JeremyLC

I applaud your zeal and tenacity, but it is a really bad idea to take off into the hills with no brakes for your first fixed gear experience.

79pmooney

So you plan to race? The vets in my club stressed that avoiding crashes was an essential part of training as those crashes so often lead to enforced time off the bike. Those same vets told me to set up my second bike fix gear to train - with two good brakes to minimize those crashes. (Two brakes because I would be riding the bike in the winter and rain. I lived in Boston. New Jersey has a climate a little milder, but not much.

Also as the poster on the first page pointed out, without brake yo have to ride much slower and responsibly. Yes, all well and good - BUT - you are training to race. You will never get into racing shape riding slowly and responsibly!

Edit: and the crash on the post at teh end of last page - yo can avoid that crash easily (well, not easily, but for sure). Just ride fast enough to stay in front of it. No longer an issue. But you gotta be fast. And the odds of racking up enough fast miles to get there riding without brakes? Not high.

Ben

the sci guy 

this is simply mesmerizing.

TimothyH

Sig worthy.


-Tim-

SquidPuppet

It's amazing how many guys don't get their hands out in front of themselves to break the fall in time. It all happens so fast. There's like a dozen face-plants.

Ouch.

UltraManDan

At least the guys in the back are cushioned by the pile of the fallen. Someone times it pays to be in last

North Coast Joe

No doubt the ouch. Is it better to try to break the fall, given the opportunity? My current line of thought says "ride that thing to the ground". Sticking appendages out just seems to be an invitation to the breakage of same.

I'm not in on the upcoming research trials, BTW.

Carcosa

I've tried to break most falls with an appendage. Didn't have a chance on Sunday, and broke my collarbone. I'd rather have a broken arm.

FWIW Those are women.

SquidPuppet

seau grateau

Yes, women race bikes too.

veganbikes

Lies all lies! If you add a M to the front of Anna Schwinn's name and then take out the "na" at the end you have Man Schwinn, connect the dots! Also Marin bikes without the "ri" also spells "man" and if you flip the "u" in Magura and get rid of the "g" and the "ra", "man" again!



9/11 WAS A MOON LANDING!

pwebb

that took a turn...

veganbikes

Some people can't handle the cold hard truth the gubbamints is trying to hide. JFk is actually secretly Elvis and is living on a farm in Crete but you won't hear it in the Onion, the National Enquirer and other state run media outlets. Only the secret radios in my armpits playing Sean Spicer backwards tells me these things...

FBinNY 

That's too common sensical.

TimothyH

That symbol on the hat is the Freemasonry, not the Illuminati.

It is a square and compass which are some of the tools of stone masons. The G stands for God, of course, and is a reminder to the mason that God is at the center of everything they do.

My father was three time grand master of his local Freemasons lodge.

veganbikes

So they have gotten to you too!

This is the real Grandmaster:

Metieval

nice! I want to cry for the tire though.

fixedweasel

Holy Smokes! Am I gettin' the business for posting my training gear(s) and some good advice!

IamSam...........

Believe it or not, you can train in that gear and do it effectively. No smoke and mirrors. I will never give advice poorly or with mal intent. I did not tell him to run that gear albeit, when in shape, it's ok to run a big(ger) gear one can handle. Please be respectful before you know who is posting and what experience they have.

AlmostTrick and TMonk..............

It is not a common sight for me to run that 54x14 but I have when I am in good shape during peak season. Nothing wrong with that. There are various ways to train and I train both big gear and spin in a light gear. My commute is 45 minutes one way, so I get an hour and a half to and fro work with a 44x17. My legs get both sides of the coin. As you know as well, track folk also do quite a bit of high cadence sprint intervals on our rollers. Yes, I do train on the road with a track gear but my commutes and roller work are high cadence. BTW, I also lift heavy.

My track gear is a 51x14.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ewwhit...&new_session=1

..............and was in a 10 mile up in Northbrook where it was broke at over 30mph. I was not in the front group but still finished in the 29's. So "mashing" in a track gear is unfair to throw at me.

TMonk

@fixedweasel you clearly know what you are doing so I take my comments back. Excuse me for mistaking you for one of the many "fixie" kids around here touting a huge gear as some form of bragging right. Big gear work on the road is certainly a thing but I prefer to do that on a road bike and not a track bike so that I don't have to be in that big gear when I'm warming up or cooling down.

Also, if you use an "@" sample before someone's name they will get a notification about the post, for future ref.

You're looking fast and mean on that track bike. Happy trails!!!

-Tmonk

fixedweasel

@TMonk thank you my friend. I would never troll anyone/body and will only try to help when I can. Thanks on the pic. I'll be 54 and it gets just a little tougher every year. I guess we can only keep pedaling. Take care.

josh23

I just started riding fixed, so feel free to disregard me, but this is what I noticed from the transition:

1) You ride slower. Partly because you want to control cadence, but also partly to deal with unexpected bumps better. Riding normally, if I saw a particularly nasty pothole or something unexpected happened and I needed to change direction sharply I would stand up off the seat, straighten my dominant leg, and use it to absorb the impact / keep me stable as I change direction. Riding fixed, you can't really do that, and everything needs to be taken in the saddle, which means they have to be taken slower.

2) Relatedly, I haven't yet found an ideal setup. You can stand up of course, but its hard to transition between sitting and standing at high cadence I find, so I tend to spend more time in the saddle in the drop position. Conversely, I feel safer and better able to handle bumps with a more upright position.

3) Brakes aren't optional for beginner riders. Back pedalling to stop requires skill and strength. After just 2 weeks I can notice that strength developing but still would not want to rely on it solely. Skidding I have yet to try, but I highly recommend a front brake for training. If you are trying to learn to ride brakeless then fit the brake and only use it for emergencies.

NB: I am not a competitive or serious rider. I only started riding 3 months ago, primarily as a way to commute to work. I currently ride 42 x 17, because its a hilly area and I am too weak to get up the hills in higher gear, especially if I am wearing a heavy backpack. Initially I needed to brake on most hills becaude of this gearing. Now i can just relax and let my legs follow the pedals, and only need to brake on the steepest hills.

JeremyLC

Regarding #1 and #2, you'll eventually learn how to "float" while pedaling and be able to go faster, even over rough terrain. It helps (me) to have brake hoods for leverage to stand up.

seau grateau

I actually find I ride faster on my FG sometimes, depending on the route, length of ride, etc. I tend to attack hills more to keep my momentum up, and aside from the long/hard climbs (where I eventually die if I can't shift), I often get up them quicker as a result. My FG is also a few pounds lighter than my road bike, which probably helps as well.
And yeah, learning to float over rough patches is a good skill. Just lift your butt off the saddle a bit and keep pedaling, and let legs and arms absorb the jostling. It takes some getting used to, especially at higher cadences.

josh23

I am sure that my fixed WOULD be faster on a track or even a nicely tarmaced road where I didn't have to worry too much. As it is, my commute is on busy, badly paved roads in the dark. Its less the speed of the bike, and more the level of caution I employ.

As for floating, I think that will be easier in a higher gearing. 42x17 is too low really!

thehammerdog

People thanks for all the feeback but WOW kinds went off the rails for a moment.
I am still trying to get the perfect set up while using my trainer. Changed out stem & bars , new seat added computer next is wait for good weather and YES add the front brakes to avoid DEATH..bike is a Raleigh full chromo not to bad but needs new wheels for sure.