Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - What are the reasons you ride fixed???

Hi all,
Just curious as to what the reasons are you ride fixed. I see a fair amount around here in Madison, WI.

I am one of those old-school "roadies" and I have one exclusively for winter training, and nasty weather commuting, geared 44x17. In WI, winters are nasty, slushy, and salty, and destroy a more complex machine in short order. 2000+ winter miles cost only 2 chains, a chain ring, and 1 severely chewed DA cog.

What makes you ride one of these archaic machines? I hope not everyone is as strictly utilitarian as I am.... I am sure this is not the case.

Cheers~

For me, it's a combination of reasons.
1. fewer parts to maintain/worry about
2. exercise
3. generally lighter-weight than geared bikes
4. fewer dollars required to build & maintain a fixed gear
5. fixies are sexy. I rarely see a geared bike that makes me want to blur the line between man & machine in an erotic fashion.

The quiet.

Fun. Different than my roadie. I use it as a winter commuter/rain bike (though I rode it in to work today). And it's fun.

sorry if this doesn't help at all ( and sorry for the car reference ) BUT it's a similar feeling to why people choose manual transmissions.

It's fun and I like when people look at me doing flawless rear dismounts.

Because it's fun to hop on a fixed gear after riding my geared bike for 50 miles and try to coast, nearly snapping my leg in half at the knee.

It feels that void in between running and geared biking. I don't know if you'll understand, but I feel like you earn the speed you maintain. If you want to go fast, you gotta pull your legs fast, if you tire out, you still have to pedal through it. It doesn't give you a choice, just makes things simple. With a geared bike, it's should I drop to lower gear, coast, brake, on a fixed, you just go or stop. If reminds me of the days when I was a runner but now I'm moving much, much faster.

It feels that void in between running and geared biking. I don't know if you'll understand, but I feel like you earn the speed you maintain. If you want to go fast, you gotta pull your legs fast, if you tire out, you still have to pedal through it. It doesn't give you a choice, just makes things simple. With a geared bike, it's should I drop to lower gear, coast, brake, on a fixed, you just go or stop. If reminds me of the days when I was a runner but now I'm moving much, much faster.

I like this analogy. Though most of the bikers that I know hate running, I love running and I think fixed is like running and biking combined. You don't work, you don't move.

It's like a really big bmx bike.

"riding fixed makes you a better lover"

cause dudes in spandex are gay.

so that moe sizlack doesn't find out i'm gay

(i wear my spandex under cargo shorts)

fun, coolness, and the simplicity factor, in that order.....:D

not that there's anything wrong with that.

well i started because i saw June on www.oldskooltrack.com do reverse circles and wanted to try it myself then it went to the feeling of having so much control and fun on the bike. it's true that you really exerience what biking is on a fixed. its also cheaper because of less parts needed (unless you get into the aesthetics realm) and is just so much fun. Did i mention its fun? o yea its fun.

cause my porsche is broke down

cause dudes in spandex are gay.
As a dude in spandex, I resent being called a roadie. I have a fetish.

Dudes in spandex are Bi-curious is a little more accurate.

Fixed gear is an attempt to control a rocket.

thighs of power from running big gears
my drive train is a ninja
chicks dig fixed guys ;-)
the feeling of control
the simplicity

also, see thread about the pros and cons of fixed vs. free

i find other bikes boring and tedious to work on

Skidding is fun, and there is nothing to maintain. I don't have to worry about it, just jump on and go.

Because I absolutely adore the way riding fixed makes me feel connected to my bike and the road. I like feeling that I am soley responsible for my own mechanical advantage.

And because it gets me lots of kissings from cute skinny boys that are into girls on bikes.

because it can make a terrible day better

Aside from maintenance, simplicity, exercise, etc., it's all about controlling speed with your legs. I hate hitting brakes, even when I'm driving my car (that said, I will always ride with a front brake on my bike). I just hate that grinding feeling. I've found countless other reasons after I made the switch from free to fixed, so I dont count those.

simple fun
more control
efficiency - I can feel the drag going through derailleur pulleys.

It's just more exciting to ride, I like feeling more involved and having to be alert at all times. Spinning is the ****. In skateboarding, I love manual tricks the most, with a fixed gear I get the same balance kick with good ol trackstands and circles.

And because it gets me lots of kissings from cute skinny boys that are into girls on bikes.

kisses?? where? riding fixed hasn't gotten me that...(yet?) grrrr.

Fun. Different than my roadie. I use it as a winter commuter/rain bike (though I rode it in to work today). And it's fun.

What Cromulent said. And now that it's spring and I've taken off the fenders and mounted skinny tires, the thing is a rocket. A silent rocket.

Folks, I wouldn't slam the spandex. Moe sizlack, I would consider it unlikely you would survive a 60 mile ride without have your bum turned into a giant chafed wound. Plus, most of the spandex clad are probably faster....

I also have to disagree with girls digging cyclists. I don't think they really care, just as long as its exercise and you don't have a spare tire around your gut. A little road rash goes a long way though to get some sympathy/hardcore points.

One more reason from me is fixed shenanigans. When you put the seat time in that I do, stuff like backwards circles/no-handed trackstands come easy.

Cheers~

kisses?? where? riding fixed hasn't gotten me that...(yet?) grrrr.
You should try coming off as "easy". I find being drunk in public also works. Being easy and drunk in public is the ticket. (Truthfully, apart from the rare drunken clandestine make out session with a friend, the only cute skinny boy I get kissings from is my boyfriend and my bike definitely helps me get more of them.)

I grew up racing BMX and Veldorome. When I got back in to biking I got a full Ultegra bike and found I didn't really shift all that often, so I figured I would go back to what I knew best

Fun + all the cliche stuff about minimalism and flow. Something about the fixed gear feels just right for my commuting and non-serious endurance riding. I'm sure it would be different if I was racing and really needed to go very fast down hills and spin very efficiently up hills, but for me they're unnecessary for the riding i do, and the freewheel is an annoyance in traffic because it makes track standing more difficult.

cause dudes in spandex are gay.

he he he he he

Seriously tho'
It started for me as an extra training thing for riding to work. But as most people will tell you, it's just kind of addictive. I don't even like riding my geared bikes anymore aside from some mtn biking now and then

Simplicity rocks.
Overcoming things with brute strength rocks more.
Shifting can be a PITA when i don't feel like dealing with it.

I wear spandex when i ride often...I suppose that makes me 'gay"....tight demin must be so much less "gay" I suppose...

I wouldn't even drive 60 miles, I'm certainly not going to ride my bike that far. :rolleyes: :p

I got bored with BMX, I love to ride, I hate gears.

oh yea, and all the cool kids do it.

I am better than everyone else and I look badass doing it

kisses?? where? riding fixed hasn't gotten me that...(yet?) grrrr.

You're not an uggo are you? That would explain it. If you're not an uggo, then I have no explanation, other than maybe your hanging around with bros that like bros?

I never shifted my bike when it was geared. Then when I decided I'd go fixed, i was fooling around with different gear ratios on the bike, and broke one of the shift levers, so i took it down to the shop the next day and got into fixed riding.

Now it's fun to tinker with. The direct drive feeling is fantastic for accelerating and decelerating. The single drivetrain on a brakeless frame looks gorgeous. Skidding is a blast. Way less to go wrong.

..the zodiac

it's a great way to pick up chicks, especially if ur dressed like a messenger (this really only works on girls 20 years or less, the ones who don't yet have much of a sense of self worth). Otherwise just go for the hipster look with tight pants and white kicks.

They want you to come get them.




They love it

http://destination.rock.free.fr/webmast/photos3/garth.jpg

cos i looked stupid just walking around town in my trackstar hoodie with one leg rolled up

because Nexus6 the forum_w.hor.e told me to, so did half the other monkeys on fixed.org

cause it feels good.

I built up a fix about a year ago, and it was because of the lower cost. Originally I wnated to build up a geared bike, but I figured I could build up a nice conversion for the price of a mediocre road bike. I already rode a singlespeed (total piece of garbage) before this, so it wasn't very intimidating to make the switch to fixed, but I thought I was just going to ride it until I could afford to build up a 8 or 9 speed equipped road bike.

Fast forward to now,I only have one bike (fixed) and I use it as my only means of transportation, and I love every minute of it. I find riding fixed to be a lot more fun than freewheel. Spinning down hills, skidding on wet pavement, realizing at the end of a long ride that I pedaled every single inch of the way, I love all that ****.

oh yeah its silent too

and I can do all my own maintainence easily

You're not an uggo are you? That would explain it. If you're not an uggo, then I have no explanation, other than maybe your hanging around with bros that like bros?

no I am not an "uggo." gawd.
maybe it's just that bike dudes seem to be socially anxious and know not how to talk to teh femalez.

For me, it's a combination of reasons.
1. fewer parts to maintain/worry about
2. exercise
3. generally lighter-weight than geared bikes
4. fewer dollars required to build & maintain a fixed gear
5. fixies are sexy. I rarely see a geared bike that makes me want to blur the line between man & machine in an erotic fashion...

Simplicity.

I have an obsession with simplicity. Its easier to enjoy life when you simplify, when you break things down to its purest form. Ive never been happier with any bicycle until I got my fixed gear together. I absolutely love it.

Only riding fixed for a couple of months now.


Amazing feeling of connection to the bike and the road (already said, but it bears repeating).
Powering quickly over short hills.
Spinning effortlessly on gradual downhills.
Keeping control on downhills without using the brakes.
A light, silent, sleek machine.
Silent looks of inquisitive envy from other cyclists.
Learning to trackstand.
Someday learning to skid.
Leaving that old beater pickup truck at home.