July 25, 2010

50 MILES WITHOUT COASTING

—

I have ridden Marianne for about 50 miles now as a 몭xed gear, so I 몭gure that I can offer
my impressions without feeling that I am speaking too soon. I have taken her both on
city rides in traf몭c and on trails (the Charles River Trail and the Minuteman Bikeway),
both with the Co-Habitant and alone. And I think the 몭xed gear conversion was the best
thing that could have happened to this bicycle.
Popular culture has created the unfortunate association between 몭xed gear and danger,
brightly coloured track bikes, and "hipsters". But that is ridiculous. The only
distinguishing feature of a 몭xed gear bike is that it does not coast. You can turn your
loop-frame or your beach cruiser into a 몭xed gear if you like, set the gearing low, and
enjoy pedaling leisurely around town on it. It will be just like a single speed, only you
can't coast. That's all.

I know that most people enjoy coasting, but I have never been crazy about it. On my
regular bicycles I try to always be in a gear that will allow me to pedal. Coasting -
especially at high speeds - makes me feel as if the bicycle is a wild horse galloping out of
control and dragging me along, with me barely managing to hold on to the reins. This is
especially frightening on winding downhills - so I try to switch into a high enough gear
that will allow me to pedal, and then I feel that I have better steering control. I have no
idea whether this is based on real physical principles, or whether it is all in my head. But
the result is that I welcome the "no coasting" aspect of 몭xed gear bicycles, rather than
think of it as a drawback.

For the same reason, in many ways I 몭nd 몭xed gear bicycles easier to ride, not more
dif몭cult. What else is easier about them? Well, remaining stable at very slow speeds -
which is a useful skill in the city. You can only coast for so long before your bicycle
stops, but if you push on the pedals again, your speed will increase too much. On a 몭xed
gear, you can pedal in slow motion, and the bicycle will remain perfectly stable while
going at the exact speed you want, no matter how slow. This is especially useful when
you are trying to go around pedestrians, or inch your way forward to the red light at
busy intersections. If you have a poor sense of balance and coordination like I do, you
may 몭nd 몭xed gear to be helpful in situations that would otherwise leave you 몭ustered.

As I have mentioned earlier, Marianne was a particularly good choice for a 몭xed gear
bike, because her over-responsiveness is now an asset. As before, she turns super-
quickly and easily - but now, she does it only when I want her to and the responsiveness
no longer feels like "twitchiness" or "squirreliness". It feels like I now have an extremely
maneuverable bike, of which I am in full control - as opposed to a bike that was more
maneuverable than I could handle.

The thing that took the most getting used to, was trusting the brakes enough to speed
up. I kept having to remind myself, that this is not the track bike I rode in Austria; this
bike has brakes and I can come to a complete stop any time, just like on a regular bike!
After the 몭rst couple of rides though, this 몭nally sunk in and I've stopped worrying
about braking.
After a couple of days, we re-did the bars by wrapping the entire surface in cork tape, to
allow multiple hand positions. We also removed the rear brake (it really was
unnecessary) and placed the front brake lever on the right handlebar for easier access.
The bell is now mounted on the stem.

My gearing on this bicycle is 42-tooth in the front and 19-tooth in the rear (with 170mm
cranks and 27" wheels). That is a pretty non-aggressive gearing that is good for
everyday cycling in hilly areas. I may get a smaller rear cog eventually (which will allow
me to go faster, but will make things more dif몭cult on hills), but I don't feel the need for
that yet.

There has been some discussion about foot retention and whether I plan to get clips for
the pedals. On a 몭xed gear bike, there is the danger of the feet slipping off the pedals,
and the pedals then smacking you in the ankles. This can happen when going over
bumps at high speeds, or when 몭ying downhill. I do recognise the risk, but let me put it
this way: Given that I have brakes and I don't go very fast on this bike, I think there is
more chance of my falling as a result of using clips, than there is of my getting smacked
with pedals. I may try Powergrips at some point, but I've seen them in a local bikeshop
and even they look scary. I did not do well with half-clips. Are Powergrips easier?
I am sure the novelty of the new Marianne will eventually wear off, but for now I can't
seem to stop riding her. After a seat post adjustment (more on this later), the bicycle
now feels fairly comfortable on rides under 20 miles. Taking it on a very long ride last
night was overkill though, and various parts of my body are now hurting. I think I will
stick with the Sam Hillborne for those, and leave Marianne for the city.

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Labels: 몭xed gear, Marianne, mixte, Motobecane, technique, vintage

COMMENTS

MandG July 25, 2010 at 6:14 PM

I use Powergrips on my Bridgestone, which is my most frequently ridden bike.

As far as ease of getting in and out, they are pretty much the same as half clips
(which I have on my second and third most ridden bikes, LOL.) You can install
them with a larger loop to make "setting" your foot easier, but you also loose a
little of the grip by doing that. They loosen over time and you have to readjust,
but not an issue. It's only about twice a year. Overall, I'm a big fan of
Powergrips for utility and ease of use.

REPLY

2whls3spds July 25, 2010 at 7:07 PM

Nothing like a "sleeper" 몭xie ;-)

I ride my Redline 9.2.5 in 몭xie mode most of the time, and no one but me
knows it. I like the 몭xed gear for control and because it pulls muscles into use
that I wouldn't normally use riding a freewheeling bike. I did have to gear mine
down a bit to allow for my advancing years. LOL

Aaron

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Anonymous July 25, 2010 at 7:51 PM

Regarding perception of 몭xed gear bicycles, this one is a 몭xed gear too
Http://www.몭ickr.com/photos/hollyandpatrick/2526377905 :) looks like that
was a great way to improve your relationship with Marianne :)

REPLY
Velouria July 25, 2010 at 8:47 PM

Portlandize - wow, thanks for the link to that! If I were to get a cargo bike for
carrying art supplies and photo equipment, that would be my choice.

MandG - When you say "lose a little of the grip" - do you mean in terms of
ef몭ciency? Because I don't really care about that, and it would be entirely a
safety issue (i.e. to prevent my feet coming off the pedals should I happen to go
over a bump at high speed). Will they still work for that purpose if I set them up
a bit loose?

Aaron - Sleeper 몭xie : )) I like the "no one knows it" aspect. To look at Marianne,
no one would think it is 몭xed gear, unless they check closely. She is the anti-
"tarck bike".

What muscles get put into use that are not normally? I am ignorant f this stuff,
but I do feel a difference.

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MamaVee July 25, 2010 at 9:01 PM

I am fascinated. My biggest issue with riding the two wheelers is the whole
riding slowly and touching down and then restarting. But the way you describe
it- a 몭xed gear might help that a bit as I could move slowly without so much
wobble etc. Hey- make sure you bring her to P-town this summer as the slow
riding and turning between people will be an asset there for sure. I was there
last night walking and remembered how hard it was to bike though the crowds.

although I do enjoy coasting a lot.... But if I cold go downhill slowly ( I am

gathering that is your slow down your pedal- the bikes will be forced to slow
even on downhill no???

I dunno- I might have to try this out...

REPLY

Rose Campion July 25, 2010 at 9:22 PM

I love my powergrips. I 몭nd them extremely easy to get out of, but then I don't
have them very tight. I don't expect to get a lot of useful pull on the upstroke. I
just like them because they allow the foot retention, which is useful in some
situations. To get your feet out, you simply pull backwards. I'm not sure how
they compare to half-clips, but they are worlds easier to use than a clipless
pedal set-up.

I've got a single speed bike with the 몭ip-몭op hub which I've been running as a
single speed with the freewheel. I've always thought idly about running her as a
몭xie. You've almost got me convinced.

REPLY

somervillain July 25, 2010 at 9:23 PM

i saw an aggressive 몭xie rider this afternoon, and at every intersection where
she had to come to a stop, she lifted the back of the bike to rotate the crank
(requiring the rear wheel to rotate) to get the pedal where she wanted it to be
for her next launch. have you found this to be necessary? what do you do when
for her next launch. have you found this to be necessary? what do you do when
you stop and 몭nd the pedals at 12몭00 / 6몭00?

REPLY

Velouria July 25, 2010 at 9:33 PM

Vee - Yes, that is exactly the sort of thing I 몭nd 몭xed gear to be helpful with. I
was riding home today and a minivan took its sweet time parking while
blocking the bike lane and being generally indecisive. On the 몭xed gear bike,
the experience of going around it while negotiating traf몭c in the other lane
was so much easier than on my other bikes.

Rose - Thanks for the Powergrip feedback, looks like they might be worth
trying after all.

somervillain - I am used to riding bikes with coaster brakes, so this was not a
problem for me. On a bike where you can't rotate the pedal backward, you
eventually get used to stopping with one foot on the upstroke. I don't know
how, but I do it automatically now. If that doesn't work out, or if I make a false
start in traf몭c and the bike moves forward, I simply quickly push it forward a
tiny bit more until it's on the upstroke again. I think picking up the rear wheel
is an unnecessarily dif몭cult solution, though I know some 몭xed gear riders like
to do it. You won't see anyone with a 40lb coaster brake bike picking up their
wheel, yet somehow they manage to start at intersections!

REPLY

Cris C. July 25, 2010 at 9:38 PM

I am bemused by your comment about the freewheel bike being the wild
galloping horse, because that was the exact opposite of my experience when I
몭rst rode 몭xed. I had grown too used to coasting as a means of gradually
slowing down -- so, I'd relax my legs on a 몭at and expect my speed to dip, but
the 몭xed gear kept insisting on keeping my legs going, hence every stop sign
became a negotiation until we understood each other better.

Personally, I've found that, for low speed maneuvers, comparing a 몭xed and
freewheel bicycle is a bit of apples and oranges. They're different and require
their own forms of control, but I don't necessarily 몭nd one superior to the
other. I do feel that 몭xed gear bikes can negotiate slippery conditions better
than freewheeled bikes and I'd be curious to see how Marianne handles winter
when it comes around.

REPLY

Velouria July 25, 2010 at 9:48 PM

Cris - That is a good point, and I think this is a case of "different (pedal)strokes
for different folks". We all have different strengths and weaknesses when
cycling. I am a pretty endurant cyclist, but I have problems with balance and
coordination. Fixed gear seems to solve a lot of those problems (while relying
on my endurance to be perceived as enjoyable by me). So for those in the same
boat, it could really work - but not necessarily for others.

PS: Why didn't you use the brake at stop signs?..

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Anonymous July 25, 2010 at 10:05 PM

It sounds like you are taking to this like a duck to water, so how long till you get
your neck tatoo?

Another option to get the pedal to a convenient spot when standing still is to
lock the front brake, push forward on the bars and lift the rear wheel that way.
On a light bike like Marianne it should'nt take much. Two hands on the bars,
one foot 몭rmly on the ground and the other leg just nudging the pedal forward
with your toes on the pavement while looking about in an amused, relaxed way.
It's a very fetching pose...

Spindizzy

REPLY

Patience Meliora Blythe July 25, 2010 at 10:11 PM

My feeling about 몭xies, at least here in Austin, is that they are associated with
hipsters and thrill-seekers. Your post changes my mind about this: I just
bought a vintage road bike and have been considering changing it to a 몭xed
gear or single speed but was somewhat intimidated by the 몭xie-image. Most
몭xed gear riders here have NO BRAKE at all, and to stop, they have to use their
bodies to pop the rear wheel up and create a controlled skid. I think that is
what makes me nervous about this style of bike.....no brake, no rear peddling,
no coasting? I do like your points about being able to control speed in
traf몭c...ultimately that is what makes me think I should try it.

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Cris C. July 25, 2010 at 10:56 PM

oh, you know, negligence and optimism. I do use my brakes for stop signs on a
freewheeled bike ... just my old habit was to coast, listen for oncoming traf몭c
and either brake if traf몭c is heard, or postpone braking until I'm closer to the
intersection then either brake hard for a complete stop if I can see oncoming
cars or brake gently for a rolling stop if the route is clear. I minimize braking to
avoid unnecessary wear and tear on my brake pads and rims, and I realize that
this is an odd habit borne from winter commuting in my youth.

Since riding 몭xed, I coast less, and so downshift when approaching stop signs
on my freewheel ... which is nice because it means that I startup at an easier
gear and mash my pedals less frequently.

When riding 몭xed, I do use the brake from time to time, but I still endeavor to
work on stopping with just the pedals as a way of getting more comfortable
with controlling my speed on downhills. The front brake on the Centurion is
also a little old and crotchety, and certainly doesn't suf몭ce by itself on rainy
descents ... I think Cycler can tell you of one time I almost plowed past her at a
light just outside the Beacon Hill Whole Foods on one such wet evening
commute.

REPLY

somervillain July 25, 2010 at 11:31 PM

velouria, i wouldn't compare coasters with 몭xed with regard to starting from a
stop. on a coaster brake bike, you are essentially pre-selecting an upstroke
crank position before you stop, since that's typically when you engage the
brake (and can apply the most force to do so). so when you stop, the crank is
already in the optimal position to start. i think the reason the cyclist i saw
today did the little bike-lift maneuver is because she was concerned with going
*fast* and wanted to make sure she could stand on the crank at its optimal
position as soon the light turned green (this is someone who was also
recklessly weaving through traf몭c, including cutting me off), so i don't expect
that all 몭xed gear riders do this, but it nonetheless made me realized that the
crank may not "land" at the ideal position when you come to stop, and that it's
not as trivial as a freewheel setup where you just simply kick of the pedal to
spin the crank back to 10몭00.

REPLY

Unknown July 25, 2010 at 11:39 PM

I'd de몭nitely use at least clips, even if they're kept a bit loose. As Sheldon
Brown states (here: http://sheldonbrown.com/몭xed.html#pedals):

"Sometimes, novice 몭xed-gear riders will try to use plain pedals with no form
of retention system. I strongly advise against this. Riding 몭xed with plain
pedals is an advanced 몭xed gear skill, only recommended for experienced
몭xed-gear riders."

REPLY

Velouria July 25, 2010 at 11:45 PM

Pierre - I've read that. But I think the assumption is that I am able to use clips.
The reality is, that I am not; I will fall and get hurt. Without clips, on the other
hand, I might get smacked with a pedal. I will take the latter risk over the
former.

Somervillain - I cannot speak for people who are aggressive cyclists, because I
do not cycle in that way and have no idea what it's like. Speaking from my own
point of view, I 몭nd maneuvering a coaster brake bike and a 몭xed gear bike
very similar.

PS: When is the last time you rode either? : ))

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Unknown July 26, 2010 at 12:06 AM

The thing with a 몭xie is that it can be a bit more belligerent than a freewheel
bike, actively trying to kick you out of your pedals, if you're trying to slow
down while going down a hill, say.

There's de몭nitely some getting used to with clips, and I do vastly prefer my
clipless pedals, as far as feeling safe goes (a quick yank, and off the pedals I
am!), but it's not so bad either (you might fall once, yes, try to fall on something
cushy, like a patch of grass).

I feel it's okay to have the straps a little loose (it will be less ef몭cient, but that's
not what you're looking for here, and I'm somewhat the same), it still keeps
your foot mostly in the right place.
your foot mostly in the right place.

I never used Powergrips, although I was thinking about it for my ninja bike (a
Trek District), as clips tend to leave scuff marks on my nice shoes. :-)

REPLY

Don July 26, 2010 at 12:36 AM

In the photos with you riding you appear to be well positioned, comfortable. I
rode a 몭xed for several years in the business section of New Orleans. You're
right, the 몭xed is the perfect bike for negotiating traf몭c. You are in complete
control. IMO the wide handle bars are not ideal for tight traf몭c or if you have
to transport by train.

REPLY

Velouria July 26, 2010 at 12:47 AM

Don - I cannot ride the 몭at narrow bars due to nerve damage in my hands. But
I am pretty risk averse anyway, and would not go through very tight traf몭c, so
it is not an issue. I do see upside-down NorthRoads like mine pretty frequently
on 몭xed gears.

Pierre - If I ever take the plunge and get foot retention on a road bike, I will go
clipless rather than clips. But this is a city bike, and it would not be practical to
wear SPD shoes every time I ride it. I think Powergrips may be the best I can
do; I will try to pick some up next time I have a chance.

REPLY

Unknown July 26, 2010 at 12:54 AM

Yeah, I have plain 몭at pedals on my Opus Lugano city bike, and I prefer clipless
for the longer rides on my road bike (for ef몭ciency, since I'm lazy, and SPD is
really quick and instinctive to get out of), but I went for clips on the District, as
I didn't feel secure enough without some form of retention, and I didn't want to
have to wear SPD shoes when riding it (it's also more of a city bike).

Let us know how you like the Powergrips! Another option I was looking at was
clips with leather.

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Bikejuju July 26, 2010 at 1:56 AM

(On a completely different note, the Y-shaped riverside tree that graces both of
your last two posts, and frames bikes and riders, is lovely!)

REPLY

townmouse July 26, 2010 at 5:43 AM

If I were to go 몭xed (and it sounds like something you do to your dog) I'd get a 7
gear internal hub, if I could afford one. The main attraction would be cycling in
winter where you can use the pedals to slow down - less drastic than using
your brakes on ice. I'd still need the gears for the hills though.

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Simply Bike July 26, 2010 at 8:45 AM

This is a great post, thank you! I have been seeing and hearing about 몭xed gear
bikes everywhere, and your perspective on it really helped me better
understand how a 몭xed would handle. Thanks for this! I'm really intrigued by
them and would love to test ride one some time. S.

REPLY

somervillain July 26, 2010 at 8:56 AM

velouria: "PS: When is the last time you rode either? : ))"

i mentioned in an earlier post that i've never ridden 몭xed :-), but seeing what
that 몭xie rider did got me thinking about how the crank orientation may
potentially be a problem, and something i've never seen a coaster brake rider
do. it was just an observation, not based on personal experience. (i have ridden
many coaster brakes in my life, including one i used for a year in europe, and
never had that dilemma).

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rural 14 July 26, 2010 at 9:00 AM

One thought re the front brake - if the brake levers on your other bikes have
the front lever on the left as is standard in the US, having 1 bike with the lever
on the right will eventually result in a moment of hesitation when using the
brakes on your other bikes. Keep it consistent so that you don't have to think
about which is the front brake (front does the bulk of the braking / panic stops
etc0

REPLY

Anonymous July 26, 2010 at 9:57 AM

somervillain, your analysis of the 몭xed gear "bike-lift" maneuver as the mark of
an aggressive or dangerous cyclist is a little unfair. This is my preferred
method, and "Danger" is certainly not *my* middle name. It's just a convenient
way to get your pedal in the right place. My bike is geared high, so if I
misjudged and simply continued to roll until my pedal was where I wanted it,
I'd end up in the middle of the intersection. Instead I apply my front brake and
spin the rear wheel. It's no different in concept than someone with a freewheel
rotating their pedal forward, and it's not meant to look "aggressive". It's a
purely practical method, and if she looked aggressive while doing it, I'm sure it
was the result of her overall body language.

If you come from big coaster brake bikes to 몭xed, you may not think this is
necessary. If you come from small road bikes to 몭xed, you'll have a different
approach.

REPLY

Velouria July 26, 2010 at 10:11 AM

rural 14 - Actually, my bikes are all over the place when it comes to brake
placement. Some are front left, others front right. If we ever have the time, I
would actually like to reroute all of them to front right, I think it is a better
system.

townmouse - they do make 몭xed-gear 3-speed hubs : )

somervillain - I know, I know. I guess my main point is that my style of riding

has nothing to do with the dynamics of that style of riding, and so from my
perspective the wheel thing is unnecessary and the coasterbrake method does
work.

I think P's last 2 sentences are pretty accurate.

REPLY

somervillain July 26, 2010 at 10:29 AM

anon and velouria: i think my comments were misinterpreted. i didn't intend to

associate the "bike-lift" with that of an aggressive 몭xie rider, based on one
observation, even though the observation was consistent with an overall
demonstration of wanting to be quick at every opportunity. my comment,
rather, was meant to suggest that if you are riding 몭xed and want to have a
quick launch (something for which *any* rider may be justi몭ed in wanting),
then you have to employ some technique to make sure your crank is correctly
oriented. this technique can be planning in advance (as velouria mentioned she
does), or the "bike-lift" that i witnessed. my main point was that the
convenience of using the freewheel to rotate the crank in such situations is
lost. i will also add that the "planning in advance" method becomes easier with
lower gearing. velouria's bike is geared *very* low, and it takes a shorter
distance to rotate the cranks than it does on a 몭xed gear bike of higher
gearing.

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MDI July 26, 2010 at 4:23 PM

I suppose having to lift one's rear wheel to adjust the pedals is at least an
occasional necessity on a geared-high 몭xed wheel. But is that a problem? Not
any more than backing into a parking spot. You always know how much time
you have to park, but you don't know how quickly you'll have to leave (or race
for that green light in your 몭xie)... :)

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MamaVee July 26, 2010 at 4:38 PM

( just commenting on the coaster brake stopping issue- I also automatically

stop it how I want it. Although I do a lot of coasting and often while coasting
down hill will pedal one degree to get my left and favorite braking foot parallel
to the ground so I just step back slightly to slow down.... and I will coast with
pedals in position before coming to a complete stop at intersections...

I am so dying to try a 몭xed gear now. Although I am of both worlds. Not

coordinated or balanced AND I love to coast. I even coast when I drive rarely
tapping the breaks. ( but I was taught by a stick driver who down shifts to slow
and rarely brakes unless he's stopping.)
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Dave July 26, 2010 at 5:25 PM

Hooray Veloria! This post should get a silver medal for clarity and usefulness,
and you should get a gold one for clear-headed courage. I predict you will 몭nd
a foot retention system that works for you, and soon.

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david m. July 26, 2010 at 6:16 PM

I'm still interested to hear about the rear wheel. Why no speci몭cs, V? Did I miss
where you talked about either a total wheel rebuild or what kind of new wheel
was purchased?

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Velouria July 26, 2010 at 8:27 PM

Thanks Dave - Though I think the courage aspect is undeserved, with my low
gearing and brakes and all. Now if I were riding brakeless in 몭ip몭ops while
drinking coffee and talking on my mobile...

david m. - see my earlier post about the conversion!

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david m. July 27, 2010 at 1:37 AM

Saw your earlier post. Buying a new rear wheel was de몭nitely the more cost-
effective choice, and wiser to stick with 27" than to try and convert to 700c for
a new wheelset.

And thank you ever so kindly for not throwing Deep V's on Marianne and
making her into a skid/tarck/"mash" monster. She's still a beaut, even if she's
been hobbled by the removal of the Deraileur mount.

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anna July 27, 2010 at 3:33 AM

Sounds great to have a 몭xed gear bike for everyday use. Even better that it
doesn't look like one of these hipster 몭xies. Just an awesome mix you have
here, I'm sure it's a lot of fun to ride Marianne now.

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Corey K July 27, 2010 at 11:09 AM

I second the comment on these photos. Did you take them with a timer, or
were they MDI's work? Either way, some very nice compositions there.

I have used clips or half clips since 1982, and 몭nd it disorienting to not have
them. There are two things about clips that I 몭nd useful. 1) they position my
foot in the proper "power" placement on the pedals, and 2) they allow me to
push forward a bit as well as provide a little bit of resistance to the upward
movement of my foot. The only set I currently have are some 20+ year old
movement of my foot. The only set I currently have are some 20+ year old
*short* MKS nylon MTB models on my Stumpjumper, from which I removed
the leather straps. they grab the shoe just enough to keep my feet in and on, in
the proper position.
I can remove my foot from the clip either sideways or backward off the pedal.
Something like this might be worth a try- I'm sure you can even get a used set
for pennies at the local co-op to mess with. Try one at a time with your lead
foot and leave the other out on the downside of the pedal, like you did on the
Waja track bike.

Herself, who never used any sort of retention until a few years ago, 몭nds it a
comfortable and fast system. (She's of similar height and shares the Stumpy
with me.)

Anyway you go, enjoy Marianne.

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Trisha July 27, 2010 at 2:52 PM

I'm not a big coaster, either, simply because when I'm riding my bike my legs
seem to get into "pedal" mode and just go automatically. So perhaps a 몭xie is
more my style than I realized. Interesting to hear that it's actually easier to ride
in traf몭c.

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vxla July 27, 2010 at 5:32 PM

Thanks for the great post. I use cork and I use varnish to color them and
shellac to seal them to the elements. Here's an example of my latest set, which
is meant to match a Brooks B-17 Aged saddle (after a year of use)

http://www.몭ickr.com/photos/vxla/4785339828/

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todd July 27, 2010 at 7:22 PM

i like power grips more than the (several) other foot retention systems i've
used. while most of my riding these days is casual enough that i'm happy with
no foot retention, i notice that it is more dif몭cult to ride and steer a bike no-
hands when i have no foot connection. since no-hands riding relies on a sharp
command of body english, more positive points of attachment enable more
positive control.

몭xed gear is fun, but as my knees are invariably the 몭rst thing to hurt on any
longer ride, it's a pleasure i must forego.

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Justine Valinotti July 27, 2010 at 9:08 PM

I warned you: Riding a 몭xed gear is addictive!

Sheldon Brown used to say that French bikes like Marianne made for good
몭xed-gear conversions because of their ride qualities. What you say about
Marianne con몭rms that. It's somewhat aggressive, as you say, but you need
Marianne con몭rms that. It's somewhat aggressive, as you say, but you need
some of that in a 몭xed gear bike in order to control it. On the other hand, for
the streets, you wouldn't want a real velodrome bike like the one you rode in
Vienna because you would feel every single crack in the pavement when you
ride it.

Interestingly, Marianne is now like a kind of bike that was once fairly common
in England and Continental Europe. In England, they were known as "club"
bikes: They had the geometry of road bikes and were often made of high-grade
tubing like Reynolds 531, but they had 몭xed-gears "몭ip-몭op" hubs. I more or
less emulated that when I built my Mercian 몭xed-gear bike.

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Justine Valinotti July 27, 2010 at 10:25 PM

Getting a new wheel was not only more cost effective; it was also the wiser
choice.

A hub that's made for a 몭xed gear has two tiers of threads on the side on which
the cog is mounted. The inner set is for the cog itself. The outer set is for the
lockring, and is threaded in the opposite direction from the other threads. If
you mount a 몭xed gear on a regular road hub, the lockring may not stay on
tight. The result could be disastrous, especially when you stop.

Also, mounting a single gear would have meant realigning the spacers on the
hub so that the chainline would be straight. In turn, that would have required
re-dishing the wheel: moving the rim further to the right by tightening the
right side spokes and loosening the left-side ones. It's usually not a good idea
on an old wheel, for the spokes usually become more brittle over time.

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kfg July 27, 2010 at 11:06 PM

I look away again for a couple of weeks and when I look back my little girl is all
growed up and shit. What's wit dat?

Just today I took the Peugeot mixte out for a spin, because I suddenly realized
it had turned into a bike that I spend rather more time polishing than riding,
and I'm not particularly down with that school of cycling. It wasn't very long
before my brain started screaming "My God! This bike is broken, it needs to get
몭xed!"

I haven't ridden a coastie in several months. I found it a rather strange

experience despite the many, many miles I've spent on them.

My townie this year has been the aforementioned (in an afore post), threatened
cruiser, with the wheels from my 925 on it (I'm taking my time deciding
whether I'm going to build a 26" 몭xed wheel for it or convert to 700c). Although
it leaves it rather over geared (44x15) and it's "brakeless" (an oxymoron) I never
skip stop. It isn't at all necessary and people who do this are having
fun/showing off/don't know how to ride. You won't see people on the track
doing it very much.

In England limited gear time trialing used to be very popular. Medium gear
riders (72", which is the neighborhood of 42x16 depending on your wheel/tire
size) used to break the hour for 25 miles. Sheldon liked a tooth smaller in the
size) used to break the hour for 25 miles. Sheldon liked a tooth smaller in the
back (which is how the 925 is geared stock, but he liked Biopace rings too), but
really, no one needs more than 72" for general riding. Touring riders generally
went for something around 65".

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kfg July 27, 2010 at 11:14 PM

P.S. Marianne looks très chic with the upside down North Roads. You can tell
her I said so.

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Velouria July 27, 2010 at 11:26 PM

Justine said...
"... for the streets, you wouldn't want a real velodrome bike like the one you
rode in Vienna because you would feel every single crack in the pavement
when you ride it."

I agree that for the streets I would not want a real track bike (riding brakeless
on the backroads was dif몭cult enough; I almost pee in my pants just imagining
doing it in traf몭c)... BUT... FYI That track bike had tubular tires that were like
butter going over cracks and bumps. I am trying to forget that wonderful ride
quality, lest I start craving tubulars.

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Velouria July 28, 2010 at 12:55 AM

Thanks for the comments re the tree pictures. I took the one where the bicycle
is alone. The Co-Habitant took the picture where I am standing in front of the
tree looking sullen. We agreed on the composition beforehand.

david m - Marianne threatened to run away from home if I got Deep V's. Plus,
those wouldn't go well with the fenders. Priorities!

kfg - Thanks for your comments on gearing. I am only now starting to

understand it, so this is terribly interesting.

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Unknown July 28, 2010 at 6:11 PM

Nice post, it describes the 몭xed-gear experience accurately without wrapping

it in predictable hipster-daredevil-Zen cliches or making it seem like such a big
deal.

What I love about riding 몭xed is that the bike seems to go by itself since so
much of your momentum is recycled. This makes short inclines easier too.
There is a feeling of greater control especially in wet conditions.

I don't 몭nd the pedals being out of sync to be a big issue. Just an extra push
from the foot on the ground when you start corrects it. After a while you just
get used to it and you can start (and stop) from any position.

PowerGrips are probably the easiest retention to use. Try them on a freewheel
PowerGrips are probably the easiest retention to use. Try them on a freewheel
bike 몭rst. Getting out of them requires just a quick 몭ick of the heel, far less
effort than even the loosest clipless pedal.

I run a 69" gear (45x17, 700Cx28mm tires, 165mm cranks), which is about right
for L.A. The classic English touring gear was 65", all the better to enjoy the
scenery.

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Samuel Chilbolton October 26, 2010 at 4:49 PM

sorry to come in on an old post but i thought it might be helpful to add a safety
warning regarding 몭xed-gear bikes. Fixed-gear bikes without a rear brake rely
on the drivetrain for safe braking control. There is a small but signi몭cant
chance that the chain could snap or derail while descending and/or
approaching a hazard on the road. If this happens then only the front brake is
left to control the bike. although the front brake alone is suf몭cient for perhaps
95% of braking situations, there are times when a rear brake is necessary in
order to "control" the front brake and thereby prevent the rider being thrown
forwards and off the bike. In addition at the end of a long ride on a 몭xed-gear
the riders legs will be tired and the presence of a rear brake will provide some
relief. It is fashionable to remove the rear brake when using a 몭xed gear but in
this case it would be better to die a fashion death than a real death. Most 몭xed
gear bikes ridden on the road prior to the current revival had two brakes, front
and rear.

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apophasis June 8, 2011 at 10:59 PM

Nobody's reading this now, but in case you happen to read this, somervillain:

Lifting to position your crank is as easy as positioning your feet on a bike with
a freewheel; easier, if the freewheel bike doesn't have foot retention. It requires
no thought at all once you are used to doing it. I notice the equivalent
technique on the freewheel bike more now when I ride that. It is also a
legitimate enough technique that Sheldon Brown describes doing it (though he
says he lifted the saddle, which sounds terribly awkward to me; I always use
the top tube).

That said, with most gearings it is not usually necessary to lift the wheel as you
can stop with the cranks pretty much where you want them most of the time. I
usually ride 42/17 or 42/16 and 몭nd it trivial to stop in the correct position.
The reason I still have to lift my bike sometimes is that I am still working on my
trackstand (hey, I just built the bike last winter) and often roll out of my
preferred position when I lose my balance.

Samuel Chilbolton:
No, the chance is not signi몭cant. Drivetrain failure is no more (and probably
less) likely than rear brake failure or misadjusted brakes. If someone wants to
have all three braking systems I certainly wouldn't discourage them, but it's
about as necessary as having both rim and disc brakes on a freewheel bike. If
you are using the rear brake to "control" the front, then you need to work on
your braking technique. See Sheldon Brown:
http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

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CODYVISION June 26, 2016 at 1:49 AM

I love my 몭xed gear. (46X18,175mm 27")Rode just under 50 miles today. Yes to
brakes. No to toe clips.
I am considering switching from MKS Stream w/0 toe clips to Crank Bros
Eggbeaters.
Thoughts?

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