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Like you, I try not to go without at least one fixed wheel in the collection. Been a long time since only having fixed, and these days I’m on gears as much as I’m on fixed or SS. That said, I love riding fixed. Have since I knew it was a thing. Flying downhill on a coastie bike and leaning into corners is a special feeling. In the end, it’s all just bikes, and bikes is good.
dadbike
@clubman
Like Chaley's neighbour mentioned above, I'm approaching double M_V's age.
Although I've done quite a lot of riding on gears in recent years , I would never willingly be without at least one fixed bike.
Today I had a ride to go on, meeting some friends (mostly old and not fast men even when young) in Hertford and, just on a whim, I took my better fixed bike. We had lunch at Roydon (Essex), and I estimate my mileage at about 70; I honestly don't think I would have arrived home much less tired if I'd used a geared bike.
If I told you I achieved a good average speed or didn't feel tired I would be lying, my point is that it's quite possible to be old and still ride fixed.
On the very first 'Hard Day in January' in 2009 one of my companions was my club mate Jeff Marshall who is about four years my senior. Although Jeff is so old that he inevitably started his career on fixed he told me he hadn't ridden fixed on the road for decades, so riding fixed that day was almost a 'new' experience. Now we all know Jeff is a classy rider, but as some one who has always used fixed a fair amount I was really disappointed to find on the day that, using identical gearing, this 'old bloke' (as I thought at the time) could drop me downhill as well as up!
So don't think you have to give up fixed just because you're middled aged.