Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Converted to Fixie and quite scared.

So I just flipped my hub on my Redline 925 to fixed. I had my expectations, but I was pretty surprised at what I experienced. I had to resist so many impulses to coast, and sometimes I'd act on one of those impulses, and would be carried away by the pedal force. I live in Berkeley, and I bike to campus. Sometimes I have to avoid people in some of the more populated squares on campus (ex. Sproul Plaza). Normally I coast, and I switch pedal positions according to which direction I need to weave in to pass by peopole. Except now, I forgot that I had to keep pedaling, and its really hindering my turning ability.

It was all really a shock to me, and I'm sure it'll get better once I get used to it. Also, I'm using toe clips, does anyone recommend clipless instead, considering the hills at Berkeley?

If you're used to clipless already, try it. You can always switch back to clips and straps later.

Try practicing standing and pedaling and moving from sitting to standing.

If you're dealing with a lot of crowds, get a bell. Seriously. It's geeky but it gets the point across.

Stick with it, once you get used to it it's crazy addictive. Bonne chance!

Yeah, it was the same for me when I converted... but then you get used to it. Now I feel weird on a bike with a freewheel. I just feel so much more in control on a fix.

Just keep it up. It will come.

If you're dealing with a lot of crowds, get a bell. Seriously. It's geeky but it gets the point across.
If by geeky, you mean awesome, and by gets the point across, you mean gets completely ignored.
I love having a bell and just bring-a-dingin the **** out of people stepping in front of me. But they don't care, they are too busy on their cell phone, listening to their ipod, eating a hoagie, and trying to get a cab while checking their email and checking out the cute guy/girl across the street.

I wore a bell for a while. It was spectacularly awesome and ineffective. The best thing I've found is to pick out a notable characteristic of the ped and call it out with a hearty 'STOP!'. I.e. HEY! BLACK SHIRT! STOP! I don't know what it is about the stop command that people respond to, but it easily surpasses YO!, OI!, HEY!, DING!, or any other supposed attention getter in terms of getting them to stand still for safe navigation.

Yeah I have clipless pedals, probably going to switch to them soon. One of the main sellings points for changing to fixie was after reading Sheldon's little blurb about how to dismount off the rear of the bike and keep walking. Seemed pretty cool. Anyone do this on clipless?

I find screaming "oh f---!" works pretty well at getting people attentions. be sure to smile as you whizz on by. have fun with the fixed, you'll get the hang of it.

ACHTUNG! for the win. I've never tried it myself, but I'm sure it'd work better than OI!, HEY! or ding...

clipless yes bell yes me love mine and lower gear even yesser berkeley is purdy hilly gear down and spin like its goin outta style

One of the main sellings points for changing to fixie was after reading Sheldon's little blurb about how to dismount off the rear of the bike and keep walking. Seemed pretty cool. Anyone do this on clipless?

yes, it can be done clipless, it's not much harder. but i dont do it, if something goes wrong you're liable to end up on your face and look like a total ass. i reserve that feeling for ****ed up trackstands.

and +1 to OH ****!

gets the job done.

edit: oh yeah, hang in there. there are lots of other selling points.

Keep working on it. Takes some time to get used to, but once you do, you're addicted. As said above, any time I get on one of my geared bikes, I feel weird. What is this coast thing?

If you don't do anything fancy with your fixed gear like skid, trackstand, or ride backwards, then clipless is better.

For me, all I do with any of my bikes is ride them as fast as I can.

I tried clips and straps once, and I found getting out of them too difficult for the precision required for fixed gear stops.

And for the record, I once rode my fixed gear with clipless pedals through the Berkeley hills and campus. My bike did not melt, disinigrate nor did it burst into flames.

I switched back to clips. I am just not that good of a rider yet.

if something goes wrong you're liable to end up on your face and look like a total ass

True. As a precaution, I ride on the underside of the pedal for a couple rotations before dismounting this way.

in hindsight, i love that shock of riding a fix for the first time. i remember going down a pretty mild hill and hitting some rough patches in the pavement - i also had very little experience with skinny tires. i thought i was going faster than fast and would get bucked off and die. it was great.

True. As a precaution, I ride on the underside of the pedal for a couple rotations before dismounting this way.

oh for sure. with clips and straps it's not a problem, i meant it's sketch with clipless. possible both ways though.

everyone says to watch quicksilver to get an idea, but i think kevin bacon's dismounts look kinda sloppy. mike dee does a good one at the beginning of red light go though, nice and smooth.

Quanfer: If you are commuting to campus then clipless cleats would be a hindrance to walking. Toeclips and straps are best used in conjunction with street shoes.
If you are riding for fitness or just fun (where you seldom get off the bike) then clipless is the most efficient way.
Once you get proficient you may find that FG allows you to come to a stop while still in ypur pedals, turn sharply and ride away once a gap opens up in the crowd.
BTW When did the rules allowing riding bikes on campus go into effect. Back almost 3 decades ago when I was an undergraduate you could only walk your bike on campus. You could ride only during summer school when it was less crowded. Also there was a guarded bike lot next to Moffet library so you merely had to show your 1/2 of your ticket to retrieve your ride, thus saving the weight of a lock and chain. There was also a very cool bike shop co-op in lower Sproul Plaza called the Missing Link. Gerry

To the OP: Ride around in a parking lot for a while, doing circles and riding at slow speeds. The best thing about fixed gear is the handling at slow speeds. Total control.

Quanfer: If you are commuting to campus then clipless cleats would be a hindrance to walking. Toeclips and straps are best used in conjunction with street shoes.
If you are riding for fitness or just fun (where you seldom get off the bike) then clipless is the most efficient way.

Agreed... since I commute to work right now, I can just change shoes-- but I got annoyed with my Sidi's for class so I switched to toe-clips. I definately prefer clipless, though.

Yeah I have clipless pedals, probably going to switch to them soon. One of the main sellings points for changing to fixie was after reading Sheldon's little blurb about how to dismount off the rear of the bike and keep walking. Seemed pretty cool. Anyone do this on clipless?

I can (and do) do the rear dismount with clipless on a freewheel. Just make sure you are NOT going to clip back in when you press down on the pedal to jump off.

My advise is to just keep it slow and use a front brake. You will become accustomed to it in no time. But do not go flying around out of control near people.

Just be careful in crowded areas.

When I was an undergrad at Cal, way way way back when the big campus issue was whether the Regents should divest from S.Africa to protest apartheid, you couldn't ride through Sproul. Not that you'd want to -- it's just way too packed full of self-involved and clueless people.

Anyway, what gearing are you riding? Those hills are surprisingly steep!

I find screaming "oh f---!" works pretty well at getting people attentions. be sure to smile as you whizz on by. have fun with the fixed, you'll get the hang of it.


I love how ineffective "I am passing you on your left, please do not veer suddenly to the left" is these days. Unless my point was to have somebody veer left and weave/wobble all over the road as though they'd been hit with a tranquilizer dart; then it would be totally effective.

I think somebody in the Commuting forum put an airhorn on their bike.

I always find saying "to your ____" always sparks a reflex for the person to step to the right, even if i said "to your right".

My gearing is 42x16. Hills are killing me right now. And for the people wondering about Berkeley and Sproul plaza, theres dismount signs around the place, and still throngs of people and often protestors stumbling around peak hours. I normally go off to the side, which is less crowded.

If you don't do anything fancy with your fixed gear like skid, trackstand, or ride backwards, then clipless is better.

For me, all I do with any of my bikes is ride them as fast as I can.

I tried clips and straps once, and I found getting out of them too difficult for the precision required for fixed gear stops.

And for the record, I once rode my fixed gear with clipless pedals through the Berkeley hills and campus. My bike did not melt, disinigrate nor did it burst into flames.

work on it trust me they have helped my trakc standing my sprinting my skidding and all the other crazy stuffs you can think of

If by geeky, you mean awesome, and by gets the point across, you mean gets completely ignored.
I love having a bell and just bring-a-dingin the **** out of people stepping in front of me. But they don't care, they are too busy on their cell phone, listening to their ipod, eating a hoagie, and trying to get a cab while checking their email and checking out the cute guy/girl across the street.

It's not necessarily that they're clueless... some people know they have the right of way and aren't afraid of trying to make you remember that, especially in Berkeley or downtown SF.

i find the best way to work on my balance is to ride as fast as i can and stop for nothing, usually intentionally slamming into pedestrians. i like my chainline as silent as possible so they can't hear me coming until i'm running them over. seriously, nothing is a better balance excercise than ramming somone at 28mph without falling over. ...i'll teach you lousy peds to check out MY girflriend while crossing the street.

i also find that bullhorn bars work best for mounting bayonettes, just watch out for your fingers!

I think somebody in the Commuting forum put an airhorn on their bike.

My idea exactly. One of my friends has an airzound on his commute bike and that is the only thing that is guaranteed to get attention.

I must be in a city full of savants. "Is it okay if I come by on your left?" followed by a "Thank you." keeps working like a charm.

i also find that bullhorn bars work best for mounting bayonettes, just watch out for your fingers!

haha, how did I not think of this... I can picture everyone getting out of the way

If people don't have enough time to react appropriately to 'on your left', you're going too fast for the surroundings.

i find the best way to work on my balance is to ride as fast as i can and stop for nothing, usually intentionally slamming into pedestrians. i like my chainline as silent as possible so they can't hear me coming until i'm running them over. seriously, nothing is a better balance excercise than ramming somone at 28mph without falling over. ...i'll teach you lousy peds to check out MY girflriend while crossing the street.

i also find that bullhorn bars work best for mounting bayonettes, just watch out for your fingers!


funny I use rollers to practice balance but I will try the bayoet thing it might be interesting

My idea exactly. One of my friends has an airzound on his commute bike and that is the only thing that is guaranteed to get attention.

airhorns and dog spray

heheh.. I guess this has turned into a 'dodging pedestrians' thread.

Ninja stealth is, of course, always the most effective way of dealing with pedestrians -- unless they're poppin out somewhere they shouldn't be. The best pedestian is the one with their back to you. It's when they see you coming that they become dangerous.

heheh.. I guess this has turned into a 'dodging pedestrians' thread.

Ninja stealth is, of course, always the most effective way of dealing with pedestrians -- unless they're poppin out somewhere they shouldn't be. The best pedestian is the one with their back to you. It's when they see you coming that they become dangerous.

you aint lying. this is so true. they freeze on me alot, cuz i dont stop pedaling, thinking that ima run em ova when i know what im doing to try and get them out of my way. i usually just use my hand to wave them in the direction to go so there are no problems. it always baffles me how some you do that to just look at you in total shock cuz you let them cross but its also nice to have them give you a smile of appreciation. makes me feel all resonsible and what not.

btw i felt the same way you did when 1st starting but now im in love. its a drag goin back to free cuz of the lack of control.

I must be in a city full of savants. "Is it okay if I come by on your left?" followed by a "Thank you." keeps working like a charm.

Yes, sounds like a good cyclist and from a state that is full of pickup trucks and yahoos. If he can do this I suspect anyone can.

I wore a bell for a while. It was spectacularly awesome and ineffective. The best thing I've found is to pick out a notable characteristic of the ped and call it out with a hearty 'STOP!'. I.e. HEY! BLACK SHIRT! STOP! I don't know what it is about the stop command that people respond to, but it easily surpasses YO!, OI!, HEY!, DING!, or any other supposed attention getter in terms of getting them to stand still for safe navigation.

I have this, and I guarantee you, this gets their attention:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o197/old_fool/bikeparts/horn.jpg

(your "******bag" jokes have all been heard before :D )

Don't ride on sproul.

As for clipless: I use clipless shoes pedals on campus because I've got the adidas minrett's. They work pretty well.