Critical Jeff

Ever tried jumping on normal ground after jumping on a trampoline for a while? You get a really weird feeling like you aren't going anywhere. Today I rode my friends mountain bike. As I tried to pedal and coast I got a really weird feeling. It was like my front foot was falling forwards and my legs were moving. It was really awkward.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

devilshaircut

Yes, that is a good comparison, couldn't have said it better myself.

uke

Cliffnotes version: riding fixed zaps your skills on 99% of bikes currently sold worldwide.

Rafiki

hell yeah, its weird as HELL getting onto a free wheel

Critical Jeff

It's not like I couldn't ride it. It just gave my legs a weird feeling when I started to pedal and coast.

joetronic

I ride to my spin class 4 times a week, and it took a while to get used to the change at first. Now its like my brain says, "we are at class, you can coast."

Trying to slow down by backpedaling the first time on my mountie after a few months on fixed only was fun. Was going downhill and spun out like mother. Slipped out of pedal and ate the stem pretty hard with my chest.

Trying to jump after being on a trampoline for a while is even better drunk. Fun to see ho high you can get. (not very)

mangpress

i find my zen-o-meter goes down hella quick on a freewheel

Snails

dumbass,

just take your brake off, and you'll get it back.

dddave

i got on my road bike after about 8 months of riding nothing but fixed and it was reeeaaaallly f*ckin' weird.

europa

First time it happened to me I stopped to see what had broken.

Richard

HandsomeRyan

I always tell people who ask me about my fixed gear bike that, "Riding fixed isn't hard. Switching between riding fixed and freewheel is what's hard."

4zn_balla

not to mention when you try to get the pedals aligned you always bang your shin!!!

Yoshi

It's really only weird when you have picked up bad habits from riding a fixed gear. A lot of people completely destroy their pedal stroke by riding a fixed gear and it's quite apparent the first time they get back on a freewheel.

The first time I got on my road bike after only riding fixed for several months was awful. But I realized it was because I was letting the fixed gear do the work to get through dead spots. I focused on my spin for a couple of months and from that point on I never had a problem switching back and forth.

mp050

I agree about fixed ruining pedal stroke, but in light of that, I don't understand the claim of racers that riding fixed during the winter helps them improve their stroke. I feel like fixed gives you the opportunity to not doing anything coming up, whereas freewheel makes you do the work.

2new2this

Most racers have good technique already. They use low gearing on fixed gear to build up unheard of cadences. In other words, if you have a good stroke, and you make the bicycle push you to a higher cadence, it can be beneficial.

TallRider

That's funny, the first time I went on a substantial ride (involving hills) on a fixie, I felt really weird walking around after getting off. My legs felt like they were going in circles even when I wasn't on the bike anymore. I made the trampoline comparison too.

I imagine it would be an analogous experience when getting back on a freewheel bike after riding fixed for a long time.

PistaRider311

haha awesome. new signature, thanks. you go to poly?