Best way to avoid death?

[Rhys_Po]

Well, not quite but .....

****Clueless newbie alert ******

Right - my story. 45 year old in decent enough nick to still turn out and play rugby every now and then (albeit with wrecked knees, which is par for the course as far as 30 years of rugby* is concerned).

I've been commuting on a hybrid for over a year (14 miles each way Teddington -> Mayfair, only a couple of short climbs through Richmond Park) - started to get bored and wanted something that'll give me a decent workout and be a little more 'fun', so ... got a great deal on a 2nd hand Pearson Touche with the intention of going fixed.

Took it out on fixed for the first time this week and it just felt really weird (right from 'how the hell do you get your feet in the toestraps while it's moving'?). It's become fairly apparent that I'm going to need a fair bit of re-education before taking on London traffic. I probably looked to the casual observer like a much larger version of a four-year-old the first time he realises that dad's let go of the saddle. I must also admit that the concept of kerb strike on fixed in heavy traffic means that nappies are probably not out of the question either.

What's the general consensus on here ... am I better off starting on freewheel to get used to the 'no gears' concept and then make the move to fixed, or bite the bullet ... spend a few weeks on fixed and faceplant a few times on quiet roads?

*NB - Although I have played rugby for a while, I am still clinically allergic to broken limbs.

 

[dan_bo]

Nah you'll be reet. Honestly.

 

[ChrisKH]

Contentious point, but if you have dodgy knees from playing rugby as I do, I wouldn't go near a fixed wheel. Too much grinding (regardless of what fixators on here say about it being no more damaging, or even less damaging than a geared bike) and pressure on knees surely. My knee surgeon said spin or be on a long waiting list for knee replacements at 60/65 when last consulted.

 

[4F]

As a 43 year old who has recently converted to fixed just bite the bullet and before you know it you will wonder what the problem was. I would however suggest starting on some quite roads and be aware that there will be a time in the first few days where you will forget and try and freewheel. I found that I only had to learn this lesson twice.

Also I would add that the first few weeks of going down hills are interesting however you soon get the hang of them

 

[Amanda P]

Why did you choose fixed?

It may be heresy to say it here, but I would not choose a fixie to ride in heavy traffic, for the reasons you allude to. Single speed maybe.

Fixies are great, but not the tool of choice for busy roads. I gather they have become fashionable in That London recently, but this seems to me a triumph of style over function...

 

[Rhys_Po]

I went flip-flop to give me the option.

It seems a trade-off between a better workout, increased leg-strength, smoother action, more fun etc etc and 'more likely injury'.

Looks like I'm currently leaning towards freewheel.

 

[4F]

Looks like I'm currently leaning towards freewheel.

But thats like the worst of 2 evils, you loose any benefit of forward momentum that you get by riding fixed.

 

[colinr]

It's not a crime to use brakes on a fixie either I always ride on the hoods in traffic so I can use both brakes with a bit of help from the legs, not the other way round.

 

[Tharg2007]

Took it out on fixed for the first time this week and it just felt really weird (right from 'how the hell do you get your feet in the toestraps while it's moving'?).

1, clip in as you're moving off
2, do not take foot out while moving
3, take foot out when you stop

 

[MajorMantra]

Fixies are great, but not the tool of choice for busy roads. I gather they have become fashionable in That London recently, but this seems to me a triumph of style over function...

There are plenty of people in it solely for the fashion but I don't think fixed in traffic is remotely unsafe. Personally I feel slightly more in control when filtering or slipping between gaps at low speed because of the direct connection of the fixed gear. I would never advocate riding fixed on the road without at least one brake though.

I'm not a fixed gear evangelist (hey, I just bought an expensive geared road bike) but there's a lot hooey that's comes from both critics and proponents of fixed gears. They are just another way to get around that have their own advantages and disadvantages. Some people get on well with them and prefer them for some kinds of riding. In my (humble) opinion they are neither a panacea nor a silly fad, but something in between that can be a hell of a lot of fun.

Matthew

 

[colinr]

1, clip in as you're moving off
2, do not take foot out while moving
3, take foot out when you stop

Or, as this morning went (I blame this all on wearing the wrong trainers)

1. Fail to flip pedal, miss toe clip. It's ok, I'll get it next time
2. Here we go... bugger, missed again. Next time.
3. Nope, going too fast now. I'll just use the other side of the pedal then. Good job these plastic clips are too flexible for hard pedal strikes.

...

4. It's ok, I can trackstand a bit, these lights will change any moment
5. Actually, I'm not really any good at this, and the lights are still red.
6. Extract foot at least minute while falling over sideways. Only looked slightly stupid.

Anyway, my SPDs arrived today so I can go through learning to start/stop all over again.

 

[4F]

Or, as this morning went (I blame this all on wearing the wrong trainers)

1. Fail to flip pedal, miss toe clip. It's ok, I'll get it next time
2. Here we go... bugger, missed again. Next time.
3. Nope, going too fast now. I'll just use the other side of the pedal then. Good job these plastic clips are too flexible for hard pedal strikes.

...

4. It's ok, I can trackstand a bit, these lights will change any moment
5. Actually, I'm not really any good at this, and the lights are still red.
6. Extract foot at least minute while falling over sideways. Only looked slightly stupid.

Anyway, my SPDs arrived today so I can go through learning to start/stop all over again.

Much easier with double sided spds. Which pedals did you get in the end, the m520's ?

 

[colinr]

Much easier with double sided spds. Which pedals did you get in the end, the m520's?

Yep. I'm itching to fit them tonight, but I think it could make tomorrows commute a bit too "interesting".

 

[Amanda P]

There are plenty of people in it solely for the fashion but I don't think fixed in traffic is remotely unsafe.

Who said it was unsafe? I merely suggested that for reasons of pedal strike, difficulty for a newcomer to fixed riding clipping in, starting and stopping, and so forth, one might prefer to use a freewheel in heavy traffic. Fashion might be one of the reasons people don't. You may have other reasons: good for you.

A single-speed may seem like the worst of both worlds, but if you don't actually need gears (perhaps because you live and work somewhere flat), then ong a single you're not carting them about and your bike is that bit simpler, less cluttered, and needs less maintenance without them.

If you go for a flip-flop hub, you can ride single-speed to work when you're mixing it with the traffic, and flip it to fixed for your weekend runs on the open road.

I use a fixie on my ride to work, but I only have to stop once on the whole trip (and there are no kerbs). If I were riding into town I'd usually choose something with a freewheel; the original poster may choose to do the same.

 

[Amanda P]

Oh. And none of us can avoid death for ever, whatever type of transmission we choose.