Taking the plunge and flipping to my fixed

on the 'keep pedaling' front - i spent about a month or two on my SS working really hard to keep pedaling, even when i didn't need to. so, instead of coasting, i kept my feet going as if they couldn't stop. it gave me a better technique and less of a culture shock when i first tried out my fixed wheel.

did that too. made it much easier as I was able to negotiate low speeds and filtering without coasting

That's how I taught myself too, as well as the mantra 'keeppedalling'

I hated riding fixed with clips+straps, but enjoy it with clipless.
couldn't get into the action of flipping the pedal over while it was moving.

really nasty hills like college road in dulwich, I almost puked when I got to the top of that...

All the way up to the Palace?

That hill still fucks me up on gears.

on the 'keep pedaling' front - i spent about a month or two on my SS working really hard to keep pedaling, even when i didn't need to. so, instead of coasting, i kept my feet going as if they couldn't stop. it gave me a better technique and less of a culture shock when i first tried out my fixed wheel.

i also did this

Get ready to laugh out loud on the morning commute as you destroy the roadies. Every single time. I love my commute.

+1

Essentially at some point you will forget to pedal, but you'll only do it once. It's just a question of if that once is coming up to a speedbump (fine) or drafting a bus (not fine)

has anyway ever actually been 'flipped over the bars' for forgetting to pedal? Doesn't your leg just jolt a little? Talk about scare mongering.

It has made me jump out of the seat a little bit, but I've never been close to going over the bars.

Best thing I found was repeating the line 'keep pedalling keep pedalling keep pedalling' in my mind over and over until I'd got it. so easy to forget and fling yourself over. I still have scars.

on the 'keep pedaling' front - i spent about a month or two on my SS working really hard to keep pedaling, even when i didn't need to. so, instead of coasting, i kept my feet going as if they couldn't stop. it gave me a better technique and less of a culture shock when i first tried out my fixed wheel.

These are the two BEST pieces of advice I've yet seen on this forum, for advocating the switch to fixed riding. I ride single-speed,
as I tried fixed, didn't get on with it, and abandoned that adventure. This advice may make me attempt another bash.

Those two quotes alone should be a stickie/sticky.

Thank you all for the advice...... It was quite fun in the end, a different way of enjoying my bike.

What's the deal with fast corners and avoiding pedal strike on a fixed, didn't really have this problem today as I was taking it quite slowly to get the hang of pedalingallthetime™

I really didn't think riding fixed for the first time was that much of an epic task. As Skoota said has anyone actually been thrown off in the dramatic manor which so many of you describe? At most I had a little jolt and a wobble on a few mini roundabouts, but it was pretty far from the catastrophes some people are talking about.

What's the deal with fast corners and avoiding pedal strike on a fixed, didn't really have this problem today as I was taking it quite slowly to get the hang of pedalingallthetime™

Glad you enjoyed your ride!

All the advice above is useful to you but time on your bike will give you all the knowledge you need. I was a bit worried on my first ride to work but after the jolt I got when I stopped peddaling once, I have not done it since.

With reguards to cornering, I still get a bit shakey on fast corners, never clipped a pedal though.

You forget about having to constantly pedal after a couple of rides - The only thing which threw me when I started riding fixed gear was clipping in, especially when you start on an incline.

It does give you a jolt if you forget to keep pedalling, but with decent foot retention I can't imagine actually being thrown off the bike.

You will forget and do it a few times during the first week (assuming riding every day) but before long it will be second nature to just keep pedaling.

You will soon learn to relax your legs and let the bike spin them when you are not 'pushing'. Then you can start experimenting with resisting and slowing down with your back wheel.

Going down hills might be a bit scary at first, but you will soon be loving spinning madly down hills at top speed!

yeah, if you clip your pedal on the ground for the first time its a bit shaky as your natrual instinct is to stop pedalling.
but yeah, i love it :)
EDIT: riding fixed gear that is

All the way up to the Palace?

That hill still fucks me up on gears.

Yup, only just managed it though. It's a killer as it flattens out a little, then the last 100m or so is the steepest part!

I didn't have any problems getting used to fixed. I was told it'd be a massive shock and totally different and I'd forget to pedal and I'd be exhausted after a mile because you can never stop pedalling ever and I'd die every time I went down a hill.

But it was all fine. I'm still a bit puzzled about what the fuss was about. I freely admit I'm pretty shit at riding a bike, any bike, but a freewheel didn't make me any less shit.

Have fun! Enjoy it! And don't worry about it! I reckon everyone has a particular thing they found challenging, and all these things somehow get collated into one big list of challenges that everyone will find near impossible to overcome. Don't believe the hype ;).

going down hills is the best bit :)

How come everyone suddenly lives in south east?! Let's ride you bastards!

has anyway ever actually been 'flipped over the bars' for forgetting to pedal? Doesn't your leg just jolt a little? Talk about scare mongering.

As Skoota said has anyone actually been thrown off in the dramatic manor which so many of you describe? At most I had a little jolt and a wobble on a few mini roundabouts, but it was pretty far from the catastrophes some people are talking about.

I know someone who was thrown off on her first day of riding fixed because she 'lost concentration' (her words) and forgot to pedal for a moment. She went over the handlebars and hit her head, losing consciousness and requiring hospitalisation. She has sworn by helmets since (although, actually, I think the last time I saw her, she didn't have one with her).

I hate that bloody hill.

It's a good job you don't hate any other hills, eh? ;)

has anyway ever actually been 'flipped over the bars' for forgetting to pedal? Doesn't your leg just jolt a little? Talk about scare mongering.

My bike just kept going slower pushing the feet forward. Perhaps it depends on gear ratio?

Beware speed bumps. They will attempt to fuck you up.

+1 to speed bumps, you will instinctively stop pedalling as you approach.

Now you've flipped, you'll never flop back to SS. I flipped about 11months ago, no flop in sight.

+1 to all of the above. I rode SS for nearly 2 years before recently switching to fixed. Whilst on the SS I trained myself to keep pedalling at all times. Also coming up to speed humps get used to lifting the front a tiny bit, like a mini wheelie to smooth out the bump and KEEEP PEDALLING!!!

So when it cam to switching it was easy. BUT, still it took me 2 weeks of not really enjoying riding until it all clicked and now I'd find it hard going back. I did have 2 or 3 moment of slight hesitation that did send me bucking in the saddle, but not over the bars!

OH, and carefull around corners until your instinctively aware of your pedal height/position.

+1 I had my first pedal strike fear this week. Had been playing on my geared bike lately so used to leaning hard and cornering quickly. This technique does not work on fixed with big pedals, 170mm cranks and a low bb. Hit the pedal hard enough to kick the back wheel up and throw my foot out of the toeclip. Didn't come off or cause me to veer wildly across the road. Scary as fuck though!

Yup, only just managed it though. It's a killer as it flattens out a little, then the last 100m or so is the steepest part!

I think it's also the fact that it's so close to home, so when riding out to biggin hill or whatever I hit it straight away, before I'm properly warmed up.