How long to get used to riding a fixed/SS?

[ChrisEyles]

I was planning on keeping the stem, it's just an inch or so high at the moment and I can't lower it! The expanding cone/wedge nut thingy is out, but I guess the aluminium stem has corroded solidly into the steel frame. A quick google suggests this may not be fixable without destroying and removing the stem, in which case I'll probably just live with the bars being a bit high.

 

[ChrisEyles]

What do people reckon to using toe straps/clips with a fixed gear? I use these on all my other bikes (well, the old roadsters have clonking great big flats) and would rather stick with these than getting clip-in shoes and pedals if possible.

 

[Old Plodder]

I used to use clips & straps with fixed, for the very reason that that is what I was used to riding in.
You have to start off slowly & get both feet in, else you won't be able to, or at least I couldn't.
Edit: I used them slightly loose/did not pull them up tight.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Whilst you can get used to general fixed riding in a few weeks, I reckon it took me the best part of a year to get 'comfortable' riding fast down hills. At first I couldn't manage much more than 25mph (72" gear/116rpm) but these days I'm happy up to about 170rpm and can manage 180 if the road's smooth and straight'ish.

 

[DaveS]

To answer the original question, it is all about mindset. On a geared bike we concentrate on making the most efficient use of the kit, on a single we concentrate on making the most efficient use of our bodies. Of you can make that mental switch, then only a matter of hours. If you can't, then, never.

 

[HLaB]

SS took 0 days to get used to but I stayed SS to long believing the myth that fixed was tricky. It wasn't that bad when I finally flipped the hub to fixed; couldn't say the exact time when things got smooth and natural but it didn't take long to feel ok, probably one or two rides.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Doesn`t take long at all and I rode for 5 yrs on fixed before purchasing geared road bikes. In that time I changed and altered my gearing as my original 42 x 16 was to spinney . If you want to improve your leg speed and strength IMO its great.

 

[ttcycle]

It took me about a week and a half as had problems clipping into single sided cleats so swapped those for double sided ones. Once that was sorted it was a lot easier. Setting my pedals at traffic lights took a few goes to get right but the actual continual pedalling on fixed was fine and is one of the things I love about cycling fixed.