Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - You guys all young?

are there many guys over 50 ridding fixed? I'm not saying that 50's old. Read it was hard on the knees and just a young guy's game. I tried one out and I really like it but don't want any extra problems. thanks.....

I know a guy here who is 42 and he has several fixed. I thought maybe the age was catching up to him when I found out he was riding 38x16 gearing, but then one day out of nowhere he tells me he's pushing 48x15 brakeless! S'far as I know, he's got no problems.

I think it all depends on what ratio you're riding. I'm young but I have knee problems (used to be a dancer but had to quit per doctor's orders), and I don't have any issues riding fixed yet. Premature arthritis may be a'comin', but I'm ok for right now! :)

If you put on enough miles using proper technique, before you start hammering big gears, you should be fine(although I'm not sure that skidding is advisable).

I ride a 46x17 or a 46x20 depending on the ride that day FWIW. I'm only 39, but I really don't foresee myself having any problems riding fixed. I could be wrong though.

im 39 have several bikes and cycle almost everday . but on my SS i run a 48t/16t and i dont have any problems .. well atleast not that i know of :S
:)

Cheers T

i'd say just use a comfortable ratio, and use a break and you will be fine.
but i'm not a doctor.

will be 45 in October and I ride either 45:17 or 45:16. Have a front brake but its for emergencies only. Everything is leg work.

I asked you guys because I'm thinking of getting a cheap one off Bikesdirect.com. Rode a Pista that was too big for me but I loved the feel. People think of me as a strong rider in the geared road bike crowd; my legs are very strong because of the nature of my job and I'm light. So maybe I'll be ok? I'm 52.

I'm 53 and crazy.

I'm 53 and crazy.

That's great to hear. :)They say if you ain't nuts there's something wrong with ya.

theres a story on oldskooltrack.com about a guy they ran into that was riding a fixie and he was like in his 70's or 80's if I remember right. If I find the story I'll post a link.

That's great to hear. :)They say if you ain't nuts there's something wrong with ya.

same here .. i would say / consider myself as 40 and wicked NUTZ

I'm 49 and ride 48X16. No problems with the knees.

42.

There are plenty of "older" people riding fixed.

I' ve used 42x16 brakeless for the last three years.

Will be 54 this year, 42x16 and 50x18, but I also live in flat Florida...........

When I worked at this hotel in a rather large city, this man in his late 70s road around on this old fixed gear bike, and he'd come into the hotel...had brakes of course.

My knees actually got better once I started riding fixed.

I'm 52-- and ride a 48x18 fixed... I think the knee issue is hogwash-- If you don't use brakes, mnaybe it's an issue, but if you use brakes, I don't see the problem. I've been riding fixed (I average about 8500 miles a year--roughly half of it fixed) and have no knee issues at all. If anythingm, riding fixed has made my legs stronger, and the effect is strength in the muscles around the knee, so they are better supported.

train safe-

My knees actually got better once I started riding fixed.

+1
due to a wierd birth defect, I have problems with my right knee. since I started riding fixed (73.4 GI) they've all but disappeared.

Oh, i'm 32.

I'm 49 until November. SS so far, but I'm building my IRO group buy frame as a fixie, 48x18.

Yes, I'm young.

50 something is the new 20 something as they are now saying, so it is for the young guys- 50 plus.

keep on truckin'!!!!!

S/F,
CEYA!

cross training people.
riding ONLY a brakeless fixed gear for years on end will almost definitely **** up your knees. every now and then get out on a road bike or mtn bike.

I'm 28, but the friend who got me into fixed is in his mid-40s.

i was introduced to fixed gear by someone in his 30's, lived with a girl whos father was in his 40's and still messin' on a track bike, and ride regularly with guys in their 40's and early 50's on our fixed bikes. common sense and a brake will take you a long way. growing up is giving up!

39 years old, never had a drivers license my entire life, been riding bikes all my life. bmx, mountain, road, and now fixed.

Don't sweat the knees, even riding fixed is less wear and tear than running. If you are really worried, just throw a front brake on and use it.

most old people don't know how to / don't care to use message boards.

48 years young... until 9/11

Ken Cox is an older chap who posts here sometimes. He rides fixed with a brake and seems to love it.

Just use a brake and lower gear inches if you're concerned for your knees.

I'm 42 and just started riding again last September after 14 years off. It was ride or diet. Ride Won.:D I built a fixed commuter Trek 750 with 34mm cyclocross tubulars 38-16 and rode though the winter losing 25 lbs and 75 points off my cholesterol.

I now have that bike, a full ridged Marin Nail trail MTB fixed 32-16, Bianchi Pista, 42-16 or 20-21, And an old beater Atala 52-20 I keep at my shop for coffee runs etc.

Feels good to be back!

most old people don't know how to / don't care to use message boards.

I thought this was the over 50 message board?

Az

i'm 49 built a conversion 42x15 last year. beginning this year bought a sputnik 48x15 & put a front brake on and it's a tough choice ...to gear or not to gear

32 years old, turning 33 in November. Built a conversion last oct as my intro to fixed gear. Ran 52x18. Bike got stolen, bought a Kona Paddywagon geared at 42x16, re-gearing it to 42x15 to get a little closer to what I'm used to. I love my fixed gear bikes and will ride them for as long as I'm able to ride a bike.

Young? I sent Greg LeMond for tacos.

TCS

A friend of mine is 52 and rides fixed gear on long weekend rides with the fast roadies.
He is as fast as anyone in this group.

My dad sometimes rides fixed with me.. he's 57 but you'd think he was in his 40s, he also likes to go for long epic mountain bike rides.

Young? I sent Greg LeMond for tacos.

TCSI forced Greg into the tires once, but it was on go-karts in Moab:rolleyes:.

My pathetic claim to fame.

48, riding only fixed for 3 years to repair damaged knee. 48x18 brakeless - city, 50x18 with brake - hilly commute, 38x19 off-road.

47 here. I have been riding 2 single speed mountain bikes for the last five years, and normal road bikes for ages. Recently put together a track bike with 73gear inches. No Problems so far. Its been 20 years since I had a track bike. I have such fond memories of the fun on the old one, I just had to build another.
Damn if it isn't the best bike I've ever owned.
http://velospace.org/node/3494

that font is too small..dam u pesky kids..let me get my reading glasses....

43 and just got my first fixed after riding road, mtb, touring bikes.
Commute and ride evryday, cant drive - not interested - have cycled since early teens no knee problems yet :)

50 years old, almost all of my riding is fixed. 42X15 for all around or distance, 48X15 for the park. Riding fixed has strengthened my knees. If I run too much my knees will feel it. Not a problem riding though.

"You guys all young?" Bottom Line Is... YES WE ARE!

My Pops is 58yrs young and rides fixed, 46x17 everyday.

are there many guys over 50 ridding fixed? I'm not saying that 50's old. Read it was hard on the knees and just a young guy's game. I tried one out and I really like it but don't want any extra problems. thanks.....


I'm almost 42 and got my first fixie for Christmas. Ran 42-17 at first, now climbing the same hills with 42-15. I have brakes on both front and rear, only rarely do I skid or try to. Bike has a flip-flop hub so I could go singlespeed if I wanted.

When I did my first alleycat, there were two riders older than me; one in his mid-50's.

At 61 years of age I have two fixed gear bikes: one for clear roads and the other for ice.

I ride 24/7/365, including snow storms that stop the cars, and ride no less than 100 miles per week.

I ride only fixed gear, from 54 gear inches to 82 gear inches, depending on what kind of ride I want to have that day.

Riding fixed gear has improved my knee health.

It has nothing to do with gear ratios and brakes, and everything to do with bike fit and body mechanics.

Bike fit means height of saddle, fore and aft position of saddle, and placement of cleats (fore, aft, in, out, angle) on shoes.

Riding a bike puts much less wear and tear on the knees than does walking or running.

the 2 bikes i am riding mostly are a
Cannnodale bad boy and it's geared .
I am working on finding the right hub ( with disc ) anyone know where i can get a 5 speed internal geared hub that isnt a Rohloff speed hub = they are out of my price range ..

and the other bike is a mtn bike converted into a SS i am running 48/16 & there are some hills .. its a workout . the mtn bike is going fixed next summer :)

almost 40 i am <--
Cheers Timo

I'm 26. Rode a BMX bike as a kid. Been riding 2 geared bikes for the last 2 years. Just started riding a fixed gear as of 2 weeks ago with a 46-17 drivetrain.

I'm 37
My bike is geared 46-16 with both brakes, but recently I built a brakeless bike geared 39-16 with risers for tricks.
Hopefully next september I'll ride a Cinelli Vigorelli brakeless.
I ride alleycats and last year I won the first ever italian skid competition :D.

I asked you guys because I'm thinking of getting a cheap one off Bikesdirect.com. Rode a Pista that was too big for me but I loved the feel. People think of me as a strong rider in the geared road bike crowd; my legs are very strong because of the nature of my job and I'm light. So maybe I'll be ok? I'm 52.

I'm 40, and just got my first fixed from Bikesdirect (the Hour). I love riding a fixie, and I was psyched about the BD bike for the price. It's funny how you will soon realize how much you coast when riding a bike without knowingh it. My first ride: start off with left foot on pedal....try to coast and clip into SPD on other side-WHOA! This baby don't stop for nobody! It has really pepped up my usual commute, my legs feel much more "pumped" after a ride on the fixie than on my mountain slick bikes I used to use for the commute.

BUY THAT BIKE!!!!

This thread sure does put the term "Senior Member" into a whole new light.

I'm turning 47 in October. I've ridden fixies off and on for several years. Run a brake and you'll be fine.

Story for you..

A geezer rolls up to the passenger window of a brand new Corvette on his fixed gear. He said, "Son, you need to get out of that cage and on a bike. Look at me, I'm 72 years young and in better shape than most men half my age." The driver said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever..." and rolls away. He looks into his rear view mirror and there is the old guy, pedalling like mad, right on his back bumper. He glanced at the speedo, "Hmm, 25 mph, that's pretty good." He pushes down on the accelerator and when he hits 40 he looks back and there he is, still on the back bumper pedalling like a mad man and waving his arm. Getting a little peeved and not wanting to hear any more lecturing, the driver give a little more gas to the Corvette. At 65 mph he looks back and the geezer is still right there on his bumper, his legs just a blur, waving his arm and screaming at the driver. Reluctantly, the driver pulls over and as the old man rolls up to the window says "Look, sir, I'm impressed with the way you are riding your bike at your age and I'm truly impressed at how you've managed to keep up with me, but I'm not interested in riding a bike. I just bought this car, I love it and that's that." The old man, wheezing to catch his breath said, "That's OK, son, if you'll just let me unhook my suspenders from your mirror here....."

Mark