[Aspen]

I must have spent too many years on a geared bike because I'm having trouble starting and stopping on my new fixed gear without hurting myself. What's the trick?

 

[BianchiJoe]

I must have spent too many years on a geared bike because I'm having trouble starting and stopping on my new fixed gear without hurting myself. What's the trick?

Use the front brake. Use it to come to a complete stop after slowing the bike with your legs and getting your pedals into a good position to put a foot down. Then use it again to lift the back wheel so you can put your pedals in the takeoff position.

That, and try double-sided pedals if you're using clipless. It also seems to help if you don't think about it too much!

 

[roadfix]

A front brake does the trick for me too.

 

[Sixty Fiver]

Starting is just like riding a gearie except that when you swing your leg over the top you have to be fairly quick to get your foot locked in to the clip before that crank gets spinning too fast and where engagement might be an issue.

Mind you...I have taken my feet off the pedals at speed and haven't had an issue getting them back into the clips and have ridden fixed on flats as well.

Stopping is also pretty simple if you have brakes and I won't ride fixed without at least one (front) brake as I like to be able to stop just as fast as I ride.

 

[Dave Hickey]

I must have spent too many years on a geared bike because I'm having trouble starting and stopping on my new fixed gear without hurting myself. What's the trick?

I'm not a run and jump on kind of guy. I straddle the bike. I start with the left foot clipped in and the left crankarm facing forward in the 3 o'clock position. Slowly push down on the crank and as the right arm comes up to 12 o'clock I clip in with the right. If I miss the clip, Wait another revolution to try again...The key is to go slow until you are clipped in

I should say that I'm left handed/left side dominant so I have no idea if right handed people do the opposite..

 

[Sixty Fiver]

The more time you spend riding fixed the better you will get at things like starts, stops, and things like track stands.

Rolling dismounts are also very cool.

 

[Black Bart]

I must have spent too many years on a geared bike because I'm having trouble starting and stopping on my new fixed gear without hurting myself. What's the trick?

Here's the real trick:

1. Starting: What you gotta do is, clip in with one foot, hold the bike off the ground while standing on your other foot. Get the rear wheel spinning as fast as you can with your clipped in foot then drop that rear wheel and take off.

2. Stopping: To stop, somehow you need to get both feet free of the pedals, then drop your crotch down onto the top tube and dig your heels into the pavement. this is the reason you'll notice so many fixie riders have those pads covering the top tube. It will help if you yell out "Yabba dabba doooooo" while skidding to a halt on your burning All Stars.

3. Grab an iced latte, you earned it!

 

[Sixty Fiver]

Bart - that's freaking hilarious.

I'm gonna have to go out and try that tonight.

 

[Anonymous]

Hhey kid! how do you get to Carnegie hall?


Practice, practice, practice.

 

[Pablo]

Here's my advise for starting and completely stopping (as in getting off the bike): start slowly, (like Dave Hickey said, although I start with the right foot in) and slow down until you can completely stop before dismounting. Slow and practice.

 

[triitin]

A friend of mine left his fixed gear unlocked outside a campus building, he ran inside for a quick minute. He came out to find his bike gone. Wanting to find what happened, or a witness to the crime, my friend took a look around and spotted 2 students studying in the grass, who rolling from laughing so hard. He went up to them and asked what was so funny. Their reply was along the lines of this guy running up to my friends bike, grabbing it, jumping on and took off in a sprint, then all of a sudden the criminal and bike came to a disasterous halt.
Moral of the story, for a quick laugh, leave a old fixed gear laying around unlocked at any high bike crime campus, hide in the bushes, and have a camera.

 

[khill]

I start the fixed gear the same way I start the geared bike: straddle the bike with my left foot on the ground and my right foot on the pedal (but not clipped in). Push down on the pedal with my right foot and use that to lift myself onto the saddle. Start pedaling with both feet and clip in as the pedals come around. Why is it harder than that?

If I stop at an intersection, I always do the "squeeze brakes, tilt bike forward and adjust pedal location" move that others mentioned. Generally, though, I can usually get the pedals in the right place as I come to a stop.

Stopping is just like any other bike except you can resist pedaling to slow down or stop. I have front and rear brakes but I still generally stop with front brakes and my legs.

Once you have mastered the trackstand, all this becomes irrelevant, though.

 

[anthony.delorenzo]

This is by far the simplest way to dismount:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvancWXi6HU

Or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p2EMzpTE38

 

[JCavilia]

I'm curious

I start the fixed gear the same way I start the geared bike: straddle the bike with my left foot on the ground and my right foot on the pedal (but not clipped in). Push down on the pedal with my right foot and use that to lift myself onto the saddle. Start pedaling with both feet and clip in as the pedals come around. Why is it harder than that?

Why do you start with the right foot "not clipped in"? I do similarly (but starting with left foot), but I clip in the first foot while standing. That way I've got one foot securely in when I start, and there's no danger of slipping off with that first hard push. I only have to clip in one foot "on the fly," and if it takes an extra rev or two I've got a secure connection the whole time with the other foot. It also makes it easy to do that wheel rotation to get the best crank position for takeoff, regardless of where the crank was when you clipped in, since you can rotate forward or backward when clipped in.

 

[roadfix]

As far as starting on a fixed gear, for me, starting with left or right foot depends on which foot I unclicked out of when I came to a stop. Depending on crank position when coming to a stop, I would either click out of my left or right foot.....whichever foot is convinient to plant on the ground at that moment.

 

[Christine]

So far, on the new fixie, the only falling I've done has been while trying to clip OUT. It's really pathetic: I'll do bunches of laps at the track, slow down to a controlled stop, then..... {{WHAM!!!}}

Learning clipless was no problem whatsoever; these toe straps are another thing entirely!

 

[khill]

Why do you start with the right foot "not clipped in"? I do similarly (but starting with left foot), but I clip in the first foot while standing. That way I've got one foot securely in when I start, and there's no danger of slipping off with that first hard push. I only have to clip in one foot "on the fly," and if it takes an extra rev or two I've got a secure connection the whole time with the other foot. It also makes it easy to do that wheel rotation to get the best crank position for takeoff, regardless of where the crank was when you clipped in, since you can rotate forward or backward when clipped in.

I don't know why. I just don't like to be attached to the bike unless I'm riding it. It's just a weird personal preference, I guess.

It's never been a problem for me since I clip in almost as soon as I start pedaling. I use eggbeaters so the cleats just clip in as I go around. I've never paid close enough attention but I would guess my right foot clips in almost as soon as I apply pressure to the pedal.

 

[JCavilia]

There's the difference

I use eggbeaters .

I use Looks. If I step hard without being attached I risk a big slip.

 

[Sixty Fiver]

I ride in old school toe clips... it just seems right.

I clip in my leading foot (right ot left doesn't matter), take off, and either slip my foot into the free pedal or give the pedal a kick to get it spinning backwards and slide my toe in when the crank comes around. It's a cool trick that only tales a wee bit of practice and some good timing.

Your gearing will affect how fast those cranks come around and running a low gear means those cranks are going to spoin up pretty quickly whereas a higher gear gives you a little more time.

I've even taken my feet out of my toe clips at speed and had no issue getting my feet back in within a revolution but mond you... I've been riding with old school toe straps for a very long time.

Riding your fixie without any clipless pedals or toe straps is also doable but you need some really good pedals with good bite to keep your feet planted.

 

[Dave Hickey]

I paid attention to stopping last night while on my ride.

Once I get less than about 5mph, I unclip the right foot and slowly pedal with one leg as I continue to slow down. As I'm just about to stop, I stand on the left crankarm(applying back pressure) and put down my right leg..

It's not a bad idea to ride around a parking lot pedaling with only one leg...It really helps with low speed control