Road fixed / fixed road

Cheers @youramericanlover @gbj_tester

@Tijs - The connoisseur's choice...?

Olympic Zen? Only if it’s for a beater/rat bike.

@user84502 You’d be a fool not to run an AeroCoach Aten for commuting duties.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/livewiredelectro/

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Cheers that’s me
More pics here https://www.lfgss.com/comments/16486790/

Here's my first lockdown project from a couple of years ago, bought a cheap old Peugeot from FB marketplace and basically taught myself how to work on my bike by pulling it apart and putting it back together.
It's not perfect - but it's cool in a bit of a ratty retro way, just waiting on some cheap double sided clipless pedals to show themselves so I can use it properly.

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at 48 and 3/4, am i too old to learn to ride fixed?

i seem to have ordered a Dolan fxe.

No

At a far more youthful 48 and 1/4, this is oddly relevant to my interests

oh good!

i'm planning to use SPD pedals. my main fear is pedal vs the ground when going around a corner. will it make much difference if I go for a pedal like this:

or like this?

a cycling acquaintance bought a fixed gear and fitted a freewheel on day 2, which kind of prompted my question. He's much older though. 50 something. :-)

keep the crank short- no longer than 170mm and you should be fine.
I think I had 172.5 on my FXE with no issues, I find I don't lean the bike into corners so much when riding fixed.
and if we are disclosing ages I'm 50+ 31 months

am i too old to learn to ride fixed?

No. You will forget you're on fixed approximately once, just like young people. It's like clipless, first week you're super cautious, week 2 you'll stop pedalling and nearly get thrown off, probably in front of a bus queue. After that it's plain sailing.

so long as I only nearly get thrown off, i'm quite ok with it.

i do remember one time getting to a T junction and forgetting I was clipped in, and falling over. i had the good luck to fall over onto a grassy verge....

Haha! Everyone has a least one trip on the fixed elevator and as said it’s normally once you think you’ve got it dialled. Oh and there’s always an audience…

Everyone has a least one trip on the fixed elevator

I had this at the velodrome when riding in a line of 20(?) riders. That was a moment.

You will forget you're on fixed approximately once, just like young people. It's like clipless

I fitted clipless pedals when they came out, Look as I recall, to my fixed bike. Much easier than the fuss n muss of clips n straps, and shoes with slotted cleats. Single-sided SPDs these days.

Much easier than the fuss n muss of clips n straps, and shoes with slotted cleats

That's not in question, but some time in week 2 nearly everybody forgets how to unclip, and nearly always for the benefit of an audience.

This has been munching up the miles lately. Such a great ride, though was wildly over geared for the Shropshire hills on visiting family last week.

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Still one of my all time favourites

Yes, at the north end of the Broad Walk of Regent's Park, on a Saturday morning. SPD cleat bolt had failed and the cleat rotated with the shoe. Slow topple at a standstill as the couldabeenacontenders whizzed past, and pedestrians gasped.

Road bike is in bits waiting for parts and i've been going out into the lanes on my Genesis Flyer (it's got some silly ripoff Jones H Bars so I wont post it here) and it's brilliant and I don't know how Big Derailleur ever managed to corner the market.

What ratios we runnin for general 'out via layhams and then immediately turning around at the top' type riding? 42/17 is a wee bit spinny to enjoy the downs at all.

Wow just wow!!

Sounds good for it all on 42/17, but personal preference at the end of the day I guess.

That's a bit over 67 inches and round about what I would use for pretty much everything.

The issue here is trying to 'enjoy' the downs in the same way as when riding a bike with a freewheel.

Going downhill on a fixed gear will never be even close to as fun as it is when you have a freewheel and smooth, reliable brakes.

The only pleasure when fixed is on working on your form so that you spin smoothly, yet with legs a blur. It takes time and, for me, still requires concentration. It still feels an achievement when it's all working. Someone told me to relax my ankles - that was a great tip.

The idea is to do some sick skids on your way down.

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