ILTB - I have to ask... have you ever ridden a fixed gear for any length of time?

If you have then you might be able to speak to the issue but if not, you are coming from a point of total ignorance.

I ride ss (coaster bikes), three speeds, geared bikes, and a good number of fixed gear bikes so am in a place to make some real world comparisons and can say that a fixed gear is as practical and as utilitarian as any geared bike.

I used to ride SS bikes (not coaster bikes) and found that if you are going to run one gear, a fixed gear is a far better machine as it is more efficient... I look at the rear wheel as being a flywheel that stores energy that really helps to conserve momentum and make a fixed gear a better climber than an equivalently geared ss.

Many of the ss bikes I have built at out shop have become fixed gear bikes as their owners have realized the same thing... these aren't hipsters but hard core commuters riding these bikes and many folks are looking toi build up fixed gear bikes for our Canadian winter as they really shine here.

In other news... I went and did some winter off roading on my "utility" fixie today and it was a blast.