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Fixed/SS as your ONLY bike???

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)
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Fixed/SS as your ONLY bike???

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Old 12-14-08 | 01:48 PM
  #1  
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From: Union City/Davis, ca

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Fixed/SS as your ONLY bike???

i rode a fixed gear exclusively for about 3 months and recently i decided to buy a touring bike and then sell my fixed gear since i would have no use for it, but after i got my touring bike, my fixed gear is so fun!!
i posted my bike on craigslist but i'm really torn on whether i should really sell it or keep it.

just curious, how many of you here use a fixed gear/ss as your ONLY bike? If so, what kind of riding do you do?

as for me, when i only had a fixed/ss, i would do 30-40 mile rides on mountain roads with a fairly easy ascent, im guessing no more than %5 incline(according to mapmyride), and ride around my neighborhood, but i was really sick of the limitations of a SS, especially for mountain roads and such. thats when i realized i needed a different bike for serious riding. After i got my touring bike, i was pretty surprised at how much faster my SS bike was on flat pavement and thats whats making me have second thoughts on selling it, haha.
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Old 12-14-08 | 01:54 PM
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From: Athens, Ohio

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i own 3 bikes but currently only one of them is built up completely and its my fixed gear. Most of the riding i do is commuting to class and work, about 2 miles each way, and running errands around town. Sometimes I go on longer rides(30mi-ish) but that isn't that common during the school year.
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Old 12-14-08 | 02:00 PM
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That's crazy talk.
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Old 12-14-08 | 02:19 PM
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there was a time when my only bike was a fixed.... but that was long ago. i currently have 9 bikes. that said, only one shifts lol. 2 fixed, 5 SS (of different size shape and purpose), and 1 geared road bike
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Old 12-14-08 | 02:19 PM
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a different bicycle for different purposes.
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Old 12-14-08 | 02:47 PM
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I only have two bikes right now, that are assembled, (the closet is flooded with spare parts, and I think there is a frame in there too) anyways, I have one road bike and one track bike, but at this point the track bike is the only one that gets any use, my poor road bike just has to sit in the corner. It is a beautiful bike and functions very well but lately I have really enjoyed riding fixed, it is just more fun for me, and better exercise. But you had mentioned riding on mountain roads, I live in the city and so the track bike works great, but if I was riding on mountain roads i might consider a mountain bike, or, a touring bike like the one you purchased. But no one said anything was wrong with having more than one bicycle tony? Each bike can serve a different purpose, I feel like any one who is really adamant about cycling owns AT LEAST two bicycles, many people own much more than that, If I were you I would reconsider selling your fixed gear, you never now when you might wanna start riding fixed again and it will save you the trouble of having to buy another one in the future.
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Old 12-14-08 | 03:19 PM
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My main bike is my fixed gear and my main use for my bike is as transportation. I'm on it for at least an hour a day, longer if I'm running errands or doing some riding for fun. Since I can accomodate my route to never have to ride up any steep hills, I don't particularly need variable gears. For my purposes the reliability of a fixed gear bike makes the most sense and it's the only bike I need. I also have a rain/slush bike that is a single speed with fenders and wider tires. For days that it's rainy or slushy, that bike makes the most sense.

Someday I'd like to get a nice road bike and start doing really long rides on the weekend but it's not in my budget anytime too soon.
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Old 12-14-08 | 03:33 PM
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Currently, 6 bikes built up, with a closet full of parts (recently moved and thinned out the stable from 13 completes):

1. geared 1x9 freeride/all-mountain hardtail mtb
2. full rigid fixed/ss mtb
3. geared 1x9 cyclocross race bike
4. geared 3x9 touring bike (w/ racks, fenders, etc)
5. track race bike
6. single speed beater/townie bike

all see regular use. the bikes I got rid of during my move to texas included a few bmx's, an old road bike or two, some old three-speeds, and my beloved downhill racing mtb (no more mountains )
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Old 12-14-08 | 03:35 PM
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From: My response would have been something along the lines of: "Does your bike have computer controlled suspension? Then shut your piehole, this baby is from the future!"

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I use my SS on most of my rides, but Philly (where I ride anyways) is kinda flat, so I really dont see the need for anything else, but I do have a few geared bikes just in case
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:04 PM
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I own two bikes, a Fixed, and DH bike, you know for when i want to get gully on the trails..
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:08 PM
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Only one bike? Jesus, why would you even think something like that?!

Geared 'cross bike, singlespeed cross bike, geared and singlespeed mountain bikes ... singlespeed commuter, roadie scum bike, touring bike, winter bike, bar bike, polo bike ... SWEET FIXY TRIX bike, etc., etc.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:09 PM
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I own multiple bikes, but since I put together my fixed gear I haven't touched the geared road bike. It's been months.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:14 PM
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The only reason I only own two bikes is because I can't afford any more.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Jabba Degrassi
The only reason I only own two bikes is because I can't afford any more.
yep. I have a flat bar road bike that i do long rides and commute on. and my fixie/project bike, which i ride around town, and will commute on sometimes once the weather improves.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:20 PM
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One fixed for light and fast nice weather use.
One old geared MTB for getting the s**t kicked out of it by chicago winters.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:22 PM
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I only have one bike
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:23 PM
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I added a first fixed gear bike to my fleet of bikes in 1994.
I'll go through periods of where I'll ride nothing but fixed. But on average, my fixed gear bikes get ridden much more frequently than my geared bikes.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:32 PM
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I have a fixed gear and a BMX, but since getting the fixed gear it's all I ride. I've ridden my BMX once in the last two months, and that was to get to work when my fixed gear was out of commission.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:43 PM
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Fixed gear has been my re-introduction to biking the last time I had ever road my bike a lot was middle school, I'm 20 now. I must admit fixed gear has gotten me really exciting about cycling in general. Its my only bike, until I get money. I bought a complete bike, but for my next I wanna dirty my own hands and build a ss mountain, cos theres a lot of nature around here. Hm that is if, I don't get preoccupied with upgrading my fixed.
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Old 12-14-08 | 04:50 PM
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I rode/owned fixed exclusively for two years and just recently got a cross bike. I realized the limitations of fixed after awhile (forget about long hilly group road rides, hate your life when it gets windy, and feel the limitations when taking things off-road) and decided some gears/brakes were in order. Still love the track bikes but variety is the spice of life, and cross is the new tarck. I think all the time riding only fixed, especially doing road rides/training, has made me a way stronger rider than if I had the choice of gearing down when things get hairy.
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Old 12-14-08 | 05:02 PM
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I own my track bike, and a mountain bike, but I haven't ridden he mtn bike in about two years. All commuting is done on the fixed gear.
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Old 12-14-08 | 05:28 PM
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There are some things you just can't do well on a fixed gear. Touring is one of them, I've tried, and you either have to run an insanely low gear, or walk a lot. Neither is fun if you have a partner.
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Old 12-14-08 | 05:34 PM
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Bikes: Mercier Kilo tt

I have two bikes, a ss and a fixed gear. I ride the fixie almost everytime, the ss is just my old bike that i can't part with yet.
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Old 12-14-08 | 06:44 PM
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I have 1 fixed gear (2nd fixed gear being built), 1 road bike, 1 Raliegh Sports 3 speed, 1 geared MTB, 1 singlespeed cross bike being built after the 2nd fixed is done.

they all serve different purposes...if you only have 1 bike, you can only do 1 type of riding & who wants that?
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Old 12-14-08 | 07:17 PM
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It's totally conceivable to have a fg as your only bike, but it might not be the best tool for everything you do. I have three bikes:

1) track bike - custom lugged steel, no brakes, relatively tall gears, fancy paint
2) road bike - cf, clipless, full ultegra
3) commuter bike - AL road bike conversion, relatively short gear, brake

I don't really need anything else for what I ride.
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