(upbeat music)
- I've just come fresh
from the Red Hook Crit
where to be honest, I was terrified.
But I needed all the help I could get
and look, we're kind enough to sort me out
to one of their bikes.
The 875 Madison.
Look has a huge reputation for innovation
and cutting edge technology
of their carbon bikes.
And they've long been
the choice of Olympic
and world champions.
And well, me.
The great thing about fixed gear bikes
is their simplicity.
There's literally nothing to them
and that's why I think we all love them.
Many of you will know
about fixed gear bikes
from the world of track cycling.
But last weekend, I decided
to do something crazy
and I ended a fixed gear criterium.
Suddenly, it wasn't the
bike that was complicated
but the racing.
Taking wide lines because you're pedaling
through every corner
and judging your speed
because braking is basically
well, a lot more difficult
when you have to back pedal instead
of just pulling a lever.
But it also makes racing
incredibly exciting.
I've raced criterium
for years but this bike
has changed how I race
compared to the normal bike.
And to be honest, I loved it.
The 875 is a versatile track frame.
And mine is in this vibrant
yellow which gives a nod
to the Mondrian colours that
look has been long associated.
The cross sections are
aero dynamic optimized
to minimize drag and well,
looks pretty slick also.
The 875 features a completely
different carbon layout
compared to the road frame.
It features a higher modulus
and higher resistance carbon.
And actually, Luke says, it's 15% stiffer
than its equivalent road frame.
And Luke reckons, it has
to be this much stiffer
to deal with those whop
bumping track sprinters
that are putting out a lot of power.
Thinking about it, a bit like me.
I should probably point
out that this is a single
speed track bike.
So it has got no bottled cage
mounts or derailleur mounts.
So it gives this really slick, cool look.
I also was riding 40 centimeter wide bars
and a 110 stem made of aluminum.
And that's actually the material of choice
when riding a Red Hook because well,
there are a lot of crashes
as you can probably see
by the blood on my frame.
Other bits I should probably point out
is that I was riding a
Miche Pistard crank set.
And I was actually riding 165
crank which is a lot shorter
than I'd normally ride.
And that's because you have
to pedal round the corners
on a street criterium circuit.
And also, to hold this,
it's that the bottom bracket
is lifted higher in the
geometry and this is because
you really don't want to hit
a pedal when you go round
the corner 'cause that will
force the bike to lift off
and well, it'll probably won't end well.
I opted for a 50 on the
front and a 14 on the back.
This is a fairly big gear
but it's a fast circuit
and well, it did me rather well.
It means, you are able to
slow down in the corners
and get back on top of
the gear on the straights.
Other riders opted for smaller
gears or even bigger gears
but this one, suits to me well.
(light-hearted music)
I was running this Corima
carbon aero dynamic wheels
which are 47 millimeters deep.
I then went for Continental Pro Limited
25 millimeter width tires.
These are perfect for the event.
It was wet and slippery
and I was running 60 PSI
which sounds low but it was
actually, perfect for the job.
Moving up from the wheels and tires,
I was using a Fizik
31.9 diameter sit post.
As you can see, I've got
my Red Hook Crit number.
Number 303.
Then moving up, I was using
a Fizik Antares saddle
with carbon rails.
This is a personal choice of mine.
I love the shape and
it's a super comfortable
all-around saddle.
These are the Look Keo classic pedals.
Super reliable and perfect
for the job in hand.
I hope you've enjoyed this
video and if you have,
then give it a thumbs up.
And if you wanna see Ollie suffering
on the Everest challenge,
it's worth a watch I'd say.
Then click down here.
