Fixed Gear. WTF?
Discussion
Tried it today. Bought a Fuji Feather with a flip flop hub a few weeks ago. Had it as a singlespeed from the off but thought I'd flip it and ride to the shops fixed.
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king hell, what a disaster, Utterly counterintuitive, and effing dangerous. Downhill almost had me off, and stopping was a complete lottery. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want to do this outside a velodrome. Anyone care to illuminate me as to the benefits?
f
king hell, what a disaster, Utterly counterintuitive, and effing dangerous. Downhill almost had me off, and stopping was a complete lottery. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want to do this outside a velodrome. Anyone care to illuminate me as to the benefits?Presumably it has brakes for stopping - going without is poserish nonsense; if it does, stopping should not be a lottery, it's not hard to kick it round so you're in a position to start.
Downhill just moderate your speed in line with what you can spin. Nothing counterintuitive, nothing dangerous.
Why?
1) It's an affectation, presumably stemming from when we didn't have good freehubs
2) I suspect from your warm and fuzzy reaction that you don't pedal/spin smoothly, few do. Surging, slowing, pedalling squares, etc.. riding fixed will 'fix' all of those and give you a nice fludity. Eventually.
3) Trackstanding is far easier fixed (whether that is cool, or w*nkerish depends on your point of view).
Downhill just moderate your speed in line with what you can spin. Nothing counterintuitive, nothing dangerous.
Why?
1) It's an affectation, presumably stemming from when we didn't have good freehubs
2) I suspect from your warm and fuzzy reaction that you don't pedal/spin smoothly, few do. Surging, slowing, pedalling squares, etc.. riding fixed will 'fix' all of those and give you a nice fludity. Eventually.
3) Trackstanding is far easier fixed (whether that is cool, or w*nkerish depends on your point of view).
I don't know if I'd go as far as dangerous but I wasn't massively comfortable riding my single speed as a fixie. TBH though I think that was more down to the way I was using it rather than anything else. It's my family pootling bike so lots of slow speed stop starting etc.
Having to pedal round corners unnerved me a little sometimes too.
Nearly threw myself off on one of my first rides, completely forgot about the fixed gear coming down hill, stopped pedalling to 'freewheel' for a bit... queue me, leg locked, 'bouncing' out the saddle, my entire body following the pedals in a mild sense of panic for a few seconds before re-engaging the brain and letting my legs move with the pedals. It must have looked pretty damn funny.
Having to pedal round corners unnerved me a little sometimes too.
Nearly threw myself off on one of my first rides, completely forgot about the fixed gear coming down hill, stopped pedalling to 'freewheel' for a bit... queue me, leg locked, 'bouncing' out the saddle, my entire body following the pedals in a mild sense of panic for a few seconds before re-engaging the brain and letting my legs move with the pedals. It must have looked pretty damn funny.
I commuted on fixed for a few years.
Completely flat route which helped.
I just enjoyed the challenge of learning something new really.
I could crap on about learning to spin faster and becoming a “smoother” rider, but that would be bks.
Once, I forgot I was locked-in to the pedals, just once.
Bike tried to buck me off. Terrifying and then a little funny thinking about what a wally I must have looked.
(Generally true of 99% of fixie riders.)
Completely flat route which helped.
I just enjoyed the challenge of learning something new really.
I could crap on about learning to spin faster and becoming a “smoother” rider, but that would be b
ks.Once, I forgot I was locked-in to the pedals, just once.
Bike tried to buck me off. Terrifying and then a little funny thinking about what a wally I must have looked.
(Generally true of 99% of fixie riders.)
It takes getting used to - you can't do that in one ride for sure! I used to ride single speed on my commute, did what you did and flipped the wheel for a weekend ride, then kept it for the commute. At first, I absolutely hated it, but I kept forgetting to swap it back and soon got used to it. I enjoy it now and still ride fixed. I still have both brakes and you just have to use them to modulate your downhill speed if you think your legs are about to explode 
My commute is flat, so I don't really need to use them for that.
My commute is flat, so I don't really need to use them for that.I commuted on an On One Il Pompino for years, loved it. Obviously I had the first-timer buck & crash, but I really enjoyed the feeling of connection with the bike, as though it was actually helping you along. I was never stronger than I was when I commuted on fixed, because I had no bail out gear for the hills.
I just bought a flip-flop singlespeed/fixie as a town bike. Not ridden it yet as the seat post is seized and I bought it from a dwarf, but I'm curious to try it fixed. Feels a bit foolish to be pushing it through Central London fixed and I'll probably go freewheeling after a brief play fixed.
Biggest problem I had when I started riding fixed was with the poor road surfaces we have here. I've a tendency to stopping pedalling when I go over these broken surfaces on geared bikes, I always have, but trying to remember to keep pedalling on the fixed bike was a mind numbing experience. Almost came a cropper a few times before the brain got the hang of it...
D.A.S.
D.A.S.
I commuted using a fixie when I was still in London - or, at least, it was one of the bikes I used. I used it single speed to start with, nervous about trying fixed. But I gave fixed a go and I found it surprisingly easy - just relax the legs and let the pedals keep them moving as an alternative to freewheeling.
What I found was it really helped me with smoother pedalling - I used to pedal a bit, free wheel, pedal a bit, free wheel, etc. On fixed, I had a smoother, more constant pedalling motion which I still have now when I'm on other bikes. I'll accept that it is more for doing something a bit different and fun than because of arguments like lower maintenance.
The only problem I had was hitting a speed bump going down Camberwell Grove with legs spinning like a hamster on a wheel. The bump bounced my feet out of the pedals and there was no way I could get them back in while I was doing 25mph. So I lifted my feet and cruised to the bottom with the pedals continuing to spin beneath me - must have looked ridiculous.
I still have a fixie, but I live in too hilly an area to make it a pleasurable experience.
What I found was it really helped me with smoother pedalling - I used to pedal a bit, free wheel, pedal a bit, free wheel, etc. On fixed, I had a smoother, more constant pedalling motion which I still have now when I'm on other bikes. I'll accept that it is more for doing something a bit different and fun than because of arguments like lower maintenance.
The only problem I had was hitting a speed bump going down Camberwell Grove with legs spinning like a hamster on a wheel. The bump bounced my feet out of the pedals and there was no way I could get them back in while I was doing 25mph. So I lifted my feet and cruised to the bottom with the pedals continuing to spin beneath me - must have looked ridiculous.
I still have a fixie, but I live in too hilly an area to make it a pleasurable experience.
I've covered about 8,000 miles over the last 18 months on a single speed fixie, just for fun.
Why? Because I wanted the challenge of learning something new, and fancied not being "one of the herd". I ride mine wherever everyone else rides their conventional road bike: laps of the park, long road rides, up hill, down dale.
It appears to be great for keeping fit, and improving my strength. I also love the simplicity and connection with the process of cycling: just pedal - get up the hill, or get off. It's the true Zen of cycling, and it's amazing how much better one's observation and anticipation becomes.
I also love the mechanical simplicity and robustness of the bike - brakes don't wear out (because there is no need to use them), and the drivetrain lasts forever.
It's probably not for everyone, but I highly recommend trying it. I've no idea how it compares to a freewheel road bike with gears because I haven't ridden one since my early teens.
Oh, and I'm game for any ride out challenge - bring it on!
Why? Because I wanted the challenge of learning something new, and fancied not being "one of the herd". I ride mine wherever everyone else rides their conventional road bike: laps of the park, long road rides, up hill, down dale.
It appears to be great for keeping fit, and improving my strength. I also love the simplicity and connection with the process of cycling: just pedal - get up the hill, or get off.
It's the true Zen of cycling, and it's amazing how much better one's observation and anticipation becomes.I also love the mechanical simplicity and robustness of the bike - brakes don't wear out (because there is no need to use them), and the drivetrain lasts forever.
It's probably not for everyone, but I highly recommend trying it. I've no idea how it compares to a freewheel road bike with gears because I haven't ridden one since my early teens.
Oh, and I'm game for any ride out challenge - bring it on!
jeremyc said:
I've covered about 8,000 miles over the last 18 months on a single speed fixie, just for fun.
Why? Because I wanted the challenge of learning something new, and fancied not being "one of the herd". I ride mine wherever everyone else rides their conventional road bike: laps of the park, long road rides, up hill, down dale.
It appears to be great for keeping fit, and improving my strength. I also love the simplicity and connection with the process of cycling: just pedal - get up the hill, or get off. It's the true Zen of cycling, and it's amazing how much better one's observation and anticipation becomes.
I also love the mechanical simplicity and robustness of the bike - brakes don't wear out (because there is no need to use them), and the drivetrain lasts forever.
It's probably not for everyone, but I highly recommend trying it. I've no idea how it compares to a freewheel road bike with gears because I haven't ridden one since my early teens.
Oh, and I'm game for any ride out challenge - bring it on!
Many years ago I worked with a guy who goes out with the Pearson guys on their rides. (He still does) He also rides a fixie to commute. He is by far the best cyclist I know. Looking at his Strava figures is just pro level to me Why? Because I wanted the challenge of learning something new, and fancied not being "one of the herd". I ride mine wherever everyone else rides their conventional road bike: laps of the park, long road rides, up hill, down dale.
It appears to be great for keeping fit, and improving my strength. I also love the simplicity and connection with the process of cycling: just pedal - get up the hill, or get off.
It's the true Zen of cycling, and it's amazing how much better one's observation and anticipation becomes.I also love the mechanical simplicity and robustness of the bike - brakes don't wear out (because there is no need to use them), and the drivetrain lasts forever.
It's probably not for everyone, but I highly recommend trying it. I've no idea how it compares to a freewheel road bike with gears because I haven't ridden one since my early teens.
Oh, and I'm game for any ride out challenge - bring it on!
I drive past their newer shop every day now. Glad they are doing well.
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