Many cyclists interested in simplifying consider going to a singlespeed freewheel as a way to “test the waters” with the idea that if they turn out to like that, they might later convert to fixed gear.
This is generally the wrong way to approach it, in my opinion.
I STRONGLY recommend starting out with fixed gear. If it turns out to be a problem, you can easily convert to freewheel later if you want to…but my bet is you won’t want to if you give fixed gear a good try (typically takes a couple of weeks of regular riding to get past the strangeness, but then it’s quite addictive!)
Most folks who set up their bikes with a fixed/free flip flop wind up using the fixed gear side pretty much all of the time. The freewheel option is mainly useful for when you have taken a longer than usual ride, and need to get home even though you’re all tuckered out.
Most folks who set up their bikes with a fixed/free flip flop wind up using the fixed gear side pretty much all of the time. The freewheel option is mainly useful for when you have taken a longer than usual ride, and need to get home even though you’re all tuckered out.
Like coming back down Mt Glorious after riding a fixed bmx up?
i set my bike up with a fixed/free flip flop. stupid idea, i don’t know what i was thinking. i’ve only used the freewheel side once, in two months, and that was just to test it out.
riding singlespeed, you lose all the advantages of fixed - control, stopping, momentum - and you’re also missing the advantages of gears. lose/lose!
Couldnt disagree with you more.
you get the advantage of pedaling full circles with a freewheel, you get the advantage of doing wicked slalom shit way better, and you get to use one gear and toughen up. brakes stop you good. freewheeling at 50kph downhill feels more like control to me than trying to spin at that speed.
Riding fixed does feel good though. i do love doing it, but not for those “advantages”
