Fixie Love

Well I have been riding to work about three days a week for since my dad brought my fixie to Seoul. I have been enjoying it more than I thought. My Tucson commute was about the same mileage as my commute here in Seoul. My main commuter bike in Tucson was a fixie as well but I wasn't able to ride to work along a beautiful river.(complete with ducks)

Sometimes when I was feeling lazy or my legs needed a break I would ride my road bike which provided the luxury of gears. My roadbike was light, stiff, comfortable and fast. It was practically effortless compared to the fixie. Why then you may ask do I ride a fixie? Well riding a fixie is a totally different experience. Different bikes provide different riding experiences. Just imagine the disparity between a Ford F-150 pickup truck and a Lexus sedan and you may begin to understand the difference in the ride characteristics of different bikes.

There are many variables that go into the "ride" of a bike. Geometry is of course a big determining factor as is material. If you want a super stiff unforgiving ride you would get a bike made from aluminum. Having said that, you have many options in what type or mixture of aluminum make up the tubes of your bike; ultimately depending on what your "ride" goal is. Different compounds can be mixed in with the aluminum to make the metal more or less flexible or forgiving. Another material used to build bikes is carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is stiff yet absorbs and dampens vibrations while being extremely light. Steel is forgiving and springy, yet a bit heavier. Titanium is tough, light and flexy which can be used to its advantage when a bike is designed correctly.

When it comes down to it I have preferences for each type of bike that I ride. For a full suspension MTB I want the stiffest material I can get. There are many pivots on a full suspension MTB and that is going to provide opportunity for the frame to flex. I want the frame to be as stiff as possible on a full suspension bike because the suspension can soak up all the bumps for me.

A hardtail on the other hand must be made of steel or titanium. These metals would provide enough forgiveness. I would actually go so far as to say that there are specific steel tubes that I would prefer over others. Different grades of steel provide a varying range of ride qualities, some of which I prefer over others.

Road bikes for me have to be a mixture of aluminum and carbon. That way you get the best of both worlds. Stiff and compliant all at the same time and in the right ways.

For a fixie I would definitely have to say steel. I have had some fixies that have been too flexy but I would still stick with steel. Specialized has released an aluminum fixie recently and which looks like no fun to ride. My current fixie is fairly stiff but at the expense of being a bit of a dead fish. The tubes are beefier which is nice because it cuts down on flex (when a bike flexes it sucks the power away from your pedal stroke) but the steel is low grade so the ride quality is nothing to write home about. (even though I am right now) Having said that I enjoy riding it immensely.

The only time I feel it flex is when I'm pulling Q's trailer and I'm climbing the hill up to school. The hill is very steep. It is not easy to climb even on days when I am feeling good. It is a nice way to start the day though. Riding it on a fixie you have to push as hard as you can because if you go too slow you will loose your momentum and when that happens your up a creek without a paddle.

The other reason I like riding a fixie is that you can't stop peddling while your moving. It demands total concentration. I normally don't ride with breaks but since I have Q in the trailer and I would be coming down the hill from school(in traffic) I installed a front break. It helps to control speed.While riding a fixie if you want to slow down you have to push back on the pedals as they come up and pull up on them as they go down. It not only takes work to start but also to slow down and stop.

The ride to work is along a really nice river where other biker are out as well as runners, Rollerblades, walkers etc. I have been meaning to bring the camera and snap a couple pics on my way in but I always forget. I'll try and remember in the next couple weeks.

This morning when I left it was 39* F. Just a taste of what's to come I'm sure.

Enough about bikes I need to go to bed.