Originally Posted by
prooftheory
That rules out one possible reason you are feeling unsafe while fixed. Get a freewheel and a rear brake and hopefully you'll be happier. People seem to be recommending White Industries Eno freewheels.
Fixed gears are more dangerous when it comes to servicing them because you can get finger caught in the gears etc. They are also catastrophic if you get your pants leg stuck in the gear or something while riding. People can have trouble getting into and out of foot retention because the pedals are moving which can make them dangerous and some people find that spinning at high speeds going down hill is at least disconcerting, so you are not the only person to decide that single-speed is safer.
edit: Also cornering fixed is somewhat hairier as you can get pedal strike.
All good points. Since the bike I built up as a fixie does not have an actual fixed-gear frame, and thus has a lower bottom bracket, I'm pretty cautious going around corners. I have no desire to experience the pedal strike. Besides, I'm to old to really tear around on a fixed gear, anyway.
I took the fixie out today for a pre-Thanksgiving feast ride, and had a blast. All the hipness and coolness aside, a fixed gear is a completely different and fun riding experience. I might miss it if I converted to a single speed.
Hmmmmm.......maybe I've found a reason to start another project. "Yes, honey, there are a lot of good reasons why I need a single speed AND a fixed gear."