pros and cons

[zigzag]

in my case there are 25 traffic lights in five miles and sections of the narrow road with stationary traffic and no space in the middle. with geared bike i can get a head start when the light turns green and in stationary traffic i can lean the bike to the left and coast between a curb and buses (i'd need to get onto a busy pavement and walk with the fixed bike alongside).

 

[JDP]

It is eerily quiet. Spooky, even.

This.
There are plenty of other things I like about fixed but that sense of quiet combined with the constant feel of movement makes fixed riding special.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Don't let the pictures at the bottom worry you, I can still count to 10.

With your socks and underpants on?

 

[Ian H]

I've ridden Audax SR series on both gears and fixed. I find I'm a bit slower on fixed for the longer distances. I tend to use the fixed for everyday riding and to get fit.

 

[Steve-W]

I bought a singlesped mtb which I am now re-building, I rode it a few times before stripping it down and found it great fun, simple, uncluttered, back to the way bike riding was when I was kid, its has a freewheel so no issues for me coasting, traffic etc, I used it for short local jump on jump off trips and it was great, track skewers and fixed seat clamp mean no worries about locking wheels & removing seatposts etc when quickly locking up when in a shop etc.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Smurfy]

why would i want a single speed fixed bike????

So that you can upset all the other multi-geared club riders by doing the same ride as them, but with only one gear and no freewheel!

 

[Powered by Porridge]

but what is it about ? having just one speed with no freewheel

i dont know of one i can borrow but im intrigued enough to buy one or build one (got an old peugeot doin nothin).

i see its a love it or hate it concept. I want one but i cant see the advantages

I've has a fixed bike for about six years, I also have a couple of bikes with gears. I sometimes ride fixed, I sometimes ride geared. I just like riding bikes. Fortunately I live in Warrington, so if you're still interested, come round, have a cup of tea, and a go on the bike. It's a Surly Steamroller and is gorgeous. PM me to arrange something.

 

[4F]

I sometimes ride fixed and I sometimes ride geared. I enjoy both and both have advantages over the other one depending on the type of ride / weather conditions etc.

 

[Old Plodder]

I see 4F says:
No helmet no hair, 365 days a year

S/He must be tired riding all the time........

 

[gb901]

im intrigued by the single fixed wheel concept but i m not aware of the advantages over a geared bike other than ... simplicity, ie less to go wrong, and lighter weight. To me a bike with gears would be far better, yet im hearing that most people who ride fixed swear by em.

why would i want a single speed fixed bike????

sorry if this question has been asked before but im finding myself wanting one

no thanks, notfor me - far too hard and tiribng!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

no thanks, notfor me - far too hard and tiribng!

A fixed is no harder than gears

 

[Old Plodder]

One theory is that with gears you are always subconciously thinking about when to change gear, & with a fixed/SS you aren't, & therefore, there is less mental fatigue when riding fixed/SS.

Free Your Mind .......

 

[Rob3rt]

One theory is that with gears you are always subconciously thinking about when to change gear, & with a fixed/SS you aren't, & therefore, there is less mental fatigue when riding fixed/SS.

Free Your Mind .......

Less mental fatigue, lmao! Scraping the barrell here!

no thanks, notfor me - far too hard and tiribng!

Great to see all of your posts display a consistent degree of ignorance! Excellent work!

 

[Old Plodder]

Less mental fatigue, lmao! Scraping the barrell here!

Just an oft quoted theory when cyclists get into discussing fixed against gears.

(Having ridden both on 100 mile plus rides, I still got knackered whichever I was riding.)

 

[steve broughton]

Loving my fixie/ss though reading this one thing does puzzle me the "they are easier to maintain" comments yes granted but who cannot service or maintain a dérailleur geared bike? I have sat crying with a much loved sturmey archer 3 speed hub in what felt like a million pieces but a normal modern geared bike is simple?