Fixie introduction

wilistew · June 2007

Hi everyone

I'm not a beginner as such, as I've been riding on and off for pleasure and as a commuter for the majority of my life. I now want to give fixed wheel riding a go, as I've become excited by the simplicity, the paired down good looks of the bikes and this ethereal 'connection' people speak of.

Does anyone know of a bike shop that'll give me a go on a fixed before I commit loads of money? I'm based in central London.

Any help greatly received.

Cheers

Wil

stompy · June 2007

Brixton Cycles say they keep some on hand for customers to try out.

domtyler · June 2007

You could give Brick Lane Bikes a go, they kind of specialise in fixies and even have loads of rebuilt old second hand frames.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
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Xv1600a

Greenbank · June 2007

If you're on a budget stay well clear of Condor (Grays Inn Road). Not because they're a rip off (they aren't), but they're so shiny you'll end up spending far more than you ever thought you possibly would.

Oh, and ditch the "ethereal connection" line. It's pants.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Unknown · June 2007

Rule 1. Keep pedalling.
Rule 2. KEEP pedalling.
Rule 3. Stay clear of people who speak of "this ethereal 'connection'".

d.j.
"The Angels have my 'phone box."
"Better than The Angels have got your Harley."

oldwelshman · June 2007

Single gear bike riding is ok but riding a fixed on a road these days with amount of traffic? Not sure, I will stick to using mine on a track.
Maybe you could go to a track to try one out first as most tracks have training nights where you could try one out, normally without the brakes though [:D]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wilistew

Hi everyone

I'm not a beginner as such, as I've been riding on and off for pleasure and as a commuter for the majority of my life. I now want to give fixed wheel riding a go, as I've become excited by the simplicity, the paired down good looks of the bikes and this ethereal 'connection' people speak of.

Does anyone know of a bike shop that'll give me a go on a fixed before I commit loads of money? I'm based in central London.

Any help greatly received.

Cheers

Wil

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">[:D]

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domtyler · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldwelshman
Single gear bike riding is ok but riding a fixed on a road these days with amount of traffic? Not sure, I will stick to using mine on a track.
Maybe you could go to a track to try one out first as most tracks have training nights where you could try one out, normally without the brakes though [:D]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wilistew
Hi everyone

I'm not a beginner as such, as I???ve been riding on and off for pleasure and as a commuter for the majority of my life. I now want to give fixed wheel riding a go, as I???ve become excited by the simplicity, the paired down good looks of the bikes and this ethereal 'connection' people speak of.

Does anyone know of a bike shop that'll give me a go on a fixed before I commit loads of money? I???m based in central London.

Any help greatly received.

Cheers

Wil

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">[:D]

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My winter and summer bike pics

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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Bizarre comment there oldwelshie. Fixies come into their own in heavy traffic due to their far better low speed control and manoeuvrability. I ride one every day to work and back along one of the most clogged roads in London and then through the City during rush hour with far more success than I ever did with a geared bike. In short, it is brilliant and I love riding it more than any of my other bikes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
No2 vaporizers

oldwelshman · June 2007

Why bizzare?
Just because you like a fixed better does not make some one elses comments bizzare does it?
My personal preferance for safety is to use a roadie bike as I find it easier to stop in emergency than a fixed with a front brake.
I guess being Welsh and living in england is more bizzare than that, but then again your from London[8D]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by domtyler

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldwelshman

Single gear bike riding is ok but riding a fixed on a road these days with amount of traffic? Not sure, I will stick to using mine on a track.
Maybe you could go to a track to try one out first as most tracks have training nights where you could try one out, normally without the brakes though [:D]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by wilistew

Hi everyone

I'm not a beginner as such, as I‹¨«ve been riding on and off for pleasure and as a commuter for the majority of my life. I now want to give fixed wheel riding a go, as I‹¨«ve become excited by the simplicity, the paired down good looks of the bikes and this ethereal 'connection' people speak of.

Does anyone know of a bike shop that'll give me a go on a fixed before I commit loads of money? I‹¨«m based in central London.

Any help greatly received.

Cheers

Wil

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">[:D]

Feel free to browse and donate:
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My winter and summer bike pics

http://oldwelshman.myphotoalbum.com

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Bizarre comment there oldwelshie. Fixies come into their own in heavy traffic due to their far better low speed control and manoeuvrability. I ride one every day to work and back along one of the most clogged roads in London and then through the City during rush hour with far more success than I ever did with a geared bike. In short, it is brilliant and I love riding it more than any of my other bikes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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Unknown · June 2007

riding a fixed on a road these days with amount of traffic? Not sure

I share your uncertainty - certainly in central London. Whilst fixed does offer control, it takes time for it all to become second nature. Especially if you regularly switch between fixed and free. If I go fixed in commuter London (which I do and I enjoy), I'm on treble alert. Particularly around pedestrians!

Anonymous · June 2007

I rode fixed for a week last week, and went back to geared this morning (due to fixies hub/wheel being respaced/redished). It felt like the geared bike was broken, and I really did miss the connected feeling. My legs certainly feel much stronger, as I have now moved from the middle ring to the big ring on the geared bike. Cant wait to get my fixie fixed and back on the road. Fixed in traffic is good for me. Geared/freewheel feels like the bike has a mind of its own sometimes, wheareas with the fixie Im fully in control.

Greenbank · June 2007

Going back to geared feels like someone has poured glue into the bottom bracket. The cranks just feel like they're being held back.

My geared bike is only ever used for (non-pan flat) Audaxes. It is weird doing 4 weeks of 25km a day commuting on fixed, plus longer rides at the weekend, and then the first ride on a geared bike is a 200km Audax. The odd feelings go after about 2km (which usually coincides with the first steep hill and I wimp out by changing down to 30x29).

You'll get used to riding fixed in heavy traffic. I do Putney <-> Southbank every day and the most direct route takes me up the length of the Kings Road, through Victoria and round Parliament Square, although my usual route is to stay with the river and go up along Embankment/Grosvenor Rd/Millbank.

I was a little cagey at first but I soon got used to it. If anything I tend to take fewer risks on fixed than I would do on a geared bike. I'm more likely to slow down and sit in the traffic rather than trying to scoot up the inside/middle/outside to get to the front at lights.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

domtyler · June 2007

I have two geared bikes as well as my fixie and have no problem switching between the two types although I do still very occasionally forget to pedal on the fix. I only said your comment was bizarre because you say you regularly ride fixed and yet would be frightened to use it in heavy traffic.

My experience is that I can stop at least as fast, feels like faster on the fix and have much better control of where it is going, can react much faster to changing traffic conditions, can accelerate much faster, is simple to trackstand eliminating need to unclip/clip back in at lights, generally much safer and more enjoyable than on a geared bike. I just cannot see how anyone who has tried it would come out with that.

And of course lets look at the people who are cycling around London all day every day for their bread and butter, the couriers, what are they riding?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
Jailbroken

k-dog · June 2007

Glad I'm not the only one who's fed up of the fixed-Zen nonsense.

I'm left handed, if that matters.

oldwelshman · June 2007

Dom, first of all i never said I am frightened to ride it, I just said I was unsure.
Infact I would not as my tubs would get wrecked on the roads and as for your comment about being able to do track stands better in traffic? Oh yes that is a very safe technique to use!!
I do not try to impose my choices on others and fail to see why my view is bizzare just becuase I have different opinion to you?
The original post was by a newbie asking about fixed riding and asked where he could try it out, I did not see him asking to "sell" the concept of fixed riding and to ignore others views and call them bizzare.
Your choice is to ride fixed on road, bully for you, mine is to ride fixed on track, freewheel geared on road, my choice not yours and to claim that is bizzare shows your narrow mindedness.
Actually I might use the fixed for winter training on quiet roads!!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by domtyler

I have two geared bikes as well as my fixie and have no problem switching between the two types although I do still very occasionally forget to pedal on the fix. I only said your comment was bizarre because you say you regularly ride fixed and yet would be frightened to use it in heavy traffic.

My experience is that I can stop at least as fast, feels like faster on the fix and have much better control of where it is going, can react much faster to changing traffic conditions, can accelerate much faster, is simple to trackstand eliminating need to unclip/clip back in at lights, generally much safer and more enjoyable than on a geared bike. I just cannot see how anyone who has tried it would come out with that.

And of course lets look at the people who are cycling around London all day every day for their bread and butter, the couriers, what are they riding?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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Greenbank · June 2007

It was "bizarre" because you made it sound like more than just your opinion.

You made it sound like it was commonly accepted that riding fixed in heavy traffic was in some way bad.

He was asking which bike shops in Central London would let him have a go on a fixed bike and you told him to consider starting off with a training night on a track.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

oldwelshman · June 2007

Eh, is there a hidden message in my original post? [:D]
Single gear bike riding is ok but riding a fixed on a road these days with amount of traffic? Not sure, I will stick to using mine on a track.

Uhumm, above it said I am not sure and I will stick to track, no way suggesting it was bad?
Where did I say it was commenly accepted being bad? I was merely outlining my personal concern, and what does "more than my opinion" mean?
I appologise if some people inteprete my messages to mean some thing else.

You are right about me suggesting trying a track training night but is that such a bad suggestion?
I have seen many young children and total cycling novices having lessons on track open nights using hired fixed bikes. Surely this is a good idea and slightly better than trying a fixed on a public highway immediately? Also wont get a big bill if you come off [:D]

This is a forum where people ask for advice, and get advice, ok not always thge same advice, but I am sure that most people can make up their minds which advice to follow or not?

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

It was "bizarre" because you made it sound like more than just your opinion.

You made it sound like it was commonly accepted that riding fixed in heavy traffic was in some way bad.

He was asking which bike shops in Central London would let him have a go on a fixed bike and you told him to consider starting off with a training night on a track.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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domtyler · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldwelshman
Dom, first of all i never said I am frightened to ride it, I just said I was unsure.
Infact I would not as my tubs would get wrecked on the roads and as for your comment about being able to do track stands better in traffic? Oh yes that is a very safe technique to use!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

What is wrong with trackstands? They are part of the fun of riding fixed surely? If you start to lose your balance you can just ride out of it, I have never fallen, yet.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
I do not try to impose my choices on others and fail to see why my view is bizzare just becuase I have different opinion to you?
The original post was by a newbie asking about fixed riding and asked where he could try it out, I did not see him asking to "sell" the concept of fixed riding and to ignore others views and call them bizzare.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

And I am hardly going to be able to 'impose' my views on anyone either from where I am sitting. I only described your comments as bizarre because they were the exact opposite of my experience and that of most other people I have spoken to, once again this is just my opinion.

The OP made it clear that he was already an experienced cyclist and should have no problem adapting, in my view, in a day or two.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Your choice is to ride fixed on road, bully for you, mine is to ride fixed on track, freewheel geared on road, my choice not yours and to claim that is bizzare shows your narrow mindedness.
Actually I might use the fixed for winter training on quiet roads!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Unfortunately I have not had the chance to ride on a track as yet although do intend to at some point. I certainly take exception to be labelled as narrow minded though and don't see what I have said here to warrant that. On the contrary, for a person to imply that riding a fixed wheel bike in traffic is in some way dangerous or not suited while admitting to never having done it would, in my mind, have more reason to be labelled as narrow minded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
Ifa Forum

wilistew · June 2007

Thanks for all the comment guys. My apologies for starting up what appears to have become a bit of a set to, but I think I'm able to take good advice from both trains of thought. I'll have a ride in London traffic but I'll take it easy! I may even have a go on a track too.

Whomever suggested avoiding Condor was dead right. That baby blue Pista is sweet as a nut. I want one.

Thanks again.

oldwelshman · June 2007

Good luck willstew which ever bike you choose and where to ride it [:D]
As for causing the discussion, don't worry it is usual [:D]
Dom, sorry but once again you have misquoted me completey[:D]
I have never said it is dangerous, I merely said I was unsure if i would commute on one in London, please read my original quote.
You are also factually incorrect stating I am some one who has never ridden fixed in traffic, really? where did you get that from?
I regularly used to ride my fixed to track meetings in Maindy in Cardiff, even down Nantgarw hill which is almost 10% at one point and is almost a mile long, I even used to ride back up it after track meeting. I also used it regularly for winter training.

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domtyler · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by oldwelshman
Good luck willstew which ever bike you choose and where to ride it [:D]
As for causing the discussion, don't worry it is usual [:D]
Dom, sorry but once again you have misquoted me completey[:D]
I have never said it is dangerous, I merely said I was unsure if i would commute on one in London, please read my original quote.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Firstly if I can remind you of your original post:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Single gear bike riding is ok but riding a fixed on a road these days with amount of traffic? Not sure, I will stick to using mine on a track.
Maybe you could go to a track to try one out first as most tracks have training nights where you could try one out, normally without the brakes though
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Would you not agree that there is an implicit "Riding a fixie in traffic is dangerous" in there? You will note that I only said you 'implied' it was dangerous not that you explicitly said it was dangerous.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
You are also factually incorrect stating I am some one who has never ridden fixed in traffic, really? where did you get that from?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

From here:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
i never said I am frightened to ride it, I just said I was unsure.
Infact I would not as my tubs would get wrecked on the roads
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think the bottom line is that riding a fixie could potentially be dangerous if you sent a total novice to cycling into central London on one during a wet and windy monday morning rush hour. But take a competent cyclist, give him a shiny new fixie and send him off to practice for an hour in the park before tackling the ride home on the roads and there would be no problem at all. Two weeks later, he'd be flying, weaving his way through the gridlocked traffic with a big fat grin on his face. Every one should have one!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
Druidism Forums

overmars · June 2007

Hmmm. Before I transcend this mortal coil... I would like to purchase a fixie*. Preferably one not too expensive.
I'll give Brick Lane bikes a call tomorrow.

*To improve my pedal action dontchaknow![8D].

________________________
The obstacle is the path

Fixie introduction

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