Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
Reload this Page >

Why did you start riding fixed?

Search
Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Why did you start riding fixed?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-19-11, 08:36 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,014
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Why did you start riding fixed?

I searched but couldn't find a thread like this, I'd like to know everyone's excuse!

I started because the friction DT shifters on my old Centurion LeMans Rs wouldn't stay put. They constantly needed adjusting to avoid chain issues/noise. Also, I was a new rider then and DT shifters were scary to reach.

Pulled everything off and put on a fixed wheelset.
hamish5178 is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:38 PM
  #2  
i'll probably break it
 
91MF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,665
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
my friend was like 'yo check this out' and put on the MASH DVD. true story.
i also grew a pretty sweet moustache that year.
91MF is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:41 PM
  #3  
Constant tinkerer
 
FastJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 7,954
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 185 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times in 75 Posts
I read about it on Sheldon's site. At first I was seriously like, "why the heck would I want a bike like that?" It didn't take long before I was cobbling together my first FG conversion.
FastJake is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:41 PM
  #4  
Veteran Racer
 
TejanoTrackie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Posts: 11,757

Bikes: 32 frames + 80 wheels

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1331 Post(s)
Liked 764 Times in 431 Posts
Track racing.
__________________
What, Me Worry? - Alfred E. Neuman

Originally Posted by Dcv
I'd like to think i have as much money as brains.
I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel keeps getting longer - me
TejanoTrackie is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:43 PM
  #5  
Fresh Garbage
 
hairnet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 13,190

Bikes: N+1

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 352 Post(s)
Liked 27 Times in 18 Posts
I had a frame and I already had my road bike, so fixed was the next move after learning of its popularity and my growing curiosity.
hairnet is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:49 PM
  #6  
i smell bacon
 
yummygooey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,574

Bikes: Geekhouse Deerfield, GT Edge Ti, Spooky Skeletor, TET Track, Ritchey P-650b, Bridgestone MB-3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
During the summer of 2009 I randomly became infatuated with fixed gear bikes by checking out some online blogs and Fixed Gear Gallery. I convinced my parents to get me one for Christmas, but didn't end up placing the order until sometime in March of 2010. I've been riding fixed since then. I'm considering a road bike, but I keep "accidentally" spending money on new track bikes.
yummygooey is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:49 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
nuhtowel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: State College, PA
Posts: 812

Bikes: Caad9, Fixed gear, Hardrock beater, 3 speed cruiser

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
When I got in a bike accident, then snapped my chain a week later, it was the cheapest way to get my bike back on the road.
nuhtowel is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:51 PM
  #8  
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
 
jdgesus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: seattle, too many links
Posts: 3,986

Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i really dont know why... probably to sup my wife
__________________
Originally Posted by yummygooey
crabon/campy/rapha/roadie-bro.

next step is recumbent.




my bikes | bike blog | beer blog | work 1 | work 2
jdgesus is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:51 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
rustybrown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: DeSouf
Posts: 2,145
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
...to sup your wife.

Last edited by rustybrown; 04-19-11 at 09:08 PM. Reason: timestamping
rustybrown is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:52 PM
  #10  
THE STUFFED
 
Leukybear's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 12,671

Bikes: R. Sachs Road; EAI Bareknuckle; S-Works Enduro

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 361 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 20 Times in 17 Posts
Endurance training.
Leukybear is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 08:58 PM
  #11  
Hiphopopotamus
 
coma061's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 350

Bikes: 90s GT Outpost, Windsor Clockwork

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I wanted to be different, so I put together a FG like all the cool kids.
Seriously though, a couple years ago I became obsessed with the idea of fixed gears. Since I hadn't been on a bike for a few years I decided to put one together. Now I love it and haven't turned back.
coma061 is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:03 PM
  #12  
Still kicking.
 
Dannihilator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Annandale, New Jersey
Posts: 19,659

Bikes: Bike Count: Rising.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 46 Times in 32 Posts
Because I'm still like I was back when I did my first conversion back in 2000, not a fan of gears.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Dannihilator is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:17 PM
  #13  
Fixin' To Die
 
patthepunk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Northeast
Posts: 506

Bikes: 2010 Mercier Kilo TT, 2020 Specialized Rockhopper

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Hipster cred.......




personal health
patthepunk is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:18 PM
  #14  
Makin it Trizzle
 
I Have a Bike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 196
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My roommate all through college was an art major.


(hipster)
I Have a Bike is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:24 PM
  #15  
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
To loose weight cuz I'm a fat lard. From 245 now 225. And still loosing. 20 miles a day
Papajohn40 is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:28 PM
  #16  
Still kicking.
 
Dannihilator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Annandale, New Jersey
Posts: 19,659

Bikes: Bike Count: Rising.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 46 Times in 32 Posts
Outstanding, just a a bit of advice, you may want to start upping the mileage, 20 miles will soon become routine and weight loss will start to diminish.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Dannihilator is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:31 PM
  #17  
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 26
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Dannihilator
Outstanding, just a a bit of advice, you may want to start upping the mileage, 20 miles will soon become routine and weight loss will start to diminish.
Yes I notice that after 3months. It's starting to be too easy. So I up my gear inches from 75 to 80. And probably add 5 more miles in 2weeks
Papajohn40 is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:36 PM
  #18  
Still kicking.
 
Dannihilator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Annandale, New Jersey
Posts: 19,659

Bikes: Bike Count: Rising.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 46 Times in 32 Posts
Cool. Good luck with it.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Dannihilator is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 09:43 PM
  #19  
Fresh Garbage
 
hairnet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 13,190

Bikes: N+1

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 352 Post(s)
Liked 27 Times in 18 Posts
Try lowering you gearing and pedaling faster.
hairnet is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 10:03 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
bhop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,894

Bikes: Bianchi Via Nirone 7, Jamis Sputnik

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
It just looked like fun. It turned out to be true.
bhop is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 10:19 PM
  #21  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 77

Bikes: Schwinn Circut, KHS TEAM

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
When I was racing in High School all the roadies I trained with had fixed gear beater bikes for the winter. So when I needed a beater bike to lock up on campus I decided to build one. Even though the one I have now isn't much of a beater......
SRTboy is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 10:41 PM
  #22  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 332
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by hairnet
Try lowering you gearing and pedaling faster.
It was to my understanding that if you bring your heart rate up too much (enter the anaerobic stage of exercise) your energy source moves to carbs instead of fats as in aerobic. Assuming there is a diet to go alongside this exercise, it would seem as though this would be counterproductive. Granted, this is provided my limited knowledge of physical training.. So I am only asking to further/make changes to said knowledge.

As for fixed.. I started on a singlespeed, at one point in time my freewheel went ka-boom, and I had to ride fixed until I could get a new one. I ended up hating the freewheel because of the pawls and stayed fixed.
leed is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 10:44 PM
  #23  
Senior Member
 
EveryManALion's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 181

Bikes: Fixed Gear

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
****in' brakes on my Dawes SST i bought from a guy off CL kept giving me problems, I was one of the people who hated fixed gears and said "nope never" until that single speed freewheel went out, the wheelset was flip flop and had a cog on the other side already, 16t fixed so i turned it around and said "**** it" and fell in love.
EveryManALion is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 10:51 PM
  #24  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Denver
Posts: 158
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Build leg strength. I was a swimmer.
LocoTracks is offline  
Old 04-19-11, 11:17 PM
  #25  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 52
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Well, I wanted a fixed gear because they look clean as hell. Then after I started riding one I kept riding because never feeling slack in the chain is addicting.
iCapture is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.