Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - R U New to fixed gear cycling?

I'd like to hear some thoughts from folks who are new to fixed gear riding in the past year. Would also appreaciate reminiscences from more experienced converts. I wanna try it but I'd like to hear of your trials and tribulations first! Thanks

Ya might want to repost this question in the "Singlespeed and Fixed Gear" section down a few subjects.
I'm going to put one together in the fall, I came across an inexpensive fixed gear hub wheel, have a frame or 2 to build one with. I'll let you know when I get it running.

R U != Are you

I built one last year from a seventies vintage Moto Grand Record. Actually, it has a flip flop hub with fixed on one side and single speed freewheel on the other side with a quick release so I don't need tools to flip it around if I encounter an area with bad hills. I've only ridden it a few times though. It's ok in the country, but I think it's a pain in the butt in the city. I don't understand why they are all the rage with the bike couriers in the city.

"Would also appreaciate reminiscences from more experienced converts"

When I was a boy - Thanksgiving was called 'The big dinner', and Turkeys were called 'walking birds'. Well, during that period, I was sporting an onion on my belt, not because I had to, but because it was the style at the time. Just then, a woman approached me for a cigarette, which we called fire-sticks back then. Suddenty, the cloud-storms rolled out, just as the fisherman returned with the autumn catch. My pennyfarthing, which we called 'the big wheel' back then had just suffered a fractured spoke, so I had to push it home with the evening meal. My brothers and sisters and cousins all picked perriwinkle. I never did see the woman with the cigarettes again.

those were the days.

"Would also appreaciate reminiscences from more experienced converts"

When I was a boy - Thanksgiving was called 'The big dinner', and Turkeys were called 'walking birds'. Well, during that period, I was sporting an onion on my belt, not because I had to, but because it was the style at the time. Just then, a woman approached me for a cigarette, which we called fire-sticks back then. Suddenty, the cloud-storms rolled out, just as the fisherman returned with the autumn catch. My pennyfarthing, which we called 'the big wheel' back then had just suffered a fractured spoke, so I had to push it home with the evening meal. My brothers and sisters and cousins all picked perriwinkle. I never did see the woman with the cigarettes again.

those were the days.

I heard the cigarette lady ran off with that carpetbagger on the velocipede!

back then, we called velocipedes 'choochoo bikes', and we called carpet-baggers 'snake-oil dandies'. Well, i'll tell you, if any choochoobikeriding snakeoil dandy ever got in my way....