Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - fixed gear testimonial: day 1

the wait ended today, i got my rear wheel. my early '80's schwinn sprint is now a fixed conversion. no more riding those sketchy gears and worthless brakes. i still have the big old dryrotted front wheel but i will soon order the matching front wheel. i just got back from my first run and i have to say that riding fixed is a larger experience than i imagined. it was strange pulling out of my driveway and actually feeling the dirt kick out from under my tire. going down the steep hill by my way was interesting to say the least. its a huge contrast from a geared bike. riding fixed makes you feel magnetized to the ground. its like vintage car rides vs modern car rides. modern cars soak up all the bumps and sounds that bring a true driving experience. but both have their strengths and weaknesses.
ive only been riding seriously (compared to the average person) for about a month now, so going to a fixed gear was a large step taken early. if you have any advice for a new rider, please leave me some. id like to get my skills up so that i can relax and just ride.

start slow,carefull with your downhill speed at first,practice skid stops before some car drive's past you then take's a right 2 feet in front of you. good luck.

My fixed was the first bike I'd had since my last bmx bike fell apart when I was 13. I never put brakes on it and was scared to ride it on the road for about 3 months. But I live in the city so going from my neighborhood to the road is like jumping straight into the fire. I took it slow, riding up and down the hills on my street, learning how to backpedal and skid a little, getting fairly confident in my track stand. my advice is to play around in a safe area and find your limits with hills and speed and such and don't exceed them until you're ready.
good luck.

yeah, after a few days of riding, im pretty confident now. i learned how to skid and have found a good position for my riding. i was used to riding a geared road bike so i unconsciously stayed in the saddle all the time. when i broke that habit, everything got easier. im just working on a good downhill speed. man, i can really climb hills quickly now...