...words of wisdom.

Advantages to me are 1) it smooths out my pedaling. 2) It breaks me of the insidious habit of coasting. 3) It's a better workout. 4) It's made me a stronger rider. 5) I just plain enjoy it.

This past summer I was unlocking my Earl from a bike rack. A kid no older than 11 or 12 walks up to me and asks "where are your gears?" I replied with "my cog is right here," and I pointed to the rear wheel. He was confused. He then asked again; I told him that I ride a single speed. "There's only 1 gear; it's actually quite fun. Also, you can't coast." That confused him even more. He then said that my bike was stupid so I rode off.

Sigh.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html
Nobody has mentioned that fixed gears prevent allow greater control on slippery surfaces in the winter, which is why I started it. Also, some people like to ride their bikes backwards etc.

I've read the same article numerous times and over several consecutive winters of riding have concluded that its horse****. All else being equal, i can manage ice and snow just as well on a ss as with a fg. Honestly, gears and a good pair of disk brakes are far superior to fg on slippery surfaces.

Calling sheldon horse ****? Them's fighten words. I don't even remember what it feels like to ride on ice with a freewheel to argue. It seemed pretty legitimate when I moved to a place where there is a lot of snow but could just be gas.

I'll say that Sheldon's right about _nearly_ everything. When it comes to fixed and slippery conditions though, I feel much safer being able to coast through a patch of ice than I would by having an oh-**** moment and resisting at the wrong time. I think his thoughts regarding fixed gear in adverse weather could just as easily apply to a freewheel; gear low and stay off the brakes if you can.

Great. Now let me tell you whats going on in NYC if you don't already know. The streets are crawling with people riding fg and they are of two types. West Village/Williamsburg hipsters who go all kinda blank faced when you ask them why and bike messengers who either can't be bothered or just laugh at you for being such a noob. Nice to know that there are some good solid reasons for riding one. Even if not everyone agrees what those reasons are. Thanx fellas.

cuz it's fun. dats enuff for me

This is accurate. Keep in mind that messengers don't always ride fixed... a surprising amount of them ride road bieks.

Dunno whatchu talking about INOX NYC: half the williamsburgh is into cyclocross now, thats whats HOT! so whassap

I also feel like it's kinda nice for climbing since I have the momentum of each pedal stroke carrying with me as I go uphill where that momentum in pedaling can easily be lost by a SS

The problem is when your foot slips off and you go down. When/if that happens, it will be unexpected and probably while pushing your limits/making an evasive maneuver. I have busted my ass since I was a kid to get where I am and am not going to risk going down in traffic/getting run over because I was to lazy to buy $10 clips and straps.

One advantage I've found is that it can help you widen your power band. On downhills or with a tailwind, your gear will be too low and you'll be forced to spin a higher cadence than you're used to, thus building supplesse. On uphills or with a headwind, your gear will be too high and you'll be forced to muscle up, thus building strength. Translating to a geared bike: when the group surges, you'll be able to spin up to match the surge and then drop a cog. It's much smoother. Or digging hard out of a corner or powering up a short steep hill without needing to drop onto the small ring.

Just don't be like me and assume that standing on the pedals during a climb is some sort of personal failing. Keep a close watch on how your knees feel. Also, +1 vote here for the primacy of foot retention. If you don't need it, you probably aren't riding very vigorously, which is fine, but where's the fun in that?

There's lots of fun in not riding vigorously. Cycling isn't all about going fast and suffering

+1

+1

I kinda did like the OP.... I built a new wheel with a FG cog and wanted to try it out right away. I had brakes on the bike already, but foot retention consisted of strapless toe clips. I've been riding that way for a while now, and no problems yet. Just take it easy when you first start.

I have a couple of friends that ride strapless with platform pedals only, and they do fine.

Depends on what you mean by practical. Epicschwinn listed several advantages I think are pretty practical.

Sigh.? I think it was a pretty awesome response. Not everyone is going to be awed by the awesome awesomeness of FG, you know.


My two cents: When you ride with a freewheel, your only connection to the bike through the crank is from the forward foot. The rear foot is simply "there" until it becomes the forward foot. You only use one leg at a time for both speed control and balance.

With a FG, you are using both legs through all portions of the stroke. That's where the zen, the control, all the rest of that comes from- you are more completely connected to the bike physically and dynamically. Then you go back and try riding with a freewheel and you feel like the bike is busted, loose, just plain not right.

Me, I switch back and forth between my FG bike and several geared bikes. I see advantages to both. My FG bike has a flip-flop hub so I could easily make it freewheel again, but I doubt I ever will. I like FG. But if I don't want to ride it, I just take one of my other bikes that has a freewheel.

IMO the things he listed are either imaginary (better low speed control) or are replicated by SS (light weight, ease of maintenance).

I have nothing against fixed and enjoy it myself. But I still think most of the justifications for fixed are silly. It should be enough just to say "I like it because I like it. No other justifications are necessary."

As Sheldon Brown convinced me....

Fixies allow for:

(1) greater efficiency, teaching proper technique
-&-
(2) greater control (xen with road & surroundings)

That's my reasoning... well, I don't have anything against coasting. I actually like both ss free or fixed.

The main reason is it really develops your spin.
Spinning is not just trying to spin as fast as you can- I can do that on my road bike in 39x23.
Fixed helps develop your spin: putting power down all the around your pedal stroke at 100+rpms.

Riding at 120-150rpms, smoothly, just that feeling of laying power all the around your pedal stroke- feels like what I imagine surfers feel catching the perfect wave.

It peels away all the excuses (gears, freewheeling, stuff) and just lets you to focus.

Learning to ride Fixed gear is just like riding a bicycle. :)

What the advantages are, or whether it's "better" depends on your environment and goals. If it's hilly where you ride, fixed is not better, unless you want to get stronger climbing, and develop a good spin while descending. If it's flat, 1 gear- the right one- is all you need. If you're not in shape, or don't want to have to work so hard, stick with a single speed, at least.

Fixed is potentially more dangerous, but a brake and foot retention, plus experience, minimize the risk. I know roadies who are intrigued by fixed gears, but apprehensive about riding one. Certainly they're simpler, and I enjoy the smooth, quiet ride. But if a geared bike to too complicated, you probably shouldn't be using a computer, a phone, or driving a car either.

The idea that fixed gear automatically improves your pedal stroke is a myth. A fixed gear actually encourages a lazy pedal stroke, as the gear carries your legs through the dead parts of the stroke. The only way a fixed gear improves a rider's pedaling action is by forcing him to pedal quickly. That's why "back in the day" road racers would spend the winter in a 65" gear. The folks riding around on a 49x15 are kidding themselves if they think it's improving their pedaling - a few months of riding around on a fixed gear at 80 RPM is often enough to throw a serious dead spot into the bottom of each pedal stroke, when the rider switches back to free.

When was the last time you saw someone in this forum recommend a 49x15 setup on the street?

The last time I logged in, actually.

Agreed. 7 or 8/10 times that I ride my fg (with a 42t ring) I have it on the 18t fixed cog. I have a 15t fixed cog on the other side, but that only gets used when I have a fairly hard day planned.

Gotta keep those rpm's in the triple digits.