Originally Posted by
peripatetic
FWIW, I'm not the most advanced rider, but I do find riding a fixed (with brakes) in the city gives me more control in driving; one thing, being able to make rapid sharp turns around cars and traffic jams can be really helpful. I also tend to pay a lot more attention to the potential for getting doored, which is a constant concern.
Why should a fixed gear be more maneuverable in traffic than a road bike with gears? Most fixed are made from road bikes, or from frames with road geometry and track ends. Now with a true track frame I could see added maneuverability, and from a lighter bike as well. But at the same time, many fixie conversions are based on any old steel, not necessarily track frames or even double-butted road frames.