Originally Posted by Mos6502
I've never had a freewheel freeze up, at least not in Colorado - we get a lot of snow, but it doesn't get very cold. I suppose if you lived somewhere in the northeast where it does get very cold that could happen. And now I'm in washington, so supposedly I'll get even less snow now and it still won't get very cold.
Can somebody point out why not being able to coast would be better in slippery conditions? I'd think coasting would prevent you from sideslipping accidentally, but I can't think of how not being able to coast would improve anything.
Coasting is fine in slippery conditions it is braking that is the problem. With experience you can coast through a ice patch as easily with a fixie as you can with a freewheel bike, but the fixie will provide you a better feel of the available traction when you try to brake. If you lock up the rear wheel on a freewheel bike you don't realize it until the wheel starts to move sideways. On a fixe you get immediate feedback. This may be the difference between going down and keeping the bike under you. It a small advantage but one combined with the reduced maintence and improved reliability makes it well worth it to me.
Craig