You will barely feel it, if you even DO feel it at all. You might experiment with a few ratios before that big ride event.

I haven't done RAGBRAI fixed, but I think you'll find the first and last days to be the toughest. The first day you're climbing out of a river valley, and the last day you're descending into one.

I've switched from 21 speed mountain to FG/SS then to 10 speed geared. Not counting my project bikes since I've only ride them for "tests" until they're complete.

How'd it go?

Mountain to FG/SS: Had to get used to the geometry of track style bikes and skinnier tires. However the bike was much lighter and more responsive and I felt quicker (once I got the gearing I liked). Watched a TON of track cycling to learn efficient standing starts which help with my acceleration and it definitely smoothed out my pedal stroke and increased my comfortable range of cadences. I feel obligated to go fast to keep a comfortable cadence.

FG/SS to Vintage touring: Alright I guess. It helped me learn a lot about bikes and building them. Probably don't feel as comfortable because of the cassette gearing (5 speed cassette and double ring font). Definitely feel slower and less responsive, but hey, it's a touring bike. I feel it's easier to go slower when given gear change options.

As I say to customers I like my fixed gear but there is no way I would give up my geared bikes. Each one serves it's purpose to the 3rd cousinland (all the other lands have been taken by stupid fascists). I do like the simplicity of a fixed gear (or even a single speed) and there are a lot of cool little innovations making it easier or giving you wider ranges (Dingle cogs, Dos Eno freewheel, disc brake cogs...) but let's say doing a fully loaded tour fixed just doesn't quite have the appeal.

That all being said my main dream bike is a SS/FG cross bike so I guess it says something about me. However I still would have geared bikes and I think having a few different bikes in your quiver is always a good thing. Have a SS/FG, maybe a geared mountain bike or road bike or a bad weather commuter or what have you. One should never limit themselves to one bike or one style of bike.

As far as knees and stuff as long as you find a good gear ratio and don't try and skid stop brakeless fixie cool points, you should be relatively fine. Eat kale/dark leafy greens, almonds, white beans and other non-dairy foods with tons of calcium and you will be even better off. Dairy is known to leach calcium from your bones which is no bueño.

But it's so tasty!!!

It's spelled bueno. Stick to your language, gringo.

Also, beware of categorical assertions regarding diet.

Yo soy muy beuno de habla Español. Tengo un gato en mis pantalones de jabon del fuego. No es un gringo, es un Americano fabuloso ; )

Yeah I am pretty much a Spanish language legend. I am happy to teach anyone here for a modest fee, JK JK JK!

Also, a vegan diet has been shown to leach neurons from your brain.

I have a hard time riding geared bikes. I think having a BMX background made me used to single speed riding. I regularly find myself keeping a similar overall pace with people riding geared bikes when I go on longer rides. My knees never bother me from riding my road bikes.

Why? Honest question.

Once you familiarize yourself with the gear shifting mechanism on any given geared bike, riding with a (nearly) constant cadence is supposed to be easier.

Dude, you are like the king of the hipsters, you know this right?

My daily bike is a geared bike, unless it rains, then the SS comes out. Difference for me? My geared bike, click, click when mashing (grr.....turn barrell, click gone). After a few weeks, time to dental floss the gears and EVERYTHING else on that thing, plus I am lazy on it, shifting between 3 gears depending on what I do..

My SS, I ride like my wheels are on fire. I mash the hell out of it for my short 7 miles. I LOVE passing geared bikes in it and make a point to pass them when I see them. That thing makes no noise and never complains! After a few weeks, spray some Finish Line 1-Step Cleaner & Lubricant, wipe and clean and done!

Had I known....I would NOT have spent my money on a geared road bike, Florida, meh, no hills, no need for gears where I live. I only ride it to show the wife I use it and it was money well spent...I do look forward to rainy days though

I ride a SS for my 30-mile commute now, instead of a geared bike. I tried fixed gear, but it was just too brutal going down all of the hills. My commute has a lot of hills. The SS works out great though. I gained a ton of leg strength since going to SS from geared.

I have no knee issues whatsoever, and can't see it ever being problem associated with SS. Maybe there could be knee problems associated with fixed gear and lots of hill descents, due to all of the back-pressure applied to the pedals?

I've never been concerned with cadence. I pedal fast down hill and slow up hill. Maybe it's because on a BMX you get around by sprinting like a madman and then sit down and coast till you need to stand back up. I also typically ride as fast as I can manage. I'm not doing tours or anything crazy. My planned rides usually don't excede 30 miles.
I have only owned Schwinns from the 70s and 80s as far as geared bikes. I was probably 27 before getting a geared bike. They had down tube and stem mounted shifters that are not indexed. When I worked as a bike tech I got to ride some more modern bikes that could possibly change my opinion but it just seems like too much of a hassle for a slight advantage when commuting or riding for the fun of it.
It's nice to be able to go mach 1 down hill and climb with little effort but everywhere else it's just a waste of metal.
I can usually keep up with all but the most serious of riders with one gear. Of course living in Fort Collins there are some legit roadies out here who smoke me on Overland Trail but I'm not a competitive rider (aka "cyclist").

Someone should tell this to the stupid USDA, which promotes dairy consumption for bone health....or maybe it's not the USDA that's stupid...

I won't have a choice but to ride SS only for awhile... I'll only have one bike, and it will be SS!

I'm sure I'll end up with a geared bike someday though.

That's the problem -- the USDA is in cahoots with the corrupt dairy industry.

Oh word, that makes sense given your perspective/background.

A lot of older and archaic shifting mechanisms can be a PITA functionally. Modern "brifters" (from SRAM Shimano or Campy) make it pretty mindless, but if you don't have the need or desire, it's probably not worth it as that **** can get expensive.

And yes, there are many fast people in Fort Collins .

Freakin' sweet! Now I can control them and have them do my bidding. I thought I would make a Hashtag: Bad Hipster , but apparently I have been made their king.

If you knew anything about the USDA you would know they are not a reliable source for anything. Their inspection standards are quite poor and their nutrition knowledge is rather outdated as it is coming from industry scientists and people who have a vested interest in keeping people eating animal products. Plus the USDA is the US Dept. of Agriculture not the Dept of Nutrition.

Who do you think the USDA cares about you, a nobody (no offense we are all nobodies) or dat C.R.E.A.M. life son (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). Do you really think they care about you or the lobbyists with money?

this page is full of awesome.

You're not hip... These days, being hip means shaving your legs, wearing spandex, paying money to ride your (geared) bike and listening to top 40's.

Trust me, I know.

sometimes I eat my filet mignon still mooing.