The first time I rode downhill on a fixed-gear bike, I made the same mistake many other first-timers make: I let allowed the force of gravity, rather than my feet, to determine the speed. So, I soon found myself "spinning out": My feet and pedals were turning so quickly that I lost control of them. Even the brakes--the Mafac Racers that came with the old Peugeot UO8 I turned into a "fixie"--weren't enough to stop the bike when a Ford station wagon (remember those?) steered into my path. Fortunately for me, my reflexes were much better than my fixed-gear riding skills!
I thought about that when I came across this:
Those old high-wheelers were, of course, fixed gear: When the wheels turned, so did the pedals--and vice-versa. I can only imagine how much more precarious it must have been to "spin out" while perched five feet above the ground!
I thought about that when I came across this:
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| From Funny Cycling Pictures |
Those old high-wheelers were, of course, fixed gear: When the wheels turned, so did the pedals--and vice-versa. I can only imagine how much more precarious it must have been to "spin out" while perched five feet above the ground!
