# Fixed gear bike dismount?



## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

I have never ridden a fixed gear. How does one get off the bike??? I always coast for a few feet before I get off. I am ordering a SS and have the option of fixed or freewheel. I am leaning toward freewheel but am interested in giving the fixed a try...Thanks..


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## stb222 (Oct 8, 2008)

I added a fixie to my quiver this past winter. Mounting the bike is odd at first because when you start rolling your cranks will be moving. This took some getting used to. Dismounting, you just stop and get off the bike. If you want to get fancy, you can stop, trankstand and then get off. I never felt dismounting was an issue, mounting was more akward. Riding a fixie is really fun and helps with smoothing pedaling for your freewheeling bikes.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I slow down to a near complete or a complete stop, then click out and put that foot down. You'll get the hang of it once you start riding fixed.


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## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

I can see a few spills in my future.. Boy will I feel stupid just falling over for no reason...


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Muaythaibike said:


> I can see a few spills in my future.. Boy will I feel stupid just falling over for no reason...


Just practice some very slow speed maneuvering.


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## stb222 (Oct 8, 2008)

Just take it easy your first couple of times out. Clips are awesome on a fixie, but if you don't feel comfortable, just riding with flats and toe clips. I fell over trackstanding in my driveway last week. :blush2: God damn big feet!


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Muaythaibike said:


> I have never ridden a fixed gear. How does one get off the bike??? I always coast for a few feet before I get off. I am ordering a SS and have the option of fixed or freewheel. I am leaning toward freewheel but am interested in giving the fixed a try...Thanks..


What I do is slow, then unclip/remove one foot. As I come to a stop, I out my foot down. That it. Just like a normal bike. I try to time it by slowing/braking so my right foot in almost down.

Starting can be tricky. If you are not in the optimal position to push off, Lift you rear tire off the ground by holding the top tube and turn to your leg is in position. The push off with you leg and catch the pedal coming around. 

Practice on a quiet road or a grass field. It took me about 5-6 stop and go to feel comfrotable. Now I coomute in traffic fixed. Toe cages and clips.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Muaythaibike said:


> I can see a few spills in my future.. Boy will I feel stupid just falling over for no reason...


Nah...

can you ride a bike with clipless pedals or TC and stop and get out easily? 
If yes, you will be FINE!!

I felt the same way and waited months going SS because of this. I have YET to fall and I ride fixed 3-4 days a week.


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## livin4lax09 (Mar 15, 2008)

yeah its really not that hard. Getting on the bike and going is actually a lot more difficult.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*The cool way*

Below is a quote from one of Sheldon Brown's article. This is unbelievably impressive when done properly. Sheldon describes it as "very easy" but that wasn't my experience. I never mastered it. On the other hand, I've never managed to do a real trackstand for more than a couple of seconds, after trying for years, so maybe I'm just a klutz (actually, I already knew that).



> Instead of getting off to the side of the bicycle, the fixed-gear rider can go straight off the back. This technique works best if you ride with clips & straps, but if you are really proficient in disengaging from clipless pedals, try it at your own risk.
> 
> As the bicycle slows to near walking speed, disengage your left foot, then wait for the right pedal to get to the bottom of its circle. As the right pedal starts to rise, straighten your right leg and let the motion of the pedal lift you up. Let go of the handlebars, let the saddle move forward between your legs, and put your left foot on the ground. As the bike goes ahead, grab it by the saddle.
> 
> It takes a bit of courage to try this, but it is actually very easy to do. It is also extremely impressive to watch. When executed properly, it is very smooth, and you can go from riding to walking in a single fluid motion, without ever coming to a stop.


http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html#mounting

I have a front brake on my fixies, and I make use of it for stopping and dismounting. I unclip one foot as I'm slowing, and then at some point lock up the brake while standing on the other pedal, and just step down with the unclipped foot. If I'm actually getting of the bike at that point, I unclip the other foot and proceed. If I'm going to be starting again, I rotate the clipped-in foot to the forward position (if necessary), and I'm ready to stand up and stomp on that pedal to get going again.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

DIRT BOY said:


> Starting can be tricky. If you are not in the optimal position to push off, lift your rear tire off the ground by holding the top tube and turn to your leg is in position.


I think there's a better way to lift the wheel for the rotation (rather than grabbing the top tube), if you have a front brake. If you lock up the front brake and push forward on the bars, the rear wheel will lift and you can spin the crank. With a little practice you can do it right as you come to a stop and put your other foot down, using the momentum of the bike to lift the wheel. Then you're immediately ready to go if the light changes.

That's how I do it, anyway. My 6-mile commute has 13 lights and a few stop signs, and on an average day I come to a full stop 2 or 3 times.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

JCavilia said:


> I think there's a better way to lift the wheel for the rotation (rather than grabbing the top tube), if you have a front brake. If you lock up the front brake and push forward on the bars, the rear wheel will lift and you can spin the crank. With a little practice you can do it right as you come to a stop and put your other foot down, using the momentum of the bike to lift the wheel. Then you're immediately ready to go if the light changes.


That's exactly my method and is very effective.


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## Muaythaibike (Oct 26, 2007)

Guys, some great posts thanks... Many people have noted once you go fixed you will not flip the hub and use the freewheel. I wonder what you guys think..

I have one huge hill I go down everyday to the train station. Its about 1 mile and I easily coast doing 25 mph. since I have dress clothes on i am not really looking for a workout just want to get to the train and have some fun.. This is why i m thinking about the freewheel.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Muaythaibike said:


> Guys, some great posts thanks... Many people have noted once you go fixed you will not flip the hub and use the freewheel. I wonder what you guys think..
> 
> I have one huge hill I go down everyday to the train station. Its about 1 mile and I easily coast doing 25 mph. since I have dress clothes on i am not really looking for a workout just want to get to the train and have some fun.. This is why i m thinking about the freewheel.


Yes!

Then use your brake or SS.


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

Generally I unclip or otherwise get my left foot free as I slow to a stop. I then put that foot down once I've stopped. The advanced dismount is to unclip/free both feet and then on an upward pedal stroke raise up off the saddle and step back with the other foot so the bike rolls under you. You grab the saddle just as you and the bike come to a stop in front of you.

Using the front brake to lock the wheel and raise the rear wheel is preferable to grabbing the rear of the saddle to lift the rear wheel to put the pedal in the position you want. Sheldon Brown had a story about using the "lift the saddle" technique for a good while until he finally ripped the leather shell off of a Brooks saddle that way.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

As a side note, mountain biking forced me to learn to click out of my non-dominant foot under certain situations which I eventually got used to doing as frequently as my dominant foot. Years later this would come in handy on the fixed gear as I'm never dependent on the same foot to click out of the pedal. Whenever I come to a stop I unclick whichever foot is conveniently located and this is usually dictated by pedal position at that moment.
As a benefit, both cleats wear out evenly too.

Not depending on your dominant foot also makes trackstanding easier as I'm able to trackstand with whichever foot forward.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*FG and long pants*



Muaythaibike said:



> . . . since I have dress clothes on i am not really looking for a workout . . ..


Sounds like freewheeling SS is the way for you to go. If you do opt to try FG, keep in mind the special hazards a FG poses if you get pants leg, shoelaces, etc. caught in the chain. You have to be careful about keeping floppy things tied down -- use trouser bands or clips, or tuck your pants into your socks, and keep shoelaces short and secured.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

JCavilia said:


> . If you do opt to try FG, keep in mind the special hazards a FG poses if you get pants leg, shoelaces, etc. caught in the chain. You have to be careful about keeping floppy things tied down -- use trouser bands or clips, or tuck your pants into your socks, and keep shoelaces short and secured.


VERY good advice!! So true. I have seen shoe laces get caught on a spin bike, not pretty!


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## ukiahb (Jan 26, 2003)

JCavilia said:


> Below is a quote from one of Sheldon Brown's article. This is unbelievably impressive when done properly. Sheldon describes it as "very easy" but that snip
> 
> 
> I learned that method (also from Sheldon's site) with a little practice and it works great, it became automatic after awhile....I just lock one leg when the pedal is lowest, let it lift me until it is at 90 degrees and towards the rear , then step off the back of the bike and grab the seat with one hand...and it does impress some geared riders occasionally ;-)


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

I just bomb it into the bushes or a bench then play drunk. 

Like the old saying goes "if you cant be graceful act like a idiot".

Actually thats not a old saying, I just made it up. Just get off the bike and back on. Its a bike not a spacecraft.


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## livin4lax09 (Mar 15, 2008)

or just swing your right leg over your seat, push off with your left foot, and let the pedals spin till they're in the right position. Pedal away!


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## blakcloud (Apr 13, 2006)

I seem to remember that in the movie Quicksilver, Kevin Bacon uses that off the back method of stopping on a fixie. But I saw that movie 23 years ago, so I could be mistaken. Maybe the movie is worth renting again.


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## Balderick (Jul 11, 2006)

To the Op - getting off a FG is no different, IMHO, to getting off any other bike. All these fancy Sheldon things are just showin' off. 

Starting a FG is not, IMHO, hard either, but if you are starting off at the top a steep hill make sure you clip in before you gather speed - I learned that meself the hard way...


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