I'd disagree with you there. My fixed is geared 39-15 (about 70"), and I've had no trouble going very slow on horrendously slippery iced roads. I was the one who didn't fall off. We were all on skinny tires (slicks), the wheel slipped a few times, but it was easy to recover. I found that I was able to apply a really even drive through the pedals, without the excessive torque that a lower gear might have allowed, which would have instantly slipped the wheel.