Fixie riding question...

[SoCalSteve]

Hi all,

I just bought an older Schwinn Road bike from Dave T. It is set up as a fixed gear drivetrain. I am going to put double sided SPD pedals on the bike.

Ok, my question is: Is there anything I need to know (and not hurt myself) while learning to ride a fixed gear bike? Any tips? Suggestions? Special techniques or things to watch out for?

As always, thank you all in advance,

Steve

[Fixed]

bro go to a basketball court and ride around for an hour going slow is half the fun i.m.h.o. cheers

[bironi]

fixed is right. I went to the local elementary school first ride. Good lesson in knowing how fast to approach a corner. Try a track stand, and breaking without hand breaks. Have fun.

[coylifut]

nah, you've been riding bikes for years. you already know every thing you need to know. you'll find you look up the road a bit father

[Climb01742]

do you guys really not have any problem bombing down a hill? that's the part of fixies that spooks me. i'd guess you must hit RPMs of 130-140, no? how do you handle big hills? signed, an admitted wussie.

[Ray]

do you guys really not have any problem bombing down a hill? that's the part of fixies that spooks me. i'd guess you must hit RPMs of 130-140, no? how do you handle big hills? signed, an admitted wussie.
That's the learning part. And is both terrifying and fun, like your first ride on a roller coaster. You quickly learn what speed you start bouncing at. For me, it was somewhere around 120-125 rpm. The interesting thing, though, is that somewhere around 130, it stops. It all gets sort of calm again. Like breaking through the sound barrier. To get past the "bounce zone" (I've seen all sorts of theories about why riders tend to bounce in this zone - something about your body's resonance, but I don't know if I believe it), you have to lift your butt a couple of mm off the saddle and really get on top of the pedals - no letting them pull you around, YOU gotta be doing the driving at those rpms. But you remarkably find that you can. Within a month of starting to ride a fixie, I got to where I could hold 160+ rpm for up to a minute or more on a downhill. The key is to not let up when you get to the run-out at the bottom - that's where your reflexes tell you to relax, but if you do you're gonna get a heck of a jolt! BTW, about 170ish rpm was the fastest I was ever aware of spinning. Which sounds impressive until you hear that track guys routinely do 220-230!

The other thing to remember if it really starts getting scarey - you have a brake (or two) - use them to scrub speed and keep things where you can handle them. Until you can handle more.

I find that I don't ride fixed much anymore except around town. I think I've sort of wussed out on it too. But it was really really fun while it lasted - I was a full-time fixed junkie for a couple of years. And I'm here to tell you that if I can do it, almost any competant rider can do it. Also, it really does help your geared riding a LOT when you're doing it.

Edit - Hey, I just hit 1000. Do I get a prize? Perhaps a new handmade bicycle from someone at the show?! :cool:

-Ray

[Climb01742]

ray, i start bouncing at 125, too. i guess my biggest barrier is mental (as usual ;) ). i am intrigued by the improved smoothness riding a fixie gives you.

[Ray]

ray, i start bouncing at 125, too. i guess my biggest barrier is mental (as usual ;) ). i am intrigued by the improved smoothness riding a fixie gives you.
Almost everyone starts bouncing in that same range. It's really sort of interesting to me and does give some credence to some of the theories I've read about why it happens. But, regardless, you CAN get through it. Bob Dylan once said something about playing 'a certain kind of blues, where you have to lean forward a little bit to play it right' or something like that. I feel the same way about riding a fixie on downhills. Your whole approach to pedalling changes in that quiet area above 130 - you really have to become the aggressor and not take a backseat to the wishes of the cranks. Hard to explain, but you'll know it when you feel it. Everyone else I've ever talked to who rides a fixed talks about the same thing, so I believe it's pretty universal and not just me.

The only danger of riding fixed is that its SO much fun when you start really getting it (which doesn't take long) that you'll probably neglect your geared riding for a while. You may even start to feel superior to those wimps who can coast :bike: But its an experience that nobody who's as into bikes and riding as you are should miss. At least to give it a try - there are a rare few people who actually don't like it, but they're waaaaay in the minority.

-Ray

[Michael Katz]

I too am exploring the world of a fixie as a relative neophyte. My bike is an older Bianchi Pista that I decided to use as a commuter. First thing I did was change the chainring to a smaller one so that I would have a prayer of getting up hills. Used an online gear calculator to figure out what chainring would be the best compromise for me to achieve a balance of rpm's, speed flats and hills. There are calculators that will give you gear inch comparisons of different combinations, which I used to compare with my regular road bike's gearing to get a handle on workable climbing combinations, and calculators that give you top speed at a given rpm which I used to get a handle on how a combination would match my riding style on flats and descents. Between the 2 I was able to come up with a pretty good compromise chainring/cog combination.

I also put a front brake on (no mount for a rear), since I too am a wuss. I mounted the new version of Specialized Armadillo's in 25mm for flat resistance (no quick releases on hubs) and comfort. Finally, I mounted a double water bottle holder (like triathletes use) behind the seat since there were no mounts for cages. I'm using Speedplay Frogs which I had sitting around for walkability. The only other change I am contemplating is changing out the drop bar for a flat bar since the bike is being used as a commuter.

The biggest adjustment I had to make was to quash the "coasting reflex" going around corners and making turns at speed. Also at the bottom of hills as someone else mentioned. Just take your time and don't be in a hurry to go fast so that you have time to think through your maneuvers and pattern new reflexes (or kill old ones). Have fun!

[coylifut]

I think Ray has it right. You really gotta attack the down hills. However, for me, istead of leaning forward, I sit more upright when going down steep long hills. I have a front brake with one in-line cx lever so I can brake from the tops.

atmo. anyone riding a fixe down long steep hills is asking for it. I've lost the chain a couple of times.

[Ray]

I think Ray has it right. You really gotta attack the down hills. However, for me, istead of leaning forward, I sit more upright when going down steep long hills. I have a front brake with one in-line cx lever so I can brake from the tops.

atmo. anyone riding a fixe down long steep hills is asking for it. I've lost the chain a couple of times.
Didn't mean lean forward in a literal sense. Just in the sense Dylan was talking about in terms of taking a more aggressive attitude. Figuratively leaning forward I guess.

And BRAKES! I wouldn't recommend that anyone start riding a fixie with no brakes unless they're only riding on a track or on long flat rural roads with no traffic. I find a rear brake quite useless, but the front is absolutely indespensable. Having brake(s) doesn't make you a wuss! If you get really good and are macho, you can always try going no-brakes later (not that I'd ever recommend it), but I sure wouldn't start out that way.

-Ray

[Rapid Tourist]

I would say practice starting from a stop several times before getting out on the road and dealing with red lights, stop signs and such. Its a different experience to clip in the second shoe when riding fixed because you cannot coast. You have to "clip in" the second shoe while moving the pedal forward, which takes a little practice.

I agree with Ray, the key to downhills is learning to not let the pedals pull you, instead you push harder on the pedals. When you're feet start rotating really fast, just pedal the bike harder, as if you are trying to accelerate. This helps me to stay more on control on downhills.

have a blast! your road bike will stay home!

[GoJavs]

For me. I just took my first ride around the clock with the fixie my brother built for me. Frame belong to fellow forumite Champlemon but he's moved on to heftier Italian steel and I inherited his Langster frame.

Seems like a lot of fun. However, I'm not even going to try LOOK pedals for now. I've got some MKS pedals and will probably ride like that. Very hard not to forget to pedal! :crap:

[manet]

go immediately to a track... mmm, say T-Town as an example.
walk in to the velo storage barn, pull down the bike of choice,
change the pedals out, adjust seat. get on track, ride a couple
of gentle laps, uttering to yourself to keep pedaling. stop pedaling
for a nano-second, wait for your heart to resume beating _ more
pedaling, pedaling. couple more laps. coach gathers you in and
announces, "we're gonna' time you _ one lap _ and then based
on times, split you up into race groups."