Fixed gear: advice for a newbie?

So I just expanded my bike family and got a fixed gear: a Fuji track SE I found on Craigslist. As I get comfortable with it, I need advice from the more experienced fixed riders. If you could give someone (me) advice on riding fixed, what would you say? Anything you wish you had known when you first started?

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Permalink Reply by Chucko on September 18, 2008 at 2:50am
vxla said:
no hard evidence suggests that 3/32" drives are more susceptible to breaking.

My thoughts exactly. Pretty sure the only reason fixed gears generally have them is tradition. Same reason there are still so many high flange hubs for fixed gears even though most other bikes have gone to low flange.

Strength with 3/32" chains is not a problem. And with a fixed gear conversion, a 3/32" chain actually is more forgiving of a less than perfect chainline. Also- you can run a 1/8" chain on a 3/32" chainring and cog...so they are somewhat compatible.
Permalink Reply by root on September 18, 2008 at 2:58am
ok those all sound like fine points, except for running 1/8" chain on 3/32" - seriously?? the chatter would drive me crazy..

what bugs me though, is that I rode 3/32" for months and remember the glee of the first ride on my 1/8" gear. was that just in my head?
Permalink Reply by Chucko on September 18, 2008 at 3:04am
root said:
ok those all sound like fine points, except for running 1/8" chain on 3/32" - seriously?? the chatter would drive me crazy..

what bugs me though, is that I rode 3/32" for months and remember the glee of the first ride on my 1/8" gear. was that just in my head?

Actually, though everyone says it will make noise, my drivetrains are always perfectly quiet. I've never had a problem. The grip isn't as good with a 3/32" chainring and 1/8" chain if you're skidding a lot, but I don't, so not much of a problem for me.

And it may have been in your head, I know there are a lot of things that are only in my head. :)
Permalink Reply by vxla on September 18, 2008 at 3:04am
I've got an eight-inch TA sprocket with Phil cog of the same measurement and an NJS chain. It's noisy as hell. Best way to stop the noise is to stop pedaling.

Now, I also have a silent full Ultegra drive on my long distance bike. It's perfectly silent.
Permalink Reply by root on September 18, 2008 at 3:12am
i run a Sugino75 46t to a Phil 17t on a D.I.D track chain (all 1/8") and it's completely silent

i may have been doing something wrong when i had a 3/32" setup, but it chattered a lot
Permalink Reply by Chucko on September 18, 2008 at 3:18am
root said:
i run a Sugino75 46t to a Phil 17t on a D.I.D track chain (all 1/8") and it's completely silent

i may have been doing something wrong when i had a 3/32" setup, but it chattered a lot

Yeah, for whatever reason, sometimes drivetrains are noisy, sometimes not so much. I am insane about lubing and keeping mine clean- that may have something to do with it.
Permalink Reply by Ammo on September 18, 2008 at 7:23am
I told you.... it's gon' hurt. But it will be worth it after the pains go away...you're legs will be able to compensate for anything. Hell, all my leg pains are gone except for an occasional crack in the knees every morning.

DEADhex said:
A front and back at the moment. I am getting some SPD-SLs today and Im gonna switch back to SS for a bit to get used to the "ins and outs". I am doing century ride in October so im leaving the back brake on for that. After the ride, im taking it off. I really see why back brakes are removed. my knee hurts :P

DEADhex said:
They feel like legs of fire this morning. Yeouch :D

Video_Drome said:
DEADhex said:
I have just switched over :P
I have muscles hurting i didnt know i had. Good times.

ur gonna have legs of steel. haha
Permalink Reply by Abby on September 18, 2008 at 10:44am
wish me luck, I'm doing the flip this weekend...

eeekkkk.
Permalink Reply by Ammo on September 18, 2008 at 11:14am
once you get used to it, you won't see it any other way

Abby said:
wish me luck, I'm doing the flip this weekend...

eeekkkk.
Permalink Reply by Chris on September 18, 2008 at 6:12pm
coasting is for suckers...fixed just gives you way more control on your riding=its safer
Permalink Reply by vxla on September 19, 2008 at 3:43am
Switching from a freewheel to a fixed system is definitely going to work your legs in ways you don't know, yes. Your muscles will smooth out and become more refined and slender. The concept of "coasting" on a fixed-gear bike does exist, just ride down a hill and let the bike push your legs and relax them....you're coasting (you can do that on a freewheel bike too).

Unfortunately riding fixed sucks because there are no options for shifting into a higher or lower gear depending on various factors (wind, desire to work on a higher cadence). Some people start to feel it more in the knees as well as there is no possible way to slide through gears when you start from a dead stop.
Permalink Reply by Dana on September 19, 2008 at 5:49am
What shops can I browse to look at fixed geared bikes?

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