[CoalHillsMcKracken]

I'm building a 29er but curious to know if I use a fixed gear in the rear can I keep the front derailer and use the front three speeds on the fixed gear or is there some unforseen disaster waiting for me relative to the lack of free wheel action?

 

[thecrazyfinn]

I'm building a 29er but curious to know if I use a fixed gear in the rear can I keep the front derailer and use the front three speeds on the fixed gear or is there some unforseen disaster waiting for me relative to the lack of free wheel action?

No you can't. You need something to take up the slack in the chain one the smaller chainrings and chain tensioning devices are incompatible with fixies.

 

[CoalHillsMcKracken]

No you can't. You need something to take up the slack in the chain one the smaller chainrings and chain tensioning devices are incompatible with fixies.

Well, I figured as much having never seen it done. Thanks! I just don't know if I want to go fixed. What are the benefits?

 

[thecrazyfinn]

Well, I figured as much having never seen it done. Thanks! I just don't know if I want to go fixed. What are the benefits?

Better efficiency, slightly easier climbing, massive bragging rights, far more dangerous.

 

[wadester]

Fixie, especially MtFx, is very much like singlespeeding when climbing. Its when you start to descend that it really gets different. If you run brakes, it's no more dangerous - except for more pedal strikes, at least until you get the rythm down.

Here's some discussion:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=404913

It has links to a bunch of others, too.

So - you need either a 135mm fixie hub or a disc cog, and when you set it up it is very important to have your chainline straight - especially if you use a ramped chainring. Even if you have brakes, if you derail the chain it can wrap up and lock the rear end tight.

Try it. Its fun.

 

[Traktor]

There are certainly no benefits. Its an added challenge so there is a thrill to it at first. The learning curve is pretty steep so you get good at it pretty quickly but, for me and seemingly most people, the freewheel is so nice to have back.

 

[monogod]

What are the benefits?

several...

• fixed riding improves your stroke efficiency. lots of expert/pro roadies do their first few thousand miles of their season training fixed for just this reason.
  
• because you never coast you learn how to ride faster through twisty, tight stuff while pedaling which carries over to riding twisty faster on coasties/gearies as well. just like on a motorcycle or in a car the turning radius generally decreases when power is applied to the rear wheel(s) and increased when removed. thus you can go faster through twisty stuff while pedaling than while coasting, latter is a bad habit that most people fall into early on and seldom, if ever, break.
  
• cardio-wise its more work (and thus conditioning) because of no resting while coasting. in other words there is less of an "interval training" effect while riding.
  
• more complete conditioning/strengthening of the leg muscles. ride fixed and you will discover soreness in muscles that you didnt even know you had.
  
• improves bike control and technical skills. the faster you ride fixed the better your bike control gets, especially going downhill and/or through technical stuffs.

plus its just a lot of fun... :thumbsup:

 

[tomdoc]

You all forgot the 1 advantage of a Fixie:

You can go backwards!

 

[ckranak]

you should just try it. i really like it. all you need is a disc hub and a tomicog (tomicog.blogspot.com), or a fixed/free hub.