It Wasn't Broke, but I Fixed it Anyway

I just installed my fixed gear cog on my bike today and gave it a test spin up and down the street. The install was super easy and now I have 2 bikes in 1! I can now go either single speed or fixed gear by simply flipping over my rear wheel. My initial thoughts after testing the FG:
1. "Wow, this is going to take some getting used to!"
2. "This is a blast!"
3. "It's not going to take much distance to get a good workout in!"
4. "I can't wait to ride this bike!"

The thing that first caught me off guard was when I subconciously tried to coast to make an adjustment. FAIL! You can't coast. It will take some getting used to with the mounting and dismounting so I don't fall on my face. I'm sure I will a few times, hopefully nobody will be watching. The second thing was the brakes. I didn't need them. I could slow down and even stop by slowing my pedal cadence adn then stop pedalling. Way cool. I could really feel it in my legs as I was testing this concept out.

I really think riding this bike is going to take my performance to another level when I get back on my regular road bike. I can't wait to ride this bike for a while and then switch back to the geared bike and see what differences there are.

New Bike!

Here she is, the new bike. You're probably thinking I've lost my mind. That isn't a picture of a bike but it's a sprocket, a gear, a cog, certainly not a bike. Hear me out. this part when out onto my rear hub will turn my singlr speed bike into a fixed gear bike. Essentially, I will have 2 bikes in one!

What's the difference? I'll break it down for you. A single speed bike is just as the name implies one gear. There are no deraileurs to get goofed up, no shifting cables to get loose, no upshifting when you want to go faster and no downshifting when the road gets too steep. You never have to worry if you're in the right gear at a stop light; you're always in the wrong gear! This type of bike is what most kids ride to start out. With the exception of reversing the pedals for brakes (a single speed coasts), they are very simliar.

A fixed gear is basically the same concept except you can't coast. That's the thing about it. Say "it's a fixed gear" and you usually get blank stares, say "it doesn't coast" and people understand. Sort of. Why would anyone chose to ride a bike that doesn't coast and that can't change gears? Well, why do you ride a bike instead of drive a car? Do you like the wind rippling over your legs as you spin the planet beneath you? Do you like the feeling of going faster and farther than you ever could alone by adding a bit of machinery to your life? Take all that bikeness, strip it down to it's essence and put it on the road. What you have is what I'm looking forward to riding. The bike is simple, about as simple as you can get. It doesn't coast. You don't coast as you start out and put your foot in the second pedal. No, you grab the pedal on the fly. The bike won't ever let you forget -- it doesn't coast. If you want to go fast, you pedal fast. To go slow, you pedal slow. When you stop, it stops.

I will be able to flip the back wheel over for those "organized rides" when you have to coast a bid for others' safety. Otherwise, I think I will keep it as a fixed gear. I can't wait to ride it!

New Year, New Ride, New Goal

With a New Year approaching, my riding has also begun anew! My wife (who is awesome, by the way) got me a new ride for Christmas. For the past year, I have bee riding my “hardtail” mountain bike with either the urban assault tires or slicks to log miles. By “hardtail”, I mean no suspension. Many of the mountain bikes you see out there are full suspension or at least front suspension. I believe this takes away the true feel of riding. Some people swear by full suspension, but I’m not buying it.

My new bike is a ’08 Scattante Americano Single Speed. This bike has a flip flop back hub that I can flip over to change the bike to a fixed gear. A single speed bike is like the bikes we rode as kids – no gears. I bought a bike trailer from a guy in 07 who rode a fixed gear bike and swore by it. Ever since talking to him about fixed gear bikes, I have been intrigued. I did some research and found this bike that can be either single speed of fixed gear. Once I get the feel for hoe the bike handles I will get a new cog and make the switch to fixed gear. A fixed gear bike is an interesting machine. Basically, you can’t coast; if the pedals are moving, so is the back wheel. Stop pedaling, stop moving. Once I make this switch, I’ll be sure to post about it.

With the New Year also comes a new mileage goal. In 2008, I rode over 2000 miles on either my mountain bike or the stationary. It’s only the 30th and I still have 2 more riding days left in the year. Yesterday’s ride put me at 2048 for the year. In 2009, I am shooting for 3000 miles. This should be doable as I really only started counting 2008 miles in late February while helping my wife train for her first triathlon.

Stay tuned for how my progress is going.