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Should You Ride a Fixed Gear vs. a Single Speed Bike?
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- Опубликовано: 13 авг 2024
- Fixed gears and single speed bikes are close cousins in the cycling world, except one cousin dropped out of high school, is covered in tattoos, and drinks a concerning amount of cheap beer; and the other cousin signs up for 8:00 AM classes at the local state college on purpose. Fixed gear is the "cool" cousin and single speed is the "successful" cousin, and they both have their pros and cons that will appeal to different types of riders. Find out which one is right for you and whether you should ride a fixed gear vs. a single speed bike.
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0:00 - Fixed Gear and Single Speed are Close Cousins
1:24 - Why ride fixed gear or single speed bikes?
2:45 - Pros of Riding Fixed Gear
4:51 - Cons of Riding Fixed Gear
6:31 - Pros of Riding Single Speed
7:29 - Cons of Riding Single Speed
7:54 - Should You Ride a Fixed Gear vs. a Single Speed?
9:06 - Patreon Fixie Famous Shoutouts
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#fixedgear #singlespeed
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I drive single speed and i am proud of it. Simplicity of this solution is the thing I love in it. Honestly I just wanted something more simple than normal bike with deraileurs and this is the easiest solution - bought cheap retro road bike, removed almost everything and it works perfect for me. For now I don't need to try anything else and changing a frame or entire bike to gain horizontal dropouts is too big of a mess for me.
chiming to your view, I do associate with that. Gears/electric do have it's place to make older and general populace accessible to cycling. on the other hand, that simplicity gives the bike no derailleur, so if it falls, in may be resilient in that sense, it also gives clarity the mind to not shift gears, being able to conquer hills with a handicap/limitation really makes u resilient, or if u have to push up a 20% grade hill, walk/running it, may let u lose dignity, but resilience to indignity is still a thing xD, but it may be egotistical to push through a slight gradient, whilst other cyclists shift into their easier gears and you pass them like a boss, then you're chilling on the flat at 90rpm and they pass you with harder gear lol- "get a proper geared bike, you crazy?", yeah gears are just a luxury, i suppose, but whatever, if you could have the flexible option to bail out at 120 rpm @ 40kph.
Same here, I ride an old lotus steel frame single speed flat bars.
cheers to that mate , I got a single speed track bike and ride it as daily commute for work, groceries, fun etc.
@@andrewzhang2621 this is absolutely true, but doesn't match my way of using a bike, which is mostly commuting or even if driving around neighberhood, I'm still in the city. In addition I live in Central Europe, so we have kind of diversed usage of bikes - I mean not only sports. If I had 20% hills nearbym, I would change my gear ratio or consider some crazy solutions like sram automatix or worst case scenario - rear hub with build in gears. This is also important I believe. Before going into single speed or fixed gear you need to know your needs and abilities.
What is the point of horizontal dropouts anyway?
To y'all; one gear= easier life. Fixed, or free. You enjoy the ride. It's your time to engage with all the joggers, and cyclists, who don't care what you're riding. You can't go wrong. Enjoy your ride.
not if you deal with hills
@@artvandalay2736 Hills can be a drag in both directions. But I did live in Denver Co. for 11 years, and I got use to them on my fixed gear. In the end, it’s all about what you like.
yep
@@artvandalay2736
WEAK
I'm an older fixed gear rider. I went back and forth between fixed and single speed. I know single speed is easier due to coasting and at 61 I like coasting but, I just prefer fixed. I commute to work, mostly flat riding and I love it. Thanks for your channel Zach.
Thanks for the video - generally having a single-speed bike often feels like you're on your own community-wise: you're an alien to both the fixed-gear crowd and to all the other bike 'clubs' (road, MTB, bikepacking, folding etc.).
@Bebo true as well, mine was more of an observation than a complaint
Ive had a state 4130 for years and it was on the freewheel for 1 day. Flipped it over to the fixed hub and took off the breaks and been loving it since. You get better every time you ride. “If it ain’t fixed, it’s broken” lol
About to buy a bicycle. I'll probably go with a Single-Speed. I see the appeal behind fixed but the "coasting" feature is a huge win for me.
Single speed here my guy. I love to go fast and don't like to stop pedaling but like to coast corners and hills. That fixed gear situation is too much unnecessary evil for my life. Lol
My singlespeed cog worn out after 5 years, so i flipped my wheel to try fixed gear. I love how it feels! I can recommend everyone to try it for a week..you won't go back.
I switched from Fixed to single speed when I ruined my fixed wheels in a crash, initially only temporarily but I've stuck with it. As much as I love riding fixed I love going really fast downhill even more.
I recently converted a vintage bike to a single speed and ride it in the city. I love how easy it is to maintain and how simple it looks. Ride safe everyone :)
I love the look of fixed gear bikes, so raw. But I ride a single speed. I bought a new bike this winter that has a flip flop hub and will try fixed gear riding...in a really big, empty parking lot. At 63 the being cool boat sailed quite some time ago so if fixed gear is or isn't for me I'm still just the old guy on the bike. But in all seriousness the biggest obstacle to riding fixed gear, for me, is my knees and the stress on them during braking. If I ride fixed I don't want brakes and if I have to keep the brakes I might as well stay with the single speed.
You can try riding without a freewheel at any age. And having brakes on a fixed-gear bike isn't forbidden. Actually it's forbidden not to have brakes on any bike. One can also have fenders, racks and reflectors on a fixed-gear bike.
Have fun!
Im 53 John been riding fixed for about 13yrs now, just look after your knees, thats probably the first thing your going to notice
i actually started my "one gear" journey w/ a bikes direct bike. i tried the fixed side and like you said, i just felt like it wasn't for me. still totally love fixed gear bikes, their look & "the culture". it's probably super weird, like while i don't ride on the fixed side "ya'll get my respect"
i ended up upgrading to a wabi cross thunder and keep it on the single speed side and absolutely love it. thanks for the channel man
Thanks for the great vid. Most of my riding is on a road bike but the fixed gear thing really fascinated me so I got a cheap bike ($200) with a flip-flop hub. I tried the fixed gear side for a while but it just wasn't comfortable for me. I love the single speed side and I use it when I ride with my wife since she can't ride like I do on my road bike. Thanks for covering the single speed choice!
I ride single speed but I would love to try the pure fixie too
Just do it man. Now! I too went to from single speed free wheel to fixed gear. Difficult af at first, but get better and better. Once comfortable, I don't see you going back to free again and probably question yourself why you didn't start it way earlier.
Rahul, most single speed bikes run what's called a flip -flop rear hub, (where you have the option to run either) all you have to do is, take the wheel off turn it 180, put it back on the bike, its that easy
@@jaycee9657 Hi, my wheel has an arrow pointing forward but turning the hub 180 degrees would put this arrow in the opposite direction, is that ok?
Eh it's not for everyone, but you might have luck with it. Lemme know how it goes. Shouldn't be TOO hard since you have a dedicated single speed. Get a rear wheel with a flipflop hub?
@@cisnikko is thata the tyre? if so, the wheel will be marginally worse at braking. you should flip the tyre.
Cool video, Zach! I ride fixed here in urban Manila, even in longer city rides. However, when we're off riding to the mountains outside the city, that singlespeed is a Godsend especially on harsh descents with some steep hills right after. Cheers from the Philippines!
Same for me but replace Manila with Tokyo.
Starting with single speed to get my confidence back this season (ended last season with a car hitting my geared bianchi), and once I feel fit and in tune with the roads, I’m gonna flop on over to fixed and give it a go.
I pray that you gain back that confidence plus ten fold my brother. Keep pedaling
I have a Fuji Declaration with a flip-flop hub... After a recent injury to my back, switched to single speed, and never looked back. Our country is immensely hilly with no more than a couple of hundred feet of level road. It is not the poorer cousin by far. I love fixies for their beautiful build and uncluttered lines, but it is, and will remain, very much a minor interest in the cycling world. PS. Love your channel!
I've been riding single speed for 10 years now and I bloody love it!
This is why I ride with a flipflop hub.
There is a road on the way back into town that I ride often. It has 4 rollers short and steep ranging from 10 to 45 kph. I have yet to beat my time with the same bike with gears. At the bottom of one roller, I was turning about 150 rpm and then almost losing balance at the top. We have a track in my city(138m, 50 degree in the corners). When it opened 15 years ago, I rode a track bike it felt completely natural. I have not ridden there in some time but was fun. BTW track gears were 48/16 and preferred road gear 40/16 - and I cheat because I have disc brakes on the road bike.
Mine has a flipflop hub so I enjoy both,but oh boy in fixed mode you never get a rest and your knees take a hammering.....but I still ride brakes,dont buy into the shit you can stop in time because you cant....
Much prefer single speed, but I like both bikes for the clean, spartan looks. I always even convert my beach cruisers to singls speed- planning on making one a klunker, just trying to figure out if I should go hardtail or not. If I want real speed, I have a roadbike.
First time useing a fixie I crashed and had to go to the hospital, back legs lifted off the bike went over the bars going fast
I ride SS and with as few gears as possible, and in ALL cases a feel "connected" to my bike. The fact is i tried fixed and spent all of my time FIGHTING the bike. That's not what i build my bikes to do, here's a big difference between getting used to something and knowing you're being limited by its function.
And riding SS is more than just about coasting, being able to place your pedal where you need it is important, as is using them as a platform to move your body around on the bike. In fast corners i weight the outside pedal and use my arms and butt to rotate the bike thru the turn, then i can rotate the cranks to the perfect position to power out.
Also, people do track stands on all kinds of bikes, even geared ones.
Im full roadie now but I love the simplicity of fixed gear for urban and casual commuting use. A single speed is a good compromise but fixed is just a lot more fun, IMO. A fixed gear track bike with a single speed hub feels weird to me when you run out of gear inches on a downhill.
That's why I ride a 56-16 on my single speed. 👌
I ride a road bike and I ain't a snob , my bike is a 40 lb 63 schwinn varsity , in a group ride I have spare parts to help other riders.
What about tire width? I'm 5'9" wt 240 lbs 70 yrs old. My only biking experience has been with Schwinn 10-speed and 21-speed bikes, but I've never used more than a couple of gears on either. So, for me, I'm looking for fewer gears. I prefer drop bars and would like wider tires as opposed to thin street tires
Cool! I ride both. Fixed gear for fun in the sunshine, single speed with a rack, wide tires and fenders for commuting and dealing with bad weather.
💙💛
I ride a Genesis Flyer and have it setup with a freewheel. I love coasting, that's the joy of cycling.
I ride fixed for my shorter rides (about 20klms) and single speed if on a longer journey.
I do the opposite
First fixed gear ride of the season today. I'm so happy to get off the winter beater single speed. I hope it stays warm.
You make a compelling argument for n+1 bike ownership.
It makes sense that the fixed gear is cooler since it can do tricks.
You should just leave it at that, because the whole college dropout analogy is confusing.
To me, the "cool one" that dropped out of school would be the 1 speed, since it can coast and chill.. whereas the fixed gear would be the one that goes to 8AM classes bc it never stops peddling.
Fixed gears are dangerous and not for everyone. With single speeds you get most of the enjoyment of a fixed gear without the risk. I had a friend, who was a good cyclist, relax at a stop sign and forget he was on a fixed gear. He got a broken collar bone as the result. That being said I've ridden fixed gears for more than 30 years and never hurt myself on them, although I have made a scary offroad excursion into a farm ditch because of a nasty lumber truck. When I get on a fixed gear bike whether it's for a training ride, group ride or velodrome ride I always respect the bike with the knowledge that it is somewhat dangerous.
Switching now back to single speed due to knee problems - can't skid anyways, installed breaks and flat pedals without straps so don't need switch to clipless shoes every time and can ride casually anywhere.
Just got mine currently have it on single gear live on hills would definitely like to try fixed gear
Have been subbed for years and for funsies watched your ss vs fixed video last night. What a surprise realizing you recently uploaded this!
I went from MTB to Roadbike then found my way to fixed Gear and man Fixed Gear really hits different when riding like you're floating and free. It's just therapeutic, except for the part on climbing uphill but hey that's part of the fun. Also how you can just customize it to the style you want.
You can make a flipflop hub with a disc brake capable freewheel hub. There are fixed cogs that fit the 6 bolt pattern - no lockring or w/e needed.
Excuse me what? This is news and... honestly? I wanna know more.
@@singletona082 yea just look up "6 bolt fixed cog". There's some by a few different makers like Problem solvers or Origin8.
The spacing can be an issue if using a dedicated track frame and not a conversion, but for a track frame you can use a front hub to achieve a non-flipflop (fixed-only) setup.
There are some dual disc brake front hubs in existence that'd let you do double-fixed, made for e/motorized bikes but they're rare.
@@Aubreykun Curious. I've got a low end huffy frame that I honestly like. Naturally it's heavy, but honestly? Been serving me well as I figure things out.
I look forward to trying to make a disaster out of this.
Cool but that ain't me. Way too used to pedalling my heart out on a BMX and coasting it out
I rode single speed as a bike messenger because there was less to go wrong with it. I started riding fixed because someone stole my brakes. I like them both.
As a working rider I went back to free hub. The extra weight of packages made stopping harder and brake pads are cheaper than tires. Riding 20-40 miles a day I needed to coast here and there.
You don’t need gears to get a marble pastry board from Sur La Table to a food vlogger at the top of Telegraph Hill but brakes are useful if you want to have legs for your next tag.
I also liked to do Paradise Loop or Point Reyes out and back on weekends. Those are great fixed rides. You can just flow for miles and miles.
There’s a place for both and it’s fun hanging with roadies when your just rolling a big track wheel.
One major advantage that isn’t about riding is that everything that can be stolen can be locked down. My daily has no quick release, Pinheads on the wheels and stem, tack welds on anything that could slow down thieves. It can be a hassle to fix a flat if it’s wet and you have to have your ride completely dialed in but maybe there’s freedom in that too. A Trixie tool will fix most things on a single but that’s not true of a road or mountain bike.
With my road bikes I don’t carry a lock so I’m not tempted to leave them alone outside. Not even for a minute. That’s just not practical for most city riding and the cost of having components stolen is just too much especially when it can leave you stranded.
I miss Bay Area riding. Moving to the East Coast really killed my saddle time. I can afford things like rent, food and cooler components now but it’s a difficult trade.
In the end I’d rather ride a Jasco stripped bike covered in stickers than not ride and if I could only have one bike it would have to be a single with a flip flop. Gears and really harsh your zen.
I wish I had found your channel sooner. Would have loved to tag along on a ride here and there. Your videos make me homesick for SF.
I just back from riding my Wabi classic single speed. Very rare occasion. But what a ride it was!
with Single Speed, you don't need to think about it..you just pedaling, if needed, Pedal Harder, if you Bonked..then stop. don't think about it.
with Fixed its same..more or less..you need to think about it sometimes..
year late weigh in. the things that are dealbreakers for me are the potential loss of control down hills, pedal strikes, difficulty of bunny hops when using platforms, not being able to lean off the back of my bike to go under a low branch, and my knees.
i really do enjoy the control at low speed, but i prefer feeling safe.
Due to a mechanical failure about a year ago, I had to go free wheel (single speed), after over 10yrs of riding fixed, it was the most terrifying experience, the feeling of coasting with just my brakes to save me was really unnerving, never again, as long as I have air in my lungs, (and decent set of knees), I'll be riding fixed till I can't ride no more
Weirdest take I ever heard on fixie preference; scared of brakes.
@Bebo whats why u should check the brakes before every ride. it only takes seconds.
Dude I straight up was wondering if you made a video about this. I love ss. My knee just can't take on fixed anymore.
I grew up on a bmx. I’d usually pick a bmx when riding with geared riders, just love the flow of the Singlespeed. My riding takes me off road and up gnarly climbs. I like being able to pick a gear that allows me to ride up almost anything but w/ Singlespeed I can still bomb the descent. Also, nothing sucks worse than railing singletrack, getting your timing off and slamming your fixed gear crank into a log 😂. It’s also about letting the bike be free to move around underneath you and pumping through terrain to conserve momentum 👌
Fixed gear has no chill, there’s definitely a flow to it but it’s a different beast. I’ve ridden fixed gear bikes a little (unicycles a lot) on and off road. I miss pumping. I miss the flow. I like the excursions on singletrack, pumping through tight corners. It’s just a different vibe so for now my steamroller will stay Singlespeed:)
I guess most of the Singlespeed culture is on the bmx and Mtb side, also there’s a lot of bike packing races being won by singlespeeds 👍
Same feeling here. Rode fixed for a few years but went back to singlespeed for that "flowy" feeling. But riding fixed made a huge improvement to my cadence that I carry over to riding singlespeed.
Got a flip-flop hub, but the freewheel is rusting from disuse. Riding fixed feels smoother.
Coaster-brake... Clean, simple. Except I walk, at the beach, least for now.
Hi dude. It's nice to see you again. Thanks for the video. The scenario it's beautiful, I love that place. And, obviously I'm on in to the Fixie team, of course. ¡Abrazo fuerte carnal!
I like the connectivity this upload gives. congrats on the plus 100000!!
I perceive fixed gear is the simplest bicycle, may have values associated with art, zen, minimalism, maybe individualism I suppose. Singlespeed is more practical, accessible and intuitive, maybe conformity.
Naah, fixed gear is c0nf0rmist! evryb0dy and their m0m is a fixie f00 n0w! freewheeling is Iess c00I f0r s0me reason I can't really fath0m in the average guy's eyes and I I0ve t0 dr0p fixed cats with my 52/16 bip0Iar sIed!
@Bebo thos zach did say fixed=highSchool dropout stereotype and singlespeed=chime in 8am state college xD. thanks for you input, can synthesise into a integrative view, i guess!
@@skyjuiceification agree, articulate argument :D
"may have values associated with art, zen, minimalism, maybe individualism I suppose"
All this sound like too much opportunity for bullshit, too much to do with people's sense of identity.
except maybe a unicycle!! Dont have a fixed-gear yet but i’ve been watching yo shit for a few years now. Just wanted to say, ‘hey, awesome channel”. Informative, great narratives, hilarious, well edited! Keep it up, mang! -
My city is very hilly with a lot of curbs and sidewalks, EXTREMELY busy roads where cars rarely go below 60 kmph. I ride freewheel: bunny hops are much easier and more reliable, lots of climbing requires a gear like 44/17 or 46/17 so going downhill on a busy road would be a suicide at 130+ rpms.
Having tried a road bike with 22 gears (sorry) before switching to a single-speed, and while I probably would agree with Zach's point that a single speed doesn't give you the same connection to your drivetrain and your bike as a whole as a fixie... I have to say I still feel the single speed gives you that connected feeling, if only a little bit. My pedaling feels more efficient, and when I pedal I can feel the chain engaging with the wheel almost directly. None of the nonsense you get with derailleurs and such which make pedaling feel like you're just putting into motion a bunch of turning parts that eventually get to the wheel and make it turn. On a single speed, much like on a fixed gear, _you_ make the wheel turn, and that feeling is amazing. I'll try fixed once I'm used to the single speed life! Ride on everyone, bike is life. :)
Since I've subscribed, this was your best explanation of why ride fixed.
I have unicycles and they are great for feeling connected with the "bike", but the reason i use a bicycle is for riding fast downhill where the single speed has the advantage.
I ride ss but dig fixie culture 🤘
They really are the same~ there I said it! there is a reason 0ne can buy a flip fI0p hub~ b0th a fixed gear and freewheel are Singlespeed c0nfigurati0ns!
I am Mountain, roadie and single speed rider and agree that when you try fixie you either love it or hate and I of course hate it lol, but I enjoy watching fixie riders do their thing, I think it’s cool, just not for me.
Agree. It's like 'eeeh I've tried it, didn't really work out. Single speed? I like it a lot. Really do like me a few gears, but at the same time? Single Speed has that whole get on and go appeal. nothing really to mess up just. GO.
I ride a fix gear because I love the connectivness to the road and the powerful my legs have become! I also have a single speed freewheel bike that it's so much more efficient in long distance rides and absolutely love to be able to let go in downhills!
Anyone else feel like when you find a perfect gear ratio, for year body on your bike, it’s better than anything ratio you find on most multi speed bikes uphill or not?
Don't forget for your area too :) I move a lot ...
after 3 months of wathcing this guy i was today yearsold that he was filipino and im filipino also and its just something really cool about watching a youtuber from the same country as you
The most important is just enjoy what you have and like just enjoy 😊😊
This may sound stupid but i want to convert my mtb into a single speed for the following reasons:
1. Keeping my bike simple
2. Less maintenance, no luxury or access to a nearby local bikeshop
3. Making it lighter, for my bike to work experience as well
4. Personal preference
Why did i bought an MTB instead of a fixie as my first bike? Dunno, peer pressure I guess. But at the end, I almost do bike rides myself and literally no access to trails. I am just being stupid lol.
Anyway, thank you for your inputs @Zach Gallardo, might as well convert my mtb into a single speed soon. Cheers.
Hit the nail on the head......easy maintenance! Also if you ride no brakes, fixed is a must.
I bought a 120$ fixed gear off craigslist years ago. It was an early 80s centurion conversion, brakeless, NO foot retention (WTF) , had Velocity B43s with sealed hubs (had no idea what they were). Well i tried the bike, and actually didn't like it right away. This was probably because it had bald tires and no foot retention. I tried to resell the bike to get my money back for a single speed. one girl came and checked it out with her boyfriend, they liked the color but she felt the frame was too big and also felt that fixed gear felt weird and sketchy. well I ended up learning more about fixed and eventually bought some wellgo straps and new tires. I added a front brake (totally didnt work because deep rims and just ruined the paint...soon took it off). I fucking loved that bike. Rode it so much commuting to work and back. It made me fall in love with fixed. I been a fixie nerd ever since, even Zach G sold me on the Wabi classic which I love so much and ride it as much as i can. Modified it thru the years as well. I ended up giving the Conversion to my wife who now loves FIxed gear riding as well (albeit not as crazy as i do), she had to slam the seatpost down but luckily shes not picky and thinks it fits just fine. I ride that conversion here and there to make sure it's still running smoothly which it is!!! and it gives my Wabi a run for its money. The wabi sure feels better but its not a huge difference which surprises me how easy it is to build a fixed gear that feels like a quality bike.
I went to a bike shop and asked for a lock ring for the cog. He said I don't need it. Told him that I want to stop sometimes.
The first time i rode a fixed gear bike my reaction was, meh...I don't hate it, but now that I've been riding fixed gear for 2 months there is no way I'm going back to a normal bike
Same here, fixie was a challenge for me
@Bebo it’s not about getting in shape . Style/Simplicity alone. And it’s cheaper that a hood road bike
@Bebo you really think people rode fixed gear for exercise?? It’s about the style you doormat
@Bebo just say you can’t handle a fixed gear
Finally hade the change and MAN I LOVE IT SOCAL 💥
I didn't know you're Filipino until now, i always watch your videos whenever i have free time, but I don't have a fixed gear. I've always wanted to try one, but don't have the budget to buy one. Maybe soon I'll buy one but not now.
Hi 👋🏼 pa review naman pa tungkol sa fixie setup sa fixie with freewheel at ano ang pinag ka iba ng breaking system nila hindi ko alam kung anong bagay sa akin na uri ng fixie setup salamat 🇵🇭
Yo zach didnt know you were filipino been subscribing for more than a year tho 😂 thanks for the vids helps me with my research and definitely been riding reasonably dangerous since then
I have done both. During the pandemic, parts and bikes just weren't as available and everything has been expensive. I ended up using BlueBikes as a bike rental option and . . . it's been cheaper than bike maintenance and these kind of rentals are fine for up to 10 miles per trip. Really hard to get out and do a longer ride, but fine for daily usage. Given that the rentals are usually twice the weight of a fixed or a single speed, I have a feeling when I go back, it'll feel really amazing. Just gotta wait the shortage out.
i have runners knee due to riding in a too high gear on my single speed. don't use to high gears guys.
Personally I've tried both and ss is more logical for a person who's only using a bike in order to commute, get out of the house or improve mental wellness.
I've also noticed that fixies are for people with a certain age, if I would be in my 18's again, would immediately join the fixie culture.
And honestly, to many options are creating to many cultures. Cultures = unnecessary conflicts.
Let me explain:
I'm from Romania, I believe that maximum 3% of the population are pedaling, so we are happy to see anyone on a bike : road, ss, fixie, mtb, downhill, e-bike, there is no conflict or competition between us, since we don't have so many riders.
I hear you Andrei, but I'm 53, didn't start riding fixed gear (hate the term fixie), till I was 40, admittedly, I dont hang out in trendy parts of town drinking fair trade coffee, neither do I have a bread or a man bun, I just ride to and from work, and the odd wkend ride weather permitting, I ride fixed gear not to be part of any one group of another, I ride for the pure fun & enjoyment it gives me, the exercise is a bonus, and fixed gear just adds another level of challenge to my riding. Once i got fitter after riding for about 9mths consistently, I saw someone riding one, saw some bits on you tube, flipped my wheel around, and never looked back, as it pushed me even further physically.
I've ridden black diamond mtb trails and highways shoulders but neither felt quite as dangerous as riding a fixie with no brakes on a college campus.
I can’t ride fixie due to some knee injuries. The only fixie I could ride would need brakes installed and at that point I’d rather just ride my single speed. It’s the simplicity, I got rid of my last single speed and am now back in the market for one lol. Love the videos!
@Bebo My knees are actually damaged from an accident awhile ago! However for anybody that cones across this comment with knee problems dude is right I've been doing yoga for a year and it's help tremendously!
I have two mtb's a cargo bike and a fixed gear. For the last 15 years I always take me fixed for transport.
i have a tip for others find a fixie that could also be converted to a roade bike meaning you have a freewhel on the left and a fixed gear on the right that way you can just turn your wheel 180 now your useing a freewheel and not a fixie although you wouldnt have brakes
i just bought a fixed gear bike that can flop to single speed. for now, I'm sticking to fixed as it's something new to me. I also like riding my mountain bike and road bike. Pretty much depends on where i want to go and what mood I'm into. I'm thinking of riding my fixie to work but that little slope got me thinking. I already have two bad knees. But, hoping fixed gear will either help improve my leg power or get me into the wheelchair. :p
riding single speed in a place that isn’t super flat has made commuting much easier for me, personally. i like coasting when i’m tired because, let’s face it, i’m just lazy. mad respect for every day fixed gear riders, though.
Planning to go single speed on my mountain bike on the trails.
I am a single speed rider. The part of fixed gear riding that I find crazy is the frame geometry. Toe overlap is not in any way necessary. Also riding a bike with the rear wheel crammed into the seat tube has only one advantage; it is easier to do wheelies. And let's not forget that riding on skinny tires is much harsher than it needs to be. The weight increase is well worth the comfort in the ride (need I remind you of the Wabi thunder which does come as a single speed with both brakes and 45c tires).
You should ride how you're comfortable. I COULD set my work bike fixed and change up the bars play on it or I could just wait and get a second bike.
Just got my White Industries freewheel 💪
I just got my hands on a single speed bike. I grew up riding bmx bikes, but they are too small and childish to ride around (in my opinion). I’ve got a couple of geared bikes, which I’ve never really liked. The chain is super loud on every bump you can hear it flopping all over the place, you also have to be careful with the detailer since it sticks out and needs to be perfectly adjusted for smooth shifting. I didn’t even know single speed bikes really existed, because who would want to make biking harder? It’s perfect for me, the comfort ability of a big road bike, with the heart of a bmx bike that you can toss in the back of your truck without worrying about messing something up.
I'm riding single speed because I started cycling when I moved to a city where using a bike is huge (Strasbourg, France) and had no prior experience with fixed gear but I'm thinking about it. I'm a bit afraid of having to pedal continuously and brakeless in the city
I made friends in that community and we started a group of cyclists where most of us ride fixed or single but we're open to everyone that wants to ride.
Bruh, you can still have brakes on a fixie.
I ride fixed I bring extra cods to change out for different terrain on longer rides
I’d like one of them there cool looking Wabi bikes with a S2C hub.
Hi. I fancy a single speed. With brakes (I want to ride on the hoods - so need those). What tips for buying - complete bike, old track bike. I'm guessing I'd like steel and horizontal drop outs, but are there problems with older frames accepting modern wheels, brake drop etc? Also everything I look at seems massive - horizontal top tubes mean sizing is crucial - but what did small guys ride back in the day?
what about fixed gear with brakes in the front wheel to help in downhills?
I have a 1X10 but I leave it in one gear the entire time I ride. But for years I had a single speed bike so I was use to it. To be honest fix gear is cool but just not for me.
i have to ride single speed now because I had an accident with my fixed-gear that left me in the hospital with 3 surgeries, metal plates and screws installed in my shoulder, and out of the saddle and in physiotherapy for almost 7 months. Now i ride single speed with a front brake. i didn't fall because of lack of brakes on the fixed-gear but honestly this was such a shit experience that I want to minimise my risk on a bicycle in the future as much as possible. but I love simplicity of singlespeed or fixed. for my two fixies I bought a white industries freewheel and also a halo clickster freewheel, wanted to see difference between two on my two bikes and honestly they're both smooth and sound like a swarm of bees but clickster is half the price, so i recommend anyone thinking of clickster to go with it - it also has more points of engagement. feels good to be back on a bike again. and also it has always been a headache in germany riding brakeless fixed-gear so don't have to avoid cops any more which is nice lol
maybe not compared to a fixie, but I rode a single speed for a week while visiting my dad and there is more of a direct relationship with the road than a 10 speed. Not opposed to trying fixie again, but damn not being able to coast seems not worth it.
You’re a great example to others.
Durian... Lolz. I haven't ridden a fixie since like 1983 but I'd imagine that shit was a perfect metaphor.
Recently switched with 19t cog. The thing bring me so much fun as the first time I get to ride a single speed.
So hope you can find the RIGHT thing for you
Ps: I go way slower but lot more fun
Same here... switched to 20 myself... I am never in a hurry when I am enjoying myself.
I just bought a fixed gear bike, I had it converted to a single speed, which I love riding. How much more difficult will it be for me as an old man learn how to ride a fixed gear bike? In a previous video you mentioned something about a fixed gear rider over 40 being unusual. Should I not even bother or do you have any tips?
Fixed gear has definitely changed my biking life forever love it
SS for me. But mainly because I ride MTB 99% of the time. I get tripped up when I go back and forth between coasting and not coasting. If I had to have one bike and had no trails to ride, it would be a fixed gear for the purity. 👌🏻
I rode fixed when I was 17 and 18, I ride single speed with handbrakes now. If i didn't stand on the pedals so much I'd probably try to get a coaster brake.