First fixie ride - what a wigout!

[swee'pea99]

Took it up the hill - they said to give it some grunt to get the sprocket nice 'n tight - so far so good...picking up speed on the way down, brain thinks 'Ooh-er...going a bit fast, better slow down a bit', legs go to freewheel mode, bike doesn't. Legs go, 'I want to stop'; bike goes 'I am master now'; legs keep spinning; brain goes 'aaargh, I crash now!' I didn't, but more luck than judgment involved. It was just like being Wallace in 'The Wrong Trousers', and dead weird. This is going to take a bit of getting used to...

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Sorry to laugh, but it does sound rather funny. I've only ever been on a fixie once, and only once tried to freewheel... strangely enough it's not something you try again in a hurry after the first attempt!

 

[fossyant]

Oh yeh...been there too..brakes.....and I thought I could spin..NOT.... First week commuting on one..from tomorrow.....

 

[Joe]

I did it my first time too and I wasn't clipped in, brown trousers moment for sure!

 

[Hugo15]

I'm new to fixed this year. Probably took me a good couple of weeks before I managed to commute both ways without trying to freewheel. Since then I haven't had any issues. I do get the odd moment though when on the geared bike and I go to freewheel and my brain screams NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

 

[dan_bo]

yep. and then when you go back to gears you feel like you're pedalling a dundee cake.

 

[dudi]

When you ride with gears after a long time riding fixed, you forget which bike you're riding after a while and then freewheel - your brain shoots itself, out of your ears, your thighs and arse tense so much it hurst and your arms brace themselves for a crash as you assume that as there is no momentum in the pedals, the chain must have come off and is in the process of eaing your rear wheel!

I did that... it scared me... then i realised which bike I was on...

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I ride fixed for commuting and gears on the Sunday runs. I always have to think about what I am doing on Monday morning after using gears on Sunday and on Sunday I have to make an effort to remember I can freewheel down hill I don't have to pedal.

 

[Globalti]

Is riding a fixie the cycling equivalent of driving a 3-wheeled car or something?

 

[yello]

strangely enough it's not something you try again in a hurry after the first attempt!

You'd be surprised. I've had a fixie for 3 years now and still have the odd moment where I forget! I've just learned not to crap myself about it!

they said to give it some grunt to get the sprocket nice 'n tight

One might say that's not very sage advice to give to a first time fixed rider. Take it easy for a bit might have been more appropriate.

Enjoy your riding swee'pee... and take it easy for a bit!

 

[fossyant]

Take it easy for a bit might have been more appropriate.

That's exactly what my LBS said.....

 

[swee'pea99]

One might say that's not very sage advice to give to a first time fixed rider. Take it easy for a bit might have been more appropriate.

Enjoy your riding swee'pee... and take it easy for a bit!

Thanks all - nice to know it's not just me being a numpty. I shall take your advice and stick to pootling around on the flat for a bit till I start to get a feel for it.