Learning to ride fixie again
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 561
Bikes: 1992 Trek 800 Antelope, 1971 Triumph
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Learning to ride fixie again
It's been a few years since the last time I rode a fixie. I'm buying One that I put together tomorrow and I will be riding it to school mostly and maybe weekend rides. Anyway, I went for a ride on my other bike this morning and I challenged myself to ride without coasting. Needless to say I couldn't do it. I've gotten to used to coasting up to stoplights, out of the driveway, tight turns, etc. I know there is a learning curve with any new bike but I can figure most things out on my own. What are your top tips for relearning/beginning fixie riders.
I'll post a pic of the bike once I get it tomorrow. I put a modern wheel set on it, drop stem, flat bars (for now- I plan on getting bull horns soon), sugino rd2 messenger crankset (46t), fixed cog and freewheel sprocket (both 16t). Is 46/16 what most of you use for roads?
TIA, josh
I'll post a pic of the bike once I get it tomorrow. I put a modern wheel set on it, drop stem, flat bars (for now- I plan on getting bull horns soon), sugino rd2 messenger crankset (46t), fixed cog and freewheel sprocket (both 16t). Is 46/16 what most of you use for roads?
TIA, josh
#2
46x16 is pretty high but it is Arizona so you are probably fine.
#3
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 561
Bikes: 1992 Trek 800 Antelope, 1971 Triumph
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
^^^ that reminds me. I forgot to ask about stopping on a fixed gear. Any tips for that would be appreciated as well.
#11
"What are your top tips for relearning/beginning fixie riders." Never stop pedaling! You should get a 18T cog as well. You are likely to end up with a number of different size cogs for different riding conditions and fitness. I used 80gi today with a group of geared riders and probably 70 or even 66 tomorrow tooling about easy by myself-licking my wounds from today.
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 561
Bikes: 1992 Trek 800 Antelope, 1971 Triumph
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Are all FG/SS riders this belligerent? I asked a simple question, and out of 11 replies, only 4 were actually helpful.
#15
The Viceroy
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NSB,Florida
Posts: 298
Bikes: SE PK Ripper FG,Trek Classic Steel, Free Spirit FG, Raleigh Pointe, Centurion Sport DLX, Schwinn CrissCross
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
If you've ridden fixed for a period of time in the past then you should know what to expect. We can help you speculate all you want but getting on and riding is by far a better teacher.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,863
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Liked 3,111 Times
in
1,418 Posts
It's been a few years since the last time I rode a fixie. I'm buying One that I put together tomorrow and I will be riding it to school mostly and maybe weekend rides. Anyway, I went for a ride on my other bike this morning and I challenged myself to ride without coasting. Needless to say I couldn't do it. I've gotten to used to coasting up to stoplights, out of the driveway, tight turns, etc. I know there is a learning curve with any new bike but I can figure most things out on my own. What are your top tips for relearning/beginning fixie riders.
I'll post a pic of the bike once I get it tomorrow. I put a modern wheel set on it, drop stem, flat bars (for now- I plan on getting bull horns soon), sugino rd2 messenger crankset (46t), fixed cog and freewheel sprocket (both 16t). Is 46/16 what most of you use for roads?
TIA, josh
I'll post a pic of the bike once I get it tomorrow. I put a modern wheel set on it, drop stem, flat bars (for now- I plan on getting bull horns soon), sugino rd2 messenger crankset (46t), fixed cog and freewheel sprocket (both 16t). Is 46/16 what most of you use for roads?
TIA, josh
Gearing is very personal. Mine is 39x16 because: 1) my knees are old; 2) the bike is my SSCX and I like 39x17 or 18 on the freewheel side for CX racing; and 3) I already had a 39t inner ring from a standard road double lying around.
Bars are personal too. I like road drops because of the greater variety of hand positions. But many like bullhorns so that is fine too. Be aware that your current brake levers may not fit the bull horns.
Whatever you do, set your bike up for riding in the manner that is most comfortable, efficient, and pleasing to you. Not for fashion.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The mechanics of a fixed gear bike are quite simple, responsive and unforgiving - attempt to coast through a corner at high speed and the bike will soon remind you that this is not how it works. HTFU and avoid serious descends for the first couple of days and you'll be fine.
#21
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Read this and HTFU.
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 561
Bikes: 1992 Trek 800 Antelope, 1971 Triumph
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Read this and HTFU.
Remind yourself that a fixed gear is merely a single speed that cannot coast. The most important times to remind yourself of this fact is when going around a corner and when going down a hill. Fortunately, all FG bikes are equipped with an instant feedback mechanism that will remind you when you do forget.
Gearing is very personal. Mine is 39x16 because: 1) my knees are old; 2) the bike is my SSCX and I like 39x17 or 18 on the freewheel side for CX racing; and 3) I already had a 39t inner ring from a standard road double lying around.
Bars are personal too. I like road drops because of the greater variety of hand positions. But many like bullhorns so that is fine too. Be aware that your current brake levers may not fit the bull horns.
Whatever you do, set your bike up for riding in the manner that is most comfortable, efficient, and pleasing to you. Not for fashion.
Gearing is very personal. Mine is 39x16 because: 1) my knees are old; 2) the bike is my SSCX and I like 39x17 or 18 on the freewheel side for CX racing; and 3) I already had a 39t inner ring from a standard road double lying around.
Bars are personal too. I like road drops because of the greater variety of hand positions. But many like bullhorns so that is fine too. Be aware that your current brake levers may not fit the bull horns.
Whatever you do, set your bike up for riding in the manner that is most comfortable, efficient, and pleasing to you. Not for fashion.
Sorry to the rest of you for a redundant thread. I'm guilty of mean replies in common threads as well, but chain lube/life/maintenance threads do get pretty annoying. With scrod's post, I don't think I'll need to ask anymore really common questions. Once again, I apologize. I hope we can all get along, lest I ask about anything more.
#25
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
Josh, you're overthinking his riding fixed caper - I know the symptoms because I do it all the time . Just leap on your bike and ride it. The stuff you already know will come flooding back and the stuff you don't know, you will soon learn. It's no harder riding these things than riding a racing bike or an mtb, it's just different.