Riding fixed gear.

[fixedwheelnut]

To some it's a fad, some of us have been riding fixed for years
It is just like a normal bike except you don't stop pedalling and take it easy cornering or near the kerb.

You will soon adapt to it, for rough surfaces take it slow at first and just ride it out of the saddle, same for speed bumps.

[Chicane-UK]

Been riding fixed now for about 6 months, mostly due to friends who got fixies and goaded me into it. I had a go and after a shaky start, have really come to enjoy it. Here's the things I've personally found.

Good

> A nice smooth, quiet ride.
> No mashing up and down gears - you just ride.
> Less stuff to go wrong!
> Direct power transfer. You can accelerate really quickly as you're not going through 20'ish gears as you get going Can get from standing start up to top speed very quickly... great for overtaking other cyclists on the commute
> Better / more interesting on climbs. Not only can you "throw" yourself at some hills and occasionally coast up them, you start to not really miss gears after a while and just lift out of the saddle and get on with it!

Not Good

> Lack of freewheel is confusing at times and does take some adjustment. Trying to do manoeuvres where you're trying to signal, and brake whilst still pedaling are a PITA.
> Steep downhills suck. I can get about 31MPH max out of mine if my legs are pistoning like a fury (I run 46/17) but if you're going down a really steep hill you either need to try and put some resistance in to slow you up, ride the brake, or just unclip and tuck your legs out of the way
> If you run clipless, trying to pull away from a standing start on an incline is hard if you've got tough gearing. Not only are you trying to set off in a high gear, you might also be trying to signal near a junction and trying to clip in too.. it's a co-ordination nightmare.
> Feeling of lack of control. Bought home to me a few months back where I raced into a roundabout and noticed an oil patch in the road.. I went through the oil and in the time I'd noticed that and cleared it, I was fast approaching a large raised kerb. Ordinarily I'd have just freewheeled and adjusted myself but the bike was just barrelling towards the kerb, I couldn't freewheel, I couldn't brake fast enough, couldn't unclip because of my speed.. by a miracle I just missed the kerb and was ok - but if I'd not been on a fixie the situation would have been far more avoidable!
> Lack of freewheel again. You will forget. Probably more than once. Fatal mistake is approaching a corner and going to coast your way round it. Before you know it you're being lifted off the bike

I really enjoy it. So much so I was happy to part with my normal road bike until I've saved the pennies for a much nicer one. I live in a fairly hilly area (my short commute to work has a disproportionate amount of climbs!) and it is hard work especially after a long week.. but I think I'd adore it even more if I lived in a very flat area!

[shouldbworking]

Where does a singlespeed with a freewheel come in to this?

[Parsnip]

Make sure you put your pedal tension as high as it will go - you really do not want to unclip.

Have ridden fixed on a track, where it makes perfect sense, but I can't help but think 99% of people who ride fixies on the road are in it for the trendyness of it - the only advantages are that you can control your speed very easily in traffic and that trackstands are a piece of piss - neither of which are big enough upsides to make me want to ride fixed on the road.

[walm]

Parsnip said:

Make sure you put your pedal tension as high as it will go - you really do not want to unclip.

Have ridden fixed on a track, where it makes perfect sense, but I can't help but think 99% of people who ride fixies on the road are in it for the trendyness of it - the only advantages are that you can control your speed very easily in traffic and that trackstands are a piece of piss - neither of which are big enough upsides to make me want to ride fixed on the road.

What are the downsides?
Do you really want gears that much?
Not trolling, just interested to hear your opinion...
People have told me that it makes braking harder and it is more dangerous as a result but I am not convinced.

[Pupp]

I have a rigid Orange MTB that I have fixed and fitted with 650c rims. I live in rural Northants with some rolling hills and a 48/17 combination allows easy level 20mph+ to be maintained whilst allowing hills (both up and down) to be tackled effectively. It is very enjoyable (but obviously different) to ride and I have no qualms about 'safety' although it would kick you if you forget it's fixed. I have ridden track a fair bit in the past and always wanted a fixie on the road; and this fits the bill a treat. Probably my favourite bike in a decent stable so no hesitation in saying give it a go

It's a bit like the vinyl versus digital debate and we know what's best there don't we

[Parsnip]

walm said:

What are the downsides?
Do you really want gears that much?
Not trolling, just interested to hear your opinion...
People have told me that it makes braking harder and it is more dangerous as a result but I am not convinced.

I only have the room and finances for two bikes, both need gears - no other real reason, but it is a pretty big one.

Over the local club training route, I will be spinning pretty hard in a 53x12 and also down something like a 39x18 on the hilly bits - if I was on a fixie, I would get dropped like a stone.

If I could have 5 bikes, the 5th would be a fixie, but it would be for use on the track, not anywhere else.

[Pupp]

Parsnip said:

Over the local club training route, I will be spinning pretty hard in a 53x12 and also down something like a 39x18 on the hilly bits - if I was on a fixie, I would get dropped like a stone.

Well, 55 or 56 minute 25mile times are pretty commonplace for medium gear TTs (72 inch max) so that doesn't indicate pace is exactly a problem...

[neilski]

Admit it Bedders, you only want a fixie so you can do this....

http://wimp.com/bicycleskill

[croyde]

neilski said:

Admit it Bedders, you only want a fixie so you can do this....

http://wimp.com/bicycleskill

Blimey!

[Chicane-UK]

Parsnip said:

Make sure you put your pedal tension as high as it will go - you really do not want to unclip.

Have ridden fixed on a track, where it makes perfect sense, but I can't help but think 99% of people who ride fixies on the road are in it for the trendyness of it - the only advantages are that you can control your speed very easily in traffic and that trackstands are a piece of piss - neither of which are big enough upsides to make me want to ride fixed on the road.

I do ride fixed and honestly did try it only because friends nagged me about it.. but now I've been riding that way for a while, I wouldn't be in a hurry to change to a geared bike for my commute. I just don't see the point.

I certainly don't do it for any "kudos" or for it being a trend.. my bike (Giant Bowery) just looks like a normal road bike and certainly doesn't look like a stereotypical fixie until you look where the dérailleur would be. I'm not in a cycling club, my friends ride fixed anyway (so not proving anything to them) and barely anyone I know gives a crap about cycling anyway. So there's no trendiness aspect that I can work out about it!

[croyde]

I was powering up a hill on my Langster S/S and even with my SPD shoes on, there was a slight lag in the transmission which a Fixie would not have.

[CooperS]

I came very close to buying this last weekend!

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/distric...

In my LBS (Alpine bikes Stockbridge they've got £800 off the price. But tbh its more of a plush toy than a proper bike you'd take out for a 3-4 hour ride.

[Uriel]

Once you're used to riding fixed, unless you're riding over some serious terrain, then there are no issues at all with riding 3-4 or 8 hours on a fixed gear bike.

[Raven Flyer]

AyBee said:

Out of interest, what is the advantage of riding fixed? I can see the advantage in single speed in that there are no gear mechs to have to keep in decent condition but I can't see the advantage in riding a fixed over a single speed for all the reasons above about standing on pedals to slightly jump potholes or freewheel down hill? Is it just a fad?

I'd love to comment but don't have a beard.

[Pupp]

Raven Flyer said:

AyBee said:

Out of interest, what is the advantage of riding fixed? I can see the advantage in single speed in that there are no gear mechs to have to keep in decent condition but I can't see the advantage in riding a fixed over a single speed for all the reasons above about standing on pedals to slightly jump potholes or freewheel down hill? Is it just a fad?

I'd love to comment but don't have a beard.

Then let the founder of LeTour comment for you while your puberty occurs:

Henri Desgrange said:

I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn’t it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailleur? We are getting soft…As for me, give me a fixed gear!

[fixedwheelnut]

Riding fixed isn't necessarily an advantage just different, try it if you like it stick with it if you don't stick to gears.

If you do try it have an induction day on a track, the adrenaline rush will add to it.

[neilski]

AyBee said:

Out of interest, what is the advantage of riding fixed? I can see the advantage in single speed in that there are no gear mechs to have to keep in decent condition but I can't see the advantage in riding a fixed over a single speed for all the reasons above about standing on pedals to slightly jump potholes or freewheel down hill? Is it just a fad?

The advantage is that forward momentum of the bike carries the pedal stroke through the two "dead spots" at top dead centre / bottom dead centre making for (marginally) more efficient pedalling.

Disadvantages include having to spin your legs like a loon on any fast descents and the possibility of grounding a pedal on a tight corner if you lean the bike over too much.

[b2hbm]

Pupp said:

Then let the founder of LeTour comment for you while your puberty occurs:

Henri Desgrange said:

I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn’t it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailleur? We are getting soft…As for me, give me a fixed gear!

Would that be the Henri Desgrange who died in 1940 ? This bloke by any chance ?



edit - he may well have thought that riding fixed was the thing to do, but this year's peloton didn't seem to agree, did they ?

Edited by b2hbm on Friday 15th October 17:16

[Pupp]

b2hbm said:

edit - he may well have thought that riding fixed was the thing to do, but this year's peloton didn't seem to agree, did they ?

Oh I dunno, the likes of Brad Wiggins seem to have a soft spot for fixies