photonick

Not trying to flame anyone, or start a hate thread, promise I'm not trying to troll but I saw something yesterday that surprised me. I was at a really respected LBS and was looking at gloves and over heard a girl come in and ask for a road style bike to ride around town on. First thing the salesman did was try and talk her into a fixed gear brakeless bike, i couldn't believe it. This was obviously a girl who was no a cyclist, she made that clear enough for me to over hear it. She ended up fending off his advice and demanded to see a bike with brakes and gears. Just seems a little reckless to me to put casual riders on brakeless machines, no? I don't know just makin' conversation.

Retro Grouch 

That sure sound's goofy to me.

I built myself a fixie so that I could see what the big deal was. Now that I've had it for about a year I still don't get it. Anybody want to buy one?

kingsteve233

lol that is pretty weird of the salesman. They do all sorts of weird things though... at a LBS when I was toying with buying a hybrid still, I went in and told him what I was looking for. He proceeded to put me on a $1500 Felt MTB to do a test ride on

I guess it's neat that bike shops are carrying built fixies and single gear bikes and all but tbh I just don't 'get it' so it all seems a bit silly to me.

ericcox

Me either. I like gears.

I agree that pushing a fixie without breaks on a new rider is a bad idea & dangerous. Single speed with brakes? Still not a good idea, but not as dangerous.

mrbubbles

I've tried fixed gear, if fixie head tries to tell me it's "soooo natural", he needs to eff off. There is nothing natural about having to pedal without coasting. Pedaling a bike alone isn't natural.

New riders should not be on fixed gear, that's a disaster waiting to happen. Even experienced freewheel riders get confused on fixed gear for their first time. It's a trend I hope that dies off in a year or two. Friggin' trend wh0res.

timmhaan

i see so many idiots barely able to control their brakeless fixies as it is. definitely a terrible idea for a newbie.

timmhaan

yeah, i don't see what is "natural" about pedaling at 200rpms down a hill. i do like the lack of shifters and derailleurs though.

wanders

I'm not optimistic. There are parts around here that have just discovered AC/DC and the mullet.

Doctor Who

A fixed-gear is just a bike with one speed that can't coast. No magic, mystique, or aura about it, except what's been created by companies trying to find a new way to sell another bike/parts to the masses.

That said, I love riding fixed, but no way am I under the illusion that when I'm riding a fixed-gear do I have Jesus rolling with me, or Lucas Brunelle's guts in mine.

c0urt

last time i worked in a lbs, unless someone specifically asked for a fixed i pretended like they were not there. and I usually push brakes on people.

that being said yes i own a brakeless fixed gear

JeffApathy

what the hell is so dangerous about a single speed with brakes?


And there is no "big deal" with fixies. its a different style of riding, thats it

Its totally understandable why someone would want a fixed gear or single speed for general commuting. Not everyone wants to race around town or ride 20 miles a day. The whole "no brakes" thing might be a bad idea on the other hand

roadfix

Perhaps the sales guy liked her tatoos and thought she would look good on a fixed gear and wanted to invite her out on a Midnight Ridazz ride or something.....

dstrong 

I can understand that a sales rep may have some opinions about "what's best" for a specific customer but there should be some level of guidance provided by the shop owner on the proper way to assess needs then recommend the appropriate bike.

I had an experience a couple of years ago that was a little strange. I had been riding MTB for almost 20 years without being on a roadie. I walked in to a local shop and told them this, and that I was trying to decide to stay MTB or go roadie (my MTB was on its last legs).

He said: "Road bikes make a lot more sense because you can step out of your house and go for your ride. With MTBs you always have to put them on the car and drive somewhere for a good ride.". Huh?

I ended up going with an eBay MTB and NEVER putting it in the car to "drive somewhere for a good ride". It was stolen and I built my own roadie. Guess what...all of a sudden I was throwing it in the car every weekend to go do group rides, events and time trials!!!

JeffApathy

haha thats great

mattm

that's just how kids flirt these days.

BlueBrew

Fixed geared bikes are nice for around town, because not really worrying about it getting stolen or messed up b/c of that pothole you just hit is a little less stress free, atleast that's what i use mine for; i run a brake and use clipless pedals though.

mercator

Sounds to me like the salesguy was trying to say 'this is the kind of bike I ride, let me tell you about how cool I am'

photonick

Once again I want to make it clear i have NO problem with fg/ss and i think some serious riders can handle a brakeless bike around town but jeez this girl was some sorority girl looking type, as I left I saw her test riding a trek 1000 which is reassuring. I was really harsh on the whole "fixie" culture in a blog and a few personal friends who ride fixed gears were really insulted so I try to be more accepting about the whole culture, but 2 days ago I almost got taken out on a training ride by a hipster couple on brakeless fg's running a stop sign after bombing a hill and coming into the wrong lane. I mean if you want to risk your own life thats fine, but please don't cause damage to my body or my bike or push it on anyone else. Every group ride i've been on some idiot without brakes has slammed into my rear wheel at a stop it's annoying. Just because your super deep v's will stand up to that doesn't mean my scrawny Bonty's will lol.

cmh

This thread is useless without pics.

mrbubbles

That's what singlespeed is for, which I can appreciate, as I also ride one regularly.

photonick

If I start bike commuting in burbank i will for sure be buying a front brake FG/SS.

Surferbruce

it's lame.
one of my big local shops started carrying a brakeless swobo model on the floor.
another small fg shop was recently pushing a bike that didn't even come drilled for a brake on a 13 year old kid i know. i ws appalled.
i ride a fixed gear (with a brake) and have no real problems with skilled riders riding brakeless, but to pass it off like it's S.O.P. is ridiculous.

Camilo

Yea, my experience is that local LBS employees have a high rate of (1) cluelessness (2) ignorance (3) arrogance (4) stupidity (5) laziness. Note I'm not saying all, but I am saying that I barely trust any of them until proven otherwise.

Anyone who tries to "sell" an FG on anyone who isn't actually actively looking for one should be fired, in my opinion.

c0urt

Vanthel

He was probably trying to get rid of old stock.. unfortunately for some businesses money truly does come first