Riding a fixed gear bike is a very different and quite rewarding tactile experience compared to your standard 20-odd gear freewheeler. At tbe risk of sounding like a cunt, it's something you just won't get unless you've had a go on one. Your pedaling feels much more direct.
And as you cannot stop pedalling while in motion, it is exceptionally good for those who want to improve their fitness or the power of their pedalling. You can't coast so your legs become powerhouses in no time at all.
Theres also something to be said for their mechanical simplicity. Removing gears removes a huge amount of common mechanical pitfalls.
Fixed gear bikes have been on the periphery of the cycling enthusiast for a long time now. Sheldon Brown, the patron saint of all cyclists, has wanted us all to have a go on a fixed gear for about a decade before hipsters even existed.
Though there's nothing more satisfying than dropping a pack of geared roadies on a fixed gear. It's not going to happen unless they're MAMILS or carbon commuters, but those groups tend to be the ones who sneer at fixed gears. Honestly, if Sheldon Brown's word isn't good enough for you I can't believe you have a clue about cycling.
Fixed-gear bikes do have their applications, but I think they're a poor choice for the vast majority of users.
Traditionally, roadies would use fixed-gear bikes through the winter because you get a little bit more road feel in properly dreadful conditions. Using backpressure to modulate your speed was very valuable back in the dark ages of sidepull brakes and steel rims. These days that's irrelevant, as you can kit a winter bike with disc brakes and studded tyres and ride easily through snow and ice. There's an argument that they're a useful training tool for improving cadence, but I'd far rather use a turbo.
The overwhelming majority of people who think they want a fixed-gear or single-speed bike really want a gearhub, they just don't realise it. Gearhubs are very unfashionable in the UK, mainly because the trade is dominated by enthusiast cyclists with little interest in utility cycling. With an S3X, you can retain the direct feel of a fixed gear, but get three very useful ratios instead of just one. With an SA Duomatic or a Sram Automatix, you can have two ratios without a shifter or any cables. If you just want a low-maintenance bike, you can get a similar gear range to a derailleur setup with none of the hassle from an Alfine, Sram G8 or a Rohloff.
People talk about the practicality and simplicity of fixed gear bikes, but in countries with a long tradition of utility cycling, they're very rare. Most of the world's utility and commuter bikes are equipped with hub gearing, hub brakes, a chaincase, full-length mudguards and puncture-resistant tyres. They're not quick, they're not sexy, but they'll get you to your destination without covering you in mud and grease, and can be used daily without any routine maintenance.
Don't even get me started on those pricks who ride without a front brake - more than 70% of your available braking force is on your front wheel.
>>33160 >The traditional definition of pornography is something that has no intrinsic artistic value.
Likewise a urinal. There may be no such thing as artistic porn but that doesn't mean that your last porn download isn't a piece of art to someone.
They're meant for doing daft young bloke in hoodie things on those strange tubular ramps and spinning the front wheel around and such, not actually going anywhere.
People ride around on them nevertheless, presumably because they're daft.
I've tried fixies before, and it feels like I've got almost no control. Maybe it is different in parks, but for like cycling around the suburbs, hopping between road and pavement and having to stop quickly, plus balancing on the pedals...fucking fixies man.
>>34685 How? I mean I'm not particular immersed in cycling culture but it would just say to me that you were too thick to remember to buy gears and brakes.
I ride a fixed gear to work. In the last year I've started riding a LOT on my road bike, so I got to the point where I wasn't getting anything out of my commute - my heart rate was barely out of rest rate. Also, I didn't like the idea of riding my very expensive pride and joy in all weathers in heavy traffic. So I bought something that'd still be a challenge to ride up (and down) all the hills on the way. It's certainly working, it's improved my climbing immensely.
Of course I could have achieved all that by pedaling constantly everywhere in top gear on a heavy bike but I'm a Cyclist which means I have money to burn. Plus they're really fun. I have two brakes on the thing though because I'm not a cunt.
This is certainly the wrong place for this discussion. Here's some Fahlin.
