Learning to Corner

One thing you will learn on a fixed gear is how to take a corner. It used to amaze me how many riders in a group didn't know how to take a turn, but then most had never ridden a fixed gear. Two things you will learn riding a fixed gear is how to pedal and how to take a turn. You will have no choice the bike will force you to learn. Since you can't stop pedaling in a curve with a fixed gear you have to learn the proper way or you'll crash. When going into a curve you do not lean like a motorcycle. You lean the bike but you keep your body upright. Start slowly then increase your speed. You will feel when your cornering correctly because you will be smooth. On a fixed gear I don't recommend having a crank arm longer than 170mm. Anything longer you run a risk of the pedal hitting the pavement in the turn possibly causing you to crash. This applies only if you plan on riding through curves fast. Most track bikes are set up with 165mm or 170mm cranks. The smaller cranks will also help you spin better, thus developing a better pedal stroke