Taking the plunge and flipping to my fixed

Thanks to all the advice and support above, today at work I decided to take the plunge and flipped my wheel round too.

Five mile ride home and it wasn't too bad (although ashamed to say I did receive my first beep from a driver a I was looking down trying to work out how to get my left foot into the cleat).

I found riding down hill a little odd, just relaxed my legs and let the bike do the work. I was going a lot slower than I normally would too, but a few more rides and will see how it goes. Will have to see what its like tomorrow morning when the traffic is a bit heavier as getting started after stopping was also a challenge.

Basically, just a quick one to say good thread and thanks for the inspiration to do something I meant to do months ago!

Good one.

Oh, and haz you foot retention?

with two brakes (or even just one), not always necessary, I find it's easier to learn without foot retention to get the feel of it before getting clip and strap.

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.

All the way up to the Palace?

That hill still fucks me up on gears.

Five mile ride home and it wasn't too bad (although ashamed to say I did receive my first beep from a driver a I was looking down trying to work out how to get my left foot into the cleat).

Do not look down while clipping in, try and clip in while looking ahead, this way you'll find yourself quickly learning to clip in faster than looking down and finding your feet.

if you haven't already,,get a crash helmet.

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

Yeah the others I love. Except for the riding up them part. Tall bastards the lot of them.

with two brakes (or even just one), not always necessary, I find it's easier to learn without foot retention to get the feel of it before getting clip and strap.

Actually I went without for the first few weeks. It was fine. No skidding possible though. And once I had foot retention it was sooo much better.
I built mine with a double-fixed hub, so no choice of riding a freewheel. I rode it round Victoria Park after I finished building it and within half an hour and bloody loved it. Within 30 minutes I was a fixed-wheel convert on my fixed-wheel conversion.

I still haven't mastered the art of getting into my foot retention easily. might have something to do with my home-made powerstraps - one being a little too big and t'other being a little too small. DIY fail.

Had another ride this morning, done about 20 miles in total.
I'm not quite 'feeling' it yet to be honest...

Already missing being able to just coast down big hills

...will try it for a good few days more though.

fixie coasting is done by taking your feet out of the retention and propping your feet on the tops of the forks.

disclaimer: this is a joke by the way.

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).

you sure she didnt panic and grab a whole hunk of brake? she sounds mildly malco tbh.

you sure she didnt panic and grab a whole hunk of brake? she sounds mildly malco tbh.

I was only told the story in this way, so I don't know further details.

which side is teh flip and which teh flop?

Had another ride this morning, done about 20 miles in total.
I'm not quite 'feeling' it yet to be honest...

Already missing being able to just coast down big hills

...will try it for a good few days more though.

if you don't like the feel of fixed, you don't have to stay with it.

if you don't like the feel of fixed, you don't have to stay with it.

Totally agree, just going to give it a fair go before I decide which I like best!

When you learn to just let your legs do the work going downhill it doesn't feel much different to coasting, then you start enjoying spinning like a mad thing. But like ed says, there's no fix police going to chase you down and fine you for riding on your flop and not your flip.

which side is teh flip and which teh flop?

I think my previous post below summed it up nicely. SS is clearly a flop.

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

Had another ride this morning, done about 20 miles in total.
I'm not quite 'feeling' it yet to be honest...

Already missing being able to just coast down big hills

...will try it for a good few days more though.

You need to allow enough time to unlearn your freewheel habits and get used to the whole thing, clipping in, pedalling whilst coasting etc. It will only get better from here on in. Stick with it, practise makes perfect and all that....I reckon a month minimum. Skid stopping will take quite a while - it took me about 8-9 months to master it, but others may well get the hang of it sooner.

has anyway ever actually been 'flipped over the bars' for forgetting to pedal?

Yup.

Read the thread, flipped my wheel after 3 days on the new bike trying to non-stop peddle avoiding coasting. Read Sheldon's pages on riding fixed several times, also on who to install the back wheel, plus a you tube video think I am ready to venture into deserted car park for a little go.

Still not convinced the back tire is centred, as this is the only thing I haven't understood how to check, I mean it looks straight. Any easy ways to check this??

Any way enough talking time to try...

i just use my eyes to check

and first time i went out got chucked up and landed on the top tube considerably hurting my balls and looking like a fool

i now hate the first 10 mins or so switching back to free wheel i do this weird kick back as i start to coast as though preparing for the fixed upwards kick it almost knocked me off once. going back from geared to fixed is always a pleasure tho, strange.

I'm switching back to freewheel in the summer for some Hebridean touring stuff. Still having mixed feelings about fixed 1 year after flippity-flopping. However, I changed ratios a month ago and that's made a huge difference. I think I was just going around on an unsuitable gearing and now it's vastly more enjoyable. Flying up the hills, etc.

So tried last night in the car park, and kept peddling (was very concentrated on "keep peddling")
All went well, so today went out all day around town the pub etc, still very concentrated on peddling and all seemed to go fine.
Only time I fell off was when I tried to skid. Still haven't managed to skid just resist the pedals a bit and use the brakes to stop.

The sensation is really fun I liked it allot, I reckon I could try my daily commute in the rush hour tomorrow!

The thing I found about clipping in was not to worry about it, and if on a busy junction or whatever its best to keep riding than to try and get your left foot secured. A quick jab on the brake when safe will give you an opportunity to get in your retention. Now its pretty automatic and I haven't been riding fixed for long.

I never had any issues after switching from ss and had like a few others spent some time before the switch peddaling all the time. I'm also a bit geeky so as I rode if I ever coasted I would ask my self why; downhill, laziness, tight space etc and resolve myself not to the next time I was faced with that situation.

Made it into work fine, infact I liked it more than riding SS felt more connected/ in control (strange), I stopped less. It was a bit harder on my legs though especially the little hill I got down, but none the less enjoyed it. Also during lunch will try to go to the shop to sort out some foot retention. Probably straps as I cycle in my work shoes.