I wanted a FG since they started becoming popular in 05, but all my friends at the time would make fun of the hipsters riding them. I had a trek mtn bike that I had since I was 12-13 and I was 5'7-5'8 at the time. I rode that until college, I would go on off-road trails and everywhere, although no more than 30 miles a week.

I was scared of not being able to touch the ground with my feet while on the seat, so I decided not to get a road bike, but another mountain bike. A gt-lts3. I was riding this 14-20 miles a day. My friend who noticed I was riding a lot got a fixed gear from some website with a flip flop hub, brakes, and the drop down handle bars.

We went riding one day, and he had never really rode a bike before, but here he is keeping up with me, and I'm spinning hard with toe clips. He's got open pedals.

I didn't want to spend more than $200 on a bike, so I browsed craigslist day in day out, and someone posted a link to walmart and I found the mongoose genisse.

So I got the walmart mongoose, and my commute to school was sooo much easier, but I still wanted the street cred of no brakes and riding fixed. So I rode to a near-by bike shop and picked up a cog 15t (it's what they recommended at the shop) puts me at 78.7 g.i.

I kept riding with the brakes on, and learned how to skid and slow down without brakes and took them off 3 weeks later.

It's been 2 months since I took the brakes off and now I want a lighter bike, deep v wheels, drop down handlebars. It's an addiction, where ever I am I wish I had my bike with me, I feel like it's an extension of who I am. I ride my bike everywhere now, I feel like the narrator from dirtbag diaries.

I ride 25-30 miles a day now, and have a few questions:

1. When I'm coming up to an intersection I slow down, by slowing down the pedaling, and skid if it's in the morning (the only time I have energy anymore). I feel like I'm out of control if I try skidding when I'm going too fast, like the handlebar gets shaky and I can't quiet lock out my leg. I'm wondering if I got a deep v wheel if that would add to the stability?

2. I was in sf the other day and spotted a few FG riders. How in the world do these guys have the balls to be flying down these hills with no brakes into busy intersections. I've gone down some steep hills, but I'm pedal pacing if I need to stop soon.

3. Whats the best way to come to a stop at a stop light? Pedal pacing? Skidding?
What happens if I need to come to a sudden stop? I can stop in about 20 feet if I'm spinning at my top rpm.

4. Modify walmart bike, or sell and get a better bike?

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...eed-Start-Here!

No.

Recklessness.

Brake.

The Mongoose frame probably isn't worth spending any more money on.

sounds like you NEED a brake. And there is nothing wrong with that.

I'd worry less about street cred and worry more about making sure you don't die getting nailed by a car....

This:

street cred is for insecure little girlies. any time you're guessing your speed or ability to stop you're probably not going as fast as you would had you a brake.

I rode with a brake for four years before I rode brakeless.

If you really insist on riding brakeless at this point in your riding (not advisable) get a bigger cog, like a 19 tooth cog, and, although you won't go as fast, your skills will improve quickly.

By the way, I like your use of the phrase "pedal pacing."

I've not heard that phrase used before.

I ride at 63 gear inches, way to low for most people on this forum, but I've learned to spin (and go fast by spinning), and I can stop without skidding (I pedal pace).

I also make a point of not going down hill any faster than I can go up on the same hill.

Even with those constraints, I average 15mph on trips around town, including stop lights.

Four minute mile.

yea please start out by getting a front brake. and ride as much as possible and you'll be zipping through the city in no time, up or down hillz. also i would invest in a good but cheap fixed gear on craigslist-the better the bike the safer it is i.e- better handling, stability, durability, and strength.

Thanks a bunch! I got a 18t cog the day you posted this, and well I've been enjoying riding so much more.

I still ride about 200 miles a week, and still have energy, with the 15t cog I was exhausted by the end of the day barely able to turn the pedals.

I'm able to stop a lot faster, and can almost skid sitting, but can come to a complete stop much faster.

Still working on my track stand at stop lights, I can balance if my right foot is forward, but if my left foot is forward I seem to have some trouble.

When doing a track stand I have my right foot forward, and my knee is kind of pressed up against the frame of the bike, and the handle bar (drop down style) is turned to the right. I put significant pressure on my left wrist when I do the track stand, and I'm wondering if there are any tips or hints to doing it with no hands?

I can ride no hands all day, over bumps and turn, but the track stand with no hands with my feet in the cages is a bit scary for me.

This, 100%. I don't know why the trend is to ride 70 or even 80+ gear inches... I did it for a long time until I got my most recent bike. It's about 66 GI, and I couldn't be happier with it. Spinning > mashing. It's a lot more comfortable, and I'm a LOT faster than I was when I was riding 80+ GI. Made it from school to work (9 miles) in 29 minutes yesterday.

I don't ride with anything less than 70 GI in San Francisco. Sure, it makes it easy going up, but going down is a different story.

With 73 gear inches, I'm already spinning downhills. Some of these hills will make you spin out with very much less without a brake.

I can't speak for those guys, but I can say that I try to ride with a 'flow.' You need the momentum for the hills. It's not recklessness if you're not stupid. If I'm flying down a hill and I see a controlled intersection upcoming, I pedal pace slightly to time it so I get a green light. Use your best judgment. A lot of members here describe riding fixed as becoming more aware of our surroundings and 'looking into the future.'

Final note, keep that brake on. Sounds like you need it, and there's no cred lost if you have it.

this is the funniest post ever.