New Fixie

[fossyant]

Get some flat miles in without lots of traffic lights.

 

[martint235]

[QUOTE 2692033, member: 1314"]If I can do 30 miles a day, fixed, in rush-hour London, a cyclist who's done LEL will have no probs. Give it a couple of rides and you won't look back. Heck, I even cycled fixed 150 miles to Birmingham from London a couple of months ago![/quote]
LEL is just about being stubborn and not recognising when your body has had enough. Fixie so far just seems suicidal anywhere near cars!!

 

[Boris Bajic]

The key to riding fixed is relaxed. Just do it and enjoy it.

Like sex then, but without the coal tongs, the mirror and the masking tape?

I'd never really seen it like that, but I think you might be right.

 

[wanda2010]

Coal tongs?

 

[wanda2010]

Walked past him at my place of work one day last year. I did wonder what all the fuss was about.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

SS is a good fixed commuter spoiled.

I don't bother much, if at all with leg braking, I find 100km/100mile rides in these parts more fun (less tiring) on fixed if I use two brakes (discs in my current case) normally.

I find in urban riding you do need to be a little more considered and yes to start with starting and stopping, and all that faffin' to get your pedals in the right place takes some getting used to (you know the 'front brake on, stand on one foot, other on the pedal, and just pedal, back wheel lifts up and pedals turn, trick yes?) until you master the art of stopping with the pedals how you want them.

Stick at it, it's worth it. It's just a much more engaging ride, allowing me to zen out a lot more on a bike.

 

[edindave]

It's not the stopping bit of stopping, it's the inability to coast. Just couldn't get it. I might give it another go in a bit but for now I think I'm best on a freewheel. I am enjoying the single speed aspect of it though.

You can coast, it just so happens that your pedals will be going round at the time... just relax your legs!

 

[martint235]

You can coast, it just so happens that your pedals will be going round at the time... just relax your legs!

That's the difficulty I just keep bumping along with the bike almost flipping me over.

In fact, I'm going to christen the bike Flippy.

 

[martint235]

You are aiming for a sweetspot where you are pedaling effortlessly at the pace of the machine.

I get that when I'm accelerating just not at any other time

 

[GrumpyGregry]

but you don't actually relax your legs, ever, you just modulate the degree of muscle engagement. really experienced fixed riders wont even notice they are doing this but the muscles are engaged nonetheless. so coasting is a case of gently gently driving your legs round.

 

[Boris Bajic]

but you don't actually relax your legs, ever, you just modulate the degree of muscle engagement. really experienced fixed riders wont even notice they are doing this but the muscles are engaged nonetheless. so coasting is a case of gently gently driving your legs round.

But I think Adrian has a point about some sort of 'sweet spot', a cadence at which everything just seems smooth, quiet and fuss-free.

In the rolling hills of the Three Counties, my fixie is 'happiest' at about 95rpm, which is about 19mph most of the time (I change sprockets on a whim).

As to 'coasting' I do think one can 'coast' on a descent by just letting the legs go flibberly-mibberly.

And descending at speed (165-175rpm) is completely impossible for me if I push even a tiny, weeny bit. At those speeds on a big descent, if I push at all it hold my speed down. the only way I can get up to 35mph on a big descent is by 'letting go' of my legs and letting the pedals move my feet. Other fixed riders of a respectable age will recognise this infirmity.

 

[fossyant]

What this is actually telling me is that your current pedalling style is inefficient, and the fixed is showing that up. One thing it will do is to improve your technique, which in turn will be more efficient on a geared bike.

Seems like you aren't pedalling in 360 degrees, and that you may be applying power on the down stroke, with your trailing leg causing resistance by you not controlling the upstroke/return of the that leg.

I personally never had that issue on fixed, but in have cycled at club level for 26 years, and was taught to pedal smoothly. Worth sticking with though, just like everyone has said. It will make a massive difference to your technique.

 

[martint235]

What this is actually telling me is that your current pedalling style is inefficient, and the fixed is showing that up. One thing it will do is to improve your technique, which in turn will be more efficient on a geared bike.

Seems like you aren't pedalling in 360 degrees, and that you may be applying power on the down stroke, with your trailing leg causing resistance by you not controlling the upstroke/return of the that leg.

I personally never had that issue on fixed, but in have cycled at club level for 26 years, and was taught to pedal smoothly. Worth sticking with though, just like everyone has said. It will make a massive difference to your technique.

Yep I'm convinced you're right. I'm going out on it again today. The danger is starting to think about what each leg is doing which I think will just make matters worse. Anyway we shall see. I'm hoping to be able to leave it fixed for tomorrow's commute but I'll need to be a lot more comfortable and confident than I was yesterday!

 

[fossyant]

Just get some steady miles in, and don't over think it.

My initial problem was the RPM on descents. Got round it after a couple of weeks. In this case I found that locking my ankles out helped the high cadence. Trying to pedal at 150 rpm doesn't work.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Just get some steady miles in, and don't over think it.

My initial problem was the RPM on descents. Got round it after a couple of weeks. In this case I found that locking my ankles out helped the high cadence. Trying to pedal at 150 rpm doesn't work.

That is it exactly!

Lock the ankles and just let the legs spin on adescent. It does quickly become natural.