paxtonm

FG has been my only ride for nearly a year (waiting on a custom frame tourer since Sept.). I'm well past aiming for fashion, at 52, balding and generally nerdy. Why ride FG? First, it's pure. It reminds me of the Western Flyer I had when I was 8. It's quiet. It's nearly maintenance free. It -- and this can't be ignored -- makes me a better cyclist. When you first start riding fixed, you WILL try to coast, and the bike will launch you out of your saddle. After growing accustomed to always pedaling, going to a freewheel will feel funny, like you're no longer pedaling in circles. The direct control of being able to accelerate and decelerate without using brakes is wonderful.

On a more personal note, a dear friend and riding companion who served as a coach and mentor died as the result of cancer many years ago. When he was a kid who didn't know better, he rode a fixie with a flip-flop hub from San Jose, CA., to the Mexican border and back. Riding my Bianchi San Jose reminds me of Bob every time I throw a leg over the saddle.

cs1

Brilliant mounting of the rear fender. Using a zip tie of all things. Thanks for the posting a pic. Now, to remount fenders on my bike.

maddmaxx 

There is a wealth of almost free frames with broken off derailleur hangers out there. Sort of like a solution looking for a problem.

eelriver

No matter how many times I see the severed finger photo it always takes me by surprise.

Zan

for my normal hour-long route i usually only need one gear. i use two if i feel weak that ride.

used a few more gears than normal for my first century, though - i'll admit it. then 'gain there were some larger hills on that route.

i'm considering going FG 'cause my bike is worth nothing, and the RD is bent. i don't need the other gears. i just imagine a FG would be more efficient... but i s'pose nothing i've said actually answers why FG vs. SS question.

Sixty Fiver

Fixed gear bikes were still available in the mid fifties and the advent of affordable derailer gears ended theirs and the reign of internally geared bikes.

Now we are seeing a resurgence of internally geared hubs and many good advancements there, a resurgence of popularity for ss and fg bikes, and SA is re-introducing the 3 speed fixed gear hub.

UberIM

Everyone says that I have yet to find one........where are all these free frames with horizontal drops?

UberIM

who or what is SA?

tatfiend 

Sturmey Archer or more accurately today SunRace Sturmey Archer.

They have announced a new three speed fixed gear hub, the S3X hub though it is not available yet. Here is a link to the latest news and specifications sheet.

https://sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspo...ed-update.html

SamDaBikinMan

Fixed gears belong in a velodrome. Nowhere else.

DataJunkie

Wrong answer. You will now be electrocuted. Where would you like the electrodes attached?

Sixty Fiver

I rode my geared winter bike today at work and it was all good... nothing froze, the studded tyres kept me from taking any spills on the ice, and although things were really cold the brakes were doing their job quite well.

The temperatures are plummeting and the roads are really going to hell so tomorrow I will be taking my fixed gear bike to work because it handles snow, ice, and cold so much better than the gearie.

I won't have to sorry about the freewheel or derailer sticking because there isn't one and I'll appreciate the excellent traction control and ability to brake (without touching the brake) and reduce the possibility of unintentional skidding.

croscoe

How do you figure?

x136 

Completely incorrect.

If you don't like them, don't ride them. Don't be afraid, they don't bite people who aren't riding them.

buelito

the only part of riding fixed that I don't particularly care for are the long steep hills--going down. Going up is a challenge-- trying to see if you can make it to the next bend in the road...going downhill is why I have 2 brakes on mine-- because I really do spin out--

If you haven't tried it--and by tried I mean more than once or twice, you won't understand... It's a great way to ride-

train safe-

surfrider

I got a great deal on a little used fixie/ss this past summer. Tried riding it fixed but that wasn't for me. However, I flipped it to SS, added two brakes and a larger chainring, and its been my favorite bike for weekday workouts or weekend 20-25 mile rides. To me, its the simplicity of the bike; easy to clean, easy to service, only a minimal number of cables. I have a geared bike, but I save that for longer rides or rides in hilly areas.

HandsomeRyan

A unicycle is NOT a fixed gear bicycle. I've ridden a a motorcycle that had a direct linkage from the motor to the rear wheel and it didn't feel anything like riding a fixed gear either.

JusticeZero

15+ mph isn't exactly "slow", and the movements aren't especially jerky at speed. I have no problem averaging a cadence of over a hundred at about 3m per pedal stroke for commuting distances. That's about 20 kph.

StephenH

Even riding my 28" unicycle, it's still slow. Also, I find that to maintain maximum control, I'm never going anywhere near my maximum cadence. So yeah, some people ride unicycles 15+ mph, but most of us that ride them don't go anywhere near that fast.

Sprocket Man

According to what I've read, the 1 hour world record for a unicycle is just under 15 miles. So it's pretty safe to say that very few people will be able to reach those speeds.

And 15mph on a decently outfitted FG bike on flat terrain with no wind is very slow.

And compared to a bicycle, riding a unicycle is jerky.

The point I was trying to make when I made my previous post is that riding a FG bike and a unicycle are not at all alike. Anyone who's ridden both would be a fool to say otherwise.

fiataccompli

it's kind of a shame that the trendy aspect of FG bikes has brought out the grouch in folks. I had a friend who built one & I as intrigued why someone do something so 'counter-intuitive' as de-gear a bike and remove the ability to coast....but I also decided to learn why & after reading the stuff Sheldon Brown wrote, I figured I'd try it for myself. I'll second all the POSITIVE things folks here have said. Great training, great discipline, fun to learn something new, interesting to work new muscles biking too! I love mine (a phoenixed '84 Peugeot...and completely reversible to it's geared format) and if my bike itself is trendy and offensive in any way, I can assure you it's rider is dull & boring enough to counter-act any hint of fashion

unterhausen

I keep thinking about going fixed again when the ice builds up on my freewheel and causes it to skip. Can't happen on a fg, because there are no unused gears. I'm getting fairly strong again so the hills are looking a lot less formidable. I probably would have to go SS mostly. I sold my FG back in '82 and never really looked back before now. It was my main commuter in college.

pipes

Am I missing somthing isn't a FG just a older style bike like we use to ride as kids ? If so whats the big deal ? there justa bike ? Its just what we called a normal not fancy bike I use to do a papper route on ! I got a newer one here my wife rides now and then I ride it a little if my normal ride is in the shop !!But since I am adding another bike this spring a comfort bike the FG I think thats what ur talking about won't see much use . I like my other bikes better but hey Iam well over 50 yrs old so maybe those bikes are weird now duno !!!!!! ????

EatMyA**

No you are not missing a thing.

All I had to ride from age 4 to age 15 was fixed geared bicycles (poor saps like me owned these). I also had what I thought was a fixed gear bicycle, that I later learned had a faulty coaster brake (might as well been a fixed gear). I mastered the technique of coasting by lifting the feet when going downhill, and resting them on the downtube. Also how not to slip and get hit by the pedals when spinning furiously. I longed for the ability to coast without taking my foot off the pedals.

After 11 years of that, I bowed never to ride a fixed gear again!

Infact the first freewheeled bike I owned was a SingleSpeed BMX. The first week I spent more time pedaling backwards than I did pedaling forward.

I was free.

I am never going back!

NEVER!

EatMyA**

NEVER! You hear me?!