I should ignore this flamebait, but what the heck, it's the internet, right?
Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Good choice and makes perfect sense for commuting in flat Chicago if your priority is not reading high speed readings on cycle commuter.
Nonsense. I regularly clock 25+ MPH speeds on my fixie/SS, with average commute speeds of 18+ MPH. (You're now going to claim that you don't have a problem with SS commuters, that's fine)
Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
I place the fixed gear bike's inability to coast or set up pedals for a turn as such a severe liability/limitation that only masochists would crow about the advantage, just like ridiculous stiff gearing for hilly areas boasted about by some bold fetishists.
Or perhaps you've never given it the time and effort to learn how to ride it. For someone in a commuting situation where they must have a very high degree of control over the bike (snow, ice) and deal with traveling at very slow speeds (traffic), a fixed gear is much better suited to thier needs than a freewheel bike. For this reason (at least the former), many folks ride fixie in the winter months.