I look up at her.

Of course SS riders are to be looked down upon. The war ended sixty-something years ago, and they're still riding around wearing their little armbands? Please.

biopace chainring

If I answer the OP's question with a genuine reply, everyone will make fun of me, right?

OK.

Go ahead.

It doesn't matter.

I sometimes wonder if some people choose SS instead of fixed because they think riding fixed involves some special difficulties, or requires some special skills.

I say this because up until three years ago I had ridden all my life on geared and single speed bikes, and, not knowing what to expect, I approached my first fixed gear bike with a little anxiety.

On my first ride home from the bike shop, I played around a little in a quiet parking lot, getting to know my bike.
What a hoot.
I immediately figured out why they call a Steamroller a Steamroller.

Like a lot of people who ask me about coasting, I wondered if I would miss coasting.

I haven't.

Sometimes I think I coast, but then I realize I can't coast, and so I guess I didn't.

Frankly, now that I have ridden fixed, I can't imagine why a person would want to ride a SS.

Just because I can't imagine it, though, doesn't mean a good reason for riding a SS doesn't exist.

On the slight possibility that someone has not ridden a fixed because they think they might look like a newbie, or that it might require some skill they don't have, I say, try it, you'll like it, anyone can do it.

Anyway, I commute on my bikes, both fixed.

I have a good weather zip around town bike with skinny tires and no tread, and I have a built like a pickup truck fixed gear mountain bike with studded tires that gets me where I want to go no matter what.

I don't think I'll ride a geared bike, or a bike that freewheels, ever again in my life.

However, I don't look down on geared and SS riders.

I feel good that they have a bike and that they ride it.

What a bike looks like, how many gears it has, whether it coasts or not...these things don't matter.

Really, just ride.

How could it get any better than riding a bike, any bike.

I recently gave SS a go after bout 4 months of riding Fixed. It was ok, but Fixed just feels nicer.

When it comes to road riding, Fixed is great. I am running 18x15 now, I was worried it might be a little too high, but I feel it is perfect!

I am tempted to get a 18 speed road bike and sell my bike though. The new Japanese Giant FCR1 looks pretty!!!

Non-Sence Poppy Pants!!

I just wonder "why?" I've always been of the belief that if you're going to have a freewheel, you might as well just run gears. The reason I only have one gear is so that I can ride with a fixed cog.

The only kind i look down upon are the pseudo-hipster ss riders.

What a dumb question but I will go with it, no I don't. I have ss, fixed, and mtb's so I just like bikes in general.

Sorry to say, but riding fixed does not involve any skill at all. I don't see why it's so special to any other bike other than you can't coast.

I find myself "pretend pedaling" when I'm mountain biking on my SS MTB. It's not that I'm trying to convince anyone that I'm on a fixed gear, it's just that I forget that I can coast, for example when slowing down.

If an insecure SS road biker wanted to, he could continue pedaling while using the brake to slow down. That is what I meant by pretend pedaling. Basically, not coasting for creating the effect of fixed-gear riding.

bf

I would hate to be such a trend lemming that I thought fixed gear=no brakes.

There are bikes that fit you? It's hard enough for me to find them!

Well I currently ride a SS conversion from an old 10 speed, but I am working on making it a fixed gear. I just started this thread cause i was curious what people who only ride fixed gear bikes thought when they see people riding an SS.

And also, I wanted to open up a thread for some good jokes...not left disappointed.

On a road/track frame I don't get it either. I don't see myself ever buying one but I do plan on getting a nice geared bike in the future.

It's still easier to maintain than a geared bike.

<- (hates adjusting derailleurs)

Am I the only one here who is assuming the OP is talking about all forms of single speed bikes?
Single speed mountain bikes are a totally different animal than single-speed road bikes. Single
speed for cross racing and mtn biking has different advantages and considerations than fixed
riding.

I would assume that fixed gear mtn biking is very dangerous, do people do it?

63xc.com

thats gnarly...and awesome.

being able to coast through turns and over
big bumps with your cranks horizontal makes sense.

that what i'm doing almost everytime
it gave me a better feeling of the speed i'm going
and i found it easier to reaccelerate when i don't have to completly stop...
and i'm not insecure

I try not to look down on no one.

I used to watch & see if other single geared bikers would stop pedaling, then I realized I don't have to wait for them to stop pedaling to know whether or not they were ss, the fg biker has a certain body language.

Personally, I don't get ss.

Absolutely not.. It's the stupid secular-elitism stuff that makes FG riders seem like a bunch of ******bags. Well, that's not quite fair, considering I'm sure there are gear riders that look down on FG riders... But anyway--

If someone's passionate about biking, and has a good time doing it, then hell yeah for them, regardless whether they have a nice ride or not. I'd be down to cruise with someone with a POS thrift store bike so long as they're psyched on riding. And I respect people who can stand by their decisions without having to take into account what's "cool" in the eyes of others. More power to them.

I love FG's but they're not for everyone. It's like using a Mac, or being a vegetarian, or wearing tight pants, or listening to metal, etc. You don't have to be like everyone else, and you don't have to exclude those that aren't into the same **** you are.

It's one thing to do something for the sake of fitting in, getting attention, joining a certain social circle... It's another to do something just cuz you enjoy it. I'll look down on those that are in it for the wrong reasons, whatever IT is.

/sermon

well because 90% of the ss riders i see (excluding 29'ers) are riding langsters or other expensive poser track bikes. if you are going to ride a bike like that in public, at least ride it fixed. otherwise why did you spend $$$$$ on a flashy commuter bike thats whole point is to be like a track bike?

you are funny, but i am not a tarck messenger or anything. i run 48x18, just right for riding around town, have tt brakes on my fixie, do not roll my pants up, have 0 spoke cards, and wear a backpack, not a messenger bag. i am generally not an obnoxious rider, i just ride fixed because it is a lot more fun, and i despise the rich kids on langsters who run ss and clearly just want to look cool (yes there are a lot of these in the bay area).

No I get that about the track bike poseur.

But I ride a converted 10 speed as a commuter and just for fun. Its a SS, and I am currently working on putting together a new fixie. But I just don't think any rider should look down on any other rider based on what bike they are riding, as long as they are riding.

And that goes to you Mr. Unicycle guy, just cause you only have to roll with one wheel and no handlebars doesn't make you better than me.