Wow.
A person never knows how much he has to learn until he starts to learn it.

I don't have a fixed gear bike, yet.

I had thought about trying to put together a cost-effective Steamroller, but it kept coming out to more money than I expected.
My son suggested a Bianchi Pista and upgrading the parts as they wore out.
That made sense to me, but what do I know?

I had thought of the Pista with two cogs because, even though I have practiced riding around town in one gear, I have had the advantage of free wheeling and I didn't know how much that might have enabled me to pull more gear inches than I really could.
So, I thought, since the Pista had two sides (I didn't know one side favored a freewheel) I could have the option of an easier gear to learn with, and, similarly, an easy gear to get me home from work if my knees complained.

My physical therapist and my knee doc think I can do this if I approach it very carefully.
I just want to stack the deck for success.
Thechamp's post got me to thinking a freewheel option in the beginning might serve me very well on the careful side.

Many good options presented and much to learn.
Thanks.

I cannot remember anything that has captured my imagionation as much as has this fixed gear bike idea (I mean, other than girls in my younger days).
The concept and the bikes themselves radiate beauty.
It amazes me how many variations riders can come up with such a simple idea.