Originally Posted by
Yanto
Thanks so much for the kind words and the linked article, it’s appreciated. I’ve read through the article and it makes interesting reading. I just have a couple of minor queries please.
1. Right now on my Giant hybrid I use the supplied stock flat pedals, no toe grips or cleats, and running shoes. I appreciate this is not the most efficient method. The article says that riding a fixed gear bike this way is for the more experienced rider, so it may not suit me?
2. Re slowing the bike down. I appreciate that there is no coasting on a fixed gear, so can you slow the bike purely by pedaling slower? For eg on the route I ride every morning there are 2 T junctions which have excellent visibility as approached, to both directions. I normally just coast to the junction and then accelerate away once I see it’s clear. Can this be done on a fixed gear?
3. Would a single speed (I assume they have a freewheeling rear hub?) maybe more suitable for my riding use?
Thanks once again
Yes, it is better to ride a fixed gear bike with some sort of foot retention, such as toe clips and straps or clipless pedals. This permits you to apply force to the pedals both when pushing down and pulling up with you feet, and it also ensures that your feet don’t come off the pedals. This is really not necessary with a freewheel equipped bike, either multi-speed like your Giant hybrid or on a single speed. On a fixed gear you can slow down by applying backwards pressure to the pedals, which is called backpedaling. Of course, the bike is still moving forward, but you are pushing the bike backwards. Still, you cannot slow a fixed gear by backpedaling nearly as fast as you can on a bike with brakes, so in an emergency where you have to stop quickly in a short distance, you might have an accident. So, on all my fixed gear bikes which I ride on the road, I have both foot retention and a front brake for safety. If you don’t want to use foot retention, then you will be better served by getting a single speed bicycle with both front and rear brakes.
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