Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ray on February 8, 2009 at 8:44pm

On the other hand...I think that fixies are ridiculously more fun and even safer in the hands of a competent rider in traffic. Yes, I said safer. With a front brake, that is. I was resistant to fixed riding when I first moved to Portland for pretty much the same reasons as you, Tim. I tried it and loved it. I really like the idea of being able to slow down substantially easier without having to touch a brake lever...just slow your feet down. Much easier to "flow" with traffic in downtown. I definitely agree with you on the knee, coasting and fashion statement arguments, however. In short, I want to build another nice urban-flavor fixie, but I'll ride my 1x8 with a smile on my face just the same.

Tim said:

Dudes. I definitely have a hard time believing that there's a person out there who wouldn't like to coast downhill. Braking on a fixie scares the living daylights out of me, and it really doesn't seem sensible to pit your knees against however many descents you'll have for the rest of your life. I think fixies look rad, but that's kind of where it ends for me. You can achieve a very similar aesthetic with a single speed and save your knees. That's my take. I know there are all sorts of people who ride fixed, but the people who are doing it as a fashion statement really ruin it for everyone else. It just is an obvious disconnect from a bike being a useful transportation tool. Sometimes I think fixies are the kitted out Hondas of the bike world. A cheap product enhanced entirely for image, not practicality.

Permalink Reply by Joe Stormer on February 8, 2009 at 11:10pm

To agree with Ray, I would say that one reason that a fixie can be (at least in some situations) safer and more stable than a coastie is that, on a fixie, one's legs are always taut. I'm sure that anyone who has taken serious time to ride a bike to its full potential can identify with how greatly this improves balance and handling. I never thought I would say this, but I feel far safer dodging between side mirrors in gridlock traffic on a fixie than I think I ever will on a free wheel. Since my fixie got stolen and I now ride a six speed, I feel as if I have lost a great deal of stability every time I coast. It's scary.



Ray said:

On the other hand...I think that fixies are ridiculously more fun and even safer in the hands of a competent rider in traffic. Yes, I said safer. With a front brake, that is. I was resistant to fixed riding when I first moved to Portland for pretty much the same reasons as you, Tim. I tried it and loved it. I really like the idea of being able to slow down substantially easier without having to touch a brake lever...just slow your feet down. Much easier to "flow" with traffic in downtown. I definitely agree with you on the knee, coasting and fashion statement arguments, however. In short, I want to build another nice urban-flavor fixie, but I'll ride my 1x8 with a smile on my face just the same.

Permalink Reply by John Berkness on April 4, 2009 at 6:00pm

I myself ride a '74 schwinn sprint, i ride single speed 16t with the alexrims dh16 unicog rims triple thick to beat potholes with the schwable marathon tires. moustache style bars. i ride single speed for a few reasons. I've had a few knee surgeries and i have a metal rod in my leg, and i dont believe i really want to fuck around. also i live in south dakota and our winters are really harsh and having all that derailer and gears would just get all mucked up.

Permalink Reply by Alex C. McGregor on April 9, 2009 at 11:51am

I personally am on a twelve speed that I'm converting to a three speed next week. But I really must say, the simplicity and connection of the fixed gear is rather attractive.

Permalink Reply by John Berkness on June 24, 2009 at 4:57pm

ha crashed that one and is now destroyed but now i roll ontop of a fuji steel lugged fixed gear fury with bullhorn bars and gold velocity deep v's boo yeah!!

Johnny Bicycler said:

I myself ride a '74 schwinn sprint, i ride single speed 16t with the alexrims dh16 unicog rims triple thick to beat potholes with the schwable marathon tires. moustache style bars. i ride single speed for a few reasons. I've had a few knee surgeries and i have a metal rod in my leg, and i dont believe i really want to fuck around. also i live in south dakota and our winters are really harsh and having all that derailer and gears would just get all mucked up.

Permalink Reply by Ant Walach on August 19, 2009 at 7:28am

There are definitely pros and cons to any type of bike, fixed or not. I ride both. My fixed is just a stripped down conversion that I did to save myself some energy lugging it up and down the stairs to my apartment. After riding it a bit, I noticed a smoother cadence...so who knows. I'm just stoked to be out riding, whether my bike has gears on it or not.

Permalink Reply by Aaron C on September 29, 2009 at 4:48pm

Joe Stormer said:

Not that I do a whole lot of coasting (I have two speeds: full-speed and braking), but the idea of not being able to coast/focus on balance when I'm weaving between two lanes of traffic and dodging side mirrors seems disconnected from the bike to me.

+1

Permalink Reply by Alex C. McGregor on January 15, 2010 at 3:47pm

Just to update my last post, I decided to go with an internal seven with a click shift and coaster brake. It's basically the most fun I've had on a bike since I was 9.

Permalink Reply by Matthew Ponton on February 11, 2010 at 5:28am

I think the whole fixie thing seems like a macho chest off - so clicky and negative towards anything non fixie, especially single speeds with a feeewheel.
That's only my take, I might be totally wrong, but here in Sydney Australia it's such a showy thing it's become ridiculous. Fixies here are really taking off, any shitty old frame converted to fixed sells for hundreds of dollars on ebay, and it seems the 'prettier' the aesthetics, nice powder-coated light blue frame and pink deep-v rims for example, the better the bike. Even if it's a 20kg old hi-ten frame - remove the gears and paint it, call it 'cool retro' and you'll make $300. Oh, you'll need either stupidly narrow flat bars or cliché bull horns as well. You see then advertised and there's no info on the frame, only 'old school fixie, cool retro wheels'.
i wouldn't care if it was something that people enjoyed and were enthusiastic and positive about, but it's just a fashion thing here, and everyone acts like they've been riding fixed all their life - 'much longer than it's been cool for'. And I'm not sure if anyone out there knows Sydney, but it's a bloody hilly town - totally ridiculous for the average weekend rider to try to get around town here without gears.
One last thing, it's riding a bike, you're just riding as bike, having your little old feet turn with the wheels does not equal a zen-like experience.
Sorry, that's been building up for a while... get back to your coffee.

Permalink Reply by christopher myers on April 28, 2010 at 11:47am

I ride geared now because I bike to work in San Francisco, which would pretty much kill me on a fixie because of all the hills. But I do think fixies are more fun, and will probably get another one when I have some cash, for when I don't have to trek across the bay to the hilly city. I like to paint bikes too, so disassembling and reassebling a bike with all those extra parts plus adjusting the derailleurs is a big pain in the ass. So I definitely dig the fixie thing for bike mechanic-ing reasons. But whatever, all bikes are cool by me.

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