Fixie On The Road?
 

Here in Portland, the Hipness Police require you to meet at least one of the following conditions:
(a) Mustache and plaid trilby
(b) Tats on your tits
(c) Ride a fixie bike
(d) Yeah, you were into the Black Keys before everyone else was, and now you've moved on

The other three options being unappealing, I'm thinking about (c).

What's it like to ride a fixed-gear bike on the road? How about a fixed-gear track bike? Is there any thing fun, or good for you, about it?

You mean like this?

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That was pretty funny. :D

Hey! I know that guy!

He's a poseur. Rides a single-speed. Not a fixed-gear.

That's because fixed gear bikes are OVER!


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Are those clips from Portlandia? I've heard about that show. Never seen it.

Funny stuff.

My son did it for a while.

It's an interesting sensation. You can do some tricks that you can't do on a regular bike (since you can pedal it backwards, etc.)

But IMO it makes no sense on a street bike. It also can be quite dangerous in an emergency situation. But the biggest thing is it's just no fun on the street.

I made sure the bike my son bought had a flipflop hub on the back (fixed on one side, freewheel on the other), since I knew it wouldn't be long before he wanted it to freewheel again. It took about 3 months.

Can attest to that. On a mass bike ride through UCLA campus about a month ago someone with a "fixie" came upon an unexpected substantial road downward slope. He lost control of his bike and crashed into a masonry wall. He did not survive the crash.

I would have been really pissed if he would have touch me with any part of that bike during that accident. Cause harm due to his lack of care about safety of others. Like any fad, I hope it will be over soon.

I had a track bike 20 years ago, only ridden it on the street a few times. Normally, at a place where I can spin ( a very low gear) during winter without worrying about stopping.

Fixies are dangerous but some common sense can go a long way.

But REALLY not for the street. Single speed freewheel is the way to go. You can also get a freewheel with two different sized cogs and a small chain tensioning device. Makes it easy to move between cogs. For up hill etc..

My biggest fear is getting something caught between the chain and front cog whilst riding... If its a toe :eek: Crushed and twisted mess. Trouser pants... Torn and oil stained.

I ride a fixie on the road, a converted Bianchi Concept 2000 track bike. Put a road fork on it so that I could mount a front brake...don't believe in the no brakes idea. Its an interesting break from a normal bike, and a different riding experience. In an urban environment they are a hoot, the instant acceleration/deceleration is an advantage in traffic, as is the increased ability to trackstand (the ability to apply reverse torque to the rear wheel makes it much easier).

Allegedly they will improve your spin. Using legs for brakes definitely works muscles that don't get worked during normal riding, but I don't know whether this qualifies as "good for you". I just like occasionally riding something without gears and that is much lighter, responsive and, well, just different feeling.

Having a flipflop hub isn't bad advice. If its your first rodeo, I'd probably find an old road frame with horizontal dropouts and convert that, track frames are available but the geometry results in much "sharper" handling-not a bad thing, but you may not appreciate it.

i talked to a bike messenger about his fixie. he had legs that looked better suited for a super hero. he was incredible. he loved his bike, and could ride it pretty "regular" in san francisco traffic. stopping? he just stopped pedaling and his rear tire would skid to a stop. at the stop, he just stood in the pedals.

me, i would build a single speed. but i live with serious hills..my single speed would be a granny :D

So, are you going to see him again, or was this just a one-night-stand?

I raced a paramount track bike at the Encino velodrome back in the late 70's/early 80's but never rode it on the street for "recreation".
For the life of me I can't see why anyone would want to, and I'm even more amazed that anyone could possibly think doing so would be cool.

What's the deal with that, Are these real track bikes or regular street bikes with the derailleurs removed?
Are they posers pretending to be training for the Olympics or are they just doing something wierd to be different?

My real track bike totally sucked for use on the street.
The frame was too stiff, the rear triangle was waay too tight for road use, and the fork angle was too steep for the street.
Talk about a twitchy monster, it would make a U-turn if I sneezed. A good centurion would be so much better.
I can't imagine track bikes have changed that much since then.

If they are not track bikes and are regular bikes with the gears taken off, I have to ask again: WHY?

naa..his package was huge..wait, that came out wrong..aww damn!! damn it.!!

Had to quote that. Too funny!

I guess the whole idea behind a fixie is that you have this 12 lb. bike. Acceleration must be nothing short of thrilling. Stopping, not so much.

Or wait, maybe so.

< remains of man card, flutter away >

I ride a fixed gear bike on the street. No I don't have a handlebar moustache.

I enjoy riding it a lot. Why? I like the simple, stripped down nature of it, the light weight, and the quiet directness of the drivetrain. I don't think it's particularly dangerous...assuming you have brakes. I mounted only a front brake, which is more than enough. No brakes on the street is stupid. With brakes, losing control downhill, hitting a wall and killing yourself is idiotic...pretty easy not to lose control for me, YMMV. I trained for a century on the fixed gear bike on all kinds of roads, rides up to 65 miles long. Mine is geared to allow for climbing (But I have to work for it). This also means that on a long downhill section, I must manage my speed with the brakes. On shorter downhill sections, I can manage speed with my legs (interesting sensation and works muscles differently), or spin out to ludicrous rpms which forces you to have a smooth pedal stroke. Brakes are always there to stop you quickly if needed. I never unclip from the pedals and allow the cranks to freewheel...that's dangerous and compromises control IMHO.

Bottom line, fixed gear riding is different, fun, and safe if you're not an idiot. I recommend it.

Mine is a converted road bike...an old 3 tube carbon Vitus frame with purpose built fixie wheels, plus a bunch of parts I had lying around. This frame has vertical dropouts, so I used a White Industries ENO hub that has eccentric adjustment to deal with chain tension. It's an expensive solution, but I did not want a spring loaded chain tensioner since that doesn't work with fixed gear, only singlespeed setups. The ENO hub is flip flop, so I can mount a freewheel, but I have no plans for this as I like the fixed gear. If I want freewheel, I take the roadbike.

http://asbury.smugmug.com/Travel/Dog.../DSC5696-L.jpg

I put fixie riders in the same category that I put the Harley riders with rigid frames, springer front ends, and no front brake - moronic attention whores just dying (sometimes literally) to be "cool". In both cases, modern technology provides far safer, far more useful equipment that is not the least bit intrusive or detracting in any way from their riding experience. Rather, it adds to the experience by providing for more control over the machine, more comfort, and greater safety for those around them. The only "advantage" provided by these outdated rides is the attention they get from other, equally clueless fools.

I've also noticed (in Seattle, anyway) that if someone is riding like a real ass hole, he is usually on a fixie or a rigid frame chopper. The only difference is one is usually really skinny and the other one is usually fat as hell. Both are dirty and smell pretty bad, though...

We had a kid killed nearby on a fixie this summer. Delivering food, ran stop light (perhaps couldn't stop), hit a car, went over the hood, no helmet, dead.