free wheel ftw

souter

Heretical though it may be, flipped my fixed hub for the freewheel just to try a different ratio. After a bit of weirdness (felt like something was broke) I began to appreciate thing like:

• Coasting to traffic lights.
• Sitting directly behind car in front without having to unweight and spin wheel.
• Taking of directly from footpath rather than taking several paces till pedals are lined up
• No hassle clipping in
• Being able to adjust my nads

Freewheel, it might just catch on!
Though I get paranoid when coasting that someone will twig me for a wannabe hipster/fakenger so I keep pedaling while braking if at all possible.

Caroline_ie

... Go home ... just go home ... go to bed and think about what you've just said ...

DirkVoodoo

Misleading title

Free Wheel and freewheel are two different things!

Raam

Man, I can do all those things apart fom the first and especially the last

Morgan

But do you not feel terribly disconnected from the bike and lacking Zen?

Raam

souter wrote: »

Though I get paranoid when coasting that someone will twig me for a wannabe hipster/fakenger so I keep pedaling while braking if at all possible.

I went through a brief period on the freewheel while my fixed cog was worn (too lazy to change it), and I felt the exact same as you

DirkVoodoo

Ha! I thought I was the only one, i generally slow my cadence as I approach lights rather than coast, maintain the illusion.

Anyway, I agree with your ideas, I can't see myself going fixie, I'm far too paranoid about the chain doing something silly and locking my back wheel. Then there's those pictures of digitless mechanics to scare me more.

Frankly I'm amazed I even get onto a bike in the mornings.

kenmc

I'm with Dirk.
Nothing wrong with a freewheel - must've been invented for a reason. Suppose next yis'll all be going back to something like this :

scottreynolds

souter wrote: »

[*]Being able to adjust my nads

You could have just said this and I would have understood.

Lumen

Stop that thought right there.

In my darker moments I have considered using hub gears to stay derailleur-free whilst maintaining a degree of driveline zen-ness.

But conquering such doubts only strengthens my faith.

souter

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Misleading title

Free Wheel and freewheel are two different things!

Yoikes, and I can't edit the title.

petethedrummer

Lumen wrote: »

In my darker moments I have considered using hub gears to stay derailleur-free whilst maintaining a degree of driveline zen-ness.

I have an old raleigh 3 speed and I definitely think hub gears are the way to go when you're not in any particular rush. I find on the road bike I always shift up the gears till i'm cycling close to my limit. On the 3 speed, there's only so fast you can go so I tend to take my time and coast alot more.

NeilMcEoigheann

sturmey archer used to (ages ago) and are now planning to make a fixed three speed hub...........
oh and test yourself on this ride fixie for an hour and then immediately jump on a freewheel... weird.

penexpers

NeilMcEoigheann wrote: »

sturmey archer used to (ages ago) and are now planning to make a fixed three speed hub...........

Yes, unfortunately it's called the S3X.