Riding a fixed gear bike is much more likely to cycle in its purest, simplest form. In short a famous quote about fixes clears it all ‘’my legs are my brakes, my legs are my gears’’. Clearly this statement says it all when it comes to fixed gear bikes.
So, you and the bike are one. It’s more like that you are part of your bicycle as you are a cycling cyborg. With that said let’s see what’s the difference between your conventional bike, a fixed gear and a single speed bike.
Single Speed vs Fixed Gear Bikes
Most of the bikes that you see on the road are either single speed or 7-speed or 21-speed bikes that come with all the gears and derailleurs. But when it comes to single speed bikes there’s only one gear in which you can ride your bike that is why most of the people prefer them because there are no unnecessary distractions to look out for; all you gotta do is pedal and brake.
So, a single speed bike can come with a fixed gear or with a freewheel what that means is that in fixed gear you can’t relax your legs for a moment. You just have to pedal all the time as the cog is fixed with the drivetrain and that’s what makes these fixies or fixed gear bikes loved by extreme biking enthusiasts. On the other hand as the name suggests in freewheel you can roll without pedaling as the cog is free. Also, if you are looking for the best fixed gear bike Wheels Compared have published a detailed guide in which they talk each and everything that you need to know about these fixed gear bikes.
How to ride a fixed gear bike
If you think that to ride a fixed gear bike is similar to riding your normal bike then you are in for a surprise because it’s nothing like that as there are no brakes and its nothing like that the bike will roll itself without you pedaling because when you stop pedaling the bike either stops or skids which is pretty much why people love to ride them. A fixed gear bike gives you a feeling that you are more connected with your bike and the road beneath you. With that said here are some tips if you are riding a fixed gear bike for the first time.
- There is just one rule when it comes to fixed gear bike ‘’Pedal, at all times’’. So you just have to keep moving all the time and if you ever feel like that you are tired or can’t pedal more then you have to stop the bike to do so.
- When it comes to cornering, many new riders fear pedal stroke. What happens is that in tight curves or tight corners your pedal hits the curb or floor at the low point so to prevent that make sure that you get a proper fixed gear bike where the bottom bracket is a little bit higher from the floor. Also make sure that your crank arms are also a bit shorter than normal ones that are found on road bikes.
- While most of the riders that you see riding these fixies don’t have any brakes on them but if you are just starting out I’ll suggest you to fit a front brake. Also it’s illegal to ride a bike without brakes other than that it’s for your own safety.
- As for rear brakes, they will be useless so just don’t embarrass yourself as your legs will do the task.
- If you’ve got brakes at the front then you don’t have to worry about skidding so first just learn to pedal with efficiency and having a constant pedal stroke should be your concern.
- If you wanna be a good rider than you have to learn how to track stand, it will greatly improve your balance and will give you more control over the bike. Also once you’ve learnt the skill you’ll know when to track stand and when not to.
- Make sure that your feet are strapped in because it’s not a good sight to see someone trying to reconnect their feet to a pair of pedals spinning at 100rpm.
- It’s all about momentum when it comes to single speed bikes. So you have to increase your vigilance and must have a better awareness of what is happening around you.
- Though track stands and skidding is fun to have in your arsenal but a must have skill to ride a single speed fixed gear bike is bunny hoping which will come handy to beat those pesky potholes in the middle of the road. So better start learning!
- Another thing that is really important is to choose your gears and routes carefully. I bet you won’t enjoy steep hills when you are starting out. Also check your chain line it must be straight and also get the right chain tension. If the chain tension is not right the chain will break down and you don’t even want to imagine how it will be to ride with the broken chain.
Bottom Line
In the end I’ll just say that riding a fixed gear bike is just like learning a bike all over again. As you’ll be feeling more and more connected to the road you’ll start to appreciate the flow of roads more and more. Also you’ll love to stop down all by your leg power rather than caliper power.