Riding Fixed
The Quickbeam has a flip-flop hub with cogs on either side so you can ride with a freewheel or as a fixed gear. Nearly all the time I’ve had it, I’ve ridden on the freewheel side; my usual line has been that I’m not gnarly enough to ride fixed, and basically it’s true: I like to be able to coast downhill and around corners. Right after I got the bike, I spent an afternoon tooling around on the fixed cog and decided it was more trouble (and danger) than it was worth, so I set the chain on the freewheel side and haven’t gone back.
Yesterday, though, in part because I have this old Motobecane frame my neighbor gave me I built into a single-speed that I never ride and I’ve been thinking that if I put a fixed cog on it, it would be unique among my stable and I might use it more often, I set up the Quickbeam fixed and started riding around. Today, I’ve gone all over town on it that way and am reflecting on the experience.
At first, I was going to say that riding fixed was fine and all but that I definitely preferred having a freewheel. This view was informed in particular by my ride down the hill on Martin Luther King from Union to Madison; I had to squeeze the brakes a lot to keep from spinning out and eventually I did anyway, feeling scared and overwhelmed by the cranks spinning out of control.
At lunch though, I had a couple—well, three—margueritas and found the ride home especially interesting. What I didn’t like at first—my cranks urging me ever on—I came to appreciate, especially uphill. I also like the sense of control over and connection to the bike that being fixed gives me.
I’m not sure I’m brave enough to ride fixed on tonight’s .83 ride; we’ll see.
A couple more margueritas might help.
Yesterday, though, in part because I have this old Motobecane frame my neighbor gave me I built into a single-speed that I never ride and I’ve been thinking that if I put a fixed cog on it, it would be unique among my stable and I might use it more often, I set up the Quickbeam fixed and started riding around. Today, I’ve gone all over town on it that way and am reflecting on the experience.
At first, I was going to say that riding fixed was fine and all but that I definitely preferred having a freewheel. This view was informed in particular by my ride down the hill on Martin Luther King from Union to Madison; I had to squeeze the brakes a lot to keep from spinning out and eventually I did anyway, feeling scared and overwhelmed by the cranks spinning out of control.
At lunch though, I had a couple—well, three—margueritas and found the ride home especially interesting. What I didn’t like at first—my cranks urging me ever on—I came to appreciate, especially uphill. I also like the sense of control over and connection to the bike that being fixed gives me.
I’m not sure I’m brave enough to ride fixed on tonight’s .83 ride; we’ll see.
A couple more margueritas might help.
posted by Professor Dave at 3:41 PM
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