Friday, August 8, 2008

The Essence of Fixed Gear


What's so special about riding fixed gear. I thought about this today while I was out pedaling. I have six bikes. Road bikes, Recumbent, Mountain bike and single speed. (I work in a bike shop).
So why is it, my favorite bike is the fixed gear? It's probably the cheapest bike I own. It's definitely the simplest. So what is the magic of this bike that draws me to it? Then it hit me Satori! A Zen like enlightenment! When you ride any other bike it feels like a separate machine. You are operating a machine. If you stop pedaling the machine will continue to run like a car you are basically driving the bike.
Now the difference : With fixed gear you are one with the bike. You are directly connected to the road through that bike! The bike speeds up and slows down according to your pedaling... you flow. You can not stop pedaling unless the bike stops. You have become the bike! That is the difference!
So for all the money you spent on that expensive carbon fiber road bike you can never experience the same relationship that you can on that simple fixed gear.
Now grasshopper you understand the essence of fixed gear

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