A few weeks ago I fell into a riding slump (burn out) and realized I needed to change some things up a bit. While browsing MTBR, I had the wild notion of ordering a TomiCog - a fixed gear cog that allows you to convert your bike by simply replacing your rear disc rotor and flipping the wheel.
Well... fast forward to a few days after Christmas, and I am pedal striking and spinning away to my heart's content at my local trails.
The TomiCog is a nice piece of metal; pulling the disc and slapping this baby on was a snap. The caveat, however, is that you will no longer have a rear brake, so you are forced to use only a front brake and leg resistance to stop. Not wanting to throw myself off too much, I went with the same 32X20 gearing, which allows me to get up-and-over everything on my local trails.
This is my third go at fixed off-road and I've seem to have forgotten how exhausting it is. If you're a bicycle rider and haven't been cryogenically frozen for the past 5 years, you know that fixed gear riding does not allow one to coast on descends - you still have to pedal. Combine that with off-road obstacles, rocks, loose terrain/lack of traction, hard climbs and extreme concentration as to not face plant, the off-road fixed gear truly adds a whole new dimension to your local romp.
Since I ride to the trails, the 3 mile ride out and back is brutally slow; and since you can't coast on descends, the overall ride time takes much longer than with a freewheel bike. So, as I've said in my previous post about riding off-road fixed, you have to go into the ride with a different mindset or else you will scream to the gods when a granny on a 1994 Roadmaster comfort bike cruises past you on the multi-use trail.
I would recommend off-road fixed to anyone who 1) wants a challenge or 2) stopped taking their medication. It is fun, entertaining and will get you the craziest comments and stares on the trail. Viva la FIXED!
Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2012/01/i-fixed-my-on-one-inbred.html
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