I built up a beater, with a flip-flop hub and all. Left the front brake on, and threw the fixed under the chain from the get-go. For a Go-To-The-Bar and toodle around the neighborhood bike, it's poifect. I'm running 48/18 and haven't even attempted skidding yet (though one half-bunnyhop the first night I rode it I about rolled my ankle). I guess I'm sayin as a roadie-ish person used to geared all the time, I had just the opposite reaction. I'm diggin it. You won't see me doing any centuries fixed (well, maybe the Seagull, har), but I get out of the house more --and less often with the car-- with it....