FIXIE: What's the deal

[Mulger bill]

As long as the hill isn't steep or long enough to stall the bike then a FG will beat a gear bike up a hill with most riders aboard.

No place to hide.

[you cannot be sirrus]

A guy at work who lived near me used to commute on a fixie sometimes.

I remember flying past him as he was spinning out down the hill to Spit Bridge thinking that was the last I'd see of him.

The bugger caught and passed me at the top of Battle Bvd. That was the last I saw of him!

Just means he's fit!

Or TG isn't ...

[trailgumby]

Right now, I definitely ain't

This guy was pretty fit. Like MB said, nowhere to hide.

The couple of times ive ridden single speed 29ers ive caned other riders up intermediate climbs. You simply can't afford to slow down or you're off and walking

Great for fitness. Not so sure about my knees.

[il padrone]

...and what is the deal with those tight jeans they wear?

/seinfeld

didn't you know that's Lycra for hippies

I went to buy some jeans last year. The guy in the shop dragged some out - turns out they were skinny leg jeans (the current fashion style). I slithered into them, but then discovered I could not bend down to put on my shoes

They were not made of any lycra. I don't see how anyone could wear them and be able to throow a leg over the bike.

[il padrone]

As long as the hill isn't steep or long enough to stall the bike then a FG will beat a gear bike up a hill with most riders aboard.

No place to hide.

+1

I rode 190kms on my SS with some friends on their derailleur road bikes. My SS has a White Industries double freewheel so I can set it (manually) for either 77" or 65". I started out in 77, because the roads were flat and was dropping my friends. I had to stop and change to the 65. On the flat I rode at the same pace as my friends, but in the hills around Korumburra I dropped them on every hill.

An SS bike is going to be lighter than an equivalent-framed road bike, and it has a straight chain-line with no jockey cage = a good deal lower drive-train losses.

In the urban setting, especially inner suburban Melbourne which is pretty flat, a SS just makes sense. With all the stop-start riding and heavy traffic you hve no faffing around with gear selection, you just ride it and it is a good deal better for maintenance. If the bike is kept fairly humble (no brand name components, plain colour frame) it will be less of a theft target as well.

Some ride fixed and take it to extremes - 2007 PBP.




Then there was this pommie guy who was riding the PBP (1200kms - 96hrs) but he had two-speed. Retrodirect gearing.

[backofthebunch]

do hipsters still ride fixed?

[g-boaf]

Oh yeah, they do! Was at Sydney Uni last night for the Royal Aeronautical Society event and sure enough, hipster comes riding along on the fixie - riding with no hands on the bars either. Nothing more than showing off!

[skull]

Mostly singlespeed rather than fixed.



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[Slvr32gtr]

I ride a single speed to work that i built up. Its only 5km each way and pretty flat so its nice and easy. Being a cheap bitsa bike, i dont care if its raining etc and it means my good bikes dont get destroyed on the crap roads.

I tried flipping the hub to fixed gear for a little while out of curiosity. Apart from suddenly craving skinny soy latte's, i almost killed myself on an average of one in two commutes when i forgot you couldnt freewheel Nothing quite as scary as standing up pedalling, then attempting to freewheel and having the pedals nearly throw you over the handlebars!!

[Mike Ayling]

As long as the hill isn't steep or long enough to stall the bike then a FG will beat a gear bike up a hill with most riders aboard.

No place to hide.

Does tend to raise the heart rate a bit though!

Mike

[bychosis]

I ride a single speed to work that i built up. Its only 5km each way and pretty flat so its nice and easy. Being a cheap bitsa bike, i dont care if its raining etc and it means my good bikes dont get destroyed on the crap roads.

I tried flipping the hub to fixed gear for a little while out of curiosity. Apart from suddenly craving skinny soy latte's, i almost killed myself on an average of one in two commutes when i forgot you couldnt freewheel Nothing quite as scary as standing up pedalling, then attempting to freewheel and having the pedals nearly throw you over the handlebars!!

You get over that fairly quick! I was surprised how quickly I got used to it after riding freewheel for a good 30+ years. I was also pleasantly surprised that once I had learned it I could switch between bikes and not screw it up by using the wrong technique on the wrong bike when both styles were used frequently.

[Mulger bill]

I ride a single speed to work that i built up. Its only 5km each way and pretty flat so its nice and easy. Being a cheap bitsa bike, i dont care if its raining etc and it means my good bikes dont get destroyed on the crap roads.

I tried flipping the hub to fixed gear for a little while out of curiosity. Apart from suddenly craving skinny soy latte's, i almost killed myself on an average of one in two commutes when i forgot you couldnt freewheel Nothing quite as scary as standing up pedalling, then attempting to freewheel and having the pedals nearly throw you over the handlebars!!

You get over that fairly quick! I was surprised how quickly I got used to it after riding freewheel for a good 30+ years. I was also pleasantly surprised that once I had learned it I could switch between bikes and not screw it up by using the wrong technique on the wrong bike when both styles were used frequently.

+1 to this.

[landscapecadmonkey]

I was a confirmed, dyed in the wool sight unseen mocker of the whole Fixed Gear idea. Then I tried one.

IMO, it's impossible to explain simply because so much of it is a visceral thing. Ignore the fashion side, I run full brakes (and use 'em) and NO spoke cards or any other hipstah gubbins.

I've got two, the Reid Harrier(56cm) will be available for a test run for you or anyone anytime we can make the calendars line up.

Best post here by a mile ! If you haven't tried it, don't think you'll understand. Its not hard, no great esoteric secret . Give it a go. Forget hipster, just do it !

i ride multi gear road, mtb (recently), mammoth cargo, retro - but fixed is something special. I dont ride track, would like to, but even around the hilly streets of Brisbane ... its addictive. I used to ride single speed dragster in the 70s so can zig-zagging a BIG hill easy.

now .. Single speed freewheel ... THAT i dont understand. Whats the deal there... why bother ?

[ldrcycles]

now .. Single speed freewheel ... THAT i dont understand. Whats the deal there... why bother ?

Easy, it gives you the same sort of workout and simplicity that fixed does, but with the bonus of being able to coast down hills. Win win.

[Slvr32gtr]

You get over that fairly quick! I was surprised how quickly I got used to it after riding freewheel for a good 30+ years. I was also pleasantly surprised that once I had learned it I could switch between bikes and not screw it up by using the wrong technique on the wrong bike when both styles were used frequently.

+1 to this.

Well I admire you guys in that regard! I was getting off my roadie after training in the morning, then switching to the fixie to ride to work. I was alright at first as i kept reminding myself what bike i was on, but it was as the mind slipped away during the commute that I would suddenly snap back to reality as i was in the midst of travelling over the handlebars

Im sure i gave a few onlookers a laugh anyway as i somehow gathered it up before travelling A over T!

I stuck with it for a few weeks, but in the end decided the freewheel side was better for my health

[schroeds]

A mate said to me single speed is for people who can't make up their mind, fixed is for people who haven't got one to make up

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[Mulger bill]

A mate said to me single speed is for people who can't make up their mind, fixed is for people who haven't got one to make up

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And exactly how much Fixed riding has he done?
A fiver says one 5 minute ride or less.

By all means don't ride Fixed if it isn't for you but why mock those who do?

Deeper insecurities bubbling up perhaps?

[rustychisel]

And exactly how much Fixed riding has he done?
A fiver says one 5 minute ride or less.

By all means don't ride Fixed if it isn't for you but why mock those who do?

Deeper insecurities bubbling up perhaps?

Ah, now spoken like a true defender of the faith