I picked up an older Raleigh Marathon road bike, Ultegra 105 fits me well a good steel frame. I have several bikes and was considering building this bike into a single gear or fixed. I don't have a fixed gear bike, any thoughts about riding them versus the regular bikes? Would it be worthwhile to have this bike changed over to fixed or should I consider something else? I ride for exercise only.

Riding FG on the road isn't for everyone, but there is only one way to find out if you are one.

Read this to get some perspective on why/how:

Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road

A properly done road bike conversion to FG can make for an inexpensive, personalized and highly capable machine.

-Bandera

That's a really good article, thank you. Now I am wondering if I should do this or not. I am in my 50's, the idea of my legs moving all the time kind of concerns me.

https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespee...ar-thread.html


https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespee...ar-thread.html

Get a "flip-flop" rear wheel, put a single freewheel on one side and a fixed cog on the other so you can try it both ways.

Re: fixed gear --I'm 61 years old, and having my legs moving all the time isn't a problem. In fact, it keeps the blood moving so they don't get stiff. You can choose whether to pedal hard, or just let the bike pull your feet around, or anywhere in between. Make sure you have at least a front brake so you can control your speed on downhills, and don't be ashamed to take it slow or even walk on uphills.

Yea, almost all "Fixies" come with flip/flop rear hub these days so you can flip it from fixed sprocket to freewheel sprocket! And they have done that because so many people, like you, are not sure IF they want to be FIXIE.


I myself do NOT like a fixed sprocket. I love to hear that sound of the freewheel "ticking" when I am coasting. And, I like a freewheel instead of a FIXED sprocket. Recently I ordered a rear wheel that has the flip flop option to put FREEWHEEL on BOTH sides. I have a 16T of one side and a 22T on the other side and I can just flip it to go from regular riding to HILL climbing and BOTH are freewheels! (a WABI sub15 is what I bought and I love it!)


You can easily find a rear wheel with a flip/flop hub to fit your build. Just measure the distance that the wheel needs to fit into and go from there. There are also some great wheel companies out there who would be glad to help you. Ben at Velomine is very customer service oriented and helpful.

I took up fixed riding two years ago at 54 and love it. The trick is setting up the bike with the proper ratio(s) for you. Choose a ratio that is similar to the gear you normally use the most while riding your normal pace on flat ground. Then, you can put a slightly lower gear on the flip side, for hilly or windy conditions. The lower gear can be a freewheel, if desired.

If you already have several geared bikes there really is no reason not to give FG a try.

Your legs do stop moving when you stop the bike. Trust me. I'm in my 60s and still riding those things.

I don't know how long you've been riding but I am going to guess long enough to train in some reflexes that you will have the challenge of un-learning, especially the coast reflex when something startles you. If you are going at any speed, this will be painful (muscle pulls) and may cause a crash. There is something you can do. No, it won't help on the reflex side; that 's going to happen, but it will help big-time as far as the consequences. Really simple:

Put a piece of tape on your seatpost exactly 1/2" above the toptube (lug, collar, whatever you have). Drop the seatpost down to the tape. Yes, your seat is now way too low. But ... it will also man you cannot remotely lock your knee or even the big muscles when you do try to coast. (It will still hurt, but far less (trust me here!) and a crash is very unlikely. After a couple of these, the lesson will be learned and you can return your seatpost to that 1/2" higher (maybe going 1/4 and 1/4).

I went for my first ride 41 years ago, Used to ride with a high seat. Tried to coast to allow 3 oncoming cars by so I could turn left. I was going ~20mph. Locked my knee, got shot in the air and collapsed on the road with minor bruises, virtually no road rash (I converted my 20mph into vertical speed). Felt like I put my left leg through a shredder. A shredder that left the skin intact.

But I returned from that ride sold! I've always had a fix gear since and just over half my miles since have been ridden fixed.

Fix gears are time machines. They take you to cycling at its purist. There is nothing like them. And they have the additional feature of conditioning you more/faster when you have to limit your miles or time on the bike. Plus they are just plain fun! Never get boring. I often go the garage to ride my geared bikes, get out to the road and turn around and change bikes and shoes just because fixed sounds like more fun.

Ben

Or .... there are those like me who love riding fixed. (I rode SS for three years. First fix gear ride and I never rode SS again.)

I ride fix-fix wheels on my good fix gear. I've even carried a cog wrench and spare cogs. Why? I love riding fixed. I need different gears to make major climbs and descents fun and safer (and sometimes just possible) but I love being able ot make the gear changes without being saddled with a freewheel.

Ben

Interesting. I ride with wrench and have a 16T on one side of the rear hub and 22T other side. So, we achieve a similar end result. I have different sized cogs to achieve different gearing. I even carry spare cogs.

I am befuddled by the term "without being saddled with a freewheel". Can you explain that in this context?

This is all good feedback, maybe I should try this. I've been riding for 12 years and maybe riding differently for a change will be good, I just don't want to get hurt doing something I am not familiar with. The bike I have is perfect for this so I have nothing to lose by trying it. I'll have to consider how to convert this bike over.

I love riding fixed. When I want to ride fixed and have to ride something else, I feel lost. Like part of the link to the bike isn't there. (I was using "freewheel" in the sense of a ratchet mechanism that that only allows power transmission in one direction, not in the sense of a freewheel vs a cassette. To me, a cassette and hub IS a freewheel, just not one that is a separate unit you unscrew.

Ben (Edited for typos)

Okay. You have convinced me. I have a 17T FIXED I will try. Just because you've sold the fixed gearing. I study the history of the bicycle and am fascinated by the 1870-1900 period of bicycle development. It has been many years since I tried a fixed gear, however. So, with your adulation and praise of the fixed gear, along with my keen interest in bicycle history I must take the leap to fixed gear.