Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Walk upside down?

When walking the back wheel to tighten the chain, is it o.k./helpful to turn the bike upside down? This is obviously a Bad Idea with a geared bike, but horizontal dropouts + no shift levers would seem to make inverting harmless, and make it easier to see and handle the wheel and nuts.

yes. way easier to work on it upside down if you don't have a stand.

I always do. I don't see why it would be bad?

Why is it bad for geared bikes again?

I was wondering the same thing. I'm picturing stem mounted shift levers. Barring that I can't see anything wrong with it.

I've read some condesending online critisisms of turning the bike upside down to work on it, but that is what I do, especially roadside. Sure one can learn to do some stuff keeping it upright or on its side and some stuff is better to do upright. edit: it was in the r.b. FAQ: http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8a.5.html

In my garage I have a carpet I turn bike upside down on.

I'm not so stupid as to turn it over on a computer or other damagable part or on nasty surface.

Al

Be careful with fingers when you have a fixed gear bike upside down.

only thing i've ever heard that's bad about turning them uspide down is if they have hydraulic disc brakes

once you go slack, you will never go back.

Be careful with fingers when you have a fixed gear bike upside down.
I developed this fear of spinning rear wheel on fixed gear upside down that is so ingrained I have trouble getting near a rear derailer on an upside down bike.

Al

I developed this fear of spinning rear wheel on fixed gear upside down that is so ingrained I have trouble getting near a rear derailer on an upside down bike.

Al


It would still hurt...

Be careful with fingers when you have a fixed gear bike upside down.

now you tell me.
http://photos-923.facebook.com/n8/2142/29/6805834/n6805834_30387923_9005.jpg

damn! looks like you almost chopped it off.

Don't make me post mine again.

Don't make me post mine again.
do it! do it!


most modern hydro disk brakes are closed resivoir so unless you're actually pumping the brakes while the bike is upside down, you ain't introducing air into the system. I've been a mech off and on for close to a decade now and have used stands to work on my bikes, the decade before that I just flipped my bike on the saddle to spin the wheels. No problems.

Why is it bad for geared bikes again?

Some deraileurs can't be adjusted correctly upside down. What with the springs and gravity and all.
Easier for chains to come off while shifting upside down as well.

chainwheel teeth went into my knuckle, the chain cut pretty deep on the back. didn't cut it off.

i was just mad my bag was 6" out of my reach when it happened so i culdn't take a picture of my finger in the chainwheel