Hmm, do I want a fixed?!

[Bollo]

Fixies are way cooool......

 

[Tynan]

so what's the saving?

single cog, no freewheel, no shifters, three cables and the back brake?

doesn't havng to push harder on hills give you big legs?

have to say I was impressed by the types on fixed getting up Ditchling on Sat

I do like going quick though and invariably pass people on fixed on the commute

 

[theboytaylor]

Plus, commuting on a fixed means that you are obliged to flout all road laws (unless you want to stop at the lights to show off your track stands) and you have to roll up the right leg of your jeans. Are you up to the challenge or will you end up posting endless vids of yourself running reds, etc?

 

[MajorMantra]

Fixies are way cooool......

Hipsters. They need foot retention.

so what's the saving?

single cog, no freewheel, no shifters, three cables and the back brake?

doesn't havng to push harder on hills give you big legs?

have to say I was impressed by the types on fixed getting up Ditchling on Sat

I do like going quick though and invariably pass people on fixed on the commute

I invariably pass people with gears when I'm on the fixed, but that doesn't really mean anything. Maybe I'm just in more of a hurry.

Matthew

 

[HLaB]

MajorMantra, how do you find the fixed for the ups and downs of Edinburgh? I considered a fixie a few times but decided I like my hills too much.

 

[MajorMantra]

MajorMantra, how do you find the fixed for the ups and downs of Edinburgh? I considered a fixie a few times but decided I like my hills too much.

It's fine. I'm running a 48/18 gear (70") and there aren't any hills in the city that I can't get up, at least not that I've tried. I do think it's made me a much stronger rider.

I sometimes do a lap of Holyrood park which is a nice challenge. By the time I get to the top I'm usually in a world of pain doing about 7-8mph but it's enormously satisfying. On the way down I've done over 38mph which works out to over 180rpm - quite a strange feeling.

Overall I can definitely recommend it. I like the precise speed control you get riding fixed in traffic and as I do a lot of short journeys I'm glad of the extra workout.

Matthew

 

[Woz!]

forgot to say, I have a bad knee. Three ops. Cycling is usually ok but running and hill walking is a no no. Does that mean fixed is a bad idea?

I was advised not to get a fixed because "it f**ks your knees up".
A few sites on the net seem to agree with that advice so I'd approach with caution! I have wonky knees myself.

Having thought about it for a while I've realised I really like freewheeling, so fixed really isn't for me (apart from on my unicycle, when it's essential!).

 

[benborp]

I've heard other people extol the virtues of fixed and its benefit to knees.

I think there is probably a lot spouted on either side of the fixed/knee issue that is as informed as in any other internet debate.

The only differences to geared riding that I can see in regard to knees are that on fixed you can choose to leg brake and that you might find yourself over-geared for hills and starts.

On the other hand the development of 'souplesse' from riding fixed might help maintain greater control over the knee joint and knock corners off your pedaling style leading to less stress on the knee.

 

[MajorMantra]

I've heard other people extol the virtues of fixed and its benefit to knees.

I think there is probably a lot spouted on either side of the fixed/knee issue that is as informed as in any other internet debate.

The only differences to geared riding that I can see in regard to knees are that on fixed you can choose to leg brake and that you might find yourself over-geared for hills and starts.

On the other hand the development of 'souplesse' from riding fixed might help maintain greater control over the knee joint and knock corners off your pedaling style leading to less stress on the knee.

Indeed, I think it depends a lot on the rider. If you leg-brake incautiously you can wrench your knee a bit so if yours were a bit dodgy to begin with I'd recommend using the brake only. I know that I have on at least one occasion pulled up too hard and caused pain, because I wasn't being careful. I think it was exacerbated as at the time I was using toe-clips which can cause you to jerk against the pedals as you take up any slack.

I'm not actually all that convinced that riding fixed helps with pedalling in circles as some claim. It can certainly get you used to higher cadences as I mentioned above, but you can still get away with only pushing down and forwards with your feet, letting the pedals pull them round the rest of the stroke. If you start consciously pedalling in full circles the difference is very noticeable.

Matthew

 

[bonj2]

I'm not actually all that convinced that riding fixed helps with pedalling in circles as some claim. It can certainly get you used to higher cadences as I mentioned above

I've heard a claim that it helps with pedalling in circles,but only while you're riding fixed - and that when you go back to geared, you're worse, because you can't use the inertia that you've become accustomed to.
I don't personally buy that myself but it's one point of view.
I find I'm more used to higher cadences, but that's not a huge advantage - one of the bigger advantages is being used to low candences - you get used to pushing more torque sitting down and when back on the geared bike you're more comfortable with changing gear a lot less. I find it feels more natural to go up slight hills and on the flat in the big ring on the geared bike now that i wouldn't have done beforei ever got on a fixie.

but you can still get away with only pushing down and forwards with your feet, letting the pedals pull them round the rest of the stroke. If you start consciously pedalling in full circles the difference is very noticeable.

Matthew

you also get used to pushing down with a different part of your leg, i.e. the hamstring aswell as just the quads.

 

[Woz!]

you get used to pushing more torque sitting down and when back on the geared bike you're more comfortable with changing gear a lot less. I find it feels more natural to go up slight hills and on the flat in the big ring on the geared bike now that i wouldn't have done beforei ever got on a fixie.

This could be the issue with knees!
When I was seeing a specialist about my knees he actually advised me to cycle more to build up the muscles around the knee joint, but he said I should do it in lower gears so as not to strain the joint.
For me pushing big rings is a bad thing. This may well not be true of everyone, but I would advise getting it checked out if there's a history of knee trouble.

 

[Joe24]

Fixed just help you to spin your legs faster. The fact that the pedals are pushing your legs around makes you just spin faster.
On a geared bike im shoot at spinning a gear, and am often slower on a geared bike then what i am on my fixed.
You shouldnt have a problem with your knees if you start off with the right gear. People who ride a huge gear at first i think are silly, but thats just my opinion.
I would post a vid of me trackstanding, but you would all just get bored as i am just there trackstanding for ages and dont fall over
I dont run red lights either, and i wear lycra so im no hipster

 

[Plax]

Oh I don't know, haven't you inflicted us with enough heavy breathing on your vids already without adding to it with a fixie?

PS "Think Wife"

 

[magnatom]

Oh I don't know, haven't you inflicted us with enough heavy breathing on your vids already without adding to it with a fixie?

PS "Think Wife"

Oi!

Actually I've already mentioned it to the wife and I got

A good response in my opinion!

 

[John the Monkey]

Oh I don't know, haven't you inflicted us with enough heavy breathing on your vids already without adding to it with a fixie?

Think of the wikkid trix a hipster magnatom could get up to though.

Take yourself over to BikeSnobNYC, magnatom, and start figuring out your fixster persona....