Originally Posted by
TimothyH
Let's change gears for a moment.
(see what I did there?)
This thread isn't about the riders but the bikes and the superior aesthetic, efficiency and capability of a fixed gear bike over a geared bike is undeniable.
Many examples can be given. Look at this drivetrain...
Comparing a burly 1/8" fixed gear drivetrain with a road bike's anorexic 3/32" drivetrain is like comparing a big block Chevy with your younger sister's pollution controlled Kia. At the same time, the fixed gear drivetrain lacks flaccid appendages and Rube Goldberg actuators which make geared bikes inefficient, expensive and time consuming.
Ask your financial advisor which makes more sense - a $16 cog or a $60 cassette. Ask an engineer which makes more sense - a heavy and complex systems of pulleys, levers and cables or a light and durable fixed gear system. Ask you wife which drivetrain she would prefer you to maintain - a simple fixed gear which allows more time for the family or a complex drivetrain which keeps you in the garage all day. Don't you love your chidren enough to want to spend time with them?
And the fact that the pro racing industry frowns upon or outright bans fixed gear bikes from direct competition with geared bikes is telling. Their superior performance would instantly expose the geared bike for what it is - one of the greatest scams ever perpetrated on consumers. My guess is that Specialized and Trek would instantly cut their workforce by 75% the day after a fixed gear runs in a pro tour.
I could go on. Frames, comfort, weight, pleasing lines. It's obvious to anyone with eyes to see.
-Tim-
This the as isnt about the riders?! You sure fooled a lot of players into thinking it was about the riders since, you know, you made it about the riders.
A fixed gear is more capable than a geared bike? Huh? Some can ride a fixed gear just as well as others can ride geared bikes, but there is a reason geared bikes are so popular...their versatility and ability to open up more riding options for most riders.
Bringing $ into this by claimi my a single cog is financially smarter than a cassette is a terrible argument. Don't ever make it again since its absurd when you are riding a custom frame. Ask your accountant which makes more sense- a $200 used road bike or a $3500 fixed gear.
hmm...that argument of yours doesnt help you.
My wife couldn't care less which drivetrain I have as it pertains to time spent on maintenance. Just like i dont care about unimportant details as it pertains to time she spends on her hobbies.
As for my kids- both of them like working on their bikes(in limited amounts) and the shifting drivetrain is what fascinates them the most. The interaction between cable, derailleur, and chain is fun for them. I wpuld miss out of time with my kids if we didn't have multi-geared drivetrains. Why do you want my kids to lose out of family time? <---that question is just as dumb as your accusation.
As has now been said to you- if geared bikes are a scam, then get rid of yours. It would be inconsistent to ride sonething you think is a scam. Looks like that di2 gravel bike is in hot need of a conversion.