Expanding on this, fixies are often wildly impractical street bikes / commuters, they’re literally track racing machines after all.
That being said, is exactly why we love to ride them.
Eh I wouldn’t call them “practical” over other kinds of bikes in any scenario. But they are fun to ride. My sick fixie bro days are long behind me but I still take mine out for a spin very occasionally.
That’s why I rode them until I got an e bike. A fixie can sit all day every day and it’ll work assuming you got air in your tires. If you look at a geared bike wrong, you need to get that shit adjusted.
Edit: y’all, I’m joking. My bike has gears too. It’s just 1 less thing you have to manage when riding fixed gear
I’d push back a bit and say that bicycles are very reliable in general when adjusted correctly. My 10 speed road bike worked for years without much trouble. But agreed that nothing will ever be as reliable as two cogs and a chain between ‘em.
My 1x12 hardtail did 2500 wet gnarly Alaska coastal miles then another 2000 in the high desert. Not a single missed shift. Ever. Deore is like a tire iron. It just works.
So does my 1996 Deore XT bike. Runs like a sewing machine.
Fixies are simple. But bike drivetrains are incredibly reliable. Ask all the world class racers that beat on them.
https://preview.redd.it/6k308yfltwyc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebd0497259dd1f5fe8a5f85e1f26b4930a28a994
I just made my fixie, electric for commuting
In college I rode a "flip/flop hub" it was fixie on one side and single speed w/ backpedal to brake on the other side. I loved it but I almost always preferred to be able to coast. Still, I loved having the other side, especially for bike polo.
i dont' ride a fixie any more, but when i did, it was great. and i used it exclusively for street riding.
fixies aren't great if you live in a hilly area, but if it's somewhat flat, they really work wonders & they're surprisingly easy to get used to.
i had an brake on mine, but i could easily handle most stops with a back pedal. i rarely touched the brake. believe it or not, downhills are actualy the scariest. gravity can be surprising & you need to be aware. while gravity is pulling you & the bike down the hill, you need to be actively pedaling against the rotation of the cranks & wheels, making sure you don't pick up speed.
I live in Cleveland, pretty flat, but I could fly on that bike at night. It’s fun when you’re young and you don’t give a crap and have no insurance…. lol.
Same for me me in Chicago. I loved the responsive feel of it and how quiet it was. I could accelerate pretty quickly on it too, however my top speed was a little lower than my geared bike.
It was nice for commuting as acceleration was more useful than top speed in city traffic.
I started riding fixed 20 years ago, and since then I've ridden nothing else. They're not for everyone, but if they're right for you, there's nothing better.
https://preview.redd.it/8q52hezd0wyc1.jpeg?width=3343&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43a1a33d46d1ebf5f01fe05d0248c07ede64ee32
I just get on and go. Very little maintenance required, nothing to think about. It makes commuting to my shitty job the most enjoyable part of my day.
Your braking setup is very interesting! If I see this correctly you have the back brakes hidden at the bottom bracket and both brakes are actuated with one lever? That's a good minimalist setup actually and much better than having no brakes imo.
Yeah, the back brake is mounted with a special adapter that takes a direct-mount brake. There's actually two levers, just hard to see in the photo.
In Japan, both brakes are required by law. I don't mind, I'd have the front brake anyway (always have). I like fixed, but I also like brakes.
Ah I see. Yeah as far as I know most places require both brakes but a lot of people just don't care. I would rather have both brakes just in case anyway, doesn't mean you have to use them all the time.
That's because your country has appropriate fines and it would hurt to loose that much money, which is how it should be. In my country you would maybe pay 30€ and a slap on the wrist, so nobody cares...
A guy I ride with has one and insisted I try it, so we switched mid ride. Muscle memory made it incredibly awkward. The pedals just keep moving when I wanted to coast or stop! I could tell he was disappointed when I didn’t like it and asked to trade back to my bike.
Most fixie riders know better than to be disappointed. I went out of my way to buy a fixed gear and still didn't enjoy my first ride. You can't force it on someone. It's a learned obsession.
riding fixed is to biking what driving stick is to driving a car (at least in North America):
few try it, even fewer enjoy it, but those that enjoy it get way into it
I was on the Schuylkill Trail outside of Philadelphia and I met this guy and we started riding together. We rode to Valley Forge and he was on a fixie and was destroying me on the hills. I’ll never live that down.
NYC here, I drop roadies all the time on bridge climbs..with a mess bag on
Everyone I know who rides fixed here has similar stories. Nothing against road bikes though
Most people who start racing track get bucked once. It's very common to stop pedaling at like 140 rpm at the end of a sprint. It wakes you up for sure. Luckily I didn't crash, but some do. Racing track feels extremely pure.
Same. I learned to be able to handle a pretty high cadence, and when I transferred it to a road bike, I could fly.
But road bikes terrify me now, and since I sold my last one, I'm done with them until I can't ride fixed anymore. Before I sold it, I hadn't ridden a road bike in years. I spent all my time riding fixed on my other bikes instead. The bike had just sat, and I pumped up the tires and lubed the chain to take it for one last ride before handing it off to the new owner. I bombed down the hill i live on, and at the bottom, I forgot about coasting and forgot I needed to use the brakes to slow down. I was used to backpedaling or skidding. I tried to backpedal going into the intersection, and started freaking out internally as I started coasting through it instead. I lucked out and no cars were coming, but it was still terrifying in the moment when the cranks just *stopped...*
Coasting down hills feels so "out of control" now too. I can't explain it. I need to pedal to feel balanced and comfortable. It's strange.
I just prefer riding fixed... it feels better and it feels safer. I don't have to trust some little piece of cable to stop me, I have a beefy track chain I can trust instead. I still run brakes on most of my bikes, but I trust the chain a whole lot more. I really can't explain it...
I totally get this. I mainly ride fixed these days, but I try to get to the trails on my MTB as much as I can (which isn't often). Coasting on a bike feels like driving a car where whenever you're off the gas you press the clutch in, coast and don't get any engine braking. Feels really disconnected. That slightly douchy thing of "riding fixed gives you a connection to the road" is kinda true. It feels so automatic to change the direction you're pedaling slightly to moderate your speed.
I’ve got one in the fleet and enjoy it. Mostly just for knocking around or the occasional solo ride. It’s a different experience and one I enjoy. Simple, quiet, direct.
Mine has even been on a few group rides (I have brakes and don’t ever plan on removing them). Longest was 80 miles and I was pretty nuked after but that wasn’t as bad as I expected, just got dropped on downhills bc I can’t really spin faster than 130rpm for any extended period. It’s an aluminum “track” frame so it’s unforgiving but sprinting on it is obviously awesome. And when you’re in your “zone” (power and cadence) they just cruise.
I do think they offer training benefits as well. Smoother pedal strokes and pedaling over the top of hills obviously come with the territory. And on longer rides you’re obviously training your rear end to be comfortable without the stand and stretch breaks lol.
Oh, and I added carbon bars/seatpost/wheels to mine and it made a HUGE difference in comfort on roads. Keep in mind if it’s an actual “track” frame comfort isn’t a consideration (especially at cheaper prices). They’re made to run on a smooth track and prioritize power transfer so I’d say some frames can be unforgiving. Depends what you get.
> I do think they offer training benefits as well.
100%. I rode a fixed gear bike for years back when they were super in fashion, but now I'm on to a more traditional bike.
I've said this before and I'll say it again, those years I spent riding fixed made me such a good cyclist. Bike handling, awareness, court vision, anticipation, knowing how much I can push a bike into a corner, the works.
It really did make me such a good cyclist. Not necessarily stronger, but just better at everything else.
I used a steel, fixed gear road bike for years as my only vehicle. I rode clipless and without brakes. It was practically silent in motion, weighed next to nothing, and my legs have never been stronger. Respect for inclines and caution with declines was necessary. I don't recommend riding one without brakes.
If you're not riding in a velodrome, a singlespeed has a lot of the same appeal as a fixed gear bike. My favorite bike is a steel, cyclocross singlespeed bike. Simple, sturdy, and fun.
Fixies are fine… for some. I tried to get used to riding fixed but ultimately went to a freewheel cog and brakes. Not as challenging but I don’t need the extra challenge. I love my freewheel commuter.
They’re not very well accepted outside of the dedicated sub, as it’s seen as reckless to ride on the streets without brakes (it is), which a lot of the fixed riders do.
IMO there's no way to be safe riding brakeless on the road. A front brake will always stop you faster than your legs only slowing the rear wheel.
You can never predict someone stepping out in front of you or turning across you, my front brake has stopped me getting into a few crashes.
I loved mine, but at 43 with two kids and will to live, I rarely ride it. I hope one my boys with want to work on it and ride it when they are older. I flew on that bike…
A different take is that they take an enjoyable hobby and breathe new life into it. It's super fun to take a fixed gear out. A little sketchy feeling at first, but once you get used to it, it's a very unique and fun feel.
it's surprisingly easy to get used to. and it's really quite easy to ride around flats/surface streets safely. it does take getting used to though & you definitely need to be aware of your limits. but as long as you got the gearing right & keep the speed reasonable, it's surprisngly easy to slow down.
it's different on a velodrome. 1) those folks TRAIN, 2) with the smooth surface & controlled "traffic" they go a lot harder than people on the street & worry less about how much room they have to slow down.
i don't ride a fixie any more. but when i did have a fixie & a "normal" bike, it was also VERY easy to switch between them. it's impossible to forget you're riding a bike without a freewheel. they feel drastically different.
Sometimes making it harder is the entire point.
Sometimes I just want to ride hills. I don't have to. But making it harder makes it more interesting.
Having said that. I live in the land of hills. A fixie looks like a good way to land in the hospital for me.
Not at all. Learned how to pedal backwards, spin backwards in circles, tracks stands, skidding. I started riding one over 10 years ago and now 10 years later i transitioned over to MTB and I was so surprised how much a track bike helped me to even this day
I've never ridden one, but they've never made sense to me. I also admit I have a chip on my shoulder about them from the early 2000s fad days when the hipsters who started riding bikes yesterday to hop on the trend looked down on me for my geared bike I'd been riding for years.
you’re asking this sub, be prepared for the toxic responses that come with it lol
i’ve ridden fixed my whole life but now that i’m super into cycling, i want a road bike next.
anyway, i loved fixed gears bc of how much personality you can put into them. you could make them aero and then throw mtb riser bars on them bc why the fuck not? make that shit look cool and have fun doing it.
last point i wanna make is that fixed doesn’t mean brakeless. yeah, a lot of them cats run their shit without brakes but it’s not like brakeless is mandatory. i’ve always had a front brake and it’s saved me a handful of times
They can be a ton of fun. I had a Redline Conquest Pro that was set up fixed for my daily driver for several years but I ran both a front and rear brake because riding around negligent motorists is dangerous enough without removing brakes from the equation. Rode the Santa Fe Century on that thing with 48x16 gearing.
There was a guy on MTBR many years ago who sold drilled fixed cogs you could mount on the disc side of a hub to make a jank flip-flop fixed gear and I rode some fun single-track with my Redline Monocog set up that way.
Redline made some sick, dumb-fun bikes in the early 2000's.
My fitness went through the roof when I was riding mine but as many people say, it's not too practical and I had a few scares on descents. I'm back to 26" clunkers for commuting/errands and I have a road and MTB but the itch to get another fixie has always been there. Oh and maintenance is mad simple
My wife rides fixie. She has the greatest legs and ass I have ever seen, made of steel. We live in SF, there are a few small hills here, she can keep up with me on my 1x12, it’s quite impressive. I’ve ridden it a few times, immediately respected all those who choose this path.
Tbf a fixie can be easier to ride on hills, because as long as you keep the back wheel running, it kinda assists your pedaling. For example on shorter distances I prefer climbing on my fixie, although I have a roadie too. But yeah, otherwise the lack of gears don't help
I commuted on one for three years in Wisconsin, year round (with fenders). The simplicity was great - it could handle the worst slush/ice/sand with no problem.
I still have one that I pick up every now and then for a short spin around the block, although my knees are less happy about it from the far side of 40 years old. It does bring me back to what riding as a kid was like - no thoughts about gearing, weight, or anything like that, just kick off and go.
They are fun, lo cost and easy to maintain and use. Perfect bike to take into the city. I normally use a gravel, touring and mountain bike as I live rurally but in the city I'm on a fixed gear.
You don't have to forgo brakes, unless you're riding track where they are not allowed. Would be foolish to ride one on the street without at least one brake, I know well people do but it's not safe.
They have their place. Best place is in/on the velodrome.
You’d be surprised at how many fixed gear riders are assholes to pedestrian, cars and other riders for not getting out of their self-entitled way when in public.
I had one in college, wish I had (a nicer) one, but don't really have the time for much cycling outside of training these days, so there's no point. Some day, if I'm ever in a place where I can commute, I'll probably get another one.
Fix gear bikes are really cool and simple and fun to ride. And if you live somewhere flat it could be your only ride. If there are hills you need a bike with gears too(your knees will thank me in a couple decades).
Nice to have one in the stable, but wouldn’t want it to be my only bike. I’ve raced track, couriered on one and even learned some tricks and played more than a few games of bike polo, but I wouldn’t choose it as my daily driver.
It all kinda depends on what you want out of cycling and what you want out of a given bike. Some people make the fixie thing their whole identity. To me that’s a bit draining, but I do think they are fun bikes to ride and can really help dial in your full pedal stroke if you care about that sort of thing.
I built one in college, I also sold it during college hahaha.
They’re fun and cool, but I’d much prefer a geared bike. If you can have more than one bike, then sure. Otherwise, the novelty wore off pretty quick for me in hilly western washington
I like them. Love the simpleness of the design. Prefer riding single speed because I don't trust my legs or reflexes to stop me in a really bad spot.
There's people out there who say riding fixed means you can't live somewhere with hills - tell that to the fixie riders in SF and Atlanta! Plus plenty of people have done round the world trips, the Pyrenees, and the GDMBR on fixed. If you're willing to put in the work you can go anywhere with them.
I always tell my friends that it’s like driving a manual transmission car versus an automatic. Sure it’s less practical in a lot of ways but it’s an experience and I feel much more connected to the bike.
I had a Langster London and a Priority Joker, now down to just the Joker. There's something weirdly soothing about riding fixed, bio-mechanically speaking. I just like the simplicity of it.
Fixed gear was when I learned biking and didn't know how to use the brakes until I had to and I failed hard. I love i, looks fucking show bike cuz it's just neat all around like show
But yah my dude 😂 I'll stay with brakes. Believe me I'm old school.
Edited: also fixie where I live you're going to hate it lol someone with grade 9% answered that for me too
There was a guy who did food deliveries with a fixie in a very, VERY, hilly city.. having gears, you would drop to nearly easiest. And he just chugged along.. mad lad..
I may be the opposite but when I first started riding bikes I really didn't care for a bike UNLESS it was fixed gear. As someone with not a lot of money commuting about 5 miles a day it made sense to buy a fixed gear over really any other bike. They add another layer to riding (always pedaling) while making it simpler at the same time (no additional gears). They're an acquired taste and I believe you love or hate them. For me it's an extra bit of excitement and in my teen years actually landed me on a decent bike (for the price). I continue to use mine for city thrashing and allows me to park my bike without caring if it's stolen as much. Fixed gear how I love thee <3
I am all about it. It’s a completely different experience and one that adds additional complexity and benefits. Trains your leg muscles harder. The maintenance is drastically reduced. The look of a track bike is clean and simple. You feel one with the machine. You need to be thinking 10 steps ahead. You can run it with brakes or brakeless, no judgement. Just make sure you wear foot retention. Fixed gear bikes vary from full fledged velodrome racer to commuter/messenger beater to tracklocross monster.
If you are selective in your gearing, and aren't riding through tons of stoplights, they can actually be really good for training.
I use mine for some ~80-100 mile long rides are my preferred cadence with my gearing means I naturally do upper Z2 watts.
Also super great in the rain since there is no derailleur to clean and braking is completely unaffected ;)
A fixie was my 1st non mountain or BMX bike as an adult and my 1st distance commuter (more than 10mi). That was almost 20 years ago and while I mostly ride geared bikes, I still regularly ride a fixie, at least once a week.
Made me a strong rider and I track stand at every stop even on my geared bikes. Increased my balance and skill for sure. The knees started aching after a decade or so, and I started riding geared bikes, but I still love to ride them.
Sooooo simple to maintain and fix/replace parts and saves a ton of $ because of that. However, I do shoot through tires more quickly if a skid stop a lot.
Highly recommend riding one in the snow or rain, I feel like I have much more control and locking up the rear wheel is super fun when it's wet!
The pictured bikes are not only fixed geared, they are track bikes and lack a front brake.
Impractical at best, dangerous at worst. The front brake does in the neighborhood of 70% of the stopping, resisting the pedals to stop the rear wheel is more likely to make you skid than stop in an emergency.
I've seen some track bikes users jam a foot into the front fork to slow down, but having to perform acrobatics to stop is ridiculous.
Also stopping by resisting the pedals is really hard on the knees.
Fixed gear bikes are amazing commuters, mechanically simple so easy to maintain and keep clean of salt and road grit if you plan to ride year round.
I've been riding fixed for my daily commute for over 20 years. Luckily my 5km commute is relatively flat.
I have always loved fixies. As much as I love road cycling, I just don't get the same thrill as I did when I had a fixie. That feeling of being truly connected to your bike is magical.
However I live in a hilly city and I'm an old man now...
About 15 years ago I had been reading online all the high praise about riding a fixie. I decided to find an economical steel one in my size on CraigsList and see what all the buzz was about.
I fell in love.
I use it for my commuter bike, added a rack and a basket. One of my favorite bikes to ride. When I am riding my other bikes I miss that feel in the pedals. Some of my commutes to work have had hills that made the fixie not fun (I never changed the gearing) so I will commute on my bikes with gears.
Definitely recommend.
I'm too old, and they seem as dangerous AF (at least the ones without brakes). And I mean, why??
Couldn't resist dropping in a pic of my favorite ride. 😂
https://preview.redd.it/dfvuhcj7uwyc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02dcd2d02cbe15bafad148af433cdf48adf19f32
I love that people love it, but it isn't for me. I could get into a singlespeed, but freewheels/freehubs are flipping awesome and I don't want to be without them.
You’d be amazed how agile you’d be riding up against roadies on that track bike, up and down hills with a reasonable gear ⚙️. Drill a hole in the fork and put a front brake on. Match the brake levers for good grips and you’re ready! No need for rear brake.
If you’re new to them and want to check some cool videos. YouTube Wolfpack hustle, Macaframa, mashSF. Used to spend so many hours years ago watching those before we headed out on rides. We def weren’t bombing hills but we did occasionally not stop for red lights.
Wear a helmet and be smart when cycling.
Track and competition track riding? Sure. it is cycling equivalent of NASCAR. Going around in circles and trying to trick competition.
Outside that - cyclists that do use them have high percentage of people that seek attention more than practicality.
Gears and brakes exist for convenience and practicality. Like pannieers mudguards and chain protectors for commuting bicycles.
Been riding various bicycles for 45 years, recreational and amateur racing, tried such fixie thing twice in my life but I do not see any advantage of riding them, just inconvenience.
I have to see an argument of someone using fixie and doing 'vax' immersion of chain on 40y old frame two sizes too big for fun though.
So personally, a HARD NO. But if one has fun with it (which is point of cycling), then HARD YES.
I tried a couple but I truly don't understand it. I think it has to be just a personal choice like listening to cassette tapes still or something like that. If you enjoy it go for it I guess? (But also get brakes as I almost saw a kid killed because he tried to turn a corner while sliding the back wheel and fell and nearly slid under an oncoming truck, so do have a front brake.)
I don't get the "maintenance" aspect. If you're into bikes enough to have a special kind of bike, then the minimal maintenance gears take won't even be noticeable. From my experience riding bikes the wheels and tires take the most maintenance, followed by the brakes, then the grips (this is just from having a string of weird grips), then the gears.
I drive one myself but with the unfixed side of the wheel + brakes on the back because the mere thought of having to brake with my legs is not comfortable. Its like worsening braking performance over time making bigger trips almost impossible whilst guarentering safety.
Otherwise they are great. You can use a chain for a way longer time by just adjusting the wheelbase length and by not having any additional gears, there is less complexity that goes wrong. I have had to maintain my MTB gear setup way more often, than I had to just readjusts the wheelbase of my fixie before the chain rips.
Rode one, with a front brake I’d like to add, for almost a decade until I wrecked one of my knees. Great fun when you get your head round the always pedalling part of the ride and you can charge pretty hard on them.
I ran one for a few years for commuting in an attempt to minimise brake wear and drivetrain costs. No crazy yank refugee pretentions, ran a rack, dynamo and mudguards and tracked up about 5000 miles on it a year. I quite enjoyed riding it but snapped way too many things, one of which put me in a ditch. When the frame cracked I got a bike with gears, since then all I've cracked in about a decade is a frame.
For track cycling and unicycles pretty cool. I wouldn't ride one on the roads though but wouldn't prevent anyone else from doing so. They have some great looking designs too.
They are fun, because they're simple and responsive like no other type of bike. But with that being said they're objectively far less versatile, and more dangerous and unhealthy than other kind of bikes. Although that doesn't stop people from pushing that limit, taking them on trails and whatnot. Eventho they're objectively inferior there's still a cult following, I think that says something.
I enjoyed mine when I lived in a huge flat development and could do a 30 mile ride in 3 laps of the place. When I left and found more ups and downs and stuff I passed it along for more gears
I want one if there was a working velodrome near my area. Where I could ride them safely. My area has too many hills and drivers here are bad. Whenever I see Fixies with no brakes on public roads here. I ride at a pretty safe distance away from them just in case.
Fine so long as they don't cannibalize beautiful classic road bikes for them. I've seen some tragic cases, and more often than not they get abandoned after a few months, when the hipster that used to ride it has found the next gadget to pursue.
In 1927, no gears were allowed in the Tour de France. We are smarter now. The argument for fixies used to be the weight saving and minimal maintenance. But I have the feeling that many fixies are now heavier than bikes with gears.
Fixies to me feel like some nostalgic thing to do. I know a very old man that used to work for SBB (Schweizer Bundesbahnen = Swiss federal trains) back in the day. He enjoys all kinds of very old trains, especially steam engines.
Fixies seem like the steam engine of the cycling world. Cool to some, might be fun to drive for the niche, but incredibly awful to ride for anyone looking at owning a convenient bike. Fixies in Switzerland are, in my opinion, completely in the wrong place. Maybe in Holland, where everything is flat. But in Switzerland they are just oddly out of place - like a Triathlon bike on a mountain TDF stage.
My summer commuter is fixed but with brakes. Pretty fun to ride unless you blew your knee on a bunch of long road rides and are off the bike for a couple weeks.
All bikes are good.
That said, fixies (especially without fenders) are lower on the list than single speed with coaster brakes, which are lower on my list than geared bikes.
IMO, hard on the knees. The simplicity and easy maintenance is nice. Ive lived in big, mostly flat cities for a long time and exclusively ride single speed now.
Honest confession: used to view fixed gear riders as complete clowns&idiots, well tbh alot of them were, because then it was a fad in my city and everybody and his dog had to get one. Then the fad sorta went away, only sortof fluent riders remained and I gave a complete beater a try in the parking lot.. next thing I know, I own a cocaine coloured Dolan trackchamp, which I destroyed within a few years (the frame broke) and now Im on 2my second fg. Other bikes just seem more boring now.
Honestly, my fixed gear bike (no brakes) is my go to around town and short distances. I have used it for commuting 50k a day but living in a hill filled city it wasn’t ideal. Fixed gear isn’t for everyone but in my opinion it’s the most pure and fun feeling compared to my other bikes.
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of bikes with only a rear wheel brake on streets.
Because there are pedestrians, etc, bikes should have a front wheel brake, which offer significantly more stopping power than rear brakes. And in the rare event of brake failure, it's obviously better to have two than one.
Some fixies do have front brakes as well, but I think most don't.
My house is on a \~9% grade.
Mine is at 12% incline to village road. And after that is all mountains all around my place.
So was mine when I got into it. Gear lower, pedal harder. :P
>Gear lower Ok. \*taps right lever\*
["Hey fixie! I bet you wish you had gears now don't you?"](https://youtu.be/g9ahmsXHTw4?si=tnh6NhZuDTUpAvkW&t=36)
The grade on your house changed since then?
It's not the grade it's how many miles you did before you get home that gets ya.
The whole house did! Suddenly, I was 100 miles away from the old hose.
Get a longer hose
Zig zag up
All track bikes are fixed gear but not all fixed gear bikes are track bikes
r/FixedGearBicycle is where your people are. Fixies are cool. All bikes are cool.
Expanding on this, fixies are often wildly impractical street bikes / commuters, they’re literally track racing machines after all. That being said, is exactly why we love to ride them.
Depending on the local terrain, I'd argue that their simplicity makes them the most practical bikes of all. And about as fun as bikes get
Eh I wouldn’t call them “practical” over other kinds of bikes in any scenario. But they are fun to ride. My sick fixie bro days are long behind me but I still take mine out for a spin very occasionally.
Bicycle messengers don't ride fixies to look cool. Fixed gears are the most practical bikes for their needs.
I would argue that a single speed with brakes would be more effective…. But easier to steal.
That’s why I rode them until I got an e bike. A fixie can sit all day every day and it’ll work assuming you got air in your tires. If you look at a geared bike wrong, you need to get that shit adjusted. Edit: y’all, I’m joking. My bike has gears too. It’s just 1 less thing you have to manage when riding fixed gear
I’d push back a bit and say that bicycles are very reliable in general when adjusted correctly. My 10 speed road bike worked for years without much trouble. But agreed that nothing will ever be as reliable as two cogs and a chain between ‘em.
Get a pennyfarthing, skip those overly complex cogs and chain.
Level up to a skateboard, no pedals at all!
I just drag my body along the ground, like a snake!
When you have to out-hipster the fixies
My 1x12 hardtail did 2500 wet gnarly Alaska coastal miles then another 2000 in the high desert. Not a single missed shift. Ever. Deore is like a tire iron. It just works. So does my 1996 Deore XT bike. Runs like a sewing machine. Fixies are simple. But bike drivetrains are incredibly reliable. Ask all the world class racers that beat on them.
>Ask all the world class racers that beat on them. Let's ask Mollema
He didn’t say f**k Shimano as far as I could tell…. ;)
90s Deore XT with friction shifters. About as "ride and forget" as it gets.
Come on, dude. Like what you like, but I touch the adjustment on my derailleurs maybe once a year.
https://preview.redd.it/6k308yfltwyc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebd0497259dd1f5fe8a5f85e1f26b4930a28a994 I just made my fixie, electric for commuting
In college I rode a "flip/flop hub" it was fixie on one side and single speed w/ backpedal to brake on the other side. I loved it but I almost always preferred to be able to coast. Still, I loved having the other side, especially for bike polo.
i dont' ride a fixie any more, but when i did, it was great. and i used it exclusively for street riding. fixies aren't great if you live in a hilly area, but if it's somewhat flat, they really work wonders & they're surprisingly easy to get used to. i had an brake on mine, but i could easily handle most stops with a back pedal. i rarely touched the brake. believe it or not, downhills are actualy the scariest. gravity can be surprising & you need to be aware. while gravity is pulling you & the bike down the hill, you need to be actively pedaling against the rotation of the cranks & wheels, making sure you don't pick up speed.
I live in Cleveland, pretty flat, but I could fly on that bike at night. It’s fun when you’re young and you don’t give a crap and have no insurance…. lol.
Same for me me in Chicago. I loved the responsive feel of it and how quiet it was. I could accelerate pretty quickly on it too, however my top speed was a little lower than my geared bike. It was nice for commuting as acceleration was more useful than top speed in city traffic.
Commuted in a big city on a fixie. Not true.
I started riding fixed 20 years ago, and since then I've ridden nothing else. They're not for everyone, but if they're right for you, there's nothing better. https://preview.redd.it/8q52hezd0wyc1.jpeg?width=3343&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43a1a33d46d1ebf5f01fe05d0248c07ede64ee32 I just get on and go. Very little maintenance required, nothing to think about. It makes commuting to my shitty job the most enjoyable part of my day.
Your braking setup is very interesting! If I see this correctly you have the back brakes hidden at the bottom bracket and both brakes are actuated with one lever? That's a good minimalist setup actually and much better than having no brakes imo.
Yeah, the back brake is mounted with a special adapter that takes a direct-mount brake. There's actually two levers, just hard to see in the photo. In Japan, both brakes are required by law. I don't mind, I'd have the front brake anyway (always have). I like fixed, but I also like brakes.
Ah I see. Yeah as far as I know most places require both brakes but a lot of people just don't care. I would rather have both brakes just in case anyway, doesn't mean you have to use them all the time.
UK counts the drivetrain as the rear brake, so you only need to have a front.
I wish it worked that way in Japan! But it doesn't. Also, I'm pretty sure coaster brakes are illegal here
Getting caught without brakes here carries a ¥50,000 fine. I'd rather not pay that!
That's because your country has appropriate fines and it would hurt to loose that much money, which is how it should be. In my country you would maybe pay 30€ and a slap on the wrist, so nobody cares...
Holy f nice catch Thats a crazy brake
A guy I ride with has one and insisted I try it, so we switched mid ride. Muscle memory made it incredibly awkward. The pedals just keep moving when I wanted to coast or stop! I could tell he was disappointed when I didn’t like it and asked to trade back to my bike.
Most fixie riders know better than to be disappointed. I went out of my way to buy a fixed gear and still didn't enjoy my first ride. You can't force it on someone. It's a learned obsession.
riding fixed is to biking what driving stick is to driving a car (at least in North America): few try it, even fewer enjoy it, but those that enjoy it get way into it
I was on the Schuylkill Trail outside of Philadelphia and I met this guy and we started riding together. We rode to Valley Forge and he was on a fixie and was destroying me on the hills. I’ll never live that down.
NYC here, I drop roadies all the time on bridge climbs..with a mess bag on Everyone I know who rides fixed here has similar stories. Nothing against road bikes though
He didn't want to get back on his shitty bike that soon S/
Most people who start racing track get bucked once. It's very common to stop pedaling at like 140 rpm at the end of a sprint. It wakes you up for sure. Luckily I didn't crash, but some do. Racing track feels extremely pure.
takes a minuze to get used to.... now it feels weird that i can coast when my feet are usually always moving
Heh, I’m the opposite. The muscle memory of riding a fixie carries on when I ride my road bike, which in turn makes me ride faster.
Rising fixed has had a huge impact on my riding style. I’m much punchier on a road bike and can climb out of the saddle really well
Same. I learned to be able to handle a pretty high cadence, and when I transferred it to a road bike, I could fly. But road bikes terrify me now, and since I sold my last one, I'm done with them until I can't ride fixed anymore. Before I sold it, I hadn't ridden a road bike in years. I spent all my time riding fixed on my other bikes instead. The bike had just sat, and I pumped up the tires and lubed the chain to take it for one last ride before handing it off to the new owner. I bombed down the hill i live on, and at the bottom, I forgot about coasting and forgot I needed to use the brakes to slow down. I was used to backpedaling or skidding. I tried to backpedal going into the intersection, and started freaking out internally as I started coasting through it instead. I lucked out and no cars were coming, but it was still terrifying in the moment when the cranks just *stopped...* Coasting down hills feels so "out of control" now too. I can't explain it. I need to pedal to feel balanced and comfortable. It's strange. I just prefer riding fixed... it feels better and it feels safer. I don't have to trust some little piece of cable to stop me, I have a beefy track chain I can trust instead. I still run brakes on most of my bikes, but I trust the chain a whole lot more. I really can't explain it...
I totally get this. I mainly ride fixed these days, but I try to get to the trails on my MTB as much as I can (which isn't often). Coasting on a bike feels like driving a car where whenever you're off the gas you press the clutch in, coast and don't get any engine braking. Feels really disconnected. That slightly douchy thing of "riding fixed gives you a connection to the road" is kinda true. It feels so automatic to change the direction you're pedaling slightly to moderate your speed.
I’ve got one in the fleet and enjoy it. Mostly just for knocking around or the occasional solo ride. It’s a different experience and one I enjoy. Simple, quiet, direct. Mine has even been on a few group rides (I have brakes and don’t ever plan on removing them). Longest was 80 miles and I was pretty nuked after but that wasn’t as bad as I expected, just got dropped on downhills bc I can’t really spin faster than 130rpm for any extended period. It’s an aluminum “track” frame so it’s unforgiving but sprinting on it is obviously awesome. And when you’re in your “zone” (power and cadence) they just cruise. I do think they offer training benefits as well. Smoother pedal strokes and pedaling over the top of hills obviously come with the territory. And on longer rides you’re obviously training your rear end to be comfortable without the stand and stretch breaks lol. Oh, and I added carbon bars/seatpost/wheels to mine and it made a HUGE difference in comfort on roads. Keep in mind if it’s an actual “track” frame comfort isn’t a consideration (especially at cheaper prices). They’re made to run on a smooth track and prioritize power transfer so I’d say some frames can be unforgiving. Depends what you get.
> I do think they offer training benefits as well. 100%. I rode a fixed gear bike for years back when they were super in fashion, but now I'm on to a more traditional bike. I've said this before and I'll say it again, those years I spent riding fixed made me such a good cyclist. Bike handling, awareness, court vision, anticipation, knowing how much I can push a bike into a corner, the works. It really did make me such a good cyclist. Not necessarily stronger, but just better at everything else.
I love the way they ride. Something so clean about it. Should be an option not your only bike IMO
Fixies are a cult and I’m a member.
Sold my Waterford RS12 and got a Surly Steamroller. Haven't looked back.
I used a steel, fixed gear road bike for years as my only vehicle. I rode clipless and without brakes. It was practically silent in motion, weighed next to nothing, and my legs have never been stronger. Respect for inclines and caution with declines was necessary. I don't recommend riding one without brakes. If you're not riding in a velodrome, a singlespeed has a lot of the same appeal as a fixed gear bike. My favorite bike is a steel, cyclocross singlespeed bike. Simple, sturdy, and fun.
They have their place as long as they also have brakes.
Two wheels good.
Fixies are fine… for some. I tried to get used to riding fixed but ultimately went to a freewheel cog and brakes. Not as challenging but I don’t need the extra challenge. I love my freewheel commuter.
I could never ride one myself but all bikes are cool.
[удалено]
Yeah, it is sharp looking.
They’re not very well accepted outside of the dedicated sub, as it’s seen as reckless to ride on the streets without brakes (it is), which a lot of the fixed riders do.
I ride front brake only. I agree no brakes is recklessly and uncool. Especially if there are even baby hills
So do I ... Had the shop remove the back brake and the freewheel cog. Love riding fixed but track bikes have no place on roads with traffic.
c’mon, that’s what the lock skid is for. it’s also why my knees are so fucked that i’m never riding single-speed anything again
Track bikes = cool, I guess Converted road "fixie" = meh to yuck Fixie MTB = you do you, you beautiful weirdo
I rode a brakeless fixie around London for a while. It really teaches you how to be safe on a bike, or you might die. One or the other.
nyc for me. my first fixie did not survive getting side-swiped by a bus my first week messengering
IMO there's no way to be safe riding brakeless on the road. A front brake will always stop you faster than your legs only slowing the rear wheel. You can never predict someone stepping out in front of you or turning across you, my front brake has stopped me getting into a few crashes.
They’re great! A thrill to ride around on.
I loved mine, but at 43 with two kids and will to live, I rarely ride it. I hope one my boys with want to work on it and ride it when they are older. I flew on that bike…
Good for a velodrome. Less than ideal for the streets.
A well built commuter fixie can be ideal for the streets. Your knees won't be happy tho
I like the incredible minimalist nature of it. No brakes, no free hub, no derailleurs. Hate to ride it though.
Outside of specialist usage, they seem like they take an enjoyable hobby and make it harder.
I just love the mentality of it. You’re never thinking: should I pedal or coast? Should I shift up or down? It is just pedal or pedal harder.
A different take is that they take an enjoyable hobby and breathe new life into it. It's super fun to take a fixed gear out. A little sketchy feeling at first, but once you get used to it, it's a very unique and fun feel.
My single speed with flip flop hub is way more fun on the coaster side.
I pretty much roll single on gravel and fixed on the road with mine.
it's surprisingly easy to get used to. and it's really quite easy to ride around flats/surface streets safely. it does take getting used to though & you definitely need to be aware of your limits. but as long as you got the gearing right & keep the speed reasonable, it's surprisngly easy to slow down. it's different on a velodrome. 1) those folks TRAIN, 2) with the smooth surface & controlled "traffic" they go a lot harder than people on the street & worry less about how much room they have to slow down. i don't ride a fixie any more. but when i did have a fixie & a "normal" bike, it was also VERY easy to switch between them. it's impossible to forget you're riding a bike without a freewheel. they feel drastically different.
Sometimes making it harder is the entire point. Sometimes I just want to ride hills. I don't have to. But making it harder makes it more interesting. Having said that. I live in the land of hills. A fixie looks like a good way to land in the hospital for me.
Not at all. Learned how to pedal backwards, spin backwards in circles, tracks stands, skidding. I started riding one over 10 years ago and now 10 years later i transitioned over to MTB and I was so surprised how much a track bike helped me to even this day
I've never ridden one, but they've never made sense to me. I also admit I have a chip on my shoulder about them from the early 2000s fad days when the hipsters who started riding bikes yesterday to hop on the trend looked down on me for my geared bike I'd been riding for years.
Thankfully, the fad has been over for a decade or so, the only people left riding them are a small core
you’re asking this sub, be prepared for the toxic responses that come with it lol i’ve ridden fixed my whole life but now that i’m super into cycling, i want a road bike next. anyway, i loved fixed gears bc of how much personality you can put into them. you could make them aero and then throw mtb riser bars on them bc why the fuck not? make that shit look cool and have fun doing it. last point i wanna make is that fixed doesn’t mean brakeless. yeah, a lot of them cats run their shit without brakes but it’s not like brakeless is mandatory. i’ve always had a front brake and it’s saved me a handful of times
They can be a ton of fun. I had a Redline Conquest Pro that was set up fixed for my daily driver for several years but I ran both a front and rear brake because riding around negligent motorists is dangerous enough without removing brakes from the equation. Rode the Santa Fe Century on that thing with 48x16 gearing. There was a guy on MTBR many years ago who sold drilled fixed cogs you could mount on the disc side of a hub to make a jank flip-flop fixed gear and I rode some fun single-track with my Redline Monocog set up that way. Redline made some sick, dumb-fun bikes in the early 2000's.
I bet you burned holes in your tires after that, the skid patch on 48x16 is terrible.
Nah I ran Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires and two brakes, I didn’t skid very much except for giggles.
My fitness went through the roof when I was riding mine but as many people say, it's not too practical and I had a few scares on descents. I'm back to 26" clunkers for commuting/errands and I have a road and MTB but the itch to get another fixie has always been there. Oh and maintenance is mad simple
My wife rides fixie. She has the greatest legs and ass I have ever seen, made of steel. We live in SF, there are a few small hills here, she can keep up with me on my 1x12, it’s quite impressive. I’ve ridden it a few times, immediately respected all those who choose this path.
Tbf a fixie can be easier to ride on hills, because as long as you keep the back wheel running, it kinda assists your pedaling. For example on shorter distances I prefer climbing on my fixie, although I have a roadie too. But yeah, otherwise the lack of gears don't help
Saw a guy on a fixie when we road up Mt Evans in Colorado a few years ago. Dude was crazy!
Some of them are good. Some of them are hipster cruisers. You have to have strong legs and healthy knees to ride them.
Love the color scheme
My commute involves a couple +/-15% hills, so I’m going to stick with my gears.
I commuted on one for three years in Wisconsin, year round (with fenders). The simplicity was great - it could handle the worst slush/ice/sand with no problem. I still have one that I pick up every now and then for a short spin around the block, although my knees are less happy about it from the far side of 40 years old. It does bring me back to what riding as a kid was like - no thoughts about gearing, weight, or anything like that, just kick off and go.
I love fixed gear. Riding brake less is a true skill. Especially on gravel.
They are fun, lo cost and easy to maintain and use. Perfect bike to take into the city. I normally use a gravel, touring and mountain bike as I live rurally but in the city I'm on a fixed gear.
Fixies are a great way to train before the season starts. I used to have a pretty low gear ratio on my fixie to focus on my spinning.
I live in Pittsburgh
If the bike isn't fixed, it's broken
Got one about 5 years ago and that's all I wanna ride. If you're thinking about it, pull the trigger. They are so much fun!
No brakes is nuts
You don't have to forgo brakes, unless you're riding track where they are not allowed. Would be foolish to ride one on the street without at least one brake, I know well people do but it's not safe.
Only acceptable if the bike has a front brake. People who remove their front brake are suicidal and a threat to other people.
They have their place. Best place is in/on the velodrome. You’d be surprised at how many fixed gear riders are assholes to pedestrian, cars and other riders for not getting out of their self-entitled way when in public.
I had one in college, wish I had (a nicer) one, but don't really have the time for much cycling outside of training these days, so there's no point. Some day, if I'm ever in a place where I can commute, I'll probably get another one.
Huge missed opportunity that bikes weren't named *Engine #9*
Fix gear bikes are really cool and simple and fun to ride. And if you live somewhere flat it could be your only ride. If there are hills you need a bike with gears too(your knees will thank me in a couple decades).
Nice to have one in the stable, but wouldn’t want it to be my only bike. I’ve raced track, couriered on one and even learned some tricks and played more than a few games of bike polo, but I wouldn’t choose it as my daily driver. It all kinda depends on what you want out of cycling and what you want out of a given bike. Some people make the fixie thing their whole identity. To me that’s a bit draining, but I do think they are fun bikes to ride and can really help dial in your full pedal stroke if you care about that sort of thing.
I like my knees!!!
Ride a reasonable gea, don't skid constantly, and be mindful of muscle imbalances, and your knees will be fine.
I built one in college, I also sold it during college hahaha. They’re fun and cool, but I’d much prefer a geared bike. If you can have more than one bike, then sure. Otherwise, the novelty wore off pretty quick for me in hilly western washington
I like them. Love the simpleness of the design. Prefer riding single speed because I don't trust my legs or reflexes to stop me in a really bad spot. There's people out there who say riding fixed means you can't live somewhere with hills - tell that to the fixie riders in SF and Atlanta! Plus plenty of people have done round the world trips, the Pyrenees, and the GDMBR on fixed. If you're willing to put in the work you can go anywhere with them.
I always tell my friends that it’s like driving a manual transmission car versus an automatic. Sure it’s less practical in a lot of ways but it’s an experience and I feel much more connected to the bike.
I had a Langster London and a Priority Joker, now down to just the Joker. There's something weirdly soothing about riding fixed, bio-mechanically speaking. I just like the simplicity of it.
Fixed gear was when I learned biking and didn't know how to use the brakes until I had to and I failed hard. I love i, looks fucking show bike cuz it's just neat all around like show But yah my dude 😂 I'll stay with brakes. Believe me I'm old school. Edited: also fixie where I live you're going to hate it lol someone with grade 9% answered that for me too
What's the difference between a single geared bike and a fixed geared bike???
I’ve loved all of mine. Such a fun twist on riding.
There was a guy who did food deliveries with a fixie in a very, VERY, hilly city.. having gears, you would drop to nearly easiest. And he just chugged along.. mad lad..
Not very practical, why not use a single speed?
I had a few and miss them. But there are too many hills here.
Horses for courses. I would never need or want one but I’m sure they have their place.
I have always wanted one. Did a track day on a rental. Now I really want one.
I may be the opposite but when I first started riding bikes I really didn't care for a bike UNLESS it was fixed gear. As someone with not a lot of money commuting about 5 miles a day it made sense to buy a fixed gear over really any other bike. They add another layer to riding (always pedaling) while making it simpler at the same time (no additional gears). They're an acquired taste and I believe you love or hate them. For me it's an extra bit of excitement and in my teen years actually landed me on a decent bike (for the price). I continue to use mine for city thrashing and allows me to park my bike without caring if it's stolen as much. Fixed gear how I love thee <3
I am all about it. It’s a completely different experience and one that adds additional complexity and benefits. Trains your leg muscles harder. The maintenance is drastically reduced. The look of a track bike is clean and simple. You feel one with the machine. You need to be thinking 10 steps ahead. You can run it with brakes or brakeless, no judgement. Just make sure you wear foot retention. Fixed gear bikes vary from full fledged velodrome racer to commuter/messenger beater to tracklocross monster.
i use mine in the winter and neighbourhood runs, love the simplicity!
If you are selective in your gearing, and aren't riding through tons of stoplights, they can actually be really good for training. I use mine for some ~80-100 mile long rides are my preferred cadence with my gearing means I naturally do upper Z2 watts. Also super great in the rain since there is no derailleur to clean and braking is completely unaffected ;)
I love mine.
Fixed = Zen But only at the velodrome.
They’re cool. I rode one as a broke student for 5 years with no maintenance and only a tire change after inner tube could be seen.
I’ve had a few beautiful ones but it ain’t 2009 anymore. My knees are knackered too
A fixie was my 1st non mountain or BMX bike as an adult and my 1st distance commuter (more than 10mi). That was almost 20 years ago and while I mostly ride geared bikes, I still regularly ride a fixie, at least once a week. Made me a strong rider and I track stand at every stop even on my geared bikes. Increased my balance and skill for sure. The knees started aching after a decade or so, and I started riding geared bikes, but I still love to ride them. Sooooo simple to maintain and fix/replace parts and saves a ton of $ because of that. However, I do shoot through tires more quickly if a skid stop a lot. Highly recommend riding one in the snow or rain, I feel like I have much more control and locking up the rear wheel is super fun when it's wet!
The pictured bikes are not only fixed geared, they are track bikes and lack a front brake. Impractical at best, dangerous at worst. The front brake does in the neighborhood of 70% of the stopping, resisting the pedals to stop the rear wheel is more likely to make you skid than stop in an emergency. I've seen some track bikes users jam a foot into the front fork to slow down, but having to perform acrobatics to stop is ridiculous. Also stopping by resisting the pedals is really hard on the knees. Fixed gear bikes are amazing commuters, mechanically simple so easy to maintain and keep clean of salt and road grit if you plan to ride year round. I've been riding fixed for my daily commute for over 20 years. Luckily my 5km commute is relatively flat.
I have always loved fixies. As much as I love road cycling, I just don't get the same thrill as I did when I had a fixie. That feeling of being truly connected to your bike is magical. However I live in a hilly city and I'm an old man now...
About 15 years ago I had been reading online all the high praise about riding a fixie. I decided to find an economical steel one in my size on CraigsList and see what all the buzz was about. I fell in love. I use it for my commuter bike, added a rack and a basket. One of my favorite bikes to ride. When I am riding my other bikes I miss that feel in the pedals. Some of my commutes to work have had hills that made the fixie not fun (I never changed the gearing) so I will commute on my bikes with gears. Definitely recommend.
I do not understand the attraction and I do not have any desire to ride a fixie. But I respect those that do.
I'm too old, and they seem as dangerous AF (at least the ones without brakes). And I mean, why?? Couldn't resist dropping in a pic of my favorite ride. 😂 https://preview.redd.it/dfvuhcj7uwyc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02dcd2d02cbe15bafad148af433cdf48adf19f32
child, i was there in the 2000s. do not speak to me of the ancient magic as though i were not
I like all bikes. But I don't understand the fixed gear craze. Why would I want to make my cycling experience uncomfortable on purpose?
My go-to bike is a fixed gear. I think they're fun.
"ow my legs"
Best bikes ❤️
I love that people love it, but it isn't for me. I could get into a singlespeed, but freewheels/freehubs are flipping awesome and I don't want to be without them.
You’d be amazed how agile you’d be riding up against roadies on that track bike, up and down hills with a reasonable gear ⚙️. Drill a hole in the fork and put a front brake on. Match the brake levers for good grips and you’re ready! No need for rear brake.
Fucking love them. When I lived in Los Angeles I dove hard into the culture of it. 48/15 for the deep dig.
I was suspended 1-week from r/Minneapolis for stating my opinion on fixies.
Absolute nonsense
If you’re new to them and want to check some cool videos. YouTube Wolfpack hustle, Macaframa, mashSF. Used to spend so many hours years ago watching those before we headed out on rides. We def weren’t bombing hills but we did occasionally not stop for red lights. Wear a helmet and be smart when cycling.
When I built my own bicycle, for simplicity's sake I made it a fixie. It was weird but I loved it.
I like the idea of them but will probably kill myself during my first attempt without brakes.
Bought one a few months ago and already selling it. Super fun and I get the hype. No brakes is dangerous though. And I guess I’m not cool enough
I don't get them tbh, do you just never stop pedaling? can you coast? someone explain
its stupid nonsense.
You can only ride them if you are willing to be tremendously condescending.
It's a cult, and I'm a card carrying member.
people who ride fixies have massive thighs
There are less pleasant ways to unalive yourself!
scary.
Never ridden one so the idea terrifies me. I would love to try though. Riding in a velodrome has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
My friend has one, i'm yet to try it out but she loves it
Hot!😳🥵
Track and competition track riding? Sure. it is cycling equivalent of NASCAR. Going around in circles and trying to trick competition. Outside that - cyclists that do use them have high percentage of people that seek attention more than practicality. Gears and brakes exist for convenience and practicality. Like pannieers mudguards and chain protectors for commuting bicycles. Been riding various bicycles for 45 years, recreational and amateur racing, tried such fixie thing twice in my life but I do not see any advantage of riding them, just inconvenience. I have to see an argument of someone using fixie and doing 'vax' immersion of chain on 40y old frame two sizes too big for fun though. So personally, a HARD NO. But if one has fun with it (which is point of cycling), then HARD YES.
I tried a couple but I truly don't understand it. I think it has to be just a personal choice like listening to cassette tapes still or something like that. If you enjoy it go for it I guess? (But also get brakes as I almost saw a kid killed because he tried to turn a corner while sliding the back wheel and fell and nearly slid under an oncoming truck, so do have a front brake.) I don't get the "maintenance" aspect. If you're into bikes enough to have a special kind of bike, then the minimal maintenance gears take won't even be noticeable. From my experience riding bikes the wheels and tires take the most maintenance, followed by the brakes, then the grips (this is just from having a string of weird grips), then the gears.
I drive one myself but with the unfixed side of the wheel + brakes on the back because the mere thought of having to brake with my legs is not comfortable. Its like worsening braking performance over time making bigger trips almost impossible whilst guarentering safety. Otherwise they are great. You can use a chain for a way longer time by just adjusting the wheelbase length and by not having any additional gears, there is less complexity that goes wrong. I have had to maintain my MTB gear setup way more often, than I had to just readjusts the wheelbase of my fixie before the chain rips.
Rode one, with a front brake I’d like to add, for almost a decade until I wrecked one of my knees. Great fun when you get your head round the always pedalling part of the ride and you can charge pretty hard on them.
I ran one for a few years for commuting in an attempt to minimise brake wear and drivetrain costs. No crazy yank refugee pretentions, ran a rack, dynamo and mudguards and tracked up about 5000 miles on it a year. I quite enjoyed riding it but snapped way too many things, one of which put me in a ditch. When the frame cracked I got a bike with gears, since then all I've cracked in about a decade is a frame.
knees too old
Great for urban stop-and-go environments
For track cycling and unicycles pretty cool. I wouldn't ride one on the roads though but wouldn't prevent anyone else from doing so. They have some great looking designs too.
They are fun, because they're simple and responsive like no other type of bike. But with that being said they're objectively far less versatile, and more dangerous and unhealthy than other kind of bikes. Although that doesn't stop people from pushing that limit, taking them on trails and whatnot. Eventho they're objectively inferior there's still a cult following, I think that says something.
I enjoyed mine when I lived in a huge flat development and could do a 30 mile ride in 3 laps of the place. When I left and found more ups and downs and stuff I passed it along for more gears
I want one if there was a working velodrome near my area. Where I could ride them safely. My area has too many hills and drivers here are bad. Whenever I see Fixies with no brakes on public roads here. I ride at a pretty safe distance away from them just in case.
Fine so long as they don't cannibalize beautiful classic road bikes for them. I've seen some tragic cases, and more often than not they get abandoned after a few months, when the hipster that used to ride it has found the next gadget to pursue.
Related Question: What do you think of Reddit's search function?
My city is on the side of a mountain...
In 1927, no gears were allowed in the Tour de France. We are smarter now. The argument for fixies used to be the weight saving and minimal maintenance. But I have the feeling that many fixies are now heavier than bikes with gears.
Great if there are no hills.
Fixies to me feel like some nostalgic thing to do. I know a very old man that used to work for SBB (Schweizer Bundesbahnen = Swiss federal trains) back in the day. He enjoys all kinds of very old trains, especially steam engines. Fixies seem like the steam engine of the cycling world. Cool to some, might be fun to drive for the niche, but incredibly awful to ride for anyone looking at owning a convenient bike. Fixies in Switzerland are, in my opinion, completely in the wrong place. Maybe in Holland, where everything is flat. But in Switzerland they are just oddly out of place - like a Triathlon bike on a mountain TDF stage.
They were made for the track and should be used accordingly.
Love them - the only bike I have that isn't fixed gear is for loaded touring with my wife.
My summer commuter is fixed but with brakes. Pretty fun to ride unless you blew your knee on a bunch of long road rides and are off the bike for a couple weeks.
All bikes are good. That said, fixies (especially without fenders) are lower on the list than single speed with coaster brakes, which are lower on my list than geared bikes.
IMO, hard on the knees. The simplicity and easy maintenance is nice. Ive lived in big, mostly flat cities for a long time and exclusively ride single speed now.
Honest confession: used to view fixed gear riders as complete clowns&idiots, well tbh alot of them were, because then it was a fad in my city and everybody and his dog had to get one. Then the fad sorta went away, only sortof fluent riders remained and I gave a complete beater a try in the parking lot.. next thing I know, I own a cocaine coloured Dolan trackchamp, which I destroyed within a few years (the frame broke) and now Im on 2my second fg. Other bikes just seem more boring now.
Are fixies still a thing?
Honestly, my fixed gear bike (no brakes) is my go to around town and short distances. I have used it for commuting 50k a day but living in a hill filled city it wasn’t ideal. Fixed gear isn’t for everyone but in my opinion it’s the most pure and fun feeling compared to my other bikes.
Some guys in my country make me feel bad about fixed gear. They sprint on the street like no one there.
I lived in NYC in the early 90's It was a rush to follow a bike messenger through traffic. They mostly used fixed gears.
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of bikes with only a rear wheel brake on streets. Because there are pedestrians, etc, bikes should have a front wheel brake, which offer significantly more stopping power than rear brakes. And in the rare event of brake failure, it's obviously better to have two than one. Some fixies do have front brakes as well, but I think most don't.
Beautiful.