First Fixed Ride

Had a funny moment yesterday. Bike was in for a service and swap of handlebars, but I also had a fixed cog and lockring put on the spare side of my flipflop hub. Was riding freewheel SS, but wanted to be able to try out some day, maybe in a park or so.

So I get my bike from the shop, mount and WHOAAAAAOWW ... failed to clip in, all wobbly and funny feeling. Must've been a fun sight ... I was pretty much scared of stopping and starting the whole way home.

how did day two go
probably feeling much more confident ?
day three you'll be skidding and removing your breaks

It was pretty much fine ... just that I am still struggling to get my left foot into the powergrips when the pedals are going by themselves.

More confident for sure. It seems that slowing down is pretty much instinctive (even if it's a bit awkward still, when you use the legs) and I therefore don't just roll into a position before touching the brake levers ... partly because I want to avoid stopping altogether, I guess.

Side effect is that people who don't just roll past me on either sides, even though they need to stop right after they did that? Wonder if I have been doing the same thing all the time ...

I'm still happy about the brakes though. Don't think I'll remove them.

Yeah, I was forced into fixed, too, by buying a wheelset that was fixed/fixed. I feel much better about the whole thing now, except when I accidentally take the wrong foot out without being prepared for a light change...look stupid for a few seconds before getting that pedal around and get going with traffic. I'm now better at being able to start at speed without one pedal having to be in the "perfect" position. Next stop - skid stops. Apparently it's easiest to practice this on grass.

You'll get used to it quickly. I ride fixed with two brakes, too, and I don't find it any more difficult than riding non-fixed, but I still get the bonus of the different leg action. If you need to get tips on bike handling and learn bike handling skills like trackstanding, go to TrixieDix on a Tuesday.

haha, yes ... I found myself lifting up the saddle and then pulling the pedal back up a couple of times.

That's a good way to get going. I've been considering when to give fixed a go but there's always a "good" reason no to do it today... Like "I've got to get used to the new bike's handling first" or "Can't be a weekday cos I don't want the first experience to involve flailing around in traffic half asleep on my morning commute" or Can't do this weekend as I've got all this stuff to do".

If anyone wants to pop round and flip my wheel while I'm not looking...

I thought this was going to be a story of kidnap, intrigue and gun-to-the-head cycling. I also included sexy female secret agents but that probably just me.

You'll get used to it pretty fast. Try not to use the break for slowing down unless you need it, let your legs learn how to spin out and how to resist properly and you'll have it nailed in no time!

You should change the powergrips for toeclips, they're much easier to get into.

nahh, I'll get the hang of it, I'm sure ... I like powergrips, they don't cause the wheel-pedal-overlap problem as much as toeclips that stick out ...

Aint nuthin to it but to do it....

Yeah, I was forced into fixed, too, by buying a wheelset that was fixed/fixed.
You can put a freewheel on a fixed thread. Even though the thread doesnt go all the way through the freewheel, it's still EASILY strong enough because a freewheel has so little torque compared to a fixed cog.

If you need to get tips on bike handling and learn bike handling skills like trackstanding, go to TrixieDix on a Tuesday.

trackstanding and skdding are definitely the most useful skill to learn for cycling, beside riding properly of course!

about a week ago i made the transition from free to fixed.

this may not be of interest to you, but you opened the topic knowing what it was about.

Is this the same as "guess what guys I popped my cherry" lol

Is this the same as "guess what guys I popped my cherry" lol

That would be fuckin awesome....

i'm in the same position as you... new as fuck

i'm in the same position as you... new as fuck

Polo today.
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread20267.html

I'm a month into fixed after trying a bike in a shop that was accidently left on the 'wrong' side of the flip flop hub. I'll never go back! FGSS FTW!

I've gone fixed as well. Went one back to single speed for a day but it just seemed really strange that I had to slow down with the brakes. Fixed is definitely a lot more intuitive to ride.

i am waiting for the right laydee to pop my cherry with

apparently sex is fun

apparently sex is fun

even more fun when there's someone else involved, so I've been told :(

First time on fixed yesterday and kept forgetting that I needed to keep moving my legs to slow down.

Any other tips to avoid face to road incidents

Duck!