Is fixed bad for your knees if you dont skid / ride high gear?

Is it impossible to avoid knee damage that is in excess of that on a geared bike that one does not overgear?
There are some good links on the topic:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed-knees.html
http://messengerofdoom.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/knee-deep-fixed-wheel-riders-knee-problems/
http://yamabushi.wordpress.com/2007/07/03/why-fixies-are-bad-for-your-knees/

but am looking for more personal opinions as the conclusiosn from these posts are somewhat inconclusive.

I think rdiding fixed makes youe knee stronger. Like any form of resistance exercise you need to start with less i.e a lower gear and build it up slowly. After time it will build up the ligament and muscle around the knee making it stronger. The times when you hurt your self tend to be when you do things you don't usually do and hence you body is has not built up to it. That my opinion and expericence any way, my knees feel better overall* after riding fixed than they did before.

*I say overall but I twisted my knee two weeks ago, but that was doing something I don't usually do and hence pushing it beond it's normal loads / stresses.

Same here - old ankle injury rehabilitated by riding fixed; recurring wrist sprain - insert wank joke here - also sorted by more out-of-saddle efforts.

If you build up gradually, move around the bike a lot to make the most of leverage and body weight, and back off when you get a major twinge (rather than ride the 70 miles home like I once stupidly did (on gears)), you should be fine.

Just remeber the muscles adapt quicker than the tendons and ligaments, which can lead to problems if you get impatient.

Oh, and my lower back's a lot stronger too (another old injury - hip this time - thanked me for all that time dancing on the pedals).

And finally - keep those knees warm in the winter (and maybe gear down a tooth).

I've had knee problems on and off for years (due to badly designed legs) and all i can say is that I have found riding fixed to be far better for my knees than riding freewheel.

Thanks guys! I really want to buy a fixed - tried it first time & went crazy - so this is really exactly what i wanted to hear! (since i have knee problems of my own already)

Patellar tendonitis put a stop to running days, after years of pounding the pavements mile after mile. After a year of physio very little progress had been made so I chucked in the towel. I simply dont run any more (not for 10+ miles anyway).
As cycling is a non-impact sport (assuming you can stay upright that is!) it doesnt really affect my knees (OK, after a 100+mile day they are a little tired)......apart from the first few efforts I (over) did SS 48x16 up some Surrey Hills that gave 'em a twinge for several months. I should have taken it a bit easier for a few weeks.
I've just switched to fixed, still 48x16 and am having to be careful using the gear to brake as its doing things my knees just arent accustomed to (like Tommy says) and its borders on uncomfortable, so I'm trying to let my brake take the strain instead.
Maybe I should go slightly easier on the gearing for a while?
I also stretch my hamstrings and quads and do some other 'yogic' kinda things my misses assures me are good for my knees(!).

(EDIT)
should also mention the reason for that running injury-
I DID'N'T REST ENOUGH BETWEEN RUNS.

I still make this mistake and really struggle not to ride a bike everyday.....

fuck the knees - it's so good for your soul you won't care

i am also one of those who feels that riding fixed does my knees better in general. the constant spinning at a lower gear (me not that low really, ~72) keeps everything smooth. coasting means that i stop pedalling and eventually i have to push harder when i start pedalling again. all this stop start stop start isn't very good for you knees i must say. riding fixed on the contrary means that i must pedal at a pace - and that constant exercise will actually benefit your legs as a whole.

i only started realising the benefits of low ratio + high cadence after i got fixed. used to mash around all the time. i find that i have more ankle problems doing that than i ever have knee problems - which i never really had.

kipsy Patellar tendonitis put a stop to running days, .....

ITBS put a stop to my running. I still stretch properly after riding, though

if you're worried about your knees just start low-geared like people suggested and adjust as needed from there - just remember if you have any pains that ligaments take longer to heal than muscle tissue, so even after your muscles stop hurting its a good idea to take it easy for a while...

I think that it depends on your legs, but basically big gears (lets say anything over 42 - 16) on fixed hurt your knees, unless you are very strong.

Fixies aren't bad for your knees, repeatedly stressing the quad, so that the micro-tears form bigger and bigger lumps of scar tissue, eventually constantly irritating the patella (chronic knee pain) is. Big gears can do this. But you can ride a small gear fixed.

I ended up riding 42 - 20. I have worked on 42 - 18. Spinning is cool. Spinning is the thing. Spinning rocks. Spin to Win!

PS having poorly adjusted pedals, cleats or badly adjusted seat height is much worse for your knees than big gears tho.

Buffalo Bill repeatedly stressing the quad, so that the micro-tears form bigger and bigger lumps of scar tissue, eventually constantly irritating the patella (chronic knee pain) is.

You're scary sometimes Bill.

I actually rode all the way home tonight without stopping to stretch out/slap out my quad pain. :S

And you're on 69 GI, yes?

I'm on what? Oh, gear inches? It's not overgearing, don't stress. It's alcohol abuse and not riding nuffink for a week (I think). Seriously evil cramp in left quad.
Like I used to get back when I was racing in 40deg heat and drinking only water, no electrolytes. Mineral imbalance I reckon, ie. poor vodka : blood ratio.

yeah..

my legs have felt like lead this week..

it's the red wine every night, not the hills or headwinds.

Buffalo Bill PS having poorly adjusted pedals, cleats or badly adjusted seat height is much worse for your knees than big gears tho.

Or getting kneecapped by the loan sharks who've paid for your latest project bike.

I had to give up boxing training because the road & rope work was too hard on my knees

so I started cycling in the jim on one of them spinning bikes

but that got boring

so I just started riding my fixed

further and further a field

the combination of riding fixed

doing weights in the jim

and stretching has made my knees stronger not weaker

but easy does it

you can't run before you can walk

hippy
You're scary sometimes Bill.

Not sometimes. ALL the time.

smiling buddha:

what you write reads like a poem

How about the fact that when one climbs one needs to stand rather than sit on the bikes saddle, doesnt that put more strain on them knees?

There is no doute that more force is applied to the knee when riding fixed but the point is that over time your knees will strengethen. So just take it easy and gear down!:)

I used to have knee problems (before i went fixed) but they improved a lot when i switched from SPDs to pedals which have free float, ie, no force tending to hold your foot in a particular direction. It means your foot and lower leg find their their natural most comfortable position.

apart from that, like everyone else is saying, use a low gear (say 73 in or less) and spin! you'll be quick off the mark, fly up hills, and if you can spin at 90-100rpm, still be faster than almost everyone else.

I'm relatively ne to riding fixed, but found that I'm hooked.

I have found the transition from gears to fixed incredibly tiring, my knees ache at the moment but not as much as when I was fell running !

I've had an epiphany since going over to fixed

p.s I don't live anywhere near London, am I still alowed on the site.

Natureboy

What do you mean pedals that have free float?
Does this kind of pedal have a particular technical name?
How do i ask for them in a store?

Thanks