears riding on the back. My friend made it fixed, he took the gears to surgery and put bits of metal in it so it stays fixed. Thats all we did that night. The morning after we continued, and it turned out to be like this:
Oh ya, forgot to say, I also bought red sugino single crank bolts while I was getting the green tyres. So as you can see, the crank is single now.
That night, I looked up fixed gear on youtube. MAN. Looked up bikes from US, Japan, London, every fixed gear bikes are never identical I thought. Its like theres an inter-relationship between those dudes popping their tricks with their bike. I discovered that theres so much play of colours and I love colours, man. Shit, i didnt know there was a green tyre. So that was my next plan for the bike. Went to BLB and got some green gran compe tyres.
Still, i didnt know much about the bikes, I couldnt even change the tyres, man. I was just afraid to do something to the bike cuz i might brake something or misplace something which might get me into an accident, you know. So, i took it over to the same friend who knew abt bikes, and when i told him im into fixed gear, he was like:'Its dangerous, you know. The brakes are your leg unless youre hooking up your front rear on.' He kind of get what I meant that night so while he was working up the bike, in the same time he was also teaching me about bikes. that night the bike looks like this:
My buddy hooked me up with some carbon handlebars that was lying around the house. Its an FSA but I didnt like the paint on them, so had to sand them off to get that slick-casual look. Notice its still double-cranked, and it was still 8 gears riding on the back. My friend made it fixed, he took the gears to surgery and put bits of metal in it so it stays fixed. Thats all we did that night. The morning after we continued, and it turned out to be like this:
Oh ya, forgot to say, I also bought red sugino single crank bolts while I was getting the green tyres. So as you can see, the crank is single now.I was so surprised by the amount of weight that we actually took off the bike. Took it out for a test drive, and that time, fixed gear feel so wierd. I felt like my legs are forced to move with the rear wheel. ah, man, it was strange, and I had to go home that day, so theres another challenge for that day.
Got home safe and sound.
The day after, I wanted to get it out and give it a try. YES, its my first fixed riding and NO BRAKES! Planned to take it to Oxford circus then back, HOWEVER, while I was in coming into Holborn from Theobald's Rd turning at Drake St, you know how theres that red light to direct people coming from the east to go through holborn, I tried slowing down by using my leg muscles and pushing the pedals back, but the gears went loose!!!! OOOH SHITT!!!, i didnt actually said that, but im pretty sure my face expressed it. I nearly crashed into a black cab and when i made my sharp turn to avoid it I almost ran over a crossing pedestrian!!! before even crashing into the poor lady i stretched my arms out to hold on the railings that looks like it summoned itself out of nowhere! i think i did stretched my arm a bit too much that moment,, it hurted.. looked at the bike, and the gear was loose. while I was pedaling back the wheel kept turning forward, so the chain was kind of forcing the gears back and letting the gears open. I was so confused and stuck at that time. Walked for a bit down to holborn and there was a cycle surgery there! aaah thank god.. got it serviced, put on some new rear velocity's with a single gear and put a black golden finger on and then turned into this:
FUGLY STANDS FOR FAT AND FUCKING UGLY.
The front wheel there I actually got it from ebay days after my bike got serviced. This was the look back then. Sure looks ugly.
cant be stuffed writing more. saddle changed to a black brooks. back tyre changed to a hardskin.
BRING IN THE SUN!
Got home safe and sound.
The day after, I wanted to get it out and give it a try. YES, its my first fixed riding and NO BRAKES! Planned to take it to Oxford circus then back, HOWEVER, while I was in coming into Holborn from Theobald's Rd turning at Drake St, you know how theres that red light to direct people coming from the east to go through holborn, I tried slowing down by using my leg muscles and pushing the pedals back, but the gears went loose!!!! OOOH SHITT!!!, i didnt actually said that, but im pretty sure my face expressed it. I nearly crashed into a black cab and when i made my sharp turn to avoid it I almost ran over a crossing pedestrian!!! before even crashing into the poor lady i stretched my arms out to hold on the railings that looks like it summoned itself out of nowhere! i think i did stretched my arm a bit too much that moment,, it hurted.. looked at the bike, and the gear was loose. while I was pedaling back the wheel kept turning forward, so the chain was kind of forcing the gears back and letting the gears open. I was so confused and stuck at that time. Walked for a bit down to holborn and there was a cycle surgery there! aaah thank god.. got it serviced, put on some new rear velocity's with a single gear and put a black golden finger on and then turned into this:
FUGLY STANDS FOR FAT AND FUCKING UGLY.The front wheel there I actually got it from ebay days after my bike got serviced. This was the look back then. Sure looks ugly.
cant be stuffed writing more. saddle changed to a black brooks. back tyre changed to a hardskin.
BRING IN THE SUN!
