I've just reinstated* mine.
And my god I had forgotten how nice it was to just spin about the place. Slicks and a brand new paved road. The silence, the connection to the road, the tactility and the oneness with the repetitive motion, the aesthetic, the stripped down minimalism.
It is 2007 again and I claim my moustache, new fangled flatwhite and skinny jeans.
Who else is Rollin' like a former graphical designer who sold up to open an artisinal pencil sharpening business in Shoreditch?
* You know, the usual, milled the crown race to fit a cartridge quill headset, added dimples in the stay to fit 33.3c tyres in... The usual stuff.
Mine served as a drop-barred commuter for a long time, unfortunately I gave in to gears again so it's been given risers and a crate on the front for local shopping and pub duties...
But yes, I am a born again hipster/fixevangelist whenever I go anywhere on it..
Rode 85km on one of my fixed road bikes (Dolan pre cursa) this week. Carbon stem and seatpost, Richley ultralight carbon forks, hand built wheels with open pro rims and Conti GP 5000s. The only “fixie” part of note is the 1/8” chain and track chain set. It’s 3:1 48x16 or about 82”with no rear brake.
And then I commuted on the train to work with my dropped bar fixed wheel Btwin folder on Thursday. 20” wheels, upright geometry, short wheel base. Low gearing.
Needless to say I do wear skinny jeans, but not whilst cycling. Not the usual “fixies” but most of my riding is fixed.
I need to hove my fixie some love....
It WAS a beaut... it's now a piece of broken spoke shite....
Leave it with me
DrP
I had to ditch mine, I was commuting fixed then training and racing geared, twice on the fixed I forgot which bike I was on and attempted to freewheel... so close to being catapulted over the bars but not quite...
it was lovely, but Dolan FXE SS now!
I bought a dog rough Charge Plug a few years ago, it sat in the shed until lockdown when I built it up with second hand parts as cheap as possible. Had it stripped and powder coated.
I tried running it fixed and scared myself stupid. So I’m freewheeling until grow some stones. I feel like a full on Fakenger, D-lock in the back pocket, oversized courier bag, silly facial hair whilst riding it. Rides lovely though.
I forgot which bike I was on and attempted to freewheel
On club group rides, I’m always the one telling the group not to! It’s always smoother through and off when one is fixed as there is much less surging. Often those who don’t know me will ask if it is fixed? The down side is most of the group are bigger and heavier than me and normally I get dropped on the downhill sections. Even on 82 inches. But it’s always a lovely ride and the legs and lungs recover faster.
You wouldn’t notice the bike in a group when I ride. That’s how it should be.
i’ll be resurrecting mine soon, needs a new saddle and chain.
2007 baby blue condor pista, used to ride it a lot, even round the surrey hills but now ill keep it for short urban spins for a quick work out. did the Dun run on it once which was fun.
only has old school mavic open pro rims so a bit narrow for decent width tyres.
Cannondale Badboy with EBB… converted to fixed in 2007 for the daily commute. Loved it. Rode it into the ground until the rear hub finally destroyed itself just before lockdown. decided that commuting on a busyish road without a rear brake was a youthful folly so converted to SS via a pair of beautiful hand built wheels. still love it, but not quite the direct feeling of immediate power that comes from fixed. It is nice having a rear brake though….
I have gone the other way, ridden solely fixed for last 10+ years but now riding solely geared. I thought my age had got to me and I was just slow but I am back to the speeds I was over 10 years ago last time I used a geared road bike. It was my rather limiting choice of a 63" gear (I used it off road too) that was knocking 3mph off my average speed!
Mine's a Ridley Arena 7005 set up absolutely slammed. Incredibly uncomfortable for anything over 60mins, brutally stiff, but my goodness is it fast. I tend to run 47x16, but have gone as high as 52x17, when I was much stronger than I am now!
I've had a Surly Steamroller, Cinelli Parallax (peak fixie) and now the Ridley, and haven't gone back to gears on the road.
Just picked up a Specialized Singlecross for winter duties, the plan is to use it Singlespeed but it’s got a fixed/freewheel rear hub so it’ll be getting used fixed as well.
Currently looking for some wheels for it which have 120mm track hub at the back and tubeless rims which will withstand a bit of off-road stuff, mainly bridleways.
Looks like I may have to try and build my own…
I sold mine at the start of the pandemic. 2008 Genesis Flyer, it was my only bike for a long while and then my commuter... always fixed except for a brief foray into freewheeling. Everything was replaced at least once apart from the frame, forks and rear wheel. Then I stopped going to an office and I've never been back so off it went. Kind of regret it, riding fixed is a joy.
Pinnacle monzanite; full steel with old school geometry, decentish wheels,Brooks leather saddle, carradice saddle and bar bags (extra hipster points there?)and about a 68” gearing. Been commuting on it for a few years now having replaced a Langster I couldn’t get on with.
I find it quite odd using the spare geared bike on the commute occasionally now. A commute like mine, 11k into London with no steep hills is ideal on a fixed, seldom spin out, can get good speed on the one minor climb there is.
Currently looking for some wheels for it which have 120mm track hub at the back and tubeless rims which will withstand a bit of off-road stuff, mainly bridleways.
Front mtb wheel with a sprocket instead of a disc?
Always had fixed wheel bikes, I was down to just the one (custom built Condor in Dedaccai Zero) then when my Dad died a couple of years ago there were four in his garage. I kept his Cinelli MASH, lowered the gearing and fitted gravel tyres and a Paul minimoto canti brake, occasionally pressed into off-road service but mostly just for getting around, commuting and rides out with the boy.
Front mtb wheel with a sprocket instead of a disc?
Bloody good thinking!
I've used my inbred with a standard xt rear hub with a bolt on cog from velo solo.
The silence, the connection to the road, the tactility and the oneness with the repetitive motion, the aesthetic, the stripped down minimalism.
Uh huh, the "stripped down minimalism" of not having a freehub..? 😉
Some of you might enjoy this, a bike check at the end too:
I like my fixed wheel (never fixie) bikes with brakes! Went out for 95km on Saturday on 82”. Wrong gear and ground my way home at 12 mph standing up into a headwind for the last ten miles.
Not always effortless. 😂
Yep, still enjoying my Plug in commuter mode (32c tyres, guards, dynamo, front rack and 39-16 gearing).
I'll up the gearing at some point as the chain is stretched and the chainring was knackered before it went on so it's starting to make a creaking noise.
I loved mine when I lived down south where it's pretty flat. Changed to gears just before moving to Sheffield, but always had a hankering for it. Still have a lovely set of Royce track wheels which I've failed to sell. Anyone else live in a hilly place and ride fixed? Not sure if it's asking for knee trouble...
Kona Paddy Wagon here.
Mine was utilised as a commuter for a while, but in truth the commute was too hilly to get the best out of it.
It's now a canal/town bike and works perfectly for that job.
Anyone else live in a hilly place and ride fixed?
Yes, but recreationally, I don't think I'd want to for daily use unless it was quite short distances.
Converted my DayOne to 3 speed hub gear and flat handlebars with a pannier rack. It's more practical now, but I don't like it as much. Maybe I should swap the geared road bike for a nice fixie, (one in, one out in my collection) as the DayOne is now suitable for long rides with hills and fastish mates.
Resurected my Langster this summer, with some fancy Light Bicyle 65/55mm tubeless rims, wider tyres and spinning on Halo hubs. It's geared for 72" (44/16), which is just about managageable on the rolling stuff in the Surrey Hills.
I'm dubious about the fitness benefits crossing over to normal road riding, but i do feel stonger on the MTB and for when running hill reps.
I'd like to fit a power meter out of curiosity
I've got an old Edinburgh Cycles Revolution, a bit like this:
I bought it second hand about 11 years ago, replaced the track gear ration which made it unrideable on the road unless the route was snooker table flat with zero wind. I've always ridden it fixed and while it took a bit of getting used to I love riding it.
It doesn't get a lot of use and I always forget just how hard it is to ride, even with the slightly more manageable gearing that it now has installed. I love riding it though to mix things up a bit.
No skinny jeans and whacky facial hair though.
Anyone else live in a hilly place and ride fixed?
About 20 years ago I’d ride out to the Surrey Hills, do a loop of all the climbs on my fixed gear and then ride home again - 200km+ - it was my ‘warm-up’ ride for the Tour of Flanders sportive.
I do have a fixed sprocket for my SSCX - tempted to give it a spin to ride up to the TV masts - 264m of ascent from sea-level in 6km - the last km is rough track with big potholes and some quite steep pitches. Coming down will be just as much ‘fun’ (or swap the wheel around for the descent).
The main thing for riding fixed in hilly area IMO is making sure you have both front and rear functioning brakes - steep descents on fixed gear with just a front caliper brake in the wet with a give-way at the bottom were sometimes ‘exciting’
Used to commute on a Day One fixed and loved it. The one bike I truly regretted selling. So much so that I bought a Kona Paddy Wagon for my fortieth, never really gelled with it so sold it last year.
I would still have a fixie if commuting, great fun. So, so cheap.....
Anyone else live in a hilly place and ride fixed?
Does the Chilterns count? Tends to be steep up and downs rather than the long gentle passes elsewhere.
It almost works, it's probably easier the closer you are to racing whippet with lower FTP but better FTP/kg. Making it (relatively) easier to run a bigger gear up the hills, (relatively) harder on the flats and therefore easier to keep it sensible on the descents.
I find it easy enough uphill and on the flats, its the descents that become hard work, constantly having to manage your speed.
I've been riding various Pompino's fixed wheel on and off for about 15 years, mostly used for commuting so it has mudguards, Carradice SQR mount & Marathon tyres but gets a bit of light gravel/canal action if I extend the route home from work
This year I've been out on some club road rides on it ( picking the route to avoid doing anything too hilly ) and I've managed 60 miles or so a couple of times.
I’d like to fit a power meter out of curiosity
Cadence and HR are really all you need when fixed.
85km medium club ride yesterday on the Pre Cursa running 3:1 48:16 or 81" and am getting fitter. The headwind home meant cadence of 65-75, but the legs did not complain. Saturday was a LOT windier and everything complained.
I've ridden the M25 loop fixed multiple times on 42:15 and 42:14 (when fit). I use it as preparation for 12h TTs. The fitness cross-over and endurance are great because you don't coast on a TT. The 42:15 is my favourite, but a little too low for club rides (I get dropped going down the hills).
That fixed list in full:
Kona Paddy Wagon - 2007, much upgraded (well the frame and brake levers are the only original parts) and running 42:15 at the moment for rolling terrain.
Dolan Pre Cursa - 7.7 kilos and 48:16 but can go to 52:14 for a TT (not recommended!).
Dolan Seta - for track only
531 steel track bike (in bits)
Tactic Panache folder (sub 8 kilos and 16" wheels)
Btwin folder with drop bars (20" wheels so a better ride)
Yes two folding fixed wheel bikes.
I loved riding the crowroad-fintry-tak and back to Glasgow fixed. That's a bit hilly.
Longest is 70miles but I think I accidentally agreed to ride to the sun fixed thats going to be fun.
Never really understood the knees thing either. If you are constantly cranking then you need to drop your gearing. It's smoother on the knees than bouncing about on a singlespeed I find.
Just a quick fixed gear wheel question…
If I’ve got a double fixed rear hub, is it possible to run a freewheel on one side or will there not be enough thread for it to work?
I need some wheels and keep seeing fixed or double fixed hubbed wheels for sale rather than flip flop hubbed ones.
I find it easy enough uphill and on the flats, its the descents that become hard work, constantly having to manage your speed.
Since having my first geared bike for well over 10 years I am now loving going downhill and flat roads with a tail wind, hitting speeds I just could maintain on fixed.
I am not finding any difference up hill (in times) though it is just a different approach.
Managed to keep the geared bike for 2 months so far but am starting to look at fixed bikes again already (I limit myself to one bike, it is a mental thing!)
If I’ve got a double fixed rear hub, is it possible to run a freewheel on one side or will there not be enough thread for it to work?
It’ll be grand.
Anyone else live in a hilly place and ride fixed? Not sure if it’s asking for knee trouble…
I don't ride fixed anymore as the last frame I had snapped and no use case to replace, but when I did I would hunt out short sharp hills. Used to run between 68"- 72" and would aim to tackle some real steep 1:6-1:4 hills. Real challenge. I actually think it is good for knees as long as you build up slowly , ride a reasonable gear (I think low 70s to mid 60s is ideal but you need to learn to get supple) and ride fixed regularly. I have dodgy knees and they were never better when riding fixed wheel every day.
It’ll be grand.
Nice one, thanks.
I actually think it is good for knees as long as you build up slowly , ride a reasonable gear (I think low 70s to mid 60s is ideal but you need to learn to get supple) and ride fixed regularly. I have dodgy knees and they were never better when riding fixed wheel every day.
+1
My right knee complains if I do too much cycling too soon, whether fixed or geared. But in general riding fixed does more to cure it than the geared bike does.
Flip the thought process around. Gears "force" you into riding at the same effort/cadence for hours on end, muscles get tired and things go wrong. Fixed is a constant juggling act of moving around on the saddle to find a bit more torque, using the drops on uphill inclines to try and keep the speed Vs effort consistent (and then sit up on the flats to give you something to push against), standing up on the pedals to get up hills. Every minute of the ride is slightly different.