1st Fixie

mgcycleguy

Had myself a first ride on a fixie today... (got myself a Charge Plug Racer)

... and well it certainly is "interesting" to say the least !... a couple of questions for you experienced fixie riders.... 1. How the HELL do you start !! and 2. How the HELL do you STOP....

... what a bloody insane idea fixed wheel bikes are... you are all crazy !!!!

(ps... bike looks lovely though, if i cant get the hang of this fixie business.. might just hang it on my office wall) 8)

turkeytickler

what difficulty are you having starting and stopping?

biondino

You stop with the brakes, and you start by pushing the pedals round. You can stand up if it's a bit tough. There's not a lot else to say! Other than DON'T STOP PEDALLING.

For what it's worth, "what a bloody insane idea fixed wheel bikes are... you are all crazy" was exactly my reaction after my first ride. Now I'm really pleased I've got one, though I am convinced as ever that they're for fashion victims with more money than sense

turkeytickler

biondino wrote:

Now I'm really pleased I've got one, though I am convinced as ever that they're for fashion victims with more money than sense

why do you say that?

mgcycleguy

... well the problem is ... i have an overwhelming urge to stop pedalling when I'm coming to a stop !!!!!...

... I have to say I only did maybe 20-30mins today, really just getting the bike set up... but it is entertaining I have to say... I actually think its a bit like learning to ride a bike again... you have to unlearn all those things you take for granted... very bizare... but it is entertaining

toshmund

Just remember. Don't stop pedalling and stand up for "sleeping policemen" - damned nearly broke my legs, but cheered the car up behind me I think.

If you are an adult, who cares what other people think if you are not harming them? You leave peer group pressure behind, when you step out of the playground. If they want to be like that...would you really want to know them anyway?

Go the full hog and buy a North Face Messenger Bag, they are ACE!

http://www.nevisport.com/storedetail-4- ... _id-833003

Mithras

Waiting for mine to arrive. Have a Kona Paddy Wagon en-route.....in the words of a friends husband....(Who is a fairly decent TT rider) "Fixed is well 'ard"

robbarker

Starting is all about having your pedals in the right position, with the pedal for your favourite "starting" foot at10 o clock. You get into the routine..

Stopping is easy using the brake(s), but to do it stylishly, unclip your left foot, keep your right foot clipped in, allow the rotation to lift you up out of the saddle, then at just beyond the highest point, unclip, jump off behind the bike and grab the saddle with your right hand.and walk off in one fluid and graceful motion.

Best to practice on flat grass first ;-)

mgcycleguy

... can you still get handle bar bottle cages ?... my bike doesnt have any frame mounts

mgcycleguy

mgcycleguy wrote:

... can you still get handle bar bottle cages ?... my bike doesnt have any frame mounts

... I've ordered a saddle mount one

mattsccm

Derby based?
Get yourself out to the long flat Peak based railway line cycle ways and practice off the road. . What pedals are you using? this can make a difference.

mgcycleguy

mattsccm wrote:

Derby based?
Get yourself out to the long flat Peak based railway line cycle ways and practice off the road. . What pedals are you using? this can make a difference.

... you mean the Tissington Trail, High Peak Trail ?... good idea, though I tend to steer clear of the trails during the summer weekends... great run out mind in the middle of winter Ashbourne to Buxton.

... well yesterday I did a 50km ride, and think I've started to get my brain rewired ! ... did it with standard flat pedals (Wellgo LU-962 which came with the bike) and to be honest as soon as i got back I've dug out some old SPD touring pedals I had in the garage (Shimano A520's) and put those on ... so I'll be trying those out today... I found my foot was moving all over the place and I had to remember not to pull up with the Wellgo's, so hopefully I'll feel more connected with the SPD's

ince

The SPD will help

I just finished building my fixed and agree the whole start stop takes some getting used to. I have found I start slowing down long before I would normally. I am also giving my self more space in start stop traffic as I want to keep moving to avoid unclipping.

I always thought I kept the pedals going around all the time, first ride on the fixed showed me how wrong I was.

So far I haven't seen any other fixed in the Chester area I ride in, I am I still a fashion victim or (if I see another in the future) a trend setter? :shock:

mgcycleguy

ince wrote:

...So far I haven't seen any other fixed in the Chester area I ride in, I am I still a fashion victim or (if I see another in the future) a trend setter? :shock:

... I'm looking forward to looking down on the club roadie chain gangs as they pass... "lightweights" ...

toshmund

mgcycleguy wrote:

mattsccm wrote:

Derby based?
Get yourself out to the long flat Peak based railway line cycle ways and practice off the road. . What pedals are you using? this can make a difference.

... you mean the Tissington Trail, High Peak Trail ?... good idea, though I tend to steer clear of the trails during the summer weekends... great run out mind in the middle of winter Ashbourne to Buxton.

You have a cycle route coming out of Mickleover up towards the water tower near Radbourne Lane, which is nearer to home for you mate. Tissington/High Peak - just gets a bit too manic really. You could use the cycle trail in our local park - can do a good slalom as well then, using the dog deposits...for want of a better word.

mgcycleguy

...well it was nice to get clipped in again, makes such a huge difference, could do some proper climbing out of the saddle (though with the bars that the Plug racer has... you have to climb "Pantani" style on the drops.... !)... did 30miles today, and it was good, still need to practice stopping with my clipped foot at the bottom of the crank travel if you follow me... but really enjoyed the ride... managed 26mph (on a 42x16), before I started to bounce a little, I can certainly see how it improves smooth cadence riding..... !

ince

Nice going, 26mph is as fast as I have managed so far but i'm running a 46x16. I couldn't get my little legs to go any quicker. :shock: Hope this is somthing that will improve in time.

mgcycleguy

..it was on a long very slight undulating road, with a very good surface, and maybe 6 or 7mph tail wind... I've always ridden geared with a high cadence (to protect my knee)... so really all I was doing was concentrating on being fluid, keeping everything relaxed, just gradually increasing the cadence, and pulling up as well as pushing down helps I think...

bigflangesmallsprocket

You can get bottle holders with built in fasteners, a bit like zipties, with integral screws. Relatively discreet and a lot less messy looking than those jubilee clip type thingies!

Something that riding fixed taught me was to move my legs in circles and not to just rest em on the upstroke (something I never even realised I was doing)..you can actually feel the difference. You soon learn to not stop pedaling, even when taking it easy.

[/quote]So far I haven't seen any other fixed in the Chester area I ride in, I am I still a fashion victim or (if I see another in the future) a trend setter? Shocked

Same round here. I think the lads at the lbs thought I was a bit strange riding fixed (singlespeed free now...wimp ), but it's starting to pick up round here, and you do see the odd one, and they even stock them in the shop now...shock!

antfly

Most of the fashion victims are in London.I`ve never seen anyone on one outside London.

bigflangesmallsprocket

I wouldn't class myself as a provincial messenger wannabie.

I used to ride fixed 20+ years ago, though I never could afford my fantasy bike. After being off the road for a loooooong time (except for riding a cheap but comfy MuddyFox for work), my very first consideration was fixed, for simplicity..and cos I like it.

I wasn't even aware there WAS a fixie scene till I started mooching round the net to convert my old road-bike. When I were a lad...by gum..the fixie had specific uses: as a training tool, simple commuter; and purists TT bike, and even then they were going out of use except for die-hard fans

The trouble is that if you're a bit alternative, and like bikes, its so easy to get the fakenger tag, just because of crossover tastes. Most of my cycling days I was a skinhead, and before that a mod, and I used to wear my cycling tops (the knitted ones, not the lycra, I hasten to add :oops: ) as retro smart-casual sportwear out on the town, that was over 20 years ago.

So now, if I'm seen wearing my retro casual moddish (well, I think it is anyway..cough)Tudorsport track-top (with the zip that broke after a just a couple of months...humph) and jeans and riding my steel fix/ss, it'd be quite easy to take one look and dismiss me as some wannabee, though I'm following what I've always done for myself. I reckon that's what happened last summer when I nipped into town on the bike....it was mucho heatwave, so rather than get a sweat-on I slipped a plainish cycling top on, and as I don't own casual shorts, i just rolled the legs up on some old slightly baggy cambatty type trousers...and went about my business. My bike does get an appreciative glance once in a while, but this time I was LAUGHED AT BY A BUNCH OF KIDS!. One can only assume that being kids, they're up on fads, and possibly aware of the fixie-messenger thing..and thought I was some wrinkly attempting ubercool messenger fashion...such is life!

toshmund

I would not be too perturbed about it Bigflangesmallsprocket, the kids today seem to be re-hashing everything we had in the 70/80's anyway. T in the Park and Glastonbury with The Specials, and Madness. Terry Hall did not have much on Katy Perry though, got to be said!

I have a Bowery, so have scorn thrown at me from all sides...

Just wait until the old Jam shoes (were they Melandri or something like that from Carnaby St?) come back in, you will be well away! I am still trying to lead the way by wearing white socks...

shakey88

... managed 26mph (on a 42x16), before I started to bounce a little, I can certainly see how it improves smooth cadence riding..... ![/quote]

I got a pimped up langster with a 42/16 freewheel and a 14 cog on the fixed side.
I had major probs with bounce at high speed(painfully so!)
I found lowering the saddle by half an inch cured this straight away and can now peddle away at insane speeds(30+) without my @rse doing a tango on the selle
Give it a try,mate and see how you go.Happy days.

Always in the right gear

bigflangesmallsprocket

Tohs, I wouldn't be surprised if you can still get those shoes, there's a couple of London shops that seem to specialise in 'classic' mod gear. Never wore them myself, those sturdy brogues are more my thing, though I do recall being daft enough to buy a pair of boxing boots.....muppet that I was :oops:

I did the same thing Shakey, banging your bits on a long descent is NOT fun! And it does teach you to pedal in circles instead of just pumping yer feet up and down.

valmorel

First road a fixie 50 years ago because the dreadful Benelux gears on my Viking just would not work properly for more than about 10 mins at a time, and I did not have the cash for Campag. Discovered a world of pleasure.
These days I ride single-speed free rather than fixed for safety reasons, but the pleasure of keeping it simple remains.
And of course, the quiet of the bike. When riding any single speed, fixed or free, you have to be much more attuned to what your body is telling you, which I find really absorbing.........................

Mithras

Had My first "FIX" today, courtesy of my new C2W Kona Paddy Wagon, after the 5th time of nearly ending up going over the bars my body settled into a rythm. Lovely ride.....

Now I want a Viking Frame to do up for next summer so I can have a Posh fixxie too.