I’ve been looking for a different riding experience and I’m drinking the Sheldon Brown Kool-aid. Saw a Langster in the local LBS and I think I’m going to go for it. I know it will take some getting used to so I will ride carefully around the neighborhood first. No coasting will take some getting used to.
For those of you that ride a fixie, a couple of questions:
In my search of previous posts about this subject I’ve seen a couple of comments about not standing while going uphill. What’s up with that?
If you get a Langster you can coast all you want. It’s a single speed not a fixie, however it does have a flippable hub so you can have it function as either.
I rode a Langster all winter and could barely run because of how much it hurt my knees. They were messed up from riding all the Seattle hills. I sold it and my knees have been very grateful ever since. Good luck to you.
I plan on flipping the hub so it will be fixed and I plan on using it mostly on fast, flat training rides so hopefully my knees won’t take too much of a beating. What about the hill and pedal questions? Any thoughts?
I used Look pedals with red cleats, plenty of float and a large platform. I can’t think of any reason not to, but I am not an expert. If you are sticking to flat terrain I think the power transfer from clipless pedals would be essential.
As for standing, depending on your rear cog and the types of hills you encounter I think standing is a necessity sometimes. I tried to stay seated while climbing as much as possible and I think that directly contributed to some of my knee issues.
Also, you better buy some new tires when you pick up the bike, the cheapos that are included won’t get you 20 miles without a flat…
Not too sure I have heard anything about standing on climbs. Besure the bike has at least a front brake. Be very careful it is addictive and leads to many fun sessions. You may want to try a local TT on it for some real fun. I use my regular Look pedal set up on the road, but have toeclips/straps for the track. If your cleats have release adjustments set it fairly light at first until you get your confidence fixed. Enjoy
I’ve been looking for a different riding experience and I’m drinking the Sheldon Brown Kool-aid. Saw a Langster in the local LBS and I think I’m going to go for it. I know it will take some getting used to so I will ride carefully around the neighborhood first. No coasting will take some getting used to.
For those of you that ride a fixie, a couple of questions:
In my search of previous posts about this subject I’ve seen a couple of comments about not standing while going uphill. What’s up with that?
Also, clipless or toe clips?
The Langster is a good choice. You’ll need to buy a track cog for the back so you’ll be able to flip the wheel around to go fixed. Also if you want to do any sort of hills you need to buy a new front chain ring because the 48 it comes with won’t get you up too many hills. I use a 39 X 16 which is good enough for an all round workout (i.e you can get up most hills and do some spin work while riding the flats). I rode a few times around Canandaigua Lake and the Bristol Hills here in in Upstate NY with no problem with the 39x16. If you go clipless, I suggest using double sided MTB pedals (I use Time ) for ease of clipping in. You’ll know what I mean when you try to clip in with the pedal constantly move. Also since I ride it in the fall and spring mostly I added some fenders. Not “cool” but functional. Best advise just ride and have fun!
When you stand up climbing, there is a natural surge/glide with the pedal stroke that a fixie doesn’t allow (or it does, but the “glide” is really a hesitation of the bike’s forwardd momentum). Nothing “taboo” about doing it, it’s just not the best way to go.
But there are cases where there is no other way to keep the bike moving. And in that case, be VERY afraid coming back down.
You know you are right, it is funny standing and climbing fixed, but plenty do it. I remember an old British guy that had a fixed hillclimb bike when I was a kid. I guess they have like 500m 20% climbing races in England. It had a curved seattube and as short of rearend as you could make. I sit to climb most of the time so I never really thought about it before.
Fixies rock. I took an old touring frame to build mine. I ride it all winter and any time the weather is crappy. Great for leg strenght. Great for your spin. Going down hill on a fixies at 135 RPM will smooth anyone out.
At the low end of the scale both Bianci and Fuji make nice bikes. Both are drilled for front brakes. If you want to go old school, look on ebay. There are usually lots of nice bikes. Or if you want to take up the street-messenger aesthetic, go to some marginal neihborhood in your town and find out who builds them up from scratch.
Go clipless. I use the same speedplays I use on my other road bikes.
I can’t possibly imagine why people insist on saying things like “it’s really hard, but…” or how they blow out their knees due to riding fixed. Pick your gearing in accordance with your terrain and leg strength, and just go! I also can’t imagine not standing to climb. If you don’t need to stand climbing on a fixie, you’re WAY undergeared or live in Florida.
Riding fixed rocks - it’s so much fun that in the year after I built my fixie I think I rode my “regular” bike less than a dozen times. If you’re like me, you might have a hard time getting that stupid grin off your face for a while, too.
I’d definitely go clipless, but leave the front brake on if you plan on riding in traffic. I didn’t bother starting out easy or in a particularly quiet neighbourhood, but then I’m not exactly world reknowned for my brilliant decision-making skills, either. Do what’s comfortable for you. I adapted very quickly, and only came close to buying it the first time I tried to bunny-hop a pothole (instinct - it wasn’t planned). Oh yeah - you might want to stay away from big hills on your first day.
I am so sick of hearing that you are going to blow your knees out on fixed gear. I ride a single speed mtb and it gets so hard to pedal you walk. I think running on pave is way harder than anything you can do on a bike on the ankles,knees and hips.
He is also right in that once you get hooked it is like being on crack, you can’t get enough fixie, and you always have a shit eating grin on your face. For some real fun do a TT on the fixie. Nothing like it.
I stand on my fix going up hill… just takes a while before it is smooth.
I use the brake more for going down hills than with slowing for traffic. Traffic you can swerve around but there is an absolute limit to how fast your legs will turn around in circles.
With pedals I would suggest something with an SPD cleat. I have speedplay zeroes which are hard to clip into (more resistance than a look and much more resistance than an SPD)
The no coasting doesn’t take that long to get used to… what takes longer is coasting while going over pot holes… railroad tracks, etc. Oh yeah and going down a hill that is much steeper than you thought
I can’t see any problems with standing to climb. You have to do it on the steeper hills.
Choose your gears to suit most riding conditions, not just the one extreme hill you do once in a blue moon.
I’d vote for the Time ATAC pedals too - very easy to get into, and out. I use mine as a winter bike, so complete with mudguards and lights, makes long wet winter rides much more comfortable.
Oh and I’d also go for two brakes. Some purists may not like that, but you need the lever part there anyway to ride on the hoods, and you have the backup of the second brake. You can drag it on long descents to keep your speed down. I live near some mountains, and I’d not like to try descents with the one brake.
Also since I ride it in the fall and spring mostly I added some fenders. Not “cool” but functional. 