Originally Posted by
pbass
Well, that makes sense--thank you. I ride a ss cross bike off-road which has sported both drops and flat bars, but I've never ridden fixed, ever. So, I have no idea what challenges that brings to the equation!
If you are considering doing it, go out now and get a bike to set up as a fix gear. Anything. You want miles and months riding fixed before you have any business riding an event like that. No, I;'ve never done tracklocross and never will. But I have a lot of experience on fix gears. A lot. Trust me. You want enough time on them that you have re-trained some very basic instincts. SS and fixed gear have nothing n common save the only one gear and the same chain, dropout, etc. The riding is VERY different.
I am saying this as much for your competitors as you. Until you have riding fixed down, you will be a course hazard to the other riders.
That said, fix gear rocks. I tried to coast (at 20 mph) and stopped VERY fast, hopped the bike 2' into the air (I was strapped in) and came down hard on my side. But no abrasions. I had almost no forward speed. Just converted all my velocity into vertical through my locked knee. (And man, did that leg hurt!) But I finished that ride sold on fix gears and I've been riding them ever since.
Second caution - to some, they are addicting.
Ben