Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - should i feel like less of a cyclist?

I ride fixed and i don't skid, rarely do track stands, and i don't use clips. my bars are from an old schwinn 3 speed cruiser, my frame is almost garbage, I have 27 inch wheels with crappy kenda tires, and my seat is super plush gel loaded and not 'lightweight' in the least sense. haHA!

heck at least you are riding a bike! Kudos to you

But... you've got brakes right?

Please tell me you have brakes.

haha i have a brake. I just registered and i guess i just felt like commenting about how my ride isn't exactly conventional and 'hip'. i'll stick a picture on here sometime.

but you're riding a bike. isnt that what its all about? who cares what it is. have fun.

"cyclist(noun)-a person who rides or travels by bicycle, motorcycle, etc."



i think you're probably enough of a cyclist.


don't let bikeweenies and such get to you.

ride and have fun. get cages if you ever lose the brake--or just keep
the brake.

you need a 300 million dollar bike to qualify for cyclist status. sorry.

It all depends on how you define a cyclist. I would argue to say you are probably more "cyclist" than most weekend warrior. That is if you use you bike for transpotation and recreation.

Someone will always have a better seat.
Someone will always have a nicer set of wheels and tires.
Someone will always have better bars, too.
No one will feel the way you feel when you're jammin'
Enjoy.

you are the best kind of cyclist!

In my book you're a lot cooler than some.

You're cooler than me too.

pics?

you should feel like more of a cyclist.

what

has happened to bikeforums

Scrapers are much hipper than anything else these days. Hipster.

Hey- I ride fixed with a front disc brake, I track stand ok, and Ive never even tried to skid.

Get clips dude, they're not that expensive

Riding > Not Riding

:D

wA happen???

Being blatantly unhip is the new hip.

you're a cyclist if you like riding your bike. enjoy the **** out of it.

Someone will always have a better seat.
Someone will always have a nicer set of wheels and tires.
Someone will always have better bars, too.
No one will feel the way you feel when you're jammin'
Enjoy.

+1. well put.

what

has happened to bikeforums


Yeah thats what I was thinking too :eek:

Riding a fixed-gear without some sort of foot-retention device, even with a brake, is dangerous and irresponsible. Please at least get some clips and straps.

^why?

^^^ do we really have to do this again?

crappy gel seat+27inchers+beatup old schwin frame+riding EVERYDAY > riding 12000 carbon once a month

^why?
If your foot slips off the pedals the results can be disasterous. This is true of any bike but is exasperated by a fixed-gear since the pedals will continue rotating.

I know a lot of people do this anyway and if they have a brake they can mitigate most of the risks involved, but I still think it's silly not to at least have toe clips.

If the OP is happy with the way his bike is set up fine, but I reserve the right to say "I told you so" when he takes a chunk out of his ankle or nuts on his top tube.

i was riding my bike sans break today. i have no way/idea how to stop except for using my legs, it was a REALLY AWESOME, especially figuring out how to go down big hills. the 'less of a cyclist' phrase was just a gimmick. also, i don't really think there is a need for brakeless fanatics and cage fanatics and break user fanatics to argue, you all like what you like and you're not going to convince eachother to do it any other way.

but somebody mentioned disc brakes, that is a sweet idea. although it sounds like a super custom and expensive one.

Brakeless fanatics ARE "foot retension device" fanatics.

Allow me to deconstruct this post.


I ride fixed and i don't skid, rarely do track stands,
If you have a rear brake, you can skid. If you have a front brake, you don't need to skid.


and i don't use clips.
You don't skid, so you don't need to.


my bars are from an old schwinn 3 speed cruiser,
Bars are a matter of choice. Like beer and underwear.


my frame is almost garbage,
Unless it says "Next" or "Magna" on it, don't worry. And if you somehow made a fixed gear out of one of those frames, even that's worth a decent number of cool points.


I have 27 inch wheels
Are they straight and true with smooth hubs? That's all that matters.


with crappy kenda tires,
There are crappier tires than Kenda.


and my seat is super plush gel loaded and not 'lightweight' in the least sense. haHA!
Start saving your pennies for a Brooks. What you describe, topped off with a B-17 or Team Pro, makes a very enviable fashion statement. To those of us who know, it shows a man who knows exactly what body part matters the most when riding a bicycle. To those who don't know, it says you are a real hard-ass and definitely a person not to ##ck with.