toughyreader

I have a road bike that I plan on making fixied in the next months. I have not actually made my commute in the same gear but I am pretty sure I can make it. It is a short 6 miles with one devil hill. I was just wondering if anyone here commutes fixed and could lend some advice. Thanks

icedmocha 

Not to be a jerk, but search.

jyossarian

Don't coast? Seriously, it's not hard. Make sure your gear inches aren't insane and you'll be fine. And put a front brake on.

squeakywheel

I tried it a couple times. I decided I like fixed gear on flat paved trails. Rough roads, stoplights, and hills kind of spoiled the fun during the commutes.

Junkdad

42-17 with some steep hills and I absolutely love it. It makes a 5 mile ride into a decent workout and I feel that it has made me a much better rider. I have my conversion decked out with fenders and a grocery pannier that I drop (sometimes stuff) my backpack into. I LOVE fixed commuting. I sometimes go weeks without doing maintenance other than maybe oiling the chain and of course airing up the tires.

Oh yeah, and chicks dig the trackstand...

bmike

yes.
i don't have to commute (work from home) but i ride a fg for most town and errand riding.

JeffS

Quite a few of us commute fixed at least part of the time. Some weeks I ride fixed every day and some I ride about half the time.

My commute is 10-11 miles, but there's only a couple hundred feet of climbing. Unfortunately, the climb is immediately leaving home in the morning, and immediately leaving work in the evenings - no time to get warmed up.

I ride about 75 gear inches (48/17) which is less than ideal for the climb, but allows me to cruise at about 20 on the flats, and not spin out going downhill. I ride with at least one brake.

sdime

After a week or two of riding a fixie, I was already very comfortable with it. Although I've about 3 months of total fixie experience, I'm still very diligent about not letting the pedal strike the ground when I turn. I can honestly say I find fixie to be the most natural way to pedal. Now when I see other people coast, it just seems wrong. My commute is about 5 miles, and has one hill (a highway overpass), which is bloodly murder to my bad knees. Also, I like not having to mess changing gears and tuning derailler. A fixie is so much simpler and less stressful. I now just focus on riding, whereas before determining the optimum gear was always in the back of my mind. Who wants to worry about which gear! I just want to pedal.

toughyreader

Wow! thanks for all the great input. I shall be fixed in the near near future. A local bike shop will fix me up, no pun intended, with a surly locked cog for about 40 bucks installed. Just need some racks and fenders and I shall be set.

EMT

sounds nice ... I want to do this too.

supercub

I'm thinking of going single speed for my short commute. I have my eye on the San Jose for a possible purchase in the next few months or so.

There's still this little bit of trepidation though. Is this a smart idea? Will I get tired of it and regret the investment?

bmike

you can always turn it into the San Jos8 if you want gears.
you could also build up a Surly CrossCheck. I run mine fixed, but it has all the frame components required to add a rear derailer - including shifter bosses, etc.

dwainedibbly

I commuted (6.75 miles each way) all winter on a SS Bianchi San Jose. It's a great choice. Swap the tires for something with less rolling resistance, add the usual commuter gear, and you're good to go.


I don't know if I'll ever commute FG, but I did get in on the IRO frame group buy over in the SS/FG forum, so who knows.....

Az B

I commute 16 miles each way and 1000+ ft of cumulative climbing on a fixie. I tried it to see what it was like and now it's all I ride.

Gearing is critical, but remember that going too low will have you spinning your legs off going down hill. Also, a front brake is mandatory not only for riding in traffic, but saving your knees on steep downhills. If you have sharp turns at the base of hills, remember to slow down. Pedal strike is not fun. A brake can help here as well.

Az

max-a-mill

makes my commute into great training rides. really fun once you get into it.

i am hooked.

my rainbike used to freewheel but then i found i'd ride my fenderless fixie in the rain. soon they will both be fixed. for longer rides and tours however i will keep a nice freewheel to stick on.

especialy on a regular route, fixed really helps spice things up! i enjoy using my legs to regulate my speed. i feel like a little kid when i come skidding/skipping up to a light. downhills have never been so hard (especially the one with the stop sign right at the bottom ).

once the ss/fg iro group buy comes through i'll have a new fixed gear frame that i plan to build into my primary commuter ride. for now my converted schwinn paramount has been doing great but it is showing it's age a little lately.

bhtooefr

There is always the two-speed fixed conversion on a Sturmey-Archer AW hub, if you want to be able to shift...

idcruiserman

42/16 (72 gear inches) with 3 decent hills over 12 miles. I can hit about 27MPH down the hills before I start pogoing, but I mostly stand and mash uphill.

caloso

42 x 16 with fenders in the winter, 43 x 15 without for summer:



This is an old Trek 660 (eBay special) which I love, but I'm thinking that if the Cyclocross boys get an IRO group buy deal on a SS bike, I might jump on that.

Cromulent

I ride a fixed-gear bike as my winter/bad weather commuter. I'll also take it out in nice weather just for kicks and giggles. It's a lot of fun.

nick burns

50x16 on a 6 mile flat commute. I just started using the FG in March and I absolutely love it.

toughyreader

this may be a stupid question, but what is mash?

Cromulent

Mashing is pedaling a big gear slowly, as opposed to spinning, which is pedaling a lower gear quickly. The best is to pedal a big gear quickly.

aadhils

I run 44X17. Once you get used to it, there's nothing better...

caloso

If you've only got one gear, you obviously don't have the option of shifting down, so you're forced to mash the one you've got. I try to get a run up to the hill if possible and use the momentum to keep the pedals turning over quickly. It's good training and you'll find yourself climbing faster on the fixed, which seems to be a paradox that's been debated endlessly on BF.

CBBaron

I'm on my third year of commuting on a fixed gear. My commute is 8.5 miles of urban roads with plenty of pot holes, broken pavement, RR tracks and one sizeable hill. I run a 48x18 gear on my new Cross Check. Previously I had a 42x16 on an old Schwinn Passage touring bike.
Make sure you take the bike out and get comfortable with riding fixed before commuting, especially if you deal with heavy traffic and busy intersections on your commute.
Always have a front brake on your bike. I prefer to use my brakes rather than skid/back pedal. The combination provides best stopping distances and control.
Pay attention to your form, especially when resisting he pedals (slowing down). It is easy to let your knees fly out sideways which can cause knee pain. If you keep every thing in line then knee problems should not be a problem. Ride the brakes on down hills to control your speed.
Have lots of fun!

Craig