OK, I got my first fixed back from my LBS today-- I punked out and let them build it since I'm not a mechanic and they do good stuff. It's an old fuji s-10 I picked up on Ebay and it has um lets see, sr 52 crank, a 21 track cog, suzu basic wheel set, nothing fancy.

Anyways, I had someone drop me off and I was gonna ride back from my LBS. The pedals that i got had clips and they were too small for my shoes. There I was in the parking lot trying to get my feet in the frigging pedals having never rode fixed before. And of course they kept turning. As soon as I managed to get my feet in the pedals and rode around I decided I wanted to do a track stand. Then I lost my balance and of course my feet didn't come out of the toe clips so i ended up nearly falling on my ass within like 2 minutes of trying the bike.

Went back in the LBS, had em throw away the crappy old "free" pedals with toe clips that came with the bike from Ebay and put on some different pedals, this time w/o clips though i might add em later.

Then I rode back to my house in rush hour traffic for my first ever fixed ride. Thins were different, no coasting! Every bad habit i have sticks out like a sore thumb. I noticed that the pedals don't quite spin round, but are almost eliptical, not sure if that's normal or what?

Stops are different and i noticed that i didn't use the front brake once on the way home. It was like 5 miles and my knees felt the ride a bit from resisting to slow down. I'm sure my knees will be shredded by this since they arent the best, but at least they hurt in different places.

I'm thinking of ways to spend money on this bike already so that must mean I like it. Guess I'm hooked.

My knees were caught off guard the first few rides I did on mine, but they got used to asking for help from leg muscles that were very confused by the request to backpedal. I'm either a ***** or a wise man, as I run a front brake on mine and wouldn't have it any other way. It's a lot easier to not hit the brake than to make yourself pedal on a geared bike for an entire ride.

congrats on your new fixie.
that's awesome!

i strongly recommend getting either clipless or toe clipped pedals - not only for total control of your rear wheel, but it will probably be easier on your knees - you'll be able to resist against the cranks both on the up-pedal and the down-pedal (with platforms, you can only resist on the up-pedal), thus distributing the forces.

ride safe! don't forget to pedal.

Dennis

you mentioned that your pedals felt elliptical----do your chainrings say Biopace on them?

The Shimano Biopace's from the 80's are a defunct technology found on those old bikes.

later
jeremyb

my current fixed was originally outfitted with biopace!

i thought of that too when the OP mentioned that. however, thinking a little more, the biopace chainrings would not affect the pedal orbit at all!

could be... a bent crank arm... bent pedal...???

or maybe riding fixed is teaching you what a truly circular pedal stroke feels like

Dennis

Perhaps his BB is ovaled out. Very very possble, or the BB isn't on tight... wobbling..

It might just be me, my lbs put the bike together with new bb and did all the work, they generally know what they are doing. The cranks arms are 165 mm, the chainring is an old 52 dr from a double.

I will prolly try the toe straps later on but i wear really big shoes.

I sort of hope that riding the fixed might improve my form and help strengthen my legs.

I think the combination of big front ring, shorter crank arms, and fixed are what's making it feel strange. I will just have to go ride the hell out of it this weekend and get back on it.

i always like letting people who race road on my team try out my fixed. they always think i am pyscho running it brakeless. but it's great you've been CONVERTED. welcome to the ......dark......errrr way better side.

Until you get used to pedaling in round circles the forced movement of the drivetrain may feel weird (i.e. elliptical). I think the feeling will go away in time.

It kind of changes your perspective.

Would Biopace rings even work with fixed?

I strongly suggest that you get a set of pedals that allow you to keep your feet on the pedals at all times. Either clips and straps or Clipless and appropriate shoes, or even power straps. I wouldn't even think of riding fixed gear without something that holds my feet to the pedals. If you lose contact at a higher speed you will not, in all likelyhood, be able to get your feet back on the pedal and disaster is imminent. There is another post recently about somebody taking their first ride and ending up plowing into the back of a pickup truck because he couldn't resist stop the bike in short enough time. Caveat Emptor.


fixedgearhead