The Dukes of Flatbush have got to stay fit to conquer the 2008 Baja 1000. This means a lot of running, but we try and mix it up to keep our knees in good graces. I personally spend a lot of time on a bike. A few years back, I picked up a fixed gear one and have really enjoyed it. Thought I’d give the uninitiated the skinny…

A fixed gear bike has one gear. You use the same gear to go up hills, ride the flats, cruise downwhill. It also has no freewheel that means you can’t coast – if the wheels are moving,the pedals are also turning in the same direction. You can pedal a fixed gear backwards.

A fixed gear forces certain behavior from the rider:

“Riding a fixed gear on the road is excellent exercise. When you need to climb, you don’t need to think about when to change gears, because you don’t have that option. Instead, you know that you must just stand up and pedal, even though the gear is too high for maximum climbing efficiency. This makes you stronger. Really steep hills may make you get off and walk, but the hills you are able to climb, you will climb substantially faster than you would on a geared bicycle.

When you descend, you can’t coast and the gear is too low. This forces you to pedal at a faster cadence than you would choose on a multi-speed bicycle. High rpm’s force you to learn to pedal in a smooth manner–if you don’t, you will bounce up and down in the saddle.

Most cyclists coast far too much. Riding a fixed-gear bike will break this pernicious habit. Coasting breaks up your rhythm and allows your legs to stiffen up. Keeping your legs in motion keeps the muscles supple, and promotes good circulation.”

I’ve been riding mine for a few years and it produced noticeable results in a short period of time. I ride loops of Prospect Park which includes a steep, mile-long hill. At first, I could only manage one loop on this bike, standing in the saddle, huffing and puffing up the ‘widowmaker’. In a month, I could do three loops. In a few more, I could comfortably ride five. These bikes don’t let you rest, but don’t let that turn you off. You really get into a groove – very different from a typical bike.

If you haven’t checked one out, I recommend that you do. These bikes don’t have many parts so they are generally quite affordable. I splurged on a Bianchi Pista track bike that cost around $500. Note that track bikes don’t come with brakes so I added a front one. You can also find a number of these on Craig’s List.