a step over to the dark side?
chappers
Posts: 97
in General Chat
ordered a fixie from my LBS (Pearson Cycles, who I would highly recommended) yesterday to replace my mangled specialized sirrus (bent frame and rear derailleur after a few spills, one involving a car)... was supposed to be picking up a very sensible trek 7.3 (in fact they'd built it for me to collect but they didn't bat an eyelid when I decided last minute to put my fears aside and go down the fixed route)... I'm sure it's going to be hell for the first few commutes (18 miles both ways with hills, but only 2-3 times a week)... that said, hopefully it will improve bike fitness.. anyone else gone down this route? am I mad???!
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If your commute is hilly you may struggle a little with fixed since you'll need a gear ratio that is sufficciently light to get you up one side but then you won't be able to coast back down the other and you'll end up with your legs going a million rpm which isn' entirely comfortable. There are sevaral solutions however...
The first is to take you feet off the pedals and just let the bike fly... (this was suggested to me by some maniac at the lbs but I've never had the balls to try it and suggest you don't eiher - unless you rekon you can clip back into your pedals at 150rpm??)
Second ride with brakes and brake all the way down the hill - There is a fashion for going no brakes (a la track) or with just a font brake (and using your pedals for the rear). I ride with both... I can skid stop if i need to but I like having the added security of two if needed (plus skid stoppig does the rehab on my stress fractured ankle no good at all).
Third get a flip flop hub with a single speed freewheel on the other side that way you can go fixed when you are on the flats and have a freewheel for days when you'll see lots of hills.
You're not mad - fixed is great fun to ride once you get used to it. Not having gears will put some meat on your legs for the hills and being fixed should help cut out any unneccesay coasting.
Enjoy and let us know how you like it.
p.s. gazetter tell your wife 3 bikes is the ideal number - 1) fixie commuter that can be left round town and out in the rain etc. 2) winter training bike/ road bike for real training and group rides 3) Shiney beautul TT bike that doesn't leave the house apart from raceday and the occasional session when there isn't so much as the hint of a rain cloud in the sky
one ring on the front, one ring on the back, often without a freewheel (ie a "fixed wheel" = "fixie"), no gears.
Whatever the road angle, whatever the speed, you gotta keep pedaling!
didds
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixeda.html
everything you need to know about fixies (and loads of other bike related stuff too if you check out the rest of the site)
I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five.
Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer?
We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!
--Henri Desgrange, L'Équipe article of 1902
as for the multi-bike thing, I went for shock-and-awe with future mrs chappers.. two new bikes and a turbo trainer in a weekend..