No, this isn’t a surfing article. Although at the very heart of it there are a lot more similarities between the driving forces of the emotions enjoyed while surfing and cycling than one would expect if limited to the simple visual differences between a surf board/ocean and a bicycle/country road. This is an attempt to explain why I find fixed gear riding significantly more likely to provide those “oh so special” “Zen-like” moments of being in the Zone. I obtain this special state of mind most often while cycling on a fixed gear. What’s happening here? It is so much more than the testimonials found on the internet espousing “You only need a fixed gear”, “You’ll really like it”, and “You’re so much more connected to the road”. It is SO much more. And the techie in me wanted to validate this phenomenon as I value science highly. So here goes my attempt to make sense of it all.
Something this good has to be simple – basic. I believe that the purest things in life are. And the more I sought to understand the intensity and the abundance of these feelings, the more I gravitated to three basic attributes of riding a fixed gear that may help explain this phenomenon. I believe it’s the simplicity and direct connection inherent with fixed gear riding combined with the waves inherent in nature that provides these heightened Zen like moments.
Take care of the concerns associated with riding fixed geared, and fixed gear riding becomes one of the most simple and efficient forms of ground transportation on this planet. Simple because one makes the gearing decision once – when they set up the bike. After that, it’s simply a decision as to walking or cycling – there’s no coasting, so we know if you’re moving, you’re pedaling! So it becomes a simple matter of answering “how fast do (can) I spin my legs?” – not what gear should I be in, when should I shift, can I coast now, should I start pedaling again?, etc… It’s like striping all the distractions away. Like leaving the house to view your natural surroundings, like putting the top down on a convertible to better feel the surroundings, like riding a motorcycle to eliminate all the walls associated with a car, like riding a bike to eliminate the artificial noise and vibration associated with an engine, like riding a fixed gear to eliminate all the decisions and noises associated with a derailleur… Riding fixed minimizes distractions while maximizing ones’ exposure to natural surroundings.
And while riding fixed you’re directly connected. To the bike. To the ground. To the terrain. The bike’s movement demands your movement. You truly become one with the bike. You’ll notice every variance in ground adhesion because you’re directly connected to the ground through the whole pedal stroke. If the ground isn’t providing as much traction as normal, you’ll feel it as your wheel slips just that little bit and your body picks up the instant feedback because the connection is that solid – that true. Like skinny dipping where one’s instantly aware of the water temperature, when riding a fixed gear you’ll know if you’re going uphill, downhill, or are on a true flat. If you’re leisurely cruising along a river, your legs are leisurely cruising. If you’re hurtling down a hill, your legs are hurtling around like… - you’ll never be able to duplicate off a fixed gear. A familiar route for the first time on a fixed gear is a new route due to the increased awareness of rises and falls previously unnoticed. And it’s the rise and falls of the road impacting your effort that begins to synchronize you with your surroundings.
I view waves as nature’s communication pathway. Light is a waveform. Its various wavelengths carry the fabulous seasonal colors associated with our wonderfully diverse surroundings. The sun’s rays also carry a component we don’t see but feel – the very warmth of the day. Sound is waveform. Its various wavelengths bring us nature’s music be it the rustling of windblown grain, the innocent bleating of a new born sheep, or the call of a circling hawk. The wings of a flying bird trace a waveform when mapped through the skies they use as their playground. The beating of an animal’s heart is a waveform when graphed over a pressure / timeframe axis. And so a fixed geared rider’s heart rate rises and falls in symphony with the terrain – directly impacted by nature’s surroundings. And you, devoid of distractions and directly connected to your surroundings, unconsciously slip into a synchronized dance with all the waveforms intersecting at that moment in time and space. You’re in the Zone. Where time and effort don’t exist and a calm warmth floats your body and mind as one through heightened peaceful surroundings.
You’re in the Zone…
And you’re in a New Year. In conclusion, if you’ve been toying with the idea to ride a fixed gear “for the science of it” I believe you should “go for it” as the technical benefits of fixed gear riding are well documented. Just don’t be surprised if you discover so much more along the way… Thanks for reading, time for me to fly, and I look forward to seeing you down the road.
