Originally Posted by
wolfchild
Knees exploding from riding SS is gross exaggeration...I've been riding FG and SS for 15 years straight ( no multi geared bikes ) and absolutely no knee issues.
I've been riding fixed gear (no SS for me) since I was 13, in 1964, and I only ever had twinges of discomfort in my knees until the last 6 months. Now the pain in both knees is unignorable when I attempt to grind my way up hills. I've been forced to ride only my 21-speed utility bike ever since.
Told myself when I was in my 40s that I should quit fixed gear when I hit 50. Now, 22 years later, I'm sorry I didn't follow through back then. What can I say, though? I'm an addict.
[Edit:] Read a few of the speculative posts concerning knee pain above this post. In my case, the knee pain definitely resulted from fixed-gear riding. Bike riding is my only exercise. No stretching, no weights, no running. Monoathlete.
No walking, either, if I can help it. I ride my bike to pick up Chinese carry-out. The restaurant is one block away.