The fascinating thing with fixed

[ren531]

Is as I've read others saying that you become more at one with the machine than any other.
Well a more uncompetitive and less sporty type than myself would be very difficult to find, but I just love fixed and the reason? the dividing line between you and a geared bike is a sharp one same to a lesser extent with the brakes , so a stark line between the bike and me , a few weeks riding fixed and the line is very blurred indeed I'm no longer sure were bike ends and I begin, legs become very finely tuned to that gear ratio and the engine braking affects from fixed have built up muscle's never used to become quite an affective shallow hill brake and low speed control unmatched by my other bikes and all this being so much more intuitive with far less direct thought process involved, fantastic in an urban setting , I know this will be old news to many on here but I would encourage anyone who isn't interested in beating there PB , racing , competition in any form , or fast riding and thinking fixed wouldn't be for them to give fixed a go it's a load of fun .
Fixed was never on my agenda I acquired a vintage one for little so thought I'd give it a go, so glad I did .

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Yeah. Riding fixed is like running on wheels. I love it.

 

[wafter]

Conceptually I struggle with the commitment of my legs having to go round when the wheels are going round.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

After decades of riding road bikes (which I still do), I finally got my first fixed gear bike 8 years ago, mainly for commuting.

Would say it's my favourite bike, despite being by far the cheapest, and very much a workhorse.

 

[ren531]

Conceptually I struggle with the commitment of my legs having to go round when the wheels are going round.

I have found my knees start to ache from time to time, not because of riding fixed and when they do I usually give my fixed bike a rest maybe for months at a time, so when I go back to it I have to relearn again not to have it chuck you off unexpectedly , but otherwise quite enjoy the relaxed feeling of legs spinning on there own on gentle down hills .

 

[Ian H]

My fixed-wheel has done several SR series, a couple of Paris-Brest-Paris rides, and some years of touring. I've had it for around 40yrs. During that time it's had several new wheels, bars, etc. It's on its second saddle and fifth frame; still has the original crank-set though.

 

[fossyant]

I commuted on fixed for about 6 years until I got my spine broken. I sold it as I didn't think I'd be commuting again. Roll on a few years, I am back commuting, but off road routes so the fixed would have been useless. It has been replaced by a CX bike, which I'm finding I'm using that mostly at weekends, as I can use the many tracks and roads locally. Not touched the road bikes for nearly a year !

 

[rogerzilla]

I like the fact that you can feel your own momentum, the way they climb hills, and the lack of weight. I've probably done more fixed miles in the last 20 years than anything else.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It was always the thing to convert to fixed for winter riding. Great control when the roads are a bit more dodgy.
Many used to race on fixed back in the day.

 

[ColinJ]

I found that I really liked singlespeed riding but it is hard work on steeper climbs so I would love to give fixed a try, but am put off by the state of my local roads and their traffic levels. (I imagine that bunny hopping cavernous potholes is iffy on fixed, and swerving in front of fast-moving vehicles really doesn't really do it for me!)

 

[ren531]

It was always the thing to convert to fixed for winter riding. Great control when the roads are a bit more dodgy.
Many used to race on fixed back in the day.

I used to ride with the local CTC group in the mid nineties and some of the older guys were really keen on riding fixed in winter months.

 

[Beebo]

My fixed-wheel has done several SR series, a couple of Paris-Brest-Paris rides, and some years of touring. I've had it for around 40yrs. During that time it's had several new wheels, bars, etc. It's on its second saddle and fifth frame; still has the original crank-set though.

Surely once the frame gets replaced it’s no longer the same bike.
I get the Trigger’s Broom phenomenon, but 5 frames is pushing my acceptance that it’s the same bike, even if the crank set is original.

 

[Ian H]

Surely once the frame gets replaced it’s no longer the same bike.
I get the Trigger’s Broom phenomenon, but 5 frames is pushing my acceptance that it’s the same bike, even if the crank set is original.

The frame is just another component. Anyway, it's the Ship of Theseus.

 

[ColinJ]

I saw a rider with a really nice-looking fixed-wheel bike at Hebden Bridge station yesterday. It did make think about fixed again... It's just those damn potholes and dodgy drivers to avoid that puts me off!

 

[ren531]

I saw a rider with a really nice-looking fixed-wheel bike at Hebden Bridge station yesterday. It did make think about fixed again... It's just those damn potholes and dodgy drivers to avoid that puts me off!

If it's any help, I'm quite a nervous/risk averse urban rider and find the low speed control and greater focus on your surroundings due to not having to think about gear's ect feels no worse if not safer than a geared bike.