a poll of the utmost importance
 

it's time for the truth bells to ring

Kinda ****ed but I like living in denial so it don't matter really. When my skidding knee finally gives out, well thats what clips are for.

no

lose weight

My knees got screwed up from overtraining in running and crashing my mtb on singletrack back in the day. They've gotten noticeably better since I started riding fixed a few years ago...

My knees have been ****ed up since high school. Riding bikes (especially fixed) is the only thing that makes them stop hurting. I ride with a brake and use it somewhat frequently, though.

Timely thread. Wednesday I went and got my right knee X-rayed because I can crack it just like a knuckle. Lefty is all right though. We shall see if there is any issues. Hope not, I wanna keep riding until I'm dead of old age.

This is why Pitboss made the post he did.

exactly

the long term effect of lots of skidding is most likely arthritis
and knee damage.

Let us know what you find out from the x-ray. I too can crack/pop both of my knees like knuckles. It's only started within the six months.

My knees hurt slightly from 18 years (and counting) of skateboarding impact from stomping tricks. I can only sit indian style for so long before they lock up and I have to move them in another way. Cycling only feels good for me. As for my 5th lumbar, the chiropractor takes care of that and I feel high as **** every tuesday.

I just started with fixed this summer, and I've already put more than 300 miles on, but my knees don't hurt at all. No brakes either. My thighs get pretty damn sore, though . . .

Mines cracked before I started riding. It's a comforting sound at this point, if I didn't hear it I would feel like something was wrong with my bike.

My knees have always cracked. I have never had knee pain riding my fixie. I can't say the same of my geared bike or mountain bike but both of those issues were resolved with proper fit.

The chiropractor makes you feel high?

Well damn...maybe that's something to look into.

He's a good man, and thorough.

I had a problem with Ilio-Tibial Band Syndrome (sp?) for a while. couldn't ride more than 30 miles (geared or fixed). Then I started doing the right stretches every day and its all better. I know that ITBS is really an issue that starts at the hip but I think most people think of it as a knee issue b/c thats where it hurts.
Been riding 40 to 70 miles nearly every day and my knees feel great.

Knees are fine. I use brakes to stop and climbing doesn't seem to hurt them.

41 years old and have averaged more than 200 miles a week for going on almost 7 years now, almost all of it brakeless fixed gear riding, my knees are fine

None of those answers are any good.

my knees only crack at full compression since the
beginning of time. i've been riding brakeless on the
street for the past 4 years and i had some soreness
for a very short (stupid) period when i tried to push
52x16, but now i've been at 48x17 for a long time
with no problems.

edit: also, none of those answers apply to me...

Mine are fantastic.

The only time my knees have hurt is when I get carried away and put too much weight on the squat rack. I've gotten smarter in my old age and capped the max weight I will ever do a squat or leg press with. Since then I'm fine.

Nothing about cycling has ever bothered my knees.

my knees are just fine. i ride a single speed