What made you start riding fixed?

I ridez a fixie cos I am a stay flashy til the day I dies.

Flashy fo life!

wrecked knee via chain coming off...now fixed :)

so will be wrecking both knees??

a friend in ireland in 2004 was mad for them. when i moved to london I couldn't afford much and with Sheldon's guidance I constructed my first fixed conversion - w suicide hub that eventually failed coming down hampstead heath.. from then I was determined to get the real components and a track frame to match.

fixed is single speed.

Unless you have the s3x hub.

/pedant. I know what you're saying though (SS generally implies freewheel etc....).

The one-speed revolution actually involves two different styles of bikes, singlespeeds and fixed gears.These are not the same thing, althogh they have much in common.

...

go on, revert to the mean version. I missed that.

(To me) I still think Single Speed means bikes with only one gear despite most ppl referring to freewheel SS's as 'Single Speed' (regardless of what Sheldon says). Thats ok though ppl refer to things differently all the time (it doesn't mean one way is wrong or the other - I was just pointing this out when you corrected duffbatye).
Look at how popular it is to refer to Fixed Wheel bikes as Fixed Gear nowadays. Fine if you live in North America but we don't. This site is even named incorrectly (geographically speaking - it should be londonfwss.com). Although some would argue that fixed gear refers to freewheel SS's too as the bike cannot change gear, hence fixed in that gear (Buffalo Bill for one, not I though ).
Nomenclature is awesome.

Couldnt afford a proper bike

I used to be adamant that I'd never ride fixed/single speed as I loved my gears so much but when I came across grass bike polo late last summer in Dublin I tentatively took up the offer to have a go on one of their bikes - fixed wheel, really light gear, no brakes, flat pedals...I found it scarey, particularly the flat pedals, but manageable as the gear was so light.

As the game was so much fun I started playing regularly but even as the weeks passed and my confidence grew somewhat (and fearful shrieking subsided!) I never really felt particularly in control on the bike I was allocated so I began to think that if I got myself a fixer for the road it might improve my confidence and handling.

Eventually that little thought grew into such a strong desire that it could no longer be ignored and towards the end of April this year I got my first fg (Langster from a lfgssforumenger) and what a joy and revelation it has been! Finally the penny drops and I get what people have been trying to tell me over the past decade or so!

I'm totally loving the new bike, though it is otp and alu and the bb is too low for a proper velodrome (a dedicated road fixie would make more sense in steel imho) but it was a bargain, is very light and almost a joy to clean, really can't complain!

The trade-off for me in losing the freewheel is that I don't yet have the confidence/skills to take all the gaps that I would on the geared, or to hop over potholes and the like. Also I'm not yet particularly comfortable with trackstanding in traffic but I'm sure with enough hours in the saddle these things will come. Incidentally, since learning to trackstand fixed I seem to be losing the ability to do so freewheel..anybody else had this problem?

On the plus side speed is much more easily controlled and a calm cadence is actually enjoyable, (geared I tend to feel the need to spin like a madwoman!) and I'm enjoying arriving at my destination reasonably composed as opposed to far too hot and sweaty! Also as I didn't think it was possible to look further ahead on the road, I am pleasantly surprised to find myself doing this.

Now I ride fixed whenever I can, and rather unbelievably rode in the Irish Track Nationals this summer!

My legs.

My legs!

Whats wrong?!

No, my legs are what started me riding fixed. I was simply answering the OP's question.

And I thought it was the bananas you had been eating.

I like your username, Spincess. Welcome.

Thanks Oliver!

Hey guys, picked up my first fixie yesterday. Specialized Langster Monaco. I know people seem to slate the Langster, but I'm a novice so for me it's fine. Perhaps in time I will realise its flaws, if it has them. When I saw the Monaco I just had to have one. Was lucky to find one too as most places have sold out.

So not really sure what made me want a fixed wheel. My mate bought a Paddy Wagon from Evans a little while ago and I knocked him for it cos he bought it purely for fashion. Since then he has really gotten in to it and after a couple of short blasts on it I started to see the appeal. I think what does it for me is the cleanliness of the bike; no derailleurs, cassettes, shifters... and no clunky gear changes!

As I am new I can not start threads, so perhaps someone can help me out? My bike is running 42/16 set up and I wondered what I should be changing to improve it? I was thinking just changing the rear cog to a 14 for now? My complaint is that I'm pedaling like a maniac and not getting anywhere! I'm happy to make it harder as it doesn't seem too difficult at present. I would like to able to go faster too on flats, without it getting away from me! Would I be better changing the front to a 44 or 49 or something? Presumably then I'd need a new chain? If I'm missing something or talking crap thats cool, pls tell me - like I say, I'm new to all this.

Thanks guys.

oh please

Friend left college and gave me a fixed. Been riding as my primary ever since.

Some guy said "I haz cheescak" and I was hooked.

We're talking about cheezcak right?

Some guy said "I haz cheescak" and I was hooked.

We're talking about cheezcak right?

No, in this thread you'll have to rite cakless.

Hey guys, picked up my first fixie yesterday. Specialized Langster Monaco. I know people seem to slate the Langster, but I'm a novice so for me it's fine. Perhaps in time I will realise its flaws, if it has them. When I saw the Monaco I just had to have one. Was lucky to find one too as most places have sold out.

So not really sure what made me want a fixed wheel. My mate bought a Paddy Wagon from Evans a little while ago and I knocked him for it cos he bought it purely for fashion. Since then he has really gotten in to it and after a couple of short blasts on it I started to see the appeal. I think what does it for me is the cleanliness of the bike; no derailleurs, cassettes, shifters... and no clunky gear changes!

As I am new I can not start threads, so perhaps someone can help me out? My bike is running 42/16 set up and I wondered what I should be changing to improve it? I was thinking just changing the rear cog to a 14 for now? My complaint is that I'm pedaling like a maniac and not getting anywhere! I'm happy to make it harder as it doesn't seem too difficult at present. I would like to able to go faster too on flats, without it getting away from me! Would I be better changing the front to a 44 or 49 or something? Presumably then I'd need a new chain? If I'm missing something or talking crap thats cool, pls tell me - like I say, I'm new to all this.

Thanks guys.

oh please

What? I am a novice, and asking advice. If I were more experienced, as I assume you are, I would want to help, not ridicule. Help is encouraging. I'm sure you were a beginner once.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Im new too - I found the same thing, yes its likely you'll need a new chain if you are using larger rings and if you are used to bashing big rings my first ss was a bit of a sewing machine I found I was pedalling with a faster cadance than comfortable and still wanted to push a bigger ring

I have decided to go up to a 50t front ring 16 at the back (might be a bit ambitious in a headwind) as my ride to work is 10 miles in a pretty much straight line. through trial and error you should find it.

*ps think this should be moved to what gear ratios do you ride?

Royal Male, keep the gearing. 70" is super for London*.

Your body will adjust and thank you for not overgearing it, especially in the early days of riding a new (fixed) bike.

*if you're not in London you have to move here or stop posting

Im new too - I found the same thing, yes its likely you'll need a new chain if you are using larger rings and if you are used to bashing big rings my first ss was a bit of a sewing machine I found I was pedalling with a faster cadance than comfortable and still wanted to push a bigger ring

I have decided to go up to a 50t front ring 16 at the back (might be a bit ambitious in a headwind) as my ride to work is 10 miles in a pretty much straight line. through trial and error you should find it.

*ps think this should be moved to what gear ratios do you ride?

84"? No thanks. Spin to win.

What? I am a novice, and asking advice. If I were more experienced, as I assume you are, I would want to help, not ridicule. Help is encouraging. I'm sure you were a beginner once.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

chill its not a normal forum with normal people lol

Royal Male, keep the gearing. 70" is super for London*.

Your body will adjust and thank you for not overgearing it, especially in the early days of riding a new (fixed) bike.

*if you're not in London you have to move here or stop posting

Hmm.. I'm not in London as such - Bromley.

I think trial and error is the key, but as stated, hopefully this issue will be taken over to the gear ratio thread which I found after my original post! Have already posted there so gonna go take a look...

Cheers guys - loving the bike. Caught me out a couple of times mind. Lol, all good tho.