Anyone switch to a geared road bike?
 

So I got into the whole fixed gear thing awhile ago and built a bull NJS bike (mostly) after riding a few lower end completes.

I really like the whole aspect of fixed gear riding. I put together my girlfriend a Kilo TT as a SS.. and I'm just not feeling it. I'm not sure why. But I'm thinking about giving higher end geared road bikes a try at my LBS soon.

I certainly got into the fixed gear thing because of the hype.. but as soon as I tried one, I really liked the feeling of it. But, gears just seem way more practical for the type of riding I do. I never go to the track, instead I go do long distance rides on bike trails and what not on my track bike. There's huge mountains I always pass by that I would really like to try, but I'd be dying on the way up, and even more so on the way down.

I'm not sure how to put it in words, but, does a quality road bike give off the same smooth feeling as a fixed gear? I really love my current bike, but can't afford to have two.

What do you guys think?

Of course, I'll be test riding some bikes soon, but was just curious of everyones opinion.

I was in the same boat. I lived in a really hilly area for the past 5 years. I rode my fixed gear all over, including a lot of hard climbs, but it was pretty harsh, especially my commute which was almost all uphill. I bought a road bike after a while because I was sick of grundling up the big ass hill and showing up to school all sweaty and out of breath, then spinning all the way down. I started riding mountain roads that I never would have been able to do on my fixed, which was awesome and made me a much stronger cyclist.

If you have a round, consistent pedal stroke, a road bike will be very smooth. Expect to have to work on it for a while if you've just been riding fixed, because it can make you lazy (the freewheel isn't going to lift your feet past the dead zone like a fixed gear).

Do it.

If you are selling the NJS bike to fund the road bike, why not put a little of that aside so that you can build a cheap conversion and still ride fixed?

Fixed gear on the street has natural limitations, most of which you've covered.

For flat out speed over varying terrain a road bike is awesome. For me at least riding fixed has given me a new appreciation for gears.

A quality road bike doesn't have to be super expensive, and you're not committing yourself to anything to take a few test rides. Find out what you like and don't like and start socking money away. Stake out craigslist and consignment stuff and be ready to jump when the right deal comes along.

As for selling your current bike I don't recommend selling it if you really love it, but realistically I think the NJS thing has peaked. Might as well sell it while you can get good money for it if you plan to sell it anyway.

I went to fixie from road, but I like training on the fixed gear and tootin around town. Also the challenge of one speed and fixed. I still love my high end Trek and Klein for the Club and big rides.
Pete

I've been riding both regularly for many years.

and?

therefore one should not stick to just one type of bike. Add a little variety. Get a mountain bike. A single speed. Whatever....

Keep your fixed gear. Build a road bike as you can afford it. You won't regret keeping the fixed gear, but you probably will regret selling it at some point. At the very least, you will have a choice of bike to ride depending on your mood or your needs for the day. I currently have 2 high end road bikes, one MTB that was really pricey when I built it a few years ago, and a track bike. I wouldn't think of selling any of them. I ride some more than others, but they all have their own place on a specific type of ride.

when i get some money i'll be putting some gears on my singlespeed xrl.

I have and ride both. I live in the countryside, and my GF lives in downtown Tokyo. I ride my geared bike on the hills and mountains, and enjoy being able to coast with my feet on the pedals on the long descents.

My fixie stays at my GF's apartment. Its narrow and nimble, and maneuvers well through the heavy, downtown traffic. It's also nice to be able to carry a smaller lock, and just lock one of the wheels to a pole or rail.

I can't say which on I like better. My geared bike is a steel framed Gios pro with Campy Record stuff. My fixie is a Vivalo Keirin bike with the usual NJS stuff. I enjoy more of the scenery on my Gios, but I get more of an adrenaline rush from the Vivalo.

I say give a smaller tooth free wheel on a flip flop a try. Then you can do the hills. ;)

I have a vintage roadie and a fixed gear... I tend to ride the fixed gear unless the ride will be 50+ miles.... then I know the chances of wind or just over exertion may leave me whining for gears... so I just start with them :D

I high end, old bike can be smooth too.. and cheaper. Ok, maybe I'm just a cheap-***.

I have both. SS/FG for around town and to carry groceries. Geared for speed and longer distances. Longer distances here always contain big hills.
I like SS/FG for simplicity, and ease of maintainace for my utility bike, and my commuter.

sometimes one type of bike satisfies all of ones needs....

After more than four years of exclusively riding fixed, I recently purchased a Surly Crosscheck to satisfy my desire for longer rides on more varied terrain. (For me, 20 miles was about the most that I could comfortably ride on my FG. Anything more just stopped being enjoyable.) I wouldn't say that I've "switched" to a geared road bike in the permanent sense, but at the moment, my Cross Check is definitely getting more love than my fg. I feel that same sense of excitement with my new Surly as I did when I first started riding fixed. The novelty of gears will probably wear off, but for now, I'm loving it. I still enjoy the fixed bike for city/bar/errand cruising.

trust me, bike enthusiasts will have that feeling riding anything with two wheels....

anyone who states that it's ONLY fixed which gives brings them happiness is a fool

Once you build up a stable of bikes that suits your needs then being able to hop on the bike that tickles your fancy at that given moment is great.

As has already been posted, there isn't a bike made that can do it all. This is America and we like to have choices.

So so true. I have several bikes, and i ride the fixed wheel the most but my city bike brings me the most joy.

both of my bikes are singlespeeds, one coasts and one does not
i like switching it up every now and then

Wow! We have a rare consensus!

yeah everyone who would say "if it aint fixed its broken" left

i just sold my bianchi 928. i barely ever rode it and i felt bad because it leaned against my wall all the time collecting dust. a friend of a friend bought it and is super stoked on it, so i am happy for him.

I rode my geared commuter / touring bike to the shop yesterday and because I was feeling the need, rode my fixed gear commuter / tourer home since it was stored there.

Among the others (there are 13)... I have a vintage fixed gear road / touring bike and a vintage geared road / touring bike, a few ss coaster bikes, a fixed folder, a geared mountain bike, and an ss mountain bike in the works.

There's also a longbike (geared) and a beautiful vintage 3 speed.

I use the fixed gear bikes for the same things their geared counterparts do and am just as likely to ride 100 miles on a fixed gear as I am on a geared bike and once the ss mtb is done it will go everywhere the geared mtb does.

True......but for some, bikes are like girlfriends. :D

Bikes are not quite like girlfriends...