non

I'm considering switching from fixed to SS for practical purposes. What I'm wondering is if lots of people made that change before and why? I see lots of posts about going from SS to fixed, but never the other way around.

thoughts?

genericbikedude

The best reason for going from fixed to SS is the desire to coast.

dirtyphotons

bunnyhops!

edit: i like em both, each has its own challenges.

onetwentyeight 

i want a ss for dirt reasons.

npoak

What's the practical reason?

jim-bob

I ride both, sometimes in the same day.

They're bikes, it's not like they won't be fun to ride.

euphoria

I went free for the smoother spin (I got lazy at the 6 and 12 o' clocks) and bunnyhops, as well as the ability to chillax on downhills. Once you have the muscle memory from fixed it's nothing but advantages (assuming you always use brakes to stop)

Aeroplane

+funain'tpaved. SS offroad is where the love of life is at.

Shiznaz

I built an SS MTB for the snow, but I'm fixed 4 lyfe

marqueemoon

I've been mostly singlespeeding lately. I ride fixed more in the warmer months.

euphoria

I'm trying to ditch the SS MTB personally, but I'm a total off-road wussbanger and I'm not sure how much more technical downhill my heart can handle. The Avid 5's they shipped with came in bunk condition and I lack the know-how to get rid of caliper rub. Plus it always manages to rain when I feel like going out for a ride. Living in the midwest guarantees I only have two trails to ride within an hour distance, and one is way below me and the other leaves me breathless and crapless.

So for me it's a simple flowchart of riding it twice a month --> not really enjoying flying between two trees at the bottom of a downhill --> eeeeebaaaaay

I'll have to part it out this time since the first buyer thought it weighed too much. Bleh.

ALSO: Is it worth bleeding the brakes again before selling, or should I just be upfront in the auction and say, "here's some busted ass ****. go nuts." Will I see more gain in selling the rotors with the wheels or with the brake system?

gfrance

I sympathize with your logic. As much as I'd like to be more of a mountain biker, I just don't get huge enough enjoyment out of it. I consider selling mine just about every year but continue to hold on. If I had much quicker access to trails, and if the trails were more 'ridable' I might change my mind. Call me chicken, but I find it hard to have fun when all my energy is going toward avoiding serious injury.

euphoria

Fo realz. If I had to devote any brain power to shifting it would've been all over a long time ago.

andypants

I went from fix to having options. One of the reasons I started is because my bikes before sucked, and riding fixed was easy to maintain. Now I have enough knowledge to not have crap bikes, and an addiction.

hobbsc

Serious injury is half of the fun of mountain biking!

Shiznaz

They are the only stories I ever hear my mountain biking friends telling. Like crashing in to trees while getting air and such. They love it!

Nekura

I rode a friends pretty decent geared bike, and a friends SS recently. After riding fixed for so long I don't feel safe at all riding anything but a fix.

-=(8)=-

I switch back and forth and like them both for different reasons.
Nothing makes you feel so connected as fixt...the efficiancy is
addicting, but its cool to bomb my single speed down hills and skid
and jump stuff like when you were a kid on your StingRay

Maybe go fixt for nice weather and SS for crap weather and offroad ??

BodiesOfLight

I've been eating the ground more often than I like lately. I have splitters and it sucks. I'm thinking of switching to SS.

I need to get another brake though.

Fffffff uhh ck it

Or a coaster brake. Mm.

merlinman

I have a flip-flop hub so go single speed or fixed depending on what I'm up to that day - lots of hills here in Seattle and going down the big ones is harder on knees over time and coasting is cool. Fixed is good for long haul flat rides or dinking around local area. I ride a 70's Schwinn Voyageur when I'm not riding road bike.

Dogbait

I have flipped the wheel on one bike as I recover from surgery and need to be careful about overdoing the exercise of the abdominals. It's not a permanent thing but it's best for me at the moment. I also have built a rigid MTB with fixed on one side and double freewheel on the other for gravel back road cruising. Right now I am using the freewheel side but expect to use the fixed on pavement when I'm strong enough.

thenewblk

do it, although it's sort of an outsider thing these days with the fixed trend so proliferate. many folks are basing their self image on riding fixed, getting their panties in a bunch over brakes, being core, connected, hip, zen, njs, the scene etc.. but there is nothing wrong with being able to not pedal when you're not actually using the drive train, or using a couple of fingers to go from full tilt to full stop immediately instead of your entire body, or running bigger gear ratios (read: go fast!) without worrying about back pedaling knee issues. Hills can be fun, not a concern. Of course i'm biased because i've found singlespeed generally more suited to my leisurely(i'm lazy)/sprinty(but fast) style of biking. not that i won't flip the hub from time to time, but if you want to be free be free. Oui!

kjohnnytarr

+1 on the coaster brake. I'm about to buy a new whip (1950s Raligh road bike frame, flat bars) with a coaster brake. Took it for a short spin the other day, and it's soooooo sweet.

mattface 

I'e got geared bikes if I want to coast. I don't have any use for an SS on the road, and I'm not that much of a MTBer

operator

Well that's great, strike the hills and you're talking about a geared bike. SS offers no advantages otherwise.

Who the hell coasts on their road bikes anyways.