What made you start riding fixed?

freewheel seized up

I rode fixed today for the first time properly (more on that in a minute), but it was due to my freewheel breaking last night on my way home. I had the option of using my other bike (Bowery), or whacking on a different rear wheel, but I made the conscious choice to deal with the hand I had been dealt. So I rode 10 miles fixed, and will (well, we'll see) continue to do so all week. I had tried fixed cycling twice before and just didn't get on with it. Being sort of forced into it made me try harder I guess.

I figure its going to take me weeks getting accustomed to it. They are some important differences that I noticed in comparison to riding single speed, and none of them were positive.

I'm slower - though that is to be expected until I get accustomed to it.
My saddle caused me a lot of discomfort and that has never happened before.
Learning to brake with my legs isn't as difficult as I had believed.
The health benefit is immediately obvious - legs never stop moving, as opposed to coasting when lazy.

Did I like it? Not particularly. I find it inefficient compared to single speed cycling. There are arguments for and against my last statement, but that is my finding. Will I grow to like it? It appears so actually. I may report back much later on what has transpired. I do know that I will get my freewheel replaced, but will probably continue to cycle (slowly) fixed, as the health benefit (my only real interest in fixed cycling) outweighs the comfort and speed loss. Cycling fixed for me is a happy accident.

You will find yourself doing a 'coasting' of sorts. Your legs will be moving but only putting in a tiny amount of effort..

I rode fixed today for the first time properly (more on that in a minute), but it was due to my freewheel breaking last night on my way home. I had the option of using my other bike (Bowery), or whacking on a different rear wheel, but I made the conscious choice to deal with the hand I had been dealt. So I rode 10 miles fixed, and will (well, we'll see) continue to do so all week. I had tried fixed cycling twice before and just didn't get on with it. Being sort of forced into it made me try harder I guess.

I figure its going to take me weeks getting accustomed to it. They are some important differences that I noticed in comparison to riding single speed, and none of them were positive.

I'm slower - though that is to be expected until I get accustomed to it.
My saddle caused me a lot of discomfort and that has never happened before.
Learning to brake with my legs isn't as difficult as I had believed.
The health benefit is immediately obvious - legs never stop moving, as opposed to coasting when lazy.

Did I like it? Not particularly. I find it inefficient compared to single speed cycling. There are arguments for and against my last statement, but that is my finding. Will I grow to like it? It appears so actually. I may report back much later on what has transpired. I do know that I will get my freewheel replaced, but will probably continue to cycle (slowly) fixed, as the health benefit (my only real interest in fixed cycling) outweighs the comfort and speed loss. Cycling fixed for me is a happy accident.

Could you explain further why you feel it was less efficient than freewheel?

I can coast faster and with more control on steeper descents.
I calculate my braking more efficiently via fingers than legs (so far) .
Less effort has equalled faster speed (so far)....by a long chalk.

All in favour of single speed freewheel cycling as opposed to fixed-gear. But it is my first time, and I anticipate it will take me weeks to form a proper opinion. Many weeks possibly.

The trend as a club cyclist in the 70's was to ride a fixed winter bike. This became my school bike. Then I started racing on the track and also using fixed for short distance TT's. I've had a fixed amongst my bike collection since about 1974.

The first one will probably never change (though it depends on the descent.. in traffic, with unseen bends this should always be true and you need to be sligtly more careful imho. If it's clear and there isn't a junction at the bottom then it won't make much difference).

The second two points will take some getting used to. I understand that some roadies use(d?) fixed as a cadence training in the winter. I think it can help encourage a more efficient pedal stroke although I'm dubious as to whether this would happen naturally if you weren't aware of the concept in the first place.

Anyway, get the experience over many weeks and you'll see a positive difference I think. Personally, the biggest thing I noticed after switching back to being able to coast was a higher awareness that my whole stopping power came down to two wires. I feel safer being able to leg brake.

if your saddle hurt when riding fixed then it has probably accentuated bike-fitting issues that coasting around lazily on single-speed has masked.

re: inefficiency - try riding up a hill and you'll quickly see how much more efficient a fixed drive train is.

GAGS, you will also find you have more control of the bike at low speeds. That and it's a lot more fun.

I never really intended to switch to fixed but one day I came across a frame that wasn't drilled for rear brake that I just had to buy and build up. I couldn't really afford the frame but it was a rare opportunity and I needed to buy it.

I've been riding fixed for about three weeks now and am totally hooked.

GA2G, you could also decide not to leg-brake and use the two brakes that are on the bike from SS times.
Then your braking would be as accurate, no?

My knees certainly never liked leg braking, so I decided to not do it. I use both brakes and very rarely counter-pedal ...

To answer the question in the thread title- I think I can trace riding fixed back to 9-11, and potentially as far back as dianas death.
Both Of these events had a major effect on the nations and my own psyche, as though the world no longer made sense.
In these troubled times we all searched for something solid to hold onto, and the attainment of that for ne was found through a mantra of bicycle minimalism.

On reflection my time at a little known Himalayan monastery also must have helped, as we sat there and took a drug to heightenour perception of fear, most chose bats, especially this one angry rich kid, but I chose derailleurs, as they ha always been terrifying to me.

Having achieved this spiritual connection with the bicycle, my journey continued to a dream where the archangel michael came to me and said (praise be to god)" for it is you, Henry, you must eschew the unholy gears, and ride with one gear with continuous engagement in the hub. For it is god's decree that the freewheel was the work of him who is referred to as lucifer( note1) ".

Note 1- not general lucifer.

These culiminated when one January day, I found myself naked and lost in east London when Lo! A bright streak of sunlight shone to the hill that is known as hampstead. I climbed this and found the most glorious sight, a fixiebike, in gorgeous baby blue, in a manger.

Then I woke up and bought a create. For that is gods bike, as mentioned in Leviticus 2:12.

GA2G, you could also decide not to leg-brake and use the two brakes that are on the bike from SS times.
Then your braking would be as accurate, no?

Bingo!

Brakes on road fixed are the most underrated thing ever, and brakeless riding on the road is the most overrated.

The forces acting on your joints and muscles when resisting hard are not usually good ones. That's why most experienced track rides do not use lockrings and do not kick back hard to slow down or stop.

My knees certainly never liked leg braking, so I decided to not do it. I use both brakes and very rarely counter-pedal ...

I agree with Pascalo and RPM. I only run a front brake but I don't often need to use my legs to slow down. Its important that I am able to stop using my legs if need be as I see rear braking on fixed as an insurance policy against the occasional time when you need to stop quickly. Its all about being safe I reckon.

If I'm reading the road carefully pseudo freewheeling is all I need from my legs in terms of stopping. Like Pascalo, applying pressure with my legs to stop doesn't feel natural so I aim just to do it enough to me confident that I've got some of the necessary muscle development but rarely enough not to cause any problems further down the line.

Having said that, I had to skid stop last night and I tweaked both my hips. Maybe I should be practising more.

if your saddle hurt when riding fixed then it has probably accentuated bike-fitting issues that coasting around lazily on single-speed has masked.

re: inefficiency - try riding up a hill and you'll quickly see how much more efficient a fixed drive train is.

This is possibly true. BMMF did warn me. But I feel that I have been very comfortably positioned on my bike, and never suffer from any body aches at all, despite cycling over 100 miles per week, every week. But I also feel that my ability to move around on my saddle, subconsciously, is now removed, as a profficient action in fixed cycling is to sit still and let the legs spin (slowly in my case....I'm am just trying it for the first time). 18-19 stone sitting on a tiny saddle and never moving is not an experience that I think saddle designers envisaged at the drawing board. But like with a Brooks, it may just take a bit of time to get accustomed to. Either that or a different saddle needs be sought.

I went up Loampit Vale this morning, and yes, it felt different, but not more efficient. It probably will when I have the confidence to return to my normal cycling speeds. My typical journey from Lower Sydenham to Farringdon is about 40 minutes. My fastest is 36 minutes. My journey this morning was a very intimidated 50 minutes. My regular slow time is 45 minutes. I'll aim for 45 minutes and work my way down. Once I get to 40 minutes, I have reached a level of confidence that can then be built on.

GAGS, you will also find you have more control of the bike at low speeds. That and it's a lot more fun.

This hasn't been my experience so far, and I have a feeling it might not be. We shall see. I remain open-minded because it is a new enterprise for me. Fun? Isn't that something people have until the end of high school? I don't remember.

GA2G, you could also decide not to leg-brake and use the two brakes that are on the bike from SS times.
Then your braking would be as accurate, no?

My knees certainly never liked leg braking, so I decided to not do it. I use both brakes and very rarely counter-pedal ...

I only leg-braked to slow down....almost to a complete stop, and that was from low speeds. Its a discipline I actually want to at least try to master. Consider though that we are talking of slowing down a 19 stone mass (gorilla plus bike plus heavy bag). Luckily my legs are well developed.

Bingo!

Brakes on road fixed are the most underrated thing ever, and brakeless riding on the road is the most overrated.

The forces acting on your joints and muscles when resisting hard are not usually good ones. That's why most experienced track rides do not use lockrings and do not kick back hard to slow down or stop.

I won't overdo it.

I agree with Pascalo and RPM. I only run a front brake but I don't often need to use my legs to slow down. Its important that I am able to stop using my legs if need be as I see rear braking on fixed as an insurance policy against the occasional time when you need to stop quickly. Its all about being safe I reckon.

If I'm reading the road carefully pseudo freewheeling is all I need from my legs in terms of stopping. Like Pascalo, applying pressure with my legs to stop doesn't feel natural so I aim just to do it enough to me confident that I've got some of the necessary muscle development but rarely enough not to cause any problems further down the line.

Having said that, I had to skid stop last night and I tweaked both my hips. Maybe I should be practising more.

I'll keep all of this advice in mind. Any accidents and I'm suing the lot of you. TruFax.

All comments and advice honestly appreciated. I never thought I would ride fixed, and its not so bad really.

if your saddle hurt when riding fixed then it has probably accentuated bike-fitting issues that coasting around lazily on single-speed has masked.

re: inefficiency - try riding up a hill and you'll quickly see how much more efficient a fixed drive train is.

+1 big time

i can ride all day without saddle issues.

+1 big time

i can ride all day without saddle issues.

How much do you weigh?

I only ask because even the most basic grasp of physics will illustrate that more weight on the same acreage of space increases pressure. If you weigh less than 18 stone and are taller than 5' 9", then your comment regarding your experience is a moot point.

FYI I used to be a courier many years ago, and cycled nearly all day 6 days a week and never had any saddle issues then. I'm much heavier now, so the weight is certainly more concentrated in a small area. I also cycle all the time now also, but only for commuting or visiting friends and so on. I never have neck pains, back pains, arms pains, leg pains. My positioning is very comfortable thank you.

Weight shouldn't be such an important factor really. A properly fitting bike will mean that your weight is evenly distributed over the bike and load is handled appropriately by the contact points (Bars, pedals and saddle)

Anyone would think that I'm a noob. Certainly to fixed gear cycling, but not cycling in general.

My positioning is very comfortable thank you.

then i guess for some reason, you were riding in not quite the same position, because of the unfamiliar feeling fixed wheel. you'll prob find in a week's time, you've relaxed into your normal position and will be fine.

i don't think the continuous pedalling ought to be a problem comfortwise

oh and <18 stone FWIW

I started riding fixed wheel, or as they used to call it in Yorkshire: "Ont' cog", because there wasn't much else around in 1946.

What started me off riding fixed was meeting some messengers at a party when I was living in Zürich a couple of years ago... and drooling over their bikes... I bumped into them again a week later and found out that one of them (Wälde) builds bikes so I went along to visit him in his shop (Opignon, in Zürich - go visit if you're ever there).

After taking a quick ride on a beautiful black whip he'd built I was instantly hooked. For me, riding fixed is just such a great minimalist thing: pedal slower, you go slower, pedal faster, you go (really) faster... you can feel the road and feel what you're doing - it's TIGHT. I fell in love with riding fixed instantly and asked him to build me one straight away.

Now I've had my whip a couple of years and am living in London, riding to work and hoping to get along to the next CM and try out a few more routes, including the Nightrider in June (if I can motivate myself to get fit enough).

Shame one of those sexy thin blue-walled michelin tyres Wälde fitted turned out to be totally unsuitable for London streets :-(

training for TT's as a lad (~ early eighties). Just screwed a fixed cog on the (freewheel) hub. I think I used a BB lock ring to stop the fixed cog coming undone......dunno if it made a difference though as it was right hand thread......or have the years clouded my memory(?)
I do remember having a tub roll off on a bend on fixed!

mashton

or as they used to call it in Yorkshire: "Ont' cog"

LOVE this! Is that really true?

After taking a quick ride on a beautiful black whip he'd built I was instantly hooked. For me, riding fixed is just such a great minimalist thing: pedal slower, you go slower, pedal faster, you go (really) faster... you can feel the road and feel what you're doing - it's TIGHT. I fell in love with riding fixed instantly and asked him to build me one straight away.

It's a Zen thing, right?