(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.