Forgetting to Pedal

[simonp]

I have been riding fixed since Thursday (Wed night if you count the 1km round the block to check everything worked after replacing several of components on my s/h fixie... about halfway round the saddle went slack along with the chain).  I didn't get any "forgets to pedal" moments on the way to work on Thursday, but on the way home I forgot twice - once whilst attempting to do the blow your nose over your shoulder (and jacket and legs) and the other whilst signalling, and, checking over my shoulder - adding pedalling to those two seems to be too much to ask.

Today I did 17km and *almost* forgot when having to ease off to give way to oncoming car which appeared of a sudden as I approached a parked car - but I caught myself within the leeway allowed by slackness of chain so I didn't get a nudge.

Teh worry is that it's going to be like with SPDs and you get past the needing to concentrate bit to the second nature bit.  And then you'll forget and come a cropper.  I hear stories about going over the bars, and my mind is filled with that image alot of the time when I am on the fixie - I hope it'll pass.   Has that happened to anyone reading this?  Was it fun? 

Oh ah.  I also didn't enjoy a slight bump in the road at the roundabout just near my house at the end of the ride.  Wet slippery road, when the bike went over this bump I found it quite unnerving.  Didn't stop pedaling, but I feel I'd have taken that more in my stride on gears.

[Ian H]

All things to get used to. Another thing to remember — actually every cyclist should do this, but many seem not to — is to look at the road surface. Ride round the bumps and holes, not through them. In extremis it is possible to bunny-hop on fixed. Sort of.

[mike]

has anyone actually fallen off because they forgot to pedal?  I've had some hip-tearingly sharp reminders from the pedals but never been close to being chucked off.  Yet...

[simonp]

BTW, the first post on re-reading sounds very negative.  I actually enjoyed myself greatly for most of the ride. 

[Fixedwheelnut]

 ahh the old pedal nudge    you will get used to it to the point it becomes second nature.

 Riding fixed the early lessons
1/ don't stop pedalling.
2/ Fartletts, or the art of farting whilst pedalling, little lifts off the saddle whilst pedalling.
3/ road bumps and bunny hops, as above but pull on the bars and pedals as well.
4/ descending, learn to relax the hips and let them legs go, keep a firm but not tight grip on the bars.
5/ Starting off, pedal position, just apply the front brake and pull up on the pedal while lifting the weight off the rear wheel, or stop when the pedal is where you want it.
6/ don't stop pedalling  

[Ian H]

has anyone actually fallen off because they forgot to pedal?

I have once...after around twenty years of fixed riding. It was just complete absent-mindedness on a straight, flat, empty road. I sprained my pride.

[Fixedwheelnut]

has anyone actually fallen off because they forgot to pedal?  I've had some hip-tearingly sharp reminders from the pedals but never been close to being chucked off.  Yet...

 Not quite but about five years ago I did have a scary moment down Ide Hill trying to get 200rpm when the back wheel skipped out on a patch of loose at 39mph @198rpm.
 The back wheel locked when I braked but then I couldn't go from 0rpm to 190 in an instant, apparentley I looked like a bucking bronco arse up and down bike left to right skidding it back down to 25mph before I regained control.  

 All I kept thinking was this is gonna hurt

[rogerzilla]

I forgot to pedal above 25mph once.  The bike sort of kangarooed for a few yards, then I got it back in shape.

[oncemore]

I still occasionally forget to pedal - but always seems to be only momentarily and a nice bike will tell you quite gently! Another 45 years and I might get the hang of it...

[Martin109]

I struck a pedal once turning at a junction; it was scary, but I didn't come off.

[kyuss]

I struck a pedal once turning at a junction; it was scary, but I didn't come off.

Pedal strike is the one thing that gives me 'the fear'.

[Frenchie]

I pedal all the time on a freewheeler as well... Well, at least, it does take some time for me not to pedal!

I use short track cranks in general (165 mm) and have so far not grounded. On my favourite fixed the BB is also high.

[rogerzilla]

I've never grounded a pedal either, but both my fixed bikes have high BBs, 165mm cranks and I tend to take a wider line round corners.

[Frenchie]

... and I tend to take a wider line round corners.

I would argue that this is natural (physics) as one is forced to pedal through the bends. This is actually one of the reasons why fixed are not allowed in bunch races; they do not take the same lines.

[kyuss]

I only worry about it so much as my Bowery doesn't have a particularly high BB and came with 175mm cranks. It's not happened yet.

[Chris S]

Pedal strike - yup hit the kerb a couple of times when filtering in traffic. Only me to blame. Didn't fall off, but probably came close to soiling myself.
 
Never had a problem with an acute desire to freewheel; the bike is always very forthright in its reminder, and I'm always quick to apologise.

The panic moments are always the worst - needing to avoid a pothole at high speed, hitting a horrible bit of road that drives your saddle up into you perineum; that kind of thing. You get used to it.

I've no answer to the >300km conundrum - that point where you just think "FFS - I just need to freewheel for a bit...".

[Ian H]

I've no answer to the >300km conundrum - that point where you just think "FFS - I just need to freewheel for a bit...".

I don't think that. I do occasionally need to sit up straight for a bit.

[Chris S]

I've no answer to the >300km conundrum - that point where you just think "FFS - I just need to freewheel for a bit...".

I don't think that. I do occasionally need to sit up straight for a bit.

You've been riding fixed much longer than me. I can't get past 300km without missing a freehub  .

[andygates]

I forget to pedal a couple of times each time I re-learn my fixie legs.  De nada, it's just embarrassing.  It's no worse if you're clipped in.

My First Fixie (a Raleigh Merlin hack that had been converted, back when I was at school, in 1988) was nearly stolen by a villainous lag while I was watching.  He got on, did three pumps of the pedals, then tried to freewheel and got judo-flipped into a heap: I was able to stroll over and reclaim my bike from the meeping pile.

Pedal strike is annoying but never seems to be as deadly as I expect it to be; whether at low speed in queues or at high speed cornering, there's a "wa-hey!" moment and then everything is okay again.  It's similar in feeling to a rear-wheel slide.

[Wobbly John]

A couple of 'forgetting to pedal' incidents spring to mind:

1. On my first fixed commute, there was a level crossing at the bottom of a short hill. I would normally take my weight off the saddle, and freewheel with the pedals level. Doing this on the fixie slams your arse back on the saddle. 

2. Recovering from illness, I did a bit of fettling on the geared bike, and then took it out for a spin. When I got back I thought I'd have a ride on the fixie. Forgetting what fixies do, I vigourously set off to 'scoot and throw a leg over' the bike. Doing this on fixed can result in you being thrown head first over the bike to land in a heap on the opposite side. 

[oncemore]

 "I would normally take my weight off the saddle, and freewheel with the pedals level."

Cattle grids get me the same way!! The round steel tube ones are particularly dodgy....

[nuttycyclist]

I struck a pedal once turning at a junction; it was scary, but I didn't come off.

Pedal strike is the one thing that gives me 'the fear'.

I had several pedal strikes with my new bike (in 2004) - it is a 27 speed Dawes Audax.  All a pedal strike does is lift the back wheel.


A few weeks ago, after >800 miles, I had my first fixie "moment".  Wet road, on a bend, heavy panniers, and I purposefully* freewheeled.  The bike stepped out, hopped, and then all went back under control.  I only realised something had happened after it was all over and I was carrying on the ride to work.





* normally I just ride, and if I freewheel it's automatic.  A fixie prevents that and doesn't give me a problem.

[andrew_s]

My pedal strike problems have been worst after I've gone back to gears after a bit of a gap, through forgetting to stop pedalling when cornering.

[simonp]

25km on fixed today.  It's already getting more natural.

Today on the way to the pub at lunchtime, the front wheel slipped a bit on a mini roundabout (stupid non-tarmac raised junction) and I coped fine.  Didn't bat an eyelid, no change in pedal stroke.

On the way home from work tonight I went the same way and because it was now wet I took it more slowly and adjusted my line.  There was a stone or something on the roundabout which my front wheel hit, deflecting it sideways.  Again, I had no problem.

I'm also getting some small practice at descending on fixed by having the Coldhams Lane railway bridge (hump backed bridge over the railway) on my commute route.  This means I get to charge up at about 32-34kph and down the other side I have been using leg braking to keep the speed down if the lights are red at the bottom.

[simonp]

This morning I locked the back wheel braking whilst signalling right.

I didn't actually notice any problem with my legs synchronising with this, which is surprising.