Fixed - Just lovely...
debeli
Posts: 583
A few days ago (with the prospect of better weather) I spent a few moments fettling the four or five moving parts on my ancient fixed-gear bicycle.
The chain is lubed (then wiped) and tight (but not too tight) and the bearings are all happy and quiet and clunk-free and the brakes work (in a good way) and the wheels are true and fully spoked and the tyres are full of hard air. Hurrah!
Then I went for a ride on it and it really was a joyful time. I don't have that whole 'Zen' fascination with fixed-gear bicycles and I have various aged mounts with silly numbers of gears... But fixed-gear really is a joy.
Just that feeling when you start to slow for a junction and ease off the pedals and your rear foot is lifted gently back to the top. Lovely, just lovely.
It is an old steel (531) clunker with dull and non-posh components and hacksawed bullhorns, but it's not too heavy and it whips round the bends and makes hardly a sound. Mmmmmmmmm....
I use the fixed-gear bike rarely, but when I sit on it after a break it just makes me happy.
As you were.
The chain is lubed (then wiped) and tight (but not too tight) and the bearings are all happy and quiet and clunk-free and the brakes work (in a good way) and the wheels are true and fully spoked and the tyres are full of hard air. Hurrah!
Then I went for a ride on it and it really was a joyful time. I don't have that whole 'Zen' fascination with fixed-gear bicycles and I have various aged mounts with silly numbers of gears... But fixed-gear really is a joy.
Just that feeling when you start to slow for a junction and ease off the pedals and your rear foot is lifted gently back to the top. Lovely, just lovely.
It is an old steel (531) clunker with dull and non-posh components and hacksawed bullhorns, but it's not too heavy and it whips round the bends and makes hardly a sound. Mmmmmmmmm....
I use the fixed-gear bike rarely, but when I sit on it after a break it just makes me happy.
As you were.
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Comments
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'Fixed-gear' isn't really a thing. Do you mean fixed-wheel..?0
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As you were.I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0
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Photograph?0
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The buttery smoothness can be quite enjoyable.
Also had a couple of parents point me out to their kids whilst I've been track-standing at lights. Feel like a role model.0 -
I upgraded my fixed-gear :twisted: bike back in October. Not ridden a derailleur bike since then - done 3200km on the new fixed and have no real appetite to ride any of the geared bikes any time soon. I'm liking the challenge - for the first time in a number of years, riding 200km seems like a really, really long way. Loving it, and it's hopefully making me fitter.0
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Good man. I need to get back on my fix again.
More riding = more enjoyment. Result!0 -
Love my fixie, though admit to using a single speed for the longer rides0
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Been out on my fixed a lot recently whilst roadbike is in for repairs. Barring any really steep hills (I'm running 46x14) it's pretty good fun! Went a 100k last weekend and really enjoyed it.0
