Fixed wheel commuter bikes - why?
Discussion
Can someone explain what the advantage of these is please?
I see so many now and it's puzzling me why you'd want a bike without the mechanical advantage provided by gears. On my lowly Boris Bike I can easily beat them away from lights and it's a while before they catch me up.
I sort of get the argument about less components = more reliable, but I've not had a problem with gears. OK they need a bit of looking after, but not *that* much.
I know they're very trendy too which accounts for lots of them. But is there something else? I've never ridden one so I'm intrigued!
I see so many now and it's puzzling me why you'd want a bike without the mechanical advantage provided by gears. On my lowly Boris Bike I can easily beat them away from lights and it's a while before they catch me up.
I sort of get the argument about less components = more reliable, but I've not had a problem with gears. OK they need a bit of looking after, but not *that* much.
I know they're very trendy too which accounts for lots of them. But is there something else? I've never ridden one so I'm intrigued!
I used one for about 2 years in London and it definitely ups your fitness and makes you work much harder than a road bike as you're always in the wrong gear so to speak. Going up hills and pulling away from lights you're over-geared which improves strength, going downhill your legs are spinning like Sonic, which improves high cadence technique and muscle suppleness. And let's be honest, you don't really need gears do you? I've done 100+ mile sportives fixed and kept with the geared roadies, I race SS MTBs and I don't have a problem holding or beating geared riders. Then of course you have the increased reliability, especially in winter. Which explains why road racers have been riding fixed for decades, so contrary to popular belief, it's not a new thing.
However, those idiots walking their neon "fixies" around London's famous Prick Lane wearing silly clothes and sporting ironic moustaches can just go and die.
However, those idiots walking their neon "fixies" around London's famous Prick Lane wearing silly clothes and sporting ironic moustaches can just go and die.
Bought one last night 
This is my third bike and will just be a commuter. Cheap so I can leave it locked up anywhere and not worry, simple so I don't have to worry about looking after it and no gears so I can improve my strength and have to maintain it 
I may try it in fixed but my intention is to use it as single speed most of the time unless I love riding it fixed so I can do track stands 
P.S. I will be riding it in full roadie gear
This is my third bike and will just be a commuter. Cheap so I can leave it locked up anywhere and not worry, simple so I don't have to worry about looking after it and no gears so I can improve my strength and have to maintain it I may try it in fixed but my intention is to use it as single speed most of the time unless I love riding it fixed so I can do track stands P.S. I will be riding it in full roadie gear
Having had a go on a mate's single speed last weekend, I can kind of see the point. It will definitely improve your strength and the lightness of the bike make them fantastic for jumping over/off things. However, I'm not so convinced about the low cost/maintenance thing. They seem to get through chains a lot quicker than a geared bike, simply because you're more often than not standing on the pedals to get up steep hills.
Moose. said:
Having had a go on a mate's single speed last weekend, I can kind of see the point. It will definitely improve your strength and the lightness of the bike make them fantastic for jumping over/off things. However, I'm not so convinced about the low cost/maintenance thing. They seem to get through chains a lot quicker than a geared bike, simply because you're more often than not standing on the pedals to get up steep hills.
As long as you maintain them well and don't run them too tight (a very common occurance with fixed bikes) they shouldn't wear out that much quicker. Plus a cassette costs quite a bit more than a sprocket, as a double/triple chainset costs more than a single, and you don't have to worry about replacing derallieurs, or shifters.Also, the chains are shorter
I decided to go half way - For my commute I have a 21 speed bike with snapped off gear selectors bent derailleur and a shonky freewheel that sometimes won't work. That way I get all the disadvantages without getting to look cool Oh and the back brake sticks on so I get one hell of a work out going up hill unless I practice gymnastics and kick it free while riding.
(though I did tear the hem of my suit trousers yesterday on the bent selector, that has to count for something)
Oh and the back brake sticks on so I get one hell of a work out going up hill unless I practice gymnastics and kick it free while riding.(though I did tear the hem of my suit trousers yesterday on the bent selector, that has to count for something)
Ugh. Another thread where those of us who ride a fixie, and commute on it, have to justify our purchases.
I just enjoy the experience. It's something a bit different. I like the "instant acceleration" without the need to get through the gears to one that suits. I like that there is less stuff to break. Small hills are, arguably, easier to tackle than on a geared bike as you can kind of "throw" the fixie at them and let the momentum carry you up.
The only things I don't like..? If you're tired, tough - can't shift down to a granny gear and take it easy. And big hills are hilariously hard sometimes depending on what sort of gearing you run I remember the first time I tackled a steep hill near me, I had to stop half way up and was laughing to myself thinking it was something I'd never be able to do.. and then within a few days it was fine
And no, I don't look like a hipster. And my bike just looks like a normal road bike - just minus the gears (A 2008 Giant Bowery).
I just enjoy the experience. It's something a bit different. I like the "instant acceleration" without the need to get through the gears to one that suits. I like that there is less stuff to break. Small hills are, arguably, easier to tackle than on a geared bike as you can kind of "throw" the fixie at them and let the momentum carry you up.
The only things I don't like..? If you're tired, tough - can't shift down to a granny gear and take it easy. And big hills are hilariously hard sometimes depending on what sort of gearing you run
I remember the first time I tackled a steep hill near me, I had to stop half way up and was laughing to myself thinking it was something I'd never be able to do.. and then within a few days it was fine And no, I don't look like a hipster. And my bike just looks like a normal road bike - just minus the gears
(A 2008 Giant Bowery).Chicane-UK said:
Ugh. Another thread where those of us who ride a fixie, and commute on it, have to justify our purchases.
And no, I don't look like a hipster. And my bike just looks like a normal road bike - just minus the gears (A 2008 Giant Bowery).
Don't need to justify it for me. I just wanted to know why. Do most have a fixed rear sprocket or do they free wheel?And no, I don't look like a hipster. And my bike just looks like a normal road bike - just minus the gears
(A 2008 Giant Bowery).
Pretty much all road orientated fixed bikes (not the Fuji Track for example) come with a flip-flop hub allowing you to run fixed on one side and a freewheel on the other. Though i've never understood why they don't just make them all fixed-fixed as you can run a freewheel on the fixed side with no problems. Maybe it's just cheaper.
Nigel H said:
Don't need to justify it for me. I just wanted to know why. Do most have a fixed rear sprocket or do they free wheel?
I've got both on mine so I can flip them over.. I started off with the freewheel to get used to it, then swapped to fixed. Got used to that. Then tried going back to the freewheel and hated it! If the wheel has a fixed sprocket then it's a fixie. If it has a freewheel sprocket it's a single speed. A flip flop hub has a freewheel one side and a fixed the other.
I commuted on a single speed bike because I only needed one gear. I had been running a 21-speed 'hybrid' but ended up only using two or three gears. I should point out that, for me, commuting was about getting to work and back safely, conveniently and efficiently. I did not view it in anyway as a form of training, although it was clearly time in the saddle. I could comfortably ride at 17-18mph and that was perfect.
When you're carrying clothes and a laptop saving the (unused) weight of derailieurs, shifters, cassette, triple chainset and cables can be a benefit.
Clearly though, my commute route was over hills that I could still 'easily' ride up in the gear. If I were needing to commute over Hard Knot Pass then I would keep the gears!
I commuted on a single speed bike because I only needed one gear. I had been running a 21-speed 'hybrid' but ended up only using two or three gears. I should point out that, for me, commuting was about getting to work and back safely, conveniently and efficiently. I did not view it in anyway as a form of training, although it was clearly time in the saddle. I could comfortably ride at 17-18mph and that was perfect.
When you're carrying clothes and a laptop saving the (unused) weight of derailieurs, shifters, cassette, triple chainset and cables can be a benefit.
Clearly though, my commute route was over hills that I could still 'easily' ride up in the gear. If I were needing to commute over Hard Knot Pass then I would keep the gears!
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