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I "unfixed" my bike.
Just thought I would share: After commuting fixed since February or so, I put a 16 tooth freewheel on my conversion in lieu of the cog. After a collision with a mini-van wherein I went over the hood and into traffic I really got to thinking about the fixed gear thing. Sure, it was a blast to ride and I am certain that I am not done with the whole thing, but I am just not sure it was the safest thing for my day-in-day out commute.
The problem was not that I could not slow down; I kept my brake and could stop just as fast or faster than on my other bikes. Rather, it was the fact that I could not coast that sometimes led to safety issues. In my case, the van turned right without signalling (I should not have been there). As I came into contact with the right side of the van, I tried to coast and turn with it while leaning against it. It was trying to coast that resulted in my being thrown up and over the hood of the van and into traffic. Anyway, I now ride the thing as a single speed and am loving it. I even took it on a major local 5-mile hill climb and did just fine at 70 gear inches. Ultimately though, 72 seems like the sweet spot to me. I may switch back during the winter for some better traction etc. but for now, I am very pleased with my decision to "unfix" my daily commuter. Be careful out there. I know many of us ride for different reasons, but I wonder if some of us are seeking hipness over safety. The old man (34 and getting smarter). Troy |
Hmmm... it sounds like you might not have gotten into the rhythm of the whole fixed gear thing totally? I commuted on a fixed gear for several months and started to actually feel safer on it in traffic, because as soon as I started to pedal slower my bike would slow down, there was no delay while I hit the brake. Of course, it was different on downhill sections where I had to brake continuously and still almost spin out...
In any case, I would have been pretty shook up by that accident! Hope you were okay afterwards. Single speed sounds good too. If you go back to riding fixed, you might consider adding a second brake to your fixie... the extra stopping power never hurts. |
yeah i am just about to go the other way after finally replacing my fixie wheel...
for me i think one of the main things drawing me back again (other than the fun involved in riding fixed) is i am again craving the workout i get from commuting fixed! my freewheel just lets me be to weak. good luck on regaining your mojo after the accident and if coasting is working well for you then all is good! |
Originally Posted by moxfyre
Hmmm... it sounds like you might not have gotten into the rhythm of the whole fixed gear thing totally? I commuted on a fixed gear for several months and started to actually feel safer on it in traffic, because as soon as I started to pedal slower my bike would slow down, there was no delay while I hit the brake. Of course, it was different on downhill sections where I had to brake continuously and still almost spin out...
In any case, I would have been pretty shook up by that accident! Hope you were okay afterwards. Single speed sounds good too. If you go back to riding fixed, you might consider adding a second brake to your fixie... the extra stopping power never hurts. |
Originally Posted by Sawtooth
I hear you. I actually ran both of my levers into the front caliper as shown on the fixed gear gallery and really like that as the calipers are old wienmanns and are not very powerful. I still have it that way as I believe I get better stopping power by diverting both levers to the front (of course you have to be careful to avoid an endo). I try to imagine how I could have pedaled through the corner while smashed against the side of the van but I guess I just don't have those kinds of skills. Braking in time was not an option; impact was immenent. Again, I freely admit that the accident could have been avoided.
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There are times when the ability to coast would come in handy, usually when I'm squeezing between a car and the sidewalk and it's so narrow that pedal strike becomes unavoidable. When it gets that bad, it's time to look for another way past traffic.
Sorry to hear about your accident, but hey, better safe than sorry. The fixie bug may still yet bite again... |
I have a grand total of 1 round trip fixed gear commute to my credit. So, I'm hardly qualified to comment, but anyway... The biggest nuisance was the horible roads around here. I always lift off the seat and coast over the huge cracks and rough sections. My bent legs absorb the impact. With the fixed gear, I took a beating since I mostly didn't stand up on the rough spots. Even when I tried, it was left to chance where I would be in the pedal stroke and sometimes the impact caught me in awkward positions.
The other issue for me was the downhill sections. I don't mind pedalling downhill, but gravity wanted me to go faster than I wanted to pedal. It was harder to look over my left shoulder without coasting. I could probably do better with practice, but as of right now, I'm not flexible enough to do it without turning my hips a bit. Hard to pedal with your hips turned to the left. At one intersection, I stopped with the pedals at an awkward position from which to restart. Basically, I didn't enjoy that day much. My knee hurt for two days when I was done too. For some strange reason, I'm still fascinated with the fixed gear idea. Next time, I'm going to try it on a flat bike trail. |
I commuted to work on my fixie for a week because I was waiting for parts on my regular commuter. Boy am I glad thats over, it's fun once and a while but a whole week is too much.
on the other hand, instead of remembering not to coast on the fix, I have to remember to coast on the freewheelie bikes. |
Originally Posted by mmerner
it's fun once and a while but a whole week is too much.
i really think my mountainbiking went up by leaps and bounds when i started commuting almost exclusively fixed... and now that i haven't for months i am back to my usual schlubb self fitness wise. :( |
Originally Posted by max-a-mill
i agree, at first, but that fatigue is you getting stronger buddy. ;)
i really think my mountainbiking went up by leaps and bounds when i started commuting almost exclusively fixed... and now that i haven't for months i am back to my usual schlubb self fitness wise. :( |
sorry sawtooth i got about the same gearing on both.... maybe i am just thinking i got much more benefits from it than i actually did, but as of now my theory is uneccesarry coasting makes you weak(er).
i get my new wheel this week so i'll try to remember to update my thoughts on this in a couple months. |
I too would agree, during close encounters, or immenent crashes, the body, legs specifically, just goes into, oh crap mode, and usally becomes quite irresponsive, and usally that feeling kinda makes you want to coast, and thats a bad idea for fixed riders, i had my fair share of tumbles throught the city, most were nothing major yet a few left me wondering, Wow, i can't believe im still around just to asess that accident. Sure its alot of fun, and it may work on your spin snd what-not, but its does get quite harrowing during thsoe tight squeezes, and can lead to larger problem when in fixed mode. I'll confess, i love fixed, but if there is one weakness with it, its how willing that bike will ditch you once you step out of though/concentration.
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Originally Posted by squeakywheel
I have a grand total of 1 round trip fixed gear commute to my credit. So, I'm hardly qualified to comment, but anyway... The biggest nuisance was the horible roads around here. I always lift off the seat and coast over the huge cracks and rough sections. My bent legs absorb the impact. With the fixed gear, I took a beating since I mostly didn't stand up on the rough spots. Even when I tried, it was left to chance where I would be in the pedal stroke and sometimes the impact caught me in awkward positions.
The other issue for me was the downhill sections. I don't mind pedalling downhill, but gravity wanted me to go faster than I wanted to pedal. It was harder to look over my left shoulder without coasting. I could probably do better with practice, but as of right now, I'm not flexible enough to do it without turning my hips a bit. Hard to pedal with your hips turned to the left. At one intersection, I stopped with the pedals at an awkward position from which to restart. Basically, I didn't enjoy that day much. My knee hurt for two days when I was done too. For some strange reason, I'm still fascinated with the fixed gear idea. Next time, I'm going to try it on a flat bike trail. |
Originally Posted by max-a-mill
sorry sawtooth i got about the same gearing on both.... maybe i am just thinking i got much more benefits from it than i actually did, but as of now my theory is uneccesarry coasting makes you weak(er).
i get my new wheel this week so i'll try to remember to update my thoughts on this in a couple months. |
Originally Posted by squeakywheel
Hey, its not more masochistic than spending time in a gym with sweaty people repeatedly lifting heavy objects for no apparent reason.
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Fixies aren't for everyone, but for some people, it's fun and after a while, you forget about coasting and keep pedaling even in situations where you used to freeze and coast.
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Careful, when you go back, it often requires you to remove your head from your ass. Just a warning.
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Originally Posted by Falkon
Careful, when you go back, it often requires you to remove your head from your ass. Just a warning.
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I don't hate fixies. I hate kids who think they're the **** with no brake cheap ass 80's mild steel touring bikes made into track bikes. I also hate the aura of smug surrounding most fixie riders.
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Originally Posted by squeakywheel
I have a grand total of 1 round trip fixed gear commute to my credit. So, I'm hardly qualified to comment, but anyway... The biggest nuisance was the horible roads around here. I always lift off the seat and coast over the huge cracks and rough sections. My bent legs absorb the impact. With the fixed gear, I took a beating since I mostly didn't stand up on the rough spots. Even when I tried, it was left to chance where I would be in the pedal stroke and sometimes the impact caught me in awkward positions.
The other issue for me was the downhill sections. I don't mind pedalling downhill, but gravity wanted me to go faster than I wanted to pedal. It was harder to look over my left shoulder without coasting. I could probably do better with practice, but as of right now, I'm not flexible enough to do it without turning my hips a bit. Hard to pedal with your hips turned to the left. At one intersection, I stopped with the pedals at an awkward position from which to restart. Basically, I didn't enjoy that day much. My knee hurt for two days when I was done too. For some strange reason, I'm still fascinated with the fixed gear idea. Next time, I'm going to try it on a flat bike trail. All it takes is practice to learn how to post over rough patches while pedaling. It's really not that different from simply pedaling out of the saddle. A lot of it can be mental, and getting over the fear of being tossed, so as soon as you tell yourself that, it gets a lot easier. Same thing with shoulder checks. It just takes practice to do it smoothly. If your pedals are in a strange position when you stop, you can unweight the rear wheel, and spin the pedals to a better position for starting. It's probably easier if you use clipless (and I dont' know whether you do). After a while it becomes second nature to either stop with the pedals in a good position, or spin them around if they're not. Or trackstand through the light. Spinning too fast? Use the brake! You do have a brake on there, right? As far as knee pain, it could just be soreness from a new activity, but I've found that riding fixed really brings fit issues to light since you're constantly in motion. I didn't realize that the saddles on both my bikes were just a bit too low until I started riding fixed every day and my knees started to kill me. Once I bumped the saddle up, the pain went away. Really, no matter how many people go on about "oh, it's so much more of a workout!" fixed commuting shouldn't necessarily be any more difficult than freewheeled. It just takes getting used to a different style of riding. |
Originally Posted by max-a-mill
you competing with i-like-to-bike for the postion of resident fixie hater???? them's some big shoes pal! ;)
Originally Posted by Falkon
I don't hate fixies. I hate kids who think they're the **** with no brake cheap ass 80's mild steel touring bikes made into track bikes. I also hate the aura of smug surrounding most fixie riders.
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Originally Posted by jimmy_jazz
All it takes is practice to learn how to post over rough patches while pedaling. It's really not that different from simply pedaling out of the saddle. A lot of it can be mental, and getting over the fear of being tossed, so as soon as you tell yourself that, it gets a lot easier.
Same thing with shoulder checks. It just takes practice to do it smoothly. If your pedals are in a strange position when you stop, you can unweight the rear wheel, and spin the pedals to a better position for starting. It's probably easier if you use clipless (and I dont' know whether you do). After a while it becomes second nature to either stop with the pedals in a good position, or spin them around if they're not. Or trackstand through the light. Spinning too fast? Use the brake! You do have a brake on there, right? As far as knee pain, it could just be soreness from a new activity, but I've found that riding fixed really brings fit issues to light since you're constantly in motion. I didn't realize that the saddles on both my bikes were just a bit too low until I started riding fixed every day and my knees started to kill me. Once I bumped the saddle up, the pain went away. You're right about fit. My fixed gear commuting day was the day I realized my seat was too low. I've since corrected that. Really, no matter how many people go on about "oh, it's so much more of a workout!" fixed commuting shouldn't necessarily be any more difficult than freewheeled. It just takes getting used to a different style of riding. You're right about fit. My fixed gear commute day was the day I realized my seat was too low. I've since corrected that (on all my bikes). My interest in fixed geared bikes will mostly be along the lines of high geared skinny wheeled bikes on flat paved trails mostly for the training aspect of it. I just need to find another 80's mild steel bike to convert. ;) My current hipster, messenger wannabe ride (1980's Raleigh conversion) is pretty much committed to SS as it has been my main commuter this summer and I'm not changing it cause it's already perfect. Maybe I need some spoke cards? :D |
Originally Posted by Falkon
I don't hate fixies. I hate kids who think they're the **** with no brake cheap ass 80's mild steel touring bikes made into track bikes. I also hate the aura of smug surrounding most fixie riders.
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Originally Posted by squeakywheel
Maybe I need some spoke cards? :D
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
How 'bout tattoos, messenger bags and body piercings? I understand they earn righteousness points too.
I actually don't mind smugness; no skin off my back. I can ride the pumas off most hipsters in the area. I have a standing rule.......I only take personally the thoughts, opinions and smugness of those I can't smoke (and they deserve to be smug). No one else really matters. Now that I think of it...that comment sounds smug!:) |
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