Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Why Fixed? Considering Single Speed vs. Cannondale Bad Boy

I have been riding a Diamondback Topenga mountain bike now for the better part of 8 years. I have kept it up, and it has definitely taken a beating on and off road. Since I now live in Manhattan, I dont take it off road any longer. I bought some slicks and have been riding it that way ever since. I am now in the market for a new bike, and the Cannondale Bad Boy has really caught my eye. I like that it is a road bike and mountain bike in one.

I see alot of people riding fixed gear bike these days, and I am curious as to what the draw/appeal is? Is it recommended for city/street riding? I see a lot of bike messengers using them. Before I take the plunge with a traditional bike like the Bad Boy, I would love to hear about the differences/advantages.......

1. Fixed is simple, fewer parts, fewer problems
2. Fixed improves your spin and makes you smoother, good training
3. Fixed improves your coolness by a factor of 2.36

Well, the coolness factor definitely sold me!

Just curious if you only ride roads now, why worry about getting a bike that can handle mountain? Also you might want to look at cyclocross bikes, they can handle trails and roads.

I primarily ride road these days, but like that the Bad Boy can be a mountain bike as well. All you need to do is swap out the slicks for nobbies.

You have a moutain bike, now get a road bike. Hybrids in most cases are a compromise.

I know, but I like the geometry of the Bad Boy as opposed to a traditional road bike. If i change the handlebars, it would be a traditional road bike. Plus, my apartment isnt axactly what one would call "Spacious" so I would have to sell the other bike. If I had a big place, I would indeed keep both because I really like the Diamondback....

Good luck with your decision. Whatever you decide I am sure you will enjoy!

I have four bikes, there is no way I could live with just one.

Originally posted by Rev.Chuck
3. Fixed improves your coolness by a factor of 2.36

Hmmm, others told me it was 2.16. How did you caculate yours? Because that .20 difference would be a definate break over for me.

Originally posted by William Karsten
Hmmm, others told me it was 2.16. How did you caculate yours? Because that .20 difference would be a definate break over for me.
It's a West Coast / East Coast thing. I've heard that if you live in the Midwest the coolness factor is 2.26.

I usually throw out the numeric coolness factor because it tends to vary depending on where I'm riding. Here in L.A., that can vary anywhere from 1.95 to 2.47. Aside from giving me a tremendous workout, fixed gear riding definitely turn heads. I'm constantly complimented & asked what I'm riding by pedestrians. Girls constantly come up to me which never happens when I'm on a derailleur equiped bike. Yeah....coolness factor is definitely high when you're fixed. Here's one of my fixed...
http://www.tc-homes.com/bike/forum/fg-bikes/leakos2.htm

George "coasting not allowed" Leakos!

JayKind: Have you come across the fixed off-road site? I think it is
63xc.com or something like that. The name refers to the preferred inch gear. There are some great writers featured there.

we devoloped the coolness factor using anthopological survey techniques. This including checking respiration/heartrate of witnesses to fixed gear riders v/s the same rider on a road bike. Also used was a survielance van with full camera gear including heat sensing equipment and relative potential imaging to measure incidents of head snap when witnesses spotted a fixed gear rider.
SteveE, this was only a east coast survey, but I believe the reduced cool factor on the west coast is due to a higher base cool level or possibly the increased smog reduces visiblity of the fixed rider.

I believe one also has to factor other relevant factors such as number of days of sunlight per year, annual mean daytime temperature, socio-economic indicators, and population demographics in addition to the air quality index in order to derive a scientifically meaningful metric .

Originally posted by Rev.Chuck
we devoloped the coolness factor using anthopological survey techniques. This including checking respiration/heartrate of witnesses to fixed gear riders v/s the same rider on a road bike. Also used was a survielance van with full camera gear including heat sensing equipment and relative potential imaging to measure incidents of head snap when witnesses spotted a fixed gear rider.
SteveE, this was only a east coast survey, but I believe the reduced cool factor on the west coast is due to a higher base cool level or possibly the increased smog reduces visiblity of the fixed rider.

I think the east coast results were skewed due to the humidity, posisbility of tornadoes, and the promisicous availability of trailer homes.

The west coast does appear to have a higher cool level, (I'm from the cool west coast) but I think that it's a bit over inflated.

I think it's inflated due to electricity and housing cost.

I decided to try fixed because this past winter's version of FREEZING HELL seriously wrecked my drivetrain. Between the salt, sand, ice and wet, I decided that the simpler a bike can be, the better.

I used an old touring bike frame so that I can still carry my commuting gear on a Blackburn rack, and so I can mount bigger road tires with full fenders. I started riding it for all my commuting about a week and a half ago just to get used to it, but I'm finding that it's giving me better workouts than my 24 speed Cannondale touring bike did. I can't dog-out as much. :D So there's another reason for ya!