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jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
11/12/12 10:10 a.m.

I streamed a couple of documentaries off netflix yesterday on biking and I want to get back into riding long distances. I was thinking a fixed gear bike would be cool for the simplicity but then it could be a little too hardcore to start out with. Looks like they brake by locking up the rear wheel and fishtailing.

Does anyone ride one? I would be riding on flat florida landscape a mix of paved trails and on road. I was thinking doing a single gear with coaster brake or a single gear freewheel with hand brakes would be a little better to start out with.

I watched these movies http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1530991/ http://www.fixationdocumentary.com/

ransom
ransom SuperDork
11/12/12 10:20 a.m.

I'm a big fan of hand brakes and derailleurs, myself.

They work really well.

If you are set on single-speed, I'd agree that hand brakes and a freewheel is a better arrangement to start with. I think there are some singlespeeds out there with "flip flop" hubs with a fixed cog on one side and a freewheel on the other, so you can turn the rear wheel around to go back and forth between fixed gear and freewheel.

JohnInKansas
JohnInKansas HalfDork
11/12/12 10:32 a.m.

Stick with at least one handbrake if you go fixed. Safety net in case your cog strips out or chain breaks or whatever.

I rode fixed for a few months as my sole transportation, about 1000 miles total. Fixed feels a little weird at first, but it didn't take me too long to adjust. Found myself looking farther ahead to plan for potential obstacles and minimize momentum loss. Pedaling all the time makes for really big legs too.

PHeller
PHeller UltraDork
11/12/12 10:39 a.m.

A single speed with a screw-on BMX freewheel will be plenty reliable and safer for the majority of new riders.

If don't have experience riding in the city, and don't have much experience riding at all, starting with a fixed gear isn't the best idea.

yamaha
yamaha Dork
11/12/12 10:57 a.m.

if you are looking at getting in shape for biking quicker, you want a fixed gear. I personally wouldn't bother with brakes, and just to warn you.......this is the bike to have for the hipsters still.

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
11/12/12 10:59 a.m.
yamaha wrote: just to warn you.......this is the bike to have for the hipsters still.

Yeah we don't have many hipsters here so I'm not worried about it.

wbjones
wbjones UltraDork
11/12/12 12:38 p.m.

I road a single speed w/coaster brake from age 6 - 16 .... many wrecks over the yrs but never from a broken chain ... mostly youthful stupidity/exuberance

Spoolpigeon
Spoolpigeon HalfDork
11/12/12 1:03 p.m.

I Picked up a cheap single speed at my local bike shop 2 years ago. It's. SE draft model, single speed freecoaster with front and rear brakes. Got it for $200 brand new. It's great for riding around town. I've tried the fixed gear thing and it wasn't for me. I like to be able to coast from time to time.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard Intern
11/12/12 1:19 p.m.

I ride a fixed gear bike and a single speed bike. The fixie is just the bare essentials, one brake, and a high gear ratio. I comfortably cruise 19-20 on it and it's great for long rides. I can lock the rear wheel, but only do it to show off. It's a terrible way to stop, usually I just resist with my feet or use the one front brake.

The single speed is set up as a commuter with a low gear ratio, two brakes, lights, fenders, and a rear rack. I love it, too. Horses for courses.

motomoron
motomoron Dork
11/12/12 1:22 p.m.

(road cyclist of about 40 years, former racer on road and track, messenger, and industry worker)

Fixed gear bikes are great for racing on a velodrome.

Single speed bikes are fine where it's ~flat~ and you always go the same speed.

Road bikes w/ 39-53T front, 11-25T rear allow you to work with the greatest possible efficiency.

alfadriver
alfadriver PowerDork
11/12/12 1:47 p.m.

Funny- we just saw a great presentation of an CVT bike. Great set up with an embeded controller, and was able to tune to the rider.

My wife loved the idea for her commuter bike. She has to big hills to climb each day- one getting there, one coming back- there's a river between us and her workplace.

So very unhardcore biker, but one that does do +1000 miles a year going to and from work.

ultraclyde
ultraclyde Dork
11/12/12 2:42 p.m.

Many of the commercially available single speed road bikes come with a fixed/free rear hub. There's a free wheel on one side of the axle and a fixed cog on the other. You just flip the wheel over and use whichever side you want. That way you could start out riding coast with handbrakes (which are legally required in some states) and change to fixed as your fitness improves.

FWIW, Performance Bike and Bike Nashbar are always hocking their entry level road singles cheap as dirt. Be a good way to test the waters.

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
11/12/12 2:56 p.m.
ultraclyde wrote: Many of the commercially available single speed road bikes come with a fixed/free rear hub. There's a free wheel on one side of the axle and a fixed cog on the other. You just flip the wheel over and use whichever side you want. That way you could start out riding coast with handbrakes (which are legally required in some states) and change to fixed as your fitness improves. FWIW, Performance Bike and Bike Nashbar are always hocking their entry level road singles cheap as dirt. Be a good way to test the waters.

What does dirt cost these days? I saw a couple going for $200-$350

stuart in mn
stuart in mn PowerDork
11/12/12 2:56 p.m.

There are plenty of hipsters with fixed gear bikes in my neighborhood, they generally don't worry about having no brakes...they just run the red lights. Nearly collected one in my grille Friday on the way home from work.

gamby
gamby PowerDork
11/12/12 7:00 p.m.

This is my build thread from last year: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/my-singlespeed-bicycle-build/41803/page1/

I use it for sub-20-mile rides and more for training/conditioning.

For longer rides, give me gears--and a good range of them at that.

There were people who rode last year's RI MS150 on fixies and I think they're about as useful a tool for that ride as a spatula would be. Way too hardcore for me.

clutchsmoke
clutchsmoke HalfDork
11/12/12 7:15 p.m.

I ride a single speed for my work commute and it's great! I've rode fixed gear bikes a number of times and I personally don't think it's safe outside of a velodrome even with brakes. It's hard on your knees trying to stop when riding a fixed gear. Single speed is the way to go IMO.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
11/12/12 7:37 p.m.

I still ride BMX most of the time--no derailleurs, just a rear hand brake--but my road bike is a vintage 12-speed Cannondale. For a few seconds I thought about converting it single speed but then realized that it was simpler to just leave it as is.

ultraclyde
ultraclyde Dork
11/12/12 7:41 p.m.

In reply to jonnyd330:

Lol. That IS cheap as dirt. I've got about $2000 in my single speed mountain bike.

T.J.
T.J. PowerDork
11/12/12 9:06 p.m.

I've yet to make the plunge to a single speed, much less a fixie. I like to ride my cyclocross bike on the local single trails though. The trails are a lot different with relatively skinny tires, no suspension, and drop bars than they are on my mountain bike.

EricM
EricM SuperDork
11/13/12 8:10 a.m.

just so you know, fixies are hard to ride.

Three weeks ago, mine bucked me off.

12 stitches. I was wearing a helmet so no brain trauma.

I have flipped my wheel back over to free wheel. so much easier to ride.

yamaha
yamaha Dork
11/13/12 9:45 a.m.
jonnyd330 wrote:
yamaha wrote: just to warn you.......this is the bike to have for the hipsters still.
Yeah we don't have many hipsters here so I'm not worried about it.

IDK about Sarasota.........but they're flocking everywhere in Bradenton. Now my relatives live out on Anna Maria, its just as bad there....mainly old people though.

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
11/13/12 10:42 a.m.
yamaha wrote:
jonnyd330 wrote:
yamaha wrote: just to warn you.......this is the bike to have for the hipsters still.
Yeah we don't have many hipsters here so I'm not worried about it.
IDK about Sarasota.........but they're flocking everywhere in Bradenton. Now my relatives live out on Anna Maria, its just as bad there....mainly old people though.

Yeah the hipsters stay around the New College area north of the city which I stay away from since there is no reason to be there. Even so there are not many of them compared to citys like Austin.

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt SuperDork
11/13/12 11:11 a.m.

Just curious, what exactly is the appeal of a fixed gear bike? And if it seems to be to have a difficult to ride and somewhat more dangerous bike, would a penny-farthing be even better?

gamby
gamby PowerDork
11/13/12 11:47 a.m.
MadScientistMatt wrote: Just curious, what exactly is the appeal of a fixed gear bike?

The aesthetic of it being the absolute simplest incarnation of the bicycle. I think there's a feeling that you're much more involved in the ride and have more control over the bike.

I dunno. I need to coast.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard Intern
11/13/12 12:10 p.m.
MadScientistMatt wrote: Just curious, what exactly is the appeal of a fixed gear bike? And if it seems to be to have a difficult to ride and somewhat more dangerous bike, would a penny-farthing be even better?

I've ridden one of those, too! Great bikes, though 15 mph was scaaaaary!

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