Fixied updates

The fixie tried to buck me off once or twice today but not with any serious intent. I think it’s getting used to having me onboard. I’m slowly taming the beast. I wouldn’t say that it was fully broken in yet, there are still a few embarrassing hiccups to come, but we’re getting there.I’m loving how easy it is to do track stands. Well…it’s easier than freewheeling but harder too. For me to do a decent track stand I need a gentle up-sloping surface, left foot forward, front wheel angled to the right. They’re my preconditions. Then I can rock backwards and forward without brakes, tracking standing like a pro. Now that I’m fixed I don’t need the gentle up-sloping surface because I can rock backwards and forwards using my pedals. Fixed. Problem is the other preconditions remain, the left foot forward, wheel to the right bits, and you don’t get to choose when the left foot will be your forward foot. You can’t get into position at the lights with a quick back-pedal. If you miss the right spot you have to do another full revolution of the pedals and by then you’re halfway into the intersection. Let me tell you, you can feel like a right dick track standing in an intersection with cars driving around you.

I’ve found myself re-inventing my routes to avoid steep hills. Downhill that is. I just can’t pedal fast enough to keep up. So I’ve zig-zagged across the Gold Coast to avoid steep hills. That’s cool at the moment because this is all an interesting challenge but it’ll be something I need to lick in the future. I might need a bigger gear for starters. The one on the bike is there because it’s there, it’s not like I chose it, and it’s a bit light on, fine for climbing but a right handful on the descents. A bigger gear will slow down the pedalling a tad and maybe that’ll help me get the downhill bits under control.

It wont help with the skidding though and that’s an area I’m slow to improve in (read: not getting anywhere). I was practising with 10kg of fully packed Chunky Toad on the back so maybe I wasn’t giving myself a walk-up start but I still feel like I’ve got a long road in front it me skidding-wise. I’m sure my tyres are too sticky of something. It requires every part of my body just to do lousy skiddy on damp grass.

The experiment goes on. Part of me just wants to go by some new brakes and have done with it. The other part wants to see this experience through and see whether I can ever become at-one with the fixie nirvana. Stay tuned.

Token fixie shot, this one from Fixie for Beginners