Monday, August 20, 2007
Jumping on the single speed bandwagon
So, I done it. I gave in to the hipster pressure that's on all somewhat fashionable young men in this town, and bought a single speed/fixed gear track bike. It was on the cheap, and I've been wanting to try one out for awhile, so there it is. I'm riding the freewheel side right now with brakes. I think it might take alittle while to get used to the fixed gear/no brakes thing. Fixed gear bikes have a fixed rear hub, which means you can't coast. As long as the wheels are spinning, so are the pedals. you stop by applying backward pressure to the pedals. I named it the silver spider. I had my eye on the saddle for awhile. It's made of carbon infused plastic and is supposed to flex under you instead of having foam cushioning. I think the "ArcFlex technology" that it touts is technobabble for "ass torture". It looks hella cool, but it hella hurts after awhile.
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3 comments:
I remember those. My first bike was a fixed gear (they were cheaper i expected). I remember my first 21 speed. I was so dumbfounded when I could pedal backwards forever and nothing would happen. Took awhile to adjust.
i think all kids' bikes were like that. i didn't deal well with the change over to my 'teen' bike. i wanted to brake by pedaling backwards, not with my hands!!! the things they ask of children, really.
I think everyone is thinking of coaster brakes. They came on most kids and bmx style bikes in the early80's and late seventies. you could still coast, ie, not pedal(have your feet still) but still have the bike moving. On a fixed gear bike, the pedals spin around even if you are not pedaling. you can't have your feet not moving and still be traveling.
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