Fixie/SingleSpeed question...

[SoCalSteve]

HI all,

I'll be moving into the world of SS/Fixie's really soon and I have a question:

On a Fixie, do you need to use some sort of clipless pedal system? Or, can you get away with flat pedals?

This bike will be used for local trips, no long distance stuff, no racing.

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

[bluesea]

Flat pedals are fine as long as you use clips and straps, or if you only use them for moderate speed practice/orientation. The problem with bare flat pedals is loosing your footing at high rpm. Scary.

[Ray]

Flat pedals are fine as long as you use clips and straps, or if you only use them for moderate speed practice/orientation. The problem with bare flat pedals is loosing your footing at high rpm. Scary.
VERY scarey!. It's possible to use flat pedals with no retention on a low rpm city fixie and it's possible to do it on a high rpm fixie road bike. But I sure don't recommend it. I always use a double sided spd type of pedal with mine. Easy to find the pedal engagement, easy to get out, easy to walk around in the shoes. I've used single side pedals and clips and straps and they work fine, but they're slightly harder to get into easily, particularly in town riding where you may need to get in and out of the pedal more often (unless, like Fixed and Too Tall, you don't stop).

Single speed riding and anything else with a freewheel works fine with flat pedals, but once you've been whacked HARD by a free spinning fixie pedal that your foot came off of, you'll think twice about riding one of these without some sort of retention.

-Ray

[Fixed]

bro try crank bro's egg s 4 sided entry and can get shoes that look like vans . .. I'd do do the toe strap thing and wear vans bro cheers :beer:

[Samster]

i use double sided spds with mountain bike shoes. works great for me. can always clip in easy. no fishing around required. i've used rat-traps and found them impractical, though the cool factor is definitely higher.

[SoCalSteve]

double sided SPD's lying around somewhere and a pair of Sidi Dominators that I wear to Spin classes. I'll try that combo!

Thanks everyone for your experience.

Steve

[Serpico]

bro try crank bro's egg s 4 sided entry and can get shoes that look like vans . .. I'd do do the toe strap thing and wear vans bro cheers :beer:


chuck taylors and clips, work for me

:beer:

[Samster]

double sided SPD's lying around somewhere and a pair of Sidi Dominators that I wear to Spin classes. I'll try that combo!

Thanks everyone for your experience.

Steve

hey! i use dominators too. they're great for the kind of stuff you're going to do. perhaps a bit shi-shi, but great nonetheless. i wear the black all lorica model with black socks that go up to my knees. :)

i'm kidding about the black socks.

[Rapid Tourist]

I use speedplay frogs on my fixie. Double sided entry and the easiest engagement system I"ve tried. I think clipped pedals work better for fixing because you'll be able to pull up on the pedal to climb hills, which helps when you got no low gears. :crap: