Preparation...
 

My first fixie is coming in tommorrow. I have never rode fixie before so I'll need some advice from some fellow novices as well as some veterans. What should I be careful of? How badly do I need a front brake? Am I in for a world of hell? I'm a bike mechanic so any kind of bike jargon is fair game. Tell it like it is.

don't coast. ever.

Get a front brake and don't stop pedaling.

Go with the brake. Ride your bike. Have fun and report back.

To get your foot where you want it at a stoplight, lift up the back of the bike by the top tube and bring the crank around.

edit: also, roll up your right pant leg and tuck in your shoelaces.

get a brake and start practicing skid/skip

Don't ride with a loose chain!

You'll learn to skid and think, "I'm going to stop like a badass."

The next thing you know, your chain will fall off, and you'll be coasting through shrubs. Like a badass.

I've learned so far to take it slow when going downhill. Use a front brake to help you in the beginning. Tight cornering is not recommended either since your cranks can touch ground. Your feet/pedals can also scrape the front wheel when turning to tight(mine does). I got my first fixie 2(!) days ago. You can read my story here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=119055

Good luck! You're in for alot of fun, believe me!

lol!

been there
done that



...and yes i wish i was joking

Make sure your cog and lockring are on there good, too. That can be worse than just throwing a chain, because you will most likely strip your threads...

Riding fixed isn't as hard as it seems. Just don't stop pedaling. Front brakes I would recommend until you get the art of skidding and skipping down, after that do what you will. Most importantly have fun and enjoy the ride.

keep the rubber side down.

use a brake. I couldn't skid for my first year of fixiedom.

I really like the FG101 article on 63xc.com. But I'm biased, since I do a lot of technical writing at work.

There's some good training exercises in there, though. They've done wonders for my form.

Definitely start with a front brake. Whether or not you should keep it on depends on how

hilly the terrain is where you are riding. That and how much car traffice you're going to

be dealing with.

Arm yourself. A brake will serve you well in times of uncertainty when learning.

It takes a while to get use to the movements of a bike of this ilk. I would recommend not riding in highway traffic at first. Give it a day or two until you find your mark. Otherwise, Mjollnir will find you and lay you and your steed asunder and down to Niflheim. Or Arby's...which sucks too.

Go easy. Find your space. Pick your lines wisely.

This is all very good info. I think I will go with the brake then. I think we've actually got an old used Campy Mirage caliper laying around so that will fit good. I'm so psyched. This is really all I've been thinking about for the past week. I hope the bike comes in tommorrow so I can build it after work.

Yeah definately go with the brake. After your first day of slowing yourself down manually youll wonder where all those new muscles in your legs came from and why they hurt so good.

You're about to be a better lover. You should not use a brake for that part of the learning curve.

ive been riding fixed about a month or so and today was the first time i forgot that i cant coast. i was lost in brooklyn b/w prospect park and ocean parkway and ended up on what was basically an on ramp (going down) on the parkway, ie highway style, and was cruising along and just thought i could chill out and coast for some daft reason. so my legs got all wipped up and i just pulled one out of the pedals and slammed on my front brake. everyone was ok, but it was weird, like why did i sudddenly think i could coast? on the way back i got lost again in a torrential downpour but then i found the park and just did a bunch of laps in the rain. sweeeet.

Everyone was ok? Dude.

i got my fixie wheelset yesterday and finished my conversion! haha, then today i had to take it to the shop to deal with an inadequate bottom bracket... couldn't handle the punishment of brakeless stopping. i LOVE being able to stop without using the brake. i need to work on the skipping/skidding. i can't work up the nerve to throw myself out over the handlebars enough to skid though...

we can't be friends anymore.

I've been on my fix for about 2 weeks right now and it's the best. Definitely ride with other, better riders and you'll pick it up really fast. I've been riding with a messenger and a vet of a few years and I picked up skipping and skidding within a week and i can do about 30 seconds (very tops of course) on a trackstand already. I don't have breaks because of some weird sizing technicalities (27" wheel frame, 700c wheels) so I started off super careful and I would recommend the same. A break would be a good idea but try to use it as little as possible. Basically just ride a ****eload in the next few days and you'll be an addict.

yeah, i have a front brake but managed to use it only once today, down this INTENSE hill. it makes me feel better knowing it's there, but i also do my best to forget it's there... ya know.