I bought a used fixed gear bike (above) last September with the intention of using it over winter. But I've loved it so much that it's become my daily bike for getting around Chicago. It's perfect for those conditions, and I can understand why they've become so popular. It's really a lot of fun. It does take a whole different set of skills, though.
Last week I took my road bike in for a spring check-up, and when it came back, I wanted to test it out. Plus the fixie is having a couple minor problems that require a shop visit. So I switched back...
It's interesting. I've done thousands and thousands of miles on a multigear bike. It's the only way most people ever experience bikes. But after a few hundred miles on the fixie, it feels unnatural.
Things I used to take for granted but now have to get used to again:
- I don't have to pedal all the time. It's the weirdest thing that moment that I stop turning the crank. Even though my brain decided to do it, my legs get all gummy.
- The crank won't carry my legs around.
- I can turn corners super-tight without having to think about possibly accidentally jamming my feet into the ground. I can just stop pedaling. Similarly, I can make tight turns and not ever bang my front wheel into my feet (which is more of a problem with the dimensions of my fixer than with fixer in general).
- I can't brake by slowing or reversing the force on the crank. Similarly, instead of a single front brake on right handlebar, I have a front on the left and a rear on the right.
- When I stop, I tend to turn the crank in to put my lead foot at the top, as anyone would do. But I still do it the fixie way...by holding the front brake and pulling the rear wheel off the ground. It's senseless since the drivetrain is independent of the wheel, but I can't stop myself.
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