Fixed Gear Learning Curve

[Dogtrousers]

fixed just needed in my mind a bit more thought and concentration.

That rings a bell. I feel like a bit more of a beginner when riding fixed and have to do a bit more forward planning. I'm quite enjoying that aspect.

I'm still not bold enough to deal with certain known difficult junctions yet because I'm not convinced I'll have the acceleration I want, when I want it, or that my feet will be correctly positioned. I guess that will come with practice and confidence.

 

[Big John]

Since I retired and have ample time to ride the bike I ride with gears because the rides are much longer now and as a result there are always a few decent hills on the routes. When I was working I'd go out at night for an hour or so on a relatively flat route and eventually ended up riding fixed because the whole set up is much simpler...no gears to mess with, easier to clean, etc. I got to love it. I felt a real connection with the bike and everything was just super smooth. Had a few 'fixed' moments where I'd freewheel by accident and even had the chain come off once but despite these minor traumas the whole fixed experience was terrific. I'd recommend it to any keen cyclist.

 

[Deafie]

One thing to note if you are running even sprockets or chain rings - eg 46 x 16 - rotate the chain one tooth on each every few months as the chain can wear to the teeth more, and upon, say a puncture fix, popping the chain back on can sound like a tractor if it's not on the old tooth pairing. Doesn't happed with 'odd numbers'. Something I learnt - not had a puncture in months, had a flat, changed, put back on and it was terrible. Had to stop and move the chain on one tooth. After that I moved the chain around every few months.

This is very good to know, fanx

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I love riding fixed. I'm doing all my winter commuting (15 hilly miles across the Forest of Dean) on either fixed or singlespeed. To paraphrase Stirling Moss, you ride a geared bike, but you wear a fixie. Like running on wheels. Here's my winter ride, a Kona Paddywagon with dynamo lighting.

 

[grldtnr]

Sprockets are either 1/8th or 3/32nd.
You can use a 3/32nd sprocket with either a 1/8th or 3/32nd chain.

A couple of learning points .....
You may not have experienced a "tight/slack" chain yet. But chainwheels are never perfectly round and there will be tight spots at some point. When tensioning the chain, locate the tight spot and pull the wheel back as hard as you can and tighten. If you happen to tension the chain when at a slack point, when the pedals are rotated, you'll experience a "grating" noise at the tight spot.

With the lock ring, essential with only one brake, only tighten with "fingers". Don't use any force applied with tools. When back pedaling, the sprocket will hit the lock ring and apply force in the direction that tightens the lock ring naturally.

My experience .....
I started off on fixed, back in 1960, so have always had a fasination for fixed. When I first got gears, couldn't work them out. Didnt know when to change up or down, but eventually became confident with gears and my early years of time trials were all on gears.

Many years later (90's), still timetrialling, I rebuilt my Mercian track frame for fixed and kept it for a dedicated time trial bike. Much cheaper and simpler having a fixed bike rather than a geared bike. I also found out that on a flattish time trial course, that fixed was no slower than a geared bike and on a perfect "float" day, being much lighter was quicker.

Many many years later (00's), bought a Giant Bowery 72 on the cycle to work scheme. Rode it fixed for a season or so, but the Kentish Hills are just too severe to make fixed riding enjoyable, so switched to a single freewheel. This is now my GoTo bike for up to one hour rides.

Still have a dedicated fixed time trial bike, which unfortunatly hasn't been ridden in anger for a couple of years. This is set up with a single brake, tri spoke, deep section wheels and a modest 88" or 95" gear!

Enjoy

MODEST GEAR !!!
but then doing TT you tend to use top end gears,
I never raced , but liked to keep a relative high cadence going, fixed certainly helps that. When I rode fixed it was mid 70".
Haven't ridden fixie for a long time.

 

[grldtnr]

I'm currently enjoying my single speed, and am curious about flipping the rear wheel and trying fixed. What has stopped me so far is the fear of injury from trying to freewheel and coming off.

Given that I've been pedalling and freewheeling for 60+ years and no longer bounce are my fears justified?

Yes ! but the bike will soon remind you! Did that a few times ,the bike kicked back and found myself riding a unicycle, still it's just like learning to ride a bike!
If you do, no clipless or straps ,cheap flat pedals and just take it easy ,starting off isn't hard , but stopping needs thinking.

 

[ColinJ]

If you do, no clipless or straps ,cheap flat pedals and just take it easy ,starting off isn't hard , but stopping needs thinking.

I had never thought of that. I can see how that could be tricky, especially if going up or down a steep hill at the time!

 

[grldtnr]

You might find that you actually venjiy riding fixed , there's nothing quite like it really, constant acceleration and deceleration, and the feeling of being part of the machine.
I had some really memorable rides ,fixed, unfortunately bi don't ride fixed now, but once mastered controlling the bike on the wheel only, is a fantastic feeling.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Rode fixed on commute to work for last 8 years, up to my retirement some 6 weeks ago. My fixed "commuter season" was from when clocks went back, through the winter until Spring when clocks went forward (then back to one of the geared roadbikes).

Winter commute only 8 or 11 miles each way, depending on where I left the car (lived 24 miles from work). Was rolling rather than hilly first 4 or 7 miles in the countryside, then flattish 4 miles through town, and reverse on way back to car).

Go to say, after c40 years prior to this period, of riding to senior school then work on geared road bikes only, loved my relatively late introduction to fixed riding.

As others have said, you feel so totally in tune with the bike, to such a greater degree than on any geared or single speed bike with freewheel.

 

[Smokin Joe]

With the lock ring, essential with only one brake, only tighten with "fingers". Don't use any force applied with tools. When back pedaling, the sprocket will hit the lock ring and apply force in the direction that tightens the lock ring naturally.

It is of course correct that you should fit a lock ring, but back in the day myself and more than one clubmate never bothered. The steel sprocket will almost bind itself to the alu hub in use, and they take a bit of elbow grease to shift with a chain whip when you need to remove them.

I rode quite as few time trials on fixed and was only ever asked once if I had a lock ring fitted as I was being held by the "Pusher" just before the start. It must have been obvious that a callow teenagers "Yes" was not the whole truth, but they never checked.

I might be wrong but I believe lock rings are not allowed on track bikes for some reason. They are less likely to unscrew anyway because the higher gearing prevents too much force from your legs.

 

[Sharky]

I might be wrong but I believe lock rings are not allowed on track bikes for some reason.

You could be right I think there was an article in the "comic" or could have been a club mate, who rode the skol sixes. Riders, when wanting to change their sprockets for a higher/lower gear, would kick back on the pedals to loosen the sprockets as there came into the pits.

 

[rogerzilla]

I've ridden on two of the three English tracks and lockrings are fine.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I've ridden on two of the three English tracks and lockrings are fine.

Was that racing or just riding?