Would I use a Fixed Gear Bike ?? Do You ?

[Smiley]

I have a bead on a Fixed gear Track bike. Should I buy it or stick to riding my TiMax for winter training. Help I am in a quandry, I need to hear your opinions about this. Will another bike get ridden as much, don't want to get a fixiee and gravitate to the MTB.

[Climb01742]

a neat option i did is: phil wood makes a two-sided rear hub. one side is fixed gear, other ain't fixed. on days when i was feeling studly (3.7 % of time) went fixed. when i was feeling mortal, flipped rear wheel around. very neat option. i found riding a fixed (or not so fixed, or basically a single speed) really pure. plus, it forces you to work on form. much easier to clean winter gunk off. i even wound up riding it sometimes in the summer, when i just wanted a simpler riding experience.

[dbrk]

Capt'n,
Fixed is great but I strongly recommend you avoid a track bike on the road. I mean, it can be done and you can get used to it, but track bike geos are steep in the seattube and crazy quick up front. I used to ride...get this...a 1938 Schwinn Paramount track bike _everywhere_. You get very good handling skills and this bike had no brakes, so you learn to stop.

Riding fixed is a wonderful experience, much to be commended, but try finding a bike with road geometries and a front brake. Besides, dental work is expensive.

dbrk
hoping for a Nagasawa pathracer for the fast stuff but looking forward to a 650B Mariposa single speed roughstuffer with all the fixin's (lights, mudguards, front handlebar carrier)

[Smiley]

Yes the front end handling speed does concern me as well the steeper seat angle. Looks like a STEAM ROLLER is the right choice.

[pbbob]

nothing quite as much fun as riding either fixed or free on the road between Dewey and ocean city some early sunday morning.

[Climb01742]

douglas is very right. i went with a road geo and a single brake. looking at a frame with a single gear and one brake reminds you of what a simple, amazing machine a bike can be. just choose that single gear carefully. or your knees will never forgive you. or, as once happened to me, i tried to climb a hill i had no business climbing on one gear, got 3/4 of the way up, could not for the life of me turn the crank even one more time, and fell over. very humorous to the people who saw me do it. very ego bruising to me. and i was very lucky my knees didn't explode. clearly, my gear was bigger than my brain.

[Matt Barkley]

Smileymeister,
I would 2nd DBRKs words of advice. Try to do a fixed with road geometry. If you can score one of those and you can do some nice loops in the park getting used to clipping in through the pedal stroke you will become one with the bike.... any bike. Fun, new, challenging. Go for it and take your time getting in the mindset (around you cole-de-sac neighborhood.)

[flydhest]

Smiley,

You must, repeat MUST, get the fixed gear. Fixed gears are fantastic. I know you and the Admiral ride the tandem when you are riding together. One thing you might find is that you can ride the fixie with her on her Legend and both of you will still enjoy the ride. Fixies are fun going slow or fast.

You will not gravitate back to the mountain bike.

I ride my fix to work everyday that I'm not going to do a hard, pounding work out with the "fast boys" at lunch. A 20 mile fixed gear ride can actually be a bit of a work out, while 20 on a freewheel bike is a warm up in my world.

I love my fixed gear.

I find myself feeling much more connected to the bike, feeling much more like I'm cycling as opposed to just pedaling a bike, when I'm on the fixed. I haven't used the front (and only) brake in months and am thinking about taking it off, but I would by no means suggest anyone do this who hasn't had a lot of time on a fixed. My old coach in grad school had us ride fixed a lot in the off season, which is how I got hooked but never got myself a fixed until a year ago. I don' t know why I waited so long.

Smiley, get a fixed. I already wait for you going up hills, now I'll have to wait for you going down :D

Get the fixed.

Get it now!

Don't delay!

[zap]

Smiley. Why?

I thought about getting a track bike last winter but decided against it.

It's another bike and we already have 7 exotic (well 6 actually, Ti-Dura Ace doesn't count) bikes.

It's a skill I don't need to learn.

No velodrome near by.

It's not going to be nearly as comfortable as your TiMax.

And bottom line, what will your significant other say when you bring home another baby, err bike.

[Ginger]

Get the Fixed,
Ride the Fixed,
Love the Fixed,
or Hate the Fixed...
Get rid of the Fixed,
or ride it every day like Fly.

But you won't know until you try


What's another bike? Try it Smiley, you just might like it!


Sincerely,
(The voice of moderation and reason)
Mary Ann

[Climb01742]

smiley, even a fixed gear isn't permanent. (deep, ain't i?)

[keno]

I hear that Sandy got fixed.

keno

[JohnS]

Too late, I hear there's little Sandys running around. :)

[bags27]

I ordered a Steamroller myself earlier this a.m. after I destroyed my modified fixie (with a Surly singulator) first time out. I was also following some fixies on e-bay and I thought this one about a Surly was funny and wise:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=3661551092&ssPageName=STRK:MEBWA:IT

I built this bike up for commuting and used it for that, but just a couple of times. I am not going to lie, riding a fixed gear is the most scared I have ever been on a bike for the first few times. If you want to re-learn how to ride, this is the bike for you. You will make huge strides with getting a smooth spin with this bike. I set the bike up with some very burly equipment to last for a long time. Please take advantage of this auction and the fact I am not man enough to ride this bike day in and day out.

[Climb01742]

bags, that's why i went with the two-sided hub option. a true fixed gear takes courage and talent (well, i'm, 0 for 2), while a single gear, IMO, gives you many of the benefits of a fixed without the "i'm coming home, baby jesus" moments.

[bags27]

Me, too, Climb. And ditto on the 0-2 part!

[Ray]

Originally posted by Climb01742
bags, that's why i went with the two-sided hub option. a true fixed gear takes courage and talent (well, i'm, 0 for 2), while a single gear, IMO, gives you many of the benefits of a fixed without the "i'm coming home, baby jesus" moments.

I ride a fixed gear almost every day in the winter, and I've NEVER been accused of being either courageous or talented. All you really have to be is about half crazy to get started. Then you'll either hate it and never try it again or, and this is the MUCH more common reaction, you'll be hopelessly addicted and will ride it all the time. After the first few weeks of occasionally forgetting you can't coast, you almost never see your life flash before your eyes anymore. Too much fun. I get to ride mine home from work in about 25 minutes and I'm psyched!

-Ray

[Joel]

There is nothing else that encourages the simplicity of form - especially early in the season - like riding a fixed gear on the road.

Nothing to worry about except pedalling in circles.

Go ahead and get that track bike - you'll love it.

Oh - and give some consideration to a brake -- just in case...

Best,

Joel

[Roy E. Munson]

To add a contradictory note, a lot of the folks I race with and a number of coaches I've dealt with recomend NOT training on a fixie as it is simply too brutal on the knee's. Many a courier will echo these sentiments.

[paengn]

I enjoy fixed gear cycling. You get a great workout in a lesser time than a geared bike and lastly your riding and pedalling techniques are enhanced. Find the right gearing which is comfortable for you and Go for it!

[ackwards]

Smiley, of course you have to get the fixie. 1) I want to see both you and Flydhest going down a steep hill with your legs out to the side like little kids and 2) I won't even consider getting my old bike fixed up as one unless you get yours first. Of course, truth to tell, I'm too much of a chicken to do it at all, so that means you should. (Does it have to wait until the garage gets built to store it?)