What is the deal with people in those fix gear bikes? Is it the cool thing now? Gosh those things annoy me… I think that Fix gear bikes should only belong in a track. Is there any other use for bikes with fix gears? Specially when you see them everywhere in California, where you can’t go more than 10 miles without going over a hill.
Anyone has any knowledge, that wouldn’t mind sharing?
Why the hatin, I have a spendy tri bike that I do not want to cruise to school on…thus I have my Felt fixie/flip flop that I cruise around town or to the beach and to school on. I love biking, but I do not want to use my tri bike for cruisin…simple enough that’s why I have the fixie…plus it is fun as shit…I threw a pair of speedplays on that beast and she burns!
I addition to the new trend usinng fixie as commuter/fun bikes, it’s a traditional (and fun) training tool used by cyclists for ages. Especially in hills; needs power to get up - and very smooth pedaling to get down…
They’ll only annoy you until you try one.
They’re virtually bombproof for commuting and, imho, less likely to get nicked due to the single gear/single brake setup.
Some of us have even been known to gasp race TTs on them.
+1. Fixies work miracles for both your engine and technique. Since you have only one gear, your engine gets quite a workout when the terrain turns even just a little hilly; since you have no freewheel, your legs have no other option but to “obey” the spinning crank without fighting it. You’ll learn the second lesson especially on downhills, and if you ride fixed-gear bikes long enough it will smoothen out your pedal stroke, making it more efficient (you’ll know how to “lay off” or “unweigh” your leg during the upstroke).
And then there is the sheer exhilaration of riding a fixie, of course, as others have said above. No need to think about shifting gears, very little time wasted on maintenance (since you have no derailleurs or brakes), just the pure joy of pedaling. This is as close as you’ll ever get to Zen-Buddhism on your bike, and you can do it right in the middle of congested city traffic!
Annoying why?
Because other people are out getting exercise and having fun?
Some people find riding a fixed gear challenging.
If that is not a challenge enough for you, try riding a fixed gear on rollers.
If that is still not enough of a challenge, try riding a fixed gear on rollers backwards.
You’re still annoyed? Try riding fixed gear on rollers backwards and blindfolded.
I think anytime a person is out riding a bike is a great thing.
Better than sitting on the couch posting complaints about how annoying other cyclists are.
This is far from being new. Back when I was in college ('88) it was cool to have a fixie. Just because you did not have to lock it. Someone would try to steal it and only get 100 meters and crash, leave the bike and be gone.
And long before that fixies were the way to train in the spring. One thousand kilometers in the 42 x 17 on a fixie would be all you needed to be ready for the season.
I think now they are just easier to get.
I trained on a fixie for almost all my rides for two years and improved my Oly bike avg by 2 mph. Incredible training tool.
don’t let these hipsters get you down…I’m with you (at least when discussing ‘fixed’, not ‘single’ speeds)
While they might provide an occasional interesting workout for high-level athletes looking for something different (e.g. difficult hill work, ‘smoothing out your spin’ or whatever that means, etc), they are just silly for college kids and ‘urban’ people who seem to enjoy paying $600 for a 1970’s track bike in order to look cool.
To buck the trend of the serious athletes extolling their virtues thus far in this thread, lets have a laugh at some of the things that (the majority of) people who ride fixed gears do:
paying $250 for Deep V’s at the LBS, thus making my stuff cheaper. This makes me laugh.
I quite often see ‘packs’ of them walking their fixed gears down the street…crankarms spinning like pinwheels. Piercings and tattoo’s everywhere. This also makes me laugh.
Getting thrown off their bike because they’re going too fast and can’t slow it down when someone walks in front of them. Ha. Schaudenfruede.
I’m hoping the sarcasm flows through…
Flame away, you brake-less fools.
My messenger-bag full of PBR and capri pants would look really silly on a geared bike.
A fix gear (not single speed) is great for NYC especially if you have to lock the bike up outside. With the bike being nothing really more than a frame set, cranks, chain, seat and handle bars there is less for someone to steal. No to mention if someone does break the lock to steal it you can usually catch them at the first intersection when they realize there are no breaks and they end up getting hit by a cab.
If fixies annoy you have to read NYBikeSnob, say this one:
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/...gear-apocalypse.html
There are many other funny posts, particularly the reviews of Craigslist fixies.
I just noticed also that the front page of the blog now features Powercranks…
don’t let these hipsters get you down…I’m with you (at least when discussing ‘fixed’, not ‘single’ speeds)
While they might provide an occasional interesting workout for high-level athletes looking for something different (e.g. difficult hill work, ‘smoothing out your spin’ or whatever that means, etc), they are just silly for college kids and ‘urban’ people who seem to enjoy paying $600 for a 1970’s track bike in order to look cool.
To buck the trend of the serious athletes extolling their virtues thus far in this thread, lets have a laugh at some of the things that (the majority of) people who ride fixed gears do:
paying $250 for Deep V’s at the LBS, thus making my stuff cheaper. This makes me laugh.
I quite often see ‘packs’ of them walking their fixed gears down the street…crankarms spinning like pinwheels. Piercings and tattoo’s everywhere. This also makes me laugh.
Getting thrown off their bike because they’re going too fast and can’t slow it down when someone walks in front of them. Ha. Schaudenfruede.
I’m hoping the sarcasm flows through…
Flame away, you brake-less fools.
absolutely freaking right. im a college student and i hate these ****s. they have absolutely no road ediquette, they drive through red lights on a regular basis, flick people off, and think they are cool b/c the corperations are putting people down if they use multiple gears.
we have a biking club at our school (all but 2 guys have fixed gear) and all these ppl talk about it how stupid their bikes are. fugly paint jobs, uber tight jeans to make any mans junk just explode under the pressure.
fixed gear bikes in itself ARE cool though, and benefit the rider much. so i honestly can see the craze. i’m glad us lazy americans are actually exercising even though its a certain population. it doesnt make sense riding on the road with one though. as for the hipsters, they make other bikers look really bad. i dont care who you are, i think it is retarded to go on the road with cars without breaks or a helmet.
They’ll only annoy you until you try one.
They’re virtually bombproof for commuting…
+1
and, imho, less likely to get nicked due to the single gear/single brake setup.
not in Portland, or on most university campuses…it would have to be a TRUE beater with some physical problem
This is far from being new. Back when I was in college ('88) it was cool to have a fixie. Just because you did not have to lock it. Someone would try to steal it and only get 100 meters and crash, leave the bike and be gone.
Ha ha, when I was in college ('98-ish) I left my fixed gear on my front porch while I ran upstairs to grab a book when I came back down about 60 seconds later, my bike was gone and I saw some jerk riding down the street on it, I shouted at him to get off my bike and when he turned around to flip me off, the bike threw him right over the handlebars. Fixed gears have built in bike justice!
That said, I definitely roll my eyes at the trendiness of fixed gears and dorky hipsters spending thousands of dollars on a bike that they’re never going to ride more than a few blocks, but honestly I’d rather see a million obnoxious hipsters on fixed gears than one more jerk in a Hummer running cyclists off the road. Whatever it takes to get people out of cars and on bikes gets a thumbs up in my book.
… but honestly I’d rather see a million obnoxious hipsters on fixed gears than one more jerk in a Hummer running cyclists off the road…
Amen.
Well duh…its so you can do sick shit like this
.
I sorta agree. A fixie has it’s place, but folks take it a bit extreme.
Myth #1: Riding a fixed gear improves pedaling efficiency and leg speed.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6366
When I was in college (also in the 88 era) I rode with the cycling team and there were a couple of guys who’d ride fixed gears early season. I’ve never tried it, but to each their own!
thats funny you say that cuz i went to hospital corps school with a guy that was a messenger and he said he chose his messenger bags by how much PBR they would hold.