there seems to be some real fear or confusion about just how hard it is to ride a fixed gear (or ss, for that matter). gears are relative - if you want the bike for the commute you'll learn what gearing works for you - and you may find a certain sweet spot for momentum as i find most moderate climbing easier on a fixed wheel. when commuting or using the bike about town you'll know the terrain as you'll ride nearly the same routes / stops every day - its not like a mountain will spring up overnight between you and the grocery store. you'll also have a fairly good idea of what you want to carry - there's only so much you can stuff in a backpack or messenger bag before it makes sense to carry it on the bike - and there is only so much you'll decide to carry on the bike before it will be uncomfortable - gears or no.

if you decide to try the fixed gear there are many low cost options - but if you want it for commuting find something that you can put a rack and fenders on - if you live in a climate and carry stuff that requires it.

to get over the fear of not having gears for a windy day, or for hilly terrain, or for when you need to haul 100 lbs of dog food home - get a flip flop hub, or maybe set up a surly dingle cog and 2 rings up front - you'll be able to change things up quite a bit (lower gearing for trails, dirt roads, hilly rides - higher gearing for flat and faster rides).

i'll give most of the posters here the benefit of the doubt and assume that they have ridden a fixed wheel bike for more than a few seconds - but really - the fear of no gears is astonishing.

here's a post about the century i just rode on the my fixed machine.
here's kent peterson's post about how he's faster on his fixed wheel bike.

can you elaborate? perhaps from fixed wheel riding experience?

Tis more of a matter of opinion of course.

A hybrid takes a few of the characteristics of a mountain bike and a road bike. Then tries to fulfill as many roles as possible. Consequently, failing at most of them IMHO.

My first decent bike was a hybrid. Subsequently, I have owned a touring bike, road racing bike, mountain bike, a FG\SS, and another FG\SS.

My least favorite was the hybrid.

I am not afraid to admit that I have never ridden a fixed gear bicycle.

I did commute via 29" unicycle for a short while, until I got my current hybrid bike. I realize that unicycles are vastly different than fixies, but there are similarities. For example, both have a lower speed cap. Generally, a cycle with gearing will be able to achieve higher speeds. Also, both require the development of a cadence - no coasting.

If what you want is simplicity, a unicycle is about as simple as it gets. One wheel, no gears, very few moving parts. Adding a fixie bike's wheel, handlebars, chain, and gear all add complexity and more moving parts. Thus, "unicycle + complexity."

The gears on a bicycle allow that bicycle greater efficiency. Imagine driving a car that could only go into 1st or 2nd gear. You'll still get there, but not as fast and with more effort. The same applies to fixie bikes, but to a lesser degree regarding speed. Overall, gearing allows the same amount of muscular force to be applied over varying terrain. Overall, less effort is exerted by the rider to achieve the same route. Thus, "bicycle + inefficiency."

I am by no means trying to say that fixies are bad, or dumb, or people shouldn't ride them. For God's sake I ride a unicycle! I just feel that if ultimate goal is commuting and utility, a fixie is not the best tool for the job. It obviously can be done, but that is not the point in question. Usually, I ride my bicycle to work and on errands because it is more efficient. I ride my unicycle for fun, or when I run errands with little or no baggage.

My opinions come from what I have read over many months about fixie vs geared, as well as hearing the viewpoints from individual fixie and geared riders I've met in person. If you feel strongly otherwise, please explain your position. I am always open to new viewpoints.

I would LOVE to try riding a fixie...just haven't gotten the chance.

They are fun but I think the hype is overblown (to be honest).

I will ride one again once my knee stabilizes (possibly). However, I am increasing my mileage goal for next year to 10,000 so I may just opt for gears.
Fixed and SS is just another option. Not the be all to end all of bikes.

I commute about half the time on a fixed-gear bike.

If I could only have one bike, it wouldn't be fixed. At the same time, I've never had any inclination to ride singlespeed.

Riding singlespeed would solve most of the issued I have with fixed, but it would also remove the things I enjoy about it. I like the feeling, I like that I climb the hills of my commute faster. I don't like that I tend to spin out of my comfort zone if the road angles down at all. I used to hate all downhills, but between switching to larger gears (in the 78 gear inch range) and faster spin I can ride anything I encounter without the brake (I max out about 38mph).

I rarely ride fixed for more than 3 days in a row though. My legs tend to get a little sore from the stoplight starts after a couple of days. I did try setting up my bike with a much lower gear ratio and trying to take it easy. I absolutely hated it, mostly because of my bike positioning though.

I have considered ditching the trackish frames though and building up something like a Casseroll to add a little practicality.


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BTW, the hybrid insults are childish and uncalled for guys.

I'm not a role model.

Touche, although yours wasn't the comment I was referring to.

I know. Just thought that would be an amusing reply. :p

I'm in the process of converting my beater MTB into a singlespeed for heavy commuting... the gearing on it isn't high enough to warrant shifting anyway, so I might as well disable the gears and make it extra durable. The only problem is that I have to rely on a tensioner.

If you have not ridden a fixed wheel before I dont see how you thing you can pull these "facts" from nowhere. First off a fixed wheel with a higher gearing and two brakes can easily keep up with a road bike in a commuting situation given the rider has been on a bicycle for a few months and has a little stamina. Second, A fixed gear bicycle is far more efficient then a geared bicycle. You lose no momentum due to cross chaining, or anything else. Some conditions actually add a flywheel effect and help you to contain momentum. It is just another way you can ride a bike. I commute 6 miles to class and I ride around 30 miles a day depending on whats going on in the city. When I get on other bikes it feels wierd not being able to control speed with my legs. I vote everybody at least try it. Its fun.

You're not the boss of me!

I'm sure I rode a fixie for years as a kid and didn't know to give it such a cool name. :)

But you're right, it's been years and I fear something I haven't tried. (I do know how important it is for me to keep the pressure off my knee.) I'll check out those links.

'nuff said.

I think that there should be a rule that, if you want to criticize any type of bike you should first go and ride that bike 1000 miles.

With a more educated opinion on what one can and cannot do when their bike only has one or two available gearings your views ansd opinions may just change and be warned...riding fixed can be habit forming and at the very least it should break the terrible coasting habit so many people suffer from.

When I tell people that I rode 16000 km last year I should also point out that no matter what I ride, I rarely ever coast... I had broken that bad habit long before I ever saddled up a fixed gear.

In other news... I also love my hybrid as it does everything it needs to do very well.

Both have their place and everyone will have different qualifiers for each. For me:

Geared bike- long haul commute to work, riding the trails behind my house, and going anywhere I don't have the leave my bike outside. I generally get where I am going slower than I do on my fixed gear bike, but I am a lot more comfortable and can achieve higher mileage in greater comfort on my cyclocross bike.

Fixed gear bike- riding to school, short trips around town, locking up outside (it's quite ugly and dull), and *occasional* commutes to work. I generally get where I am going faster on my fixed gear bike than on my cyclocross bike.

I wish I could afford a bike of every type in order to do this.

Unicycling is what got me interested in bicycling. I never had a coasting habit from the start. I have no doubt that riding fixies can be fun and rewarding, or "habit forming." I was merely trying to say that given the conditions of the OP, commuting, a fixie is, from what I can tell, not the best choice if keeping strictly utilitarian.

Specifically, what "facts?" As I already stated, the information I presented I gathered from reading and hearing others' viewpoints.

You've just made my point for me, thanks.

The fixie rider needs more experience and more stamina in order to keep up. All other things being equal, the fixie bike won't keep up with the geared commuter.

"Far more efficient?" Hardly. The gains in mechanical advantage over a geared bicycle are less than the gains of the gearing. You've already admitted yourself that with two equal riders, a fixie cannot keep up with a geared bicycle.

I am very familiar with the flywheel effect. I experience this a lot on my 29" unicycle, especially when I have the heavy Big Apple 2.35" tire on. This effect is GREAT on flats and gentle uphills, but actually becomes a problem on downhills...backpedaling must be used to slow the cadence down. I've UPD'd a few times because I couldn't backpedal with enough power - though that's likely because I just switched over to 100mm cranks. I imagine that wouldn't be as much of an issue on a fixie with much longer cranks.


I feel the same way after I've done a lot of unicycling...I find myself trying to backpedal on my hybrid bike.

Whats wrong with coasting? There is probably a good reason that freewheeling bicycle drive trains were invented. I understand the flywheel effect and the ability to control deceleration speed with the pedals but getting pitched over the handlebars or having your knee jacked up in a moment of inattention might not be desirable. I might try it anyway on my new set of wheels for my SS (two speed) but I can't imagine the benefit on my commute. There are times when coasting has been welcomed not to mention I don't enjoy riding attached.:twitchy:

The thing that is wrong with coasting is that many folks do it too much...

I'm fairly sure I could find several hills here in SF that you couldn't ride up on a single speed, but I guess that depends on how much you weight partly.

I'm following the path of using the bicycles you already own. For the past several weeks I've been using my Felt road bike for commuting and cringing at the abuse its been taking -> slamming into railroad tracks, picking up grit & mud from over zealous sprinkler use (with water covering the entire road I bike in on), etc. etc.

So, this weekend I dusted off my Gary Fisher Tassajara mountain bike and am in the process of converting it as a commuter. Considering the rolling terrain I have both to and from work, I will be happy to have access to 27 different speeds. The mountain bike will also be happier getting dirty, gritty, etc.!

hey OP - if you think a fixed wheel bike might work - give it a try.
i happen to think that any bicycle is a good bicycle.
i also happen to think a fixed wheel is a great way to get about. (and my ti with carbon ergo levered geared wonder machine is also a great way to get around, just different)

the only way to know is to try it for a bit. assuming you do not climb over a mountain each day to get to work or the store i'd bet money that you won't be missing all those gears and clicking and clacking and shifting once you get into it.

try a ss too - but i find ss road riding a drag, so much so that i got rid of the ss on the flop of my flip flop hub as i never used it.

and remember - a fixed wheel is not a unicycle, hybrid, nor is it like riding a regular geared machine that you 'don't stop pedaling' - it will be its own thing, with its very own sensations and benefits. it also doesn't have to be edgy, hip, or cool (i'm a poster boy for uncool). its a bike. you pedal little circles to make you go forward (and on a fixed wheel, backwards too!) it's pretty simple - but people sure know how to make it complicated.

that all said, goodbye thread.

x2

If I want to go with my triathlete friends for a 20+ mile ride after work (and kick their butts) I use the road bike.

Just to go to work and back, the fixed gear.

With the comparatively low cost of bicycles to cars, having two (or 5) bikes is not even an issue.

The fixed gear bike makes easy work of most hills (with low gearing) and can accommodate a rack / panniers for utility AND the chain won't stretch in 1500 miles like a 10 speed system.

=)

I have a geared bike that I bought specifically for commuting an training, but I have since gone back to the FG bike just because the chain won't stretch as quick and it is easier to clean / maintain for daily use.

I found just the opposite. Coming down the hills was always more of a challenge than going up them - pushing me towards higher gear ratios.

yup

How do you get a chain to last 1500 miles? I normally have to change the chain on my FG every 1000 miles.

clean and reoil every week (or 250 miles)

The cannondale capo is basically a roadbike frame with a singlespeed/FG switch hub.

I love it.

It's simple, fast, and fun as hell. I get a decent workout on it too.

I have been getting 3000 km (1800 miles) out of my multi-speed chains and as much as 4500 km (2800 miles) out of my fixed gear / ss chains.

They are cleaned when they need to be cleaned and oiled every 300-400 km unless the conditions warrant more frequent oiling.

I change my chains when they reach 12 1/16 inches.