I am 36 and riding geared bikes for ages, thought I had strong legs.
Thought I’d try the whole fixed thing, must be something in it!
Got me a Jamis Sputnik which came with 48:17 and brakes I might add, swapped the drop bars for flat ones chopped a bit off…
Love the simplicity and the smooth lightweight feel.
Took a bit of getting used to like when I’d subconsciously try to stop pedalling down a hill and get a jolt through the legs.
My commute is from Northcote to Moonee Ponds, fairly flat except for coming up out of the Moonee valley up to Brunswick.
Then a month or 2 into it I started to get the sort of sensation which felt like the muscle on top of my thigh straining away from the knee, more like pins and needles rather than strong pain.
So I gave it a rest for a while, got an old Repco Olympic 12 until the 27 inch back wheel buckled and cant be trued.
So am back on the Fixie but now its a Freeie with a 42 and 44 chainring and 16 17 18 freewheels to play around with.
Finding the balance between not too hard up the big hill and not too slow and super fast spinning on the flat.
Getting used to cruising along and enjoying spinning rather than the HAF strength training regime!
Currently I think the 42-17 feels about right.
cheers
Paul
25yo and I courier with a 52/17 fixed with a brake that I don’t usually use (hasn’t worked for about two months). Been riding a bike as only form of transport for 5/6 years, fixed for 2(?), never had a problem and I’ve had a history of a funny left knee from ligament twisting/stretching. Just throwing it out there.
I’ve had the same problem, luckily my prob wasn’t so bad that I needed surgery or too much treatment, but essentially the same. The quad is over developed (Yay!) and the VMO cannot maintain the vector that means the patella tracks smoothly within the knee joint.
Because I need my knees for stuff I took all this pain seriously and went to a physio pronto. They showed me some exercises that I have to do to build up the VMO and stabilise the vector. I do these exercises most days and have largely been problem free. It’s not just a fixed gear issue, but because you’re engaged all the time and back pedalling the problem develops quicker in fixed gear riders.
this is weird, but i havnt had any knee problems
then i read this thread yesterday
now i feel like i have knee problems
So, Whats the best advise to overcome knee problems?
Proper bike setup and yoga.
Easiest solution is to continue some other sport to keep the muscle mass (somewhat) even. I ride regularly and when i began having knee problems i was told just to strap my knees when im riding and to swim an extra session a week, as it builds muscle throughout the body, instead of just having freakish legs 
while this is the best way to avoid knee problems (though i’d subsitute pilates for yoga), i’m not sure it’s the best way to overcome them. for that you’ll have to see a physio, or an osteo, or a doctor. because your knee problems are different from everybody elses.
unless you have a tear in your PCL, in which case, yours are just like mine.
easy solution
1 see a physio for correct biomechanical assessment / diagnosis
1a get a proper bike fit
2 probably some hamstring stretching - all cyclists end up a bit tight here anyway
just my 2c worth as a cycling physio… :mrgreen:
shadow yoga rocks.
Lets get back to basics boys and girls.
Things break because either
- They are poorly made
- They are over stressed which means either too much pressure or too much speed.
At average gearing you are putting out more torque than a Harley Davidson ( find some one who can multiple and knows physic and you will see what I mean)
You can blow a cruciate or tear a meniscus as easily spinning as grinding .
The human body is a great machine that adapts if you let it .
So here are my pearls.
Eat well so that the joints are good and not ready to fall apart.
If they hurt give them time to recover by decreasing the stress.
Decreasing stress means. Riding less, increasing recovery period . Decrease torque if that is the problem by decreasing the gearing or decreasing the velocity of the spin by increasing the gearing.
In other words use your head to work out what hurts and change it until your joints get stronger. The body will adapt if you let it and dont push it beyond its ability.
Sorry for the rant but my socks are older than your knees
full face
I agree if you’re comparing crank torque at sprinting effort to engine crankshaft torque (not output sprocket). I never thought of it that way.
Just take the time and go get fitted properly by someone who knows what their doing and it shouldnt be an issue. I’m in melb, and every new bike i get i go to the physio on swan st and get fitted properly.
Anyone have a taping or strapping technique for keeping the knee cap in place and tracking vertically?
My right one is tracking a bit wonky and i need to work harder at loosening the itb. Rather not deal with the popping and discomfort and also try stop the inflammation setting in.
Also rather not pay to see someone when I know what they’ll say.
have you googled it jimmy, there’s so much info on that stuff online…?
this page has info on taping to correct patella tracking - http://www.physioadvisor.com.au/11343550/patella-taping-mcconnell-taping-physioadvisor.htm
nope.
i knew someone would post a link to a reputable site…AND YOU DID!
thanks rolls
$10 foam rollers at Aldi recently
ha.
no aldis here, but i have a roller thanks.
already gone through physio, surgery, rehab, rehab again…the long winters make activity hard and things tend to go bad again. all my fault.
I do that to Blakey all the time 
no probs bud.
Few links which may help out with the itb, i had problems for a long while (caused by increasing my running distances too quickly)
mostly yoga routines/poses with an emphasis on opening up the hips etc