What happened when I tried out fixed

wgwarburton

ddraver wrote:

I should add that if you ride fixed you are making a decision to ride everywhere much slower simply because you can't use the optimum gear ratio for the road/gradient/wind etc...

I would further add that actually the point of fixie riding is that you ride a lot slower and chill out a bit. It turns cycling back into a way of getting around rather than a race, much like Dutch Bike does

Hi,
I'm faster on my fixed than on my geared tourer or my geared folder. I don't have a CF race bike, so can't compare to one of those...
I also live in Scotland (albeit in the relatively flat bit in the middle) and my commute combines a rural stretch at one end with an urban stretch in Edinburgh- neither of these is flat. Just need to MTFU.

So, to summarise, I disagree... :-)

Cheers,
W.

ddraver

Fair enough, I suppose I have set mine up so it's a bit more relaxed/hipster...

EKE_38BPM

ddraver wrote:

Fair enough, I suppose I have set mine up so it's a bit more relaxed/hipster...

Did you ride your geared bike in one gear for a while to see what gear while to see what gear works for you and the terrain you ride? A gear that works for me might be torture for you.
Even if you have done that, that only gives you an idea of what will work for you when riding fixed as even pedalling when going downhill, the freewheel will affect you. The incessant drive from the lack of freewheel really drives you on that can't be replicated on a bike with a freewheel.
That incessant drive also helps a fixie rider power up hills and also can't be replicated.

Sort your gearing out and try again.

ddraver

No I like it my way thanks...

mroli

Over 60 miles (London to Brighton), riding a road bike at night and a fixed during the day - the road bike was 5 min faster than my fixed gear - see here: http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/

secretsam

I've never ridden fixed or single speed

But then I've never tried driving a horse and cart or wished I'd taken a steam train instead of a modern diesel or electric locomotive. And nor have I wished to.

cookeeemonster

SecretSam wrote:

I've never ridden fixed or single speed

But then I've never tried driving a horse and cart or wished I'd taken a steam train instead of a modern diesel or electric locomotive. And nor have I wished to.

Come on, was there any need? Will you ever get that time back?

EKE_38BPM

SecretSam wrote:

I've never ridden fixed or single speed...

I bet you have. Your very first ride was unlikely to be a geared bike.

ddraver

In spite of my words upthread, I ve have to say that some of the most fun I ve had on my fixie has been the last few nights when I get to ride down through Richmond Park and over Kingston Hill after finishing my bar shift when it's just me and the deer in the park and the odd taxi on the roads...just chilling out and getting all Zen and that...

(going UP the hill the other way is a little less fun I have to confess )