Thinking of going fixed for the first time. Anything I should Know

Going to be building up my first ever fixed gear and as I have never rode fixed in my life I was wondering if there is anything I should know. Like how easy is it to adapt to fixie riding, what would be the best ratio to start. Anything really as I guess its going to be a lot different to riding a 'normal' bike. Any advice welcome.

Thanks

Best tip is don't stop pedalling...but you will!!!

Use foot retention.

Optional.

Use brakes.

practice somewhere safe and quiet

do not be an idiot like me! i bought a bike and then cycled back 13 miles across London for my first fixed ride

it was entertaining, i survived but there are probably much better ways to do it

Is it easy to adapt to riding fixed gear as I have cycled for over 30 years I wonder if I will struggle. Silly question but I really want to experience riding fixed before I come to old and knackered in the legs but I am some what apprehensive that I might end up killing myself lol.

What front and rear?.

I've run front and rear and just front. You only (legally) require front and that's what I'd generally use but a rear brake can be nice just to take the speed down a little on descents or again when the road is slippery on a corner. Most people run front only because it looks neater.

I guess you use your legs and pedals to act as a back brake right?.

You do realise most of us on here have not died riding fixed.

Self preservation will teach how to, I guess you have some life experience :)
As said before put at least a brake and after the first 10 minutes you are already used to.
Ratio? At the beginning 48-19 will do, but with brakes you can easily go for 48-17/18

Use foot retention.

This but not right away. If you can run two brakes, I'd do that until you've gotten used to not coasting. It's handy to be able to take your feet off for stopping and shit.

If you use for retention on your other bikes use it straight away, it makes it much easier to adapt.

You'll get twanged in the air a few times when you try to freewheel and you'll definitely spend the first few rides thinking it's a pointlessly shit way to get about, but in time you'll come to love it and wonder why you wasted your life on free wheels.

I always ride with two brakes. I don't use them as much as I would on a geared bike but with two brakes you can ride faster as you don't have to anticipate possible reasons to stop. It is also gentler on your knees and as an elderly rider, this is important to me.

The biggest reason I have for running two brakes is having a backup should the cable snap on one. I wouldn't want to have to descend a big hill relying solely on leg braking.

the rules of fixed club

rule 1 you do not talk about riding fixed
rule 2 YOU DO NOT talk about riding fixed
rule 3: If someone says "do a skid " or goes limp, taps out the ride is over.
rule 4 only two brakes per bike
rule 5 ride only one bike at a time
rule 6 no suits no dress shoes
rule 7 rides will go on till the next pub
rule 8 if it is your first night ride you must have a fight with a black cabbie or a people carrier

Took my first ride on the roads on fixie this morning. Always ridden single speed. Had a few practice circuits in an empty car park to get the feel over the past few days - well only 1 actually. I have a front brake. I set off from Archway - it started raining - Feck. Of course the first obstacle - a red light - had me concentrating really hard - felt like I had 3 legs. I was all over the place. Off on green and in the traffic - steady pace - slower then my normal - and on the brake almost all the time. After a few hundred yards I'm thinking this is not so bad oh there's a pot-hole I will just coast over th....shhiiiiit!!! Phew - pedalling again and even skirted the hole. Pedalling and braking all the time. Recalling those smug bastards on the Bridges ride writing their name in black rubber on the embankment tarmac. How the f*ck? Then it started to feel OK - but never better than OK - I had a slow ride in to the city. Coffee. I reckon it's going to take a while and I will be taking it easy for some time. But I'm investing only time end energy in this - hopefully not skin!

Saddle is the most important thing on your fixed gear bike. As you stop using your legs you will press against the saddle more than on the freewheeled bike. The contact with saddle will be stronger. Therefore make sure that you get the right saddle.

as you're stopping you'll need to think about crank angles, it's better to stop half a foot short with the crank in the right place to set off than it is to roll to the stop line and have your cranks at 11/5 o'clock positions and struggle to push off when the lights change. otherwise be prepared to unclip, put your foot down, rotate cranks and then set off whilst everyone behind you turns white hot with rage because you've held them up for 1 second.

^hold front brake*, tip bike forward, rotate clipped foot to appropriate position

*or lift rear wheel by the saddle for brklz

I'm still in the process of getting into fixed, I have a 2 mile loop from home to the shops and back that I ride fixed when I remember just means spending 5min to flip the flip flop before/after. Low gearing will help as the first few stops(at speed) you will feel in your knees. Also learning to resistance pedal is good.

its like, you have to be one with the bike. like the bike becomes an extension of you. weaving through traffic and just like the flow, you know?

Make sure you use the right moustache wax or all the other hipsters will laugh at you.

I like to ride.

Fixed gear.

No brakes.

Can't stop.

Don't want to, either.

@bothwell is scented cool now or are we still on old junk found at car boot sales and resold in "quirky pop up shops"