Single-speed vs fixie | Why fixed-gear bikes are ridiculous, except for these three things
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- I've always found the idea of using a fixed-gear bike in a city to be fundamentally absurd. But then how to explain the cult of fanatics who love fixies? To try and better understand that cult, I decided to give a fixie another try, and to give it a close comparison to the fixie's sibling, the single-speed.
What I found was that, yes, fixies are fundamentally ridiculous. Except for these three things, which are helping me better understand the cult.
#cycling #bike #fixed
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I drive a truck with air in the brake lines & no seatbelt as it "improves my situational awareness"
You should knock the floor out and use your feet to stop and go, like the Flintstones.
lol that's some funny comment right there!
@RollinRat lmao live a little bud
@RollinRat Fixed gear is a brake. Just stop pedaling lol
@RollinRat
>It's not an efficient nor a safe one.
I never said that you shouldn't have brakes. I just pointed out that fixed gear can be used as brake.
> Believe it or not, a skidding wheel is not in control.
You wouldn't skid wheel with fixie, it's much safer to gradually reduce speed (and much healtier on your feets), if you have to brake in emergency, you will skid vbrake or disc too.
>Especially on the mtb trails that I ride on.
Why the hell would you ride fixie on mtb trail?
I never said that i prefer fixed gear or no brakes, i have MTB bike with both brakes and gears. I can adjust everything to my liking and i prefer that. I do agree that you should have brakes on your bike, at least rear one. Front brake can be dangerous if you don't know how to use it. You need to chill down a bit.
A lot of my bikes growing up were fixed gears. I remember flying down hills with my feet off the pedals as they whirled around like blender blades. Getting a bike that allowed you to coast or even pedal backwards while moving was a strange concept.
I grew up with fixed bikes so the way I would "coast" is by taking my feet off the pedals and just going, then when my bike starts to slow down I would put my fit back on, of course timing it. I also grew up with a little bit of single speed bikes so I would just leave my feet for that, honestly didn't even know its not considered coasting for a fixed gear bike, thought they were interchangeable till last year.
I miss some of the bikes in the 80s growing up the brakes were the pedals just pedal back word or I used to put foot on back tire to stop
@@RaymondEdmondsyou can still pedal backwards, coaster brakes
"What am I missing about fixies?" Fucking straps, they make such a difference
Was hurting me the whole time 😓
What's a strap?. I'm new to bikes (only ordered a fixed gear bike a few days ago).
@@WyattOShea foot retention you need straps clips or cages to properly stop
@@Dfkpro Thanks for the info :).
I like clip-less!
Two words, man; foot retention.
Yeah this is wild, I rode a fixed gear with no straps for 2 years. Then when I finally got a set of straps I realised I was struggling for no reason
It is not a fixed gear riding without foot retention
He's got two breaks...all good :)
I cant find a lockring for my fixed after I took it out and lost it, and the last 3 days I've been riding without the lockring, man I hate that feeling of having to drop to the brake to stop the bike. I didnt have to use the brake since, I dunno, 1yr and it sucks.
I was thinking exactly the same. Its a fundamental part of a fixed gear transmission.
Personally I always use cleats and never tried straps. I ride sometimes like shortly distances (just no rush and really short... like going for bread...) and ovbiously its not the same. I feel like going naked
@@torma1985 Its not the same. seriously, and im saying this after riding with brakes and brakeless (I prefer this one)
It also creates exceptional situational awareness that stays with you no matter what bike you ride.
Riding a fixie gives me the spider sense
Especially if you've riden brake-less for any length of time
Laughable
BeboSaab lmao I wanted to give a rebuttal so bad but literally a week ago I almost broke my back on my fixie cause my pedal caught the curb on my way down, and then the crack in the road caught my front wheel causing me to fall on my side and for the last week walking hurts more than riding. Besides the death trap aspect, I def prefer fixed over my other bikes. I know a bunch of people that ride their legit track bikes on my local trails (saw one dude break his fork on a gnarly downhill line)
great, but i nearly hit a car the other day WITH brakes, how bad would it be without them?
the fact that you’re riding without foot retention, now THAT’S ridiculous.
@RollinRat He's got brakes, which makes him more sensible than most fixie riders.
@RollinRat I presume you don't get any Dutch customers at your shop? haha
@RollinRat Speaking from my experience as a little kid riding a bicycle with only a 'terugtraprem' (coaster brake I think the English call it?) having only a rear brake is indeed not great. I believe I had a fixed gear one once too, makes braking even slower though it is easy to bleed off some speed when not going for a full stop.
Front brakes do most of the work when you want to stay upright.
@RollinRat I support that! What’s your shop called? I wanna support it.
@RollinRat "no helmet" You do realize that for city riding helmets do virtually nothing right?
Having a fixie and riding it single speed is like going to a brothel for a cuddle
I am scared to ride fixie, that's why I prefer to cuddle thank you
coomer analogy
BeboSaab bro stop copying and pasting the same comment. Also “foot retention sucks all round” tell that to the pro riders lol dumbest thing I’ve seen all week. “Foot retention sucks” 😂 😂 😂 😂 good one. A right knee slapped that.
@BeboSaab and don't ride bmx, or you will end up as a surfer.
BeboSaab ok but like I don’t remember asking
Great video, as an experienced track bike racer the first thing I noticed is that you rode the fixed-gear with for pedals. This is rule number 1 of riding a fixed gear, you want your feet to be attached to the pedals. Either by toe straps, or more ideally through clip-in cycling shoes. All of the control of your bike is in your feet and you actually slow and stop yourself by "reverse pedaling." This is nearly impossible and dangerous when your feet are not attached from the pedal.
He has brakes
@@diegoenrique4510 exactly he has brakes which is not okay on a fixed gear really dangerous
@@diegoenrique4510 you need foot retention such as clippers, cages, or straps
@@diegoenrique4510 so do road-bikes and those cyclist still clip in don't they? on a fixie if you ride with brakes or without it is more of a need than on a coasting bike. it also helps with the high cadence stuff.
Eh, I see your point but prefer flats.
I went 2 years without getting some kind of foot straps/retention to my fixed gear bike with ending up me never got to relax fully. After getting retention I found the experience both more comfortable and safe not being worried to loose the pedals in high speed getting knocked down.
Been riding fixed since then and prefer it. But it took some learning.
How have you learned to put straps? Can you help me too?
@@florin-vasilemitria6444 don't strap in too tight, make sure you can go in and out of the straps easily this is also useful when you need to bailout, tight fitting is for a controlled environment. i personally prefer toe clips (cages) over straps the pedals are made for this function and have a little notch at the back. the easiest are of course cleats but then you need shoes that work with it.
start with going slow for me i can get my feet in when the pedals are moving from the back to the top of their route. i dont know if other people disagree but i would say get some experience on a coasting bike that is waaaay easier.
I started riding a fixie when I turned 40. It played a big part in me losing 55 pounds (25 kg) and it was exhilarating. I averaged over 10 miles/day (16 km) for over a year and it wasn't usual to ride 50+ miles (80km) over a weekend.
Of course, I live in flat Chicago. I don't think I'd want a fixie in a city with significant hills like SF or Portland or Seattle.
Fixies are very popular in SF, or they were a few years ago. You'd see a pack of them in many places but not so much anymore. I have no evidence but I think a fixies is very bad for the human knee. Unless you have brakes but in SF a fixie with brakes is uncool.
@@evanswinford7165 brakes - especially in hills - are a significantly necessary tool even on a fixed gear bike. One only need look at the occasional pedestrian deaths caused by uncontrolled (uncontrollable) fixed gear descents on steep hills. Which I can skid stop, I nearly always use brakes (I have front and rear) both for better control but also because my knees thank me. I don't give a damn in they're "cool" or not. Track stands and better control overall are all I care about. In non-emergency situations, I can stop with just back-pedal pressure, without the excessive tire wear from skidding. Since I spring for some of the most expensive tires that manage to maintain grip while also being puncture resistant. I just bought average tires for the first year, but then switched as it became clear average tires couldn't stand up to cluttered, potholed streets. Since switching about the only flats I get are from actual nails and pinch-flats in extreme situations. Normal riding on decent pavement no longer poses any threat for getting a flat.
I recommend the best tires you can afford and keeping them properly inflated (120psi for my bike and tires). Makes for a much better ride, a safer ride, and fewer flats.
My frame is just a basic KHS Flite100 chromoly steel track frame that even with some customization was $800 new nearly a decade ago now, and still going strong with just standard maintenance (keep it clean, keep the gears, chain, and bearings lubricated, etc.) It been so comfortable and easy to keep in good shape I have no need for anything fancier
@RollinRat A little behind you, at 59, but I have on a couple occasions passed much younger fixie riders on the hills on my 1,000 foot of climbing daily commute in Seattle.
They were walking and I was riding!
You enlightened yourself. Great Job Man!!!
@@evanswinford7165 Anyone who gets caught riding around on a fixie without breaks in the bloody City, especially when it's hilly should be severely punished.
I'm gonna say it: I wish anyone of those fucking Assholes their Bikes get stolen. EVERY TIME. Until they have the sense to get a break.
Fixies without Breaks are dangerous AF in regular Traffic. Use those on Tracks or whatever. NEVER. EVER. Inside a city. You can't break for Pedestrians. You can't break for Cars. You can't break for Bikes. I mean you can, but POORLY, especially downhills.
Asshole Idiots like those shouldn't be able to ride any vehicle, even muscle powered ones. They are a danger to themselves and anyone around them. Again: I hope that anyone who rides a breakless fixie in the citie gets all of their bikes stolen.
I commuted by hardtail mtb, then road bike, always geared, for years.
I switched to fixed solely for the ease of maintenence. I got tired of adjusting derailleurs, rebuilding freehubs and brake-surfaces wearing out on rims.
My friend comes over wants to ride my old steel bike, gets mad that it’s not a fixie, I just tell him to stay in the same gear
You forgot about foot retention, straps or something else. Double the fun, they say 😁
7 year olds can ride dad's bicycle.
You're talking only to children.
Wholly depends on how flat the city you live in is. I lived in Glasgow in Scotland where every inch is sloped in one direction or the other. and I used to spend most of the time walking and pushing my bike up even the smallest of hills. Sold the fixie and walked instead.
Get a bike with gears
Clip in, or use straps,, remove brakes, your skills will increase, as will the fun.
Skidding is alot more fun with straps.
@@ducatipaso1386 can someone teach me how to put the straps without falling with the bike down?
Ducati Paso you can’t skid confidently without straps. That’s ridiculously sketchy; i.e. not that fun.
Straps are a must, skids are way easier and you don’t waste as much energy pumping the pedals
Why not using cleat and special shoes
You forgot to run over every red light when you changed to fixed
yeah its the most important part
and get ran over?
What's more fundamentally ridiculous and far common is texting and driving.
And equally sad.
Just sold my car. About to convert to biking for my daily commutes!
Everyone saying to take off your brakes is a maniac.
That said you would feel much better about the fixed gear with foot retention though. I think that's why the hill is giving you so much grief. Fixed + front brake is my go-to everyday ride because of the extra control and how it trains your pedal stroke to be much more efficient for when you hop back on a geared bike. There's a reason all the racers include practice on fixies.
Im a maniac. And also bike courier
@@earanwe isn't that redundant? :)
Cant become more efficient at this small ass leg movement past a certain point of good mechanics and cadence
@@SteveHameister LoL
BRAKELESS FIXED GEAR IS THE ONLY WAY! Free your baby girl from brakes.
fixie was faster by 30s in a 55min trip ... O K ..
It's definitely just random variation, lol
Okay, but if you had bad salmon, that can make all the difference.
God damnit he called it a fixe
Well it is the "Shifter" channel...
1. "Fixie"
2. Rear brake
3. No foot retention
Take my advice; I'm not using it
@@chrisswanson9724 just a quick question: Is their any particular reason against a rear brake for fixed gear bikes. Or is that entirely a question of "style"?
@@AlsWeiderNetRatze Redundancy? The wheel is fixed to the cranks. On a freewheel bike, once your wheel exceeds the RPM of the cranks, the wheel disengages and spins freely. You don't even have to be moving to demonstrate this, just pedal backwards. So, about braking, imagine jogging. A runner is like a fixed gear. You go as fast as your legs are moving. Momentum builds and the legs propel you forward faster. But how does a runner stop or even slow down? If the legs quit moving with all that momentum, the runner trips and falls. To slow down, the runner decreases the effort to go forward. The legs keep moving, but the resistance to that forward energy slows them down. They may even resist the energy with their legs and slow down even more drastically, but a runner can never coast like a bicycle can. So, do runners equip themselves with brakes? Seems unnecessary to the point of being silly, doesn't it? If runners could coast, there'd be some very interesting sportswear.
@@chrisswanson9724 Thank you very much for the answer!
@RollinRat I too would prefer to call it fixed gear but fixie is a convention. I'd point out that there are 3 primary motivations to going fixed. [1] fantasy about the aesthetic beauty and simplicity [see reddit FixedGearBicycle] [2] trick riding often with slide in straps done outdoors with the logical completion in the UCI sport Indoor Cycling [see Viola Brand for its best [youtube]] and [3] riding long or short[errands or commutes]
me: appreciate the simplicity, no tricks, and real distance
Fixie with brakes, the best of both worlds without the risk of dying
I rode mi fixie without brakes for about 6 months and never felt any danger. Stopping with legs is very efficient, and if you are aware you don't have brakes you ride smarter. At the end I put on the front brake because i felt skiding and slowing down with legs was terrible for my knees. It's much more comfortable now.
These bikes are simple, sleek, elegant, light, and tons of fun! How is that ridiculous?
I did exactly the same as Vietmann mentioned - I put a front bake on mine because it was killing my old man knees! I don't ride at crazy speeds anyway, so I can slow down with my legs without having to skid.
After owning and riding a couple of fixed gear bikes, I can't go back to a "normal" bike.
@@vietmann7134 Its illegal in some jurisdictions to ride a bicycle without brakes.
@@bikeman7982 It is illegal in my country, but I never got pulled over by cops while riding. Besides I don't think they would really bother to inspect the bike, and even if they did it'd be pretty easy to talk yourself out of it. Most of them would not give you a ticket, because "its just a bike". Maybe if you pissed them off by doing something utterly stupid in the first place, but then it would be deserved 😅. Then again, I don't know how police around the world deals with such things, I speak only for my lovely country.
That's my set up, front and rear breaks on my Wabi fixed gear. Both brakeless and with brakes is cool if the rider is enjoying cycling, and has enough control to stay safe.
I rode fixed for 6 mos as a commuter and got pretty good at it...track stands, skid stops, all that. I admit there’s something pretty cool about being able to control your speed so directly through your legs and cadence. I kept waiting to feel that fixed gear bliss people go on about, but it never happened. Never being able to coast, plus the risk of pedal strike on tight corners, never made it feel very fun. I switched back to a single speed freewheel and felt completely liberated. My bike actually felt lighter even though I had added the weight of the rear brake back on. To each their own, but fixed gear just wasn’t as fun for me.
Yeah a lot of pedal strikes, I get it. I am not fond of that either. I would that could be avoidable with fixies >___< It's the thinking cyclist's ride and to think you need to slow down. If you can't slow down and analyze and ride defensively then it's pretty crazy.
The two things I like about fixed gear:
- I can road all the way without arms on the handlebars thanks to legs-breaking.
- When I take my road bike, it feels like flying on a cloud when compared to the fixie.
Foot retention is key for a fixed gear... Not just for hopping curbs but by law the rear wheel has to be able to skid..
Fixed gear were originally called "Safety Bikes" following bicycles known as a "Penny Farthing"... Created in Scotland by combining a German Knee Push Scooter with gears & a chain..
I was among the first dozen people to start riding fixed gear in Toronto as a bike messenger, mostly to reduce moving parts that can break.. or be stolen... In the Winter I can always rely that my rear wheel I can slow down with and not have ice causing brakes to slip on rim.. also why I use a disc brake on front, including to reduce rim wear with slippage.. I have recovered from wipeouts on wet round metal manhole covers on the street while turning because the rear wheel is dampened by my legs...
Hills were terrifying when I first began riding without rim brakes, but after a couple weeks I was able to go down hills with no hands and still be able to stop at bottom with clipless pedals..
Riding as a bike messenger it helped when carrying a box on your handlebars so you still have braking ability... I rode for years without rim brakes but after a couple chains breaking I put on a front mechanical disc brake.. It helps to take the edge off when arriving at impromptu red lights... or in an emergency stop situation..
I ride my fixed gear on dirt trails along the Don River in Toronto.. and even do "small" dirt jumps on it...
Fixed gear are great for commuting because it teaches you to slow down for red lights so that they are green by the time you get to them, making your ride more efficient...
They are also great for physio-therapy when you have leg issues or even getting around when you have a broken leg if you take 1 pedal off as I had to do after being smoked by a car....
Legally in Canada you can ride up to 30km an hour on a bicycle if you are drunk.. I guess they figure if you are able to ride 30km an hour then you aren't that drunk.. lol.... having been that drunk crashing into the curb, I agree...
“Ridiculous” A fix gear bike is the purist form of bicycle riding, one gear, bike and rider connected. It’s a thing of beauty that should be enjoyed by all 😎
I bet you drink organic coffee
Iman I bet you ride a specialized that the bike shop built for you
@@npetersen57 Yeah I use a bike that is safe not just for me, but also for other people :)
Surely the purest form of cycling is to remove the drive train fully and ride a hobby horse style bicycle? meaning ... a kick bike would be the modern equivalent of the purest form of cycling?!
Tell that to the Dutch. 🤣 😂
I know nothing about bikes. BUT, watching this video made me realize that my first bike experiences were on an accidental "fixie".
to note: yes i was terrified of riding and yes,, being forced to keep my feet on the pedals (i was like 8, i had no sense of control) left me with a LOT of bruises
I grew up with fixed bikes so the way I would "coast" is by taking my feet off the pedals and just going, then when my bike starts to slow down I would put my fit back on, of course timing it. I also grew up with a little bit of single speed bikes so I would just leave my feet for that, honestly didn't even know its not considered coasting for a fixed gear bike, thought they were interchangeable till last year.
Same thing, at the age of 8 my cheap mount bike was transferred to fixie, accidentally, it supposed to be a single speed.
I didn't understand why the hell I felt off much more than my mates, but also, it gave me a lot of control and few seconds in track stance were damn cool.
I JUST moved from Houston to Chicago, my car got towed and I borrowed a friends bike to get around and now I can’t stop!! Haha I fell in love with cycling by accident and now I’m trying to see if I should buy a Fixie! Great video! Thumbs up 👍
Thank you for this. It's nice to see a perspective on the fixie from a non-cultist, particularly a practical-minded commuter.
I love my fixed gear bike. I honestly find it easier to haul ass on a fixed gear because the pedals provide momentum for your legs to keep pumping, whereas with a freewheel bike, I tend to coast more and it somehow makes me more tired when I start pedaling again. It also provides the same kind of enjoyment as driving a manual transmission. You feel more connected to the bike.
And ... when you climb a steeper road, you are effed. And when you are in a hurry, you are pedaling like a maniac ... you have got a stockholm syndrom going, mate.
Tbh using gears correctly is a skill too, you wanna pump legs on a optimum pedaling speed. Coasting is fun, but wasted energy.
Maybe Fixies are fun to ride, I can totally believe its a unique experience, but efficient they are surely not.
@@termitreter6545Power transfer is more efficient on fixed drivetrain compared to geared bike. Gearing creates some friction, which eats up your pedaling efforts slightly. When you get fixed gear bike to good pedaling cadence, it's actually very efficient.
You don't have foot retention, or a "track bike", which does handle a little snappier and is usually a stiffer frame. Something like a lager does have a more relaxed geometry, which leads itself well to singlespeed. Riding a fixed gear is way more involved and attention grabbing sometimes, especially as you get better at handling the bike. I think singlespeed still is for most people though, it's just a great drivetrain that is very balanced in it's traits.
Tl;dr: high bike mech says it's a manual transmission for bikes
That explains why I'm also that guy who insists on having a manual car in an age where you actually get worse gas mileage with it on average.
It's a no transmission for bikes
You’re such a baby about your feet on pedals while they move... you’re speaking about cycling enthusiasts (“cult of fixie”) as if they’re ridiculous for cycling (foot on pedal, moving) and it makes you sound condescending. It’s a real simple approach to cycling that ANY bike enthusiast should be able to appreciate 🤣 12 years keeping my foot on pedals downhill and I’m still alive man. Toughen up!!!!
You forgot to run the, Shoelace/Pantleg-Caught-in-the-Chain and the Sharp-Corner-at-Speed-Pedal-Strike tests on your fixie. Want to get a real feel for the asphalt? Ride a fixie and do these two things and you'll nearly become one with it... literally.
I’m a very amateur fixie rider but it also feels good for training in a unique way, because of the effort needed to slow down (if you don’t have breaks). It’s also way easier to end up with mangled fingers while working on a fixie, but I have too many good memories in my first fixie to not have one.
Oh, good lord, I would never ride my fixie without pedal clips. And brakes. But I don’t even live in the city. I have a bum knee from a crash, and my fixie helped strengthen that knee enough for me to continue to ride.
Ive got a track frame with the fixed gear and single speed hub. My daily commutes, I use the single speed because commutes are unpredictable and for early morning training rides, I use the fixed gear - less cars.
You also get two types of fixie riders - the ones who scoff at any gearing other than fixed and also ride round shouting swag and dab while doing it.
And the other side who do it purely for the enjoyment of riding a fixed gear which I can appreciate.
Not sure why does every situation have to have a side that thinks they are superior, at the end of the day we all enjoy being on 2 wheels!
Igot what you said but I really find difficult to see fixed gear groups to feel or treat others as if they were superior since fixeds are and were always bullied by literally every other bike type owner except maybe for MTB urban riders. But I can see what you see between fixed gear groups, there's a lot of economical discrimination and it's really absurd since people spending thousands of dollars in fixed gear doesn't realize that in overall performance (and I said this as a day by day fixed gear rider and lover) a track or route bike with a drivetrain will always best you at any time. If you're semi pro or even have a real understanding of bike transmission being able to exploit the relation to get the most of both the startup and top speed while being able to brake without killing yourself it's unmatched and pretty dumb to try to challenge with a single speed/fixed gear.
@@saitamleonidas Hey I ride around on a fixed gear and eat up roadies all the time.
Pretty close to snatching KOMs from some too !
It really depends who is riding.
As for stopping I run a front brake since I like to live and never lose traction on the back wheel.
really enjoyed the video, the way you kept changing the angles and background made it so much more engaging
I'm 45yrs of age, been riding a track bike to commute for at least 15yrs. I run flats with a rear brake,which in the "fixie cult" is blaspheme. But I love it. Do what you like and love it.
Edit: "flats" for me is flat pedals no toe clips or retention system.
I'm 39 and have been riding primarily fixed for 7 years, good to see its not just young guys. I ran flat bars for years, tried some bullhorns to see what the fuss was about and wow, there's no going back. Braking (skidding) is soooooooo much easier and it allows you to change up your hand position.
I'm starting to age I'm 27 and I been riding fixed since I was 17. I have had different types of bars and grips. I came to the conclusion that bullhorns are my favorite. Drop bars are ohk but in a long distance ride they arent the most comfortable. The straight bars or risers are cool for casual riders who arent going the distance.
joey rivera totally agree. Bullhorns make life better. On track, though I'm back on drops.
As long as you don't mind paying for all those replacement rear tires. :)
@@SteveHameister yeah, because skidding preserves the tires like nothing else...
When I really found out how controllable fixies are when I first dared to try doing a skid turn on gravel. The amount of control was ridiculous, I thought that I would've had to balance with some sort of drifting, but alas it was perfectly controllable.
Another thing I found fascinating with riding fixies is how going uphill feels with that minimal energy transfer loss along with wearing cages. With enough force you can just zip uphill and that aforementioned increased control makes it easy to zigzag up the hill to have a smaller climb angle.
The first time trying a fixie the thing that caught my attention was how it had this aspect of kinda surfing the pavement instead of just linearly riding it.
I love all bikes honestly. I mostly ride my fixed gear though because I find it the most stimulating and fun to ride. I gotta say though if you try to ride one like you ride a freewheel bike it will just feel pointless and weird. Even though it sounds a bit juvenile and ridiculous at first glance, if you ride without foot retention and you are relying entirely on hand breaks, you are totally missing the point. When it really comes down to it, the ability to modulate your speed via the pedals is why fixed riding is so fun and intuitive compared to using hand brakes and you really need foot retention for that. (That said, a hand brake is still a good idea for fast stopping rather than just slowing or coming to a stop gradually.) As a lover of bikes, I hope you give riding fixed more of a chance!
If I go back to my school days (we are talking 70 years) I remember seeing fixed wheel bikes from time to time. One chap who had been injured in the war had an artificial leg and couldn’t ride a free wheeling bike because with one leg able to push down the crank would be pushed down and of course it would stay down on a free wheel. A fixed wheel would bring it back up again for him. Another unusual thing about his bike was that the crank that he didn’t use, was free and stayed in the bottom position, so he could place his artificial foot on it without it getting a crack every time the pedal came round.
Thanks for this video! As a non-bike guy all this time I thought fixie was just a cutesy name for a single-speed bike (fixie for fixed, I.e. non-changeable, gear) 🤦♂️
It fixie is not faster. It is a bike, you need to to put in thr effort yourself. You could cicle faster on thr other one too. You just weren't ridiculously forced to keep pedaling at all times.
-Food retention
-Seat position goddamnit it's not a mountain bike
-have only an emergency front brake and it will teach you to ride completely different, have a flow and stuff.
3 years ago went on facebook to get me a single speed bike, bought a fixed gear instead and i have been loving every moment of it. i commute everyday on my bike and it makes boring old work routes a little more fun. a quick tip: try strapping your feet on your pedals. 90% of the control is on your feet. but keep the hand brakes
You would enjoy it more of you put some peddle straps for a more secure, comfy feel plus it will help with stopping, I ride fixed every day and I love it!! 👍 if you love fixed gears
Fixie for life!
The nice thing about a fixie is that you can ride backwards, something some people also like to do on bmx when doing tricks, although they are not fixed, sometimes free drive, but most time you have to pedal backwards with the speed of your setup because of backward freewheel movement, fixies got the same, but more engaging because the bike really pedals backwards...
Something that's really nice at a traffic light when holding balance while moving back and forward a little...
Don't just get stuck with thoughts about moving forward my friend, it makes you miss a lot of what riding fixed is about...
I rode a single geared bike for entirety of my childhood.. although i enjoyed it i also realized it was shit for different terrains.... Few weeks ago a bought a budget geared bicycle & im really happy how versatile it is
Most fixie riders I have ever met were weak riders, dorks, dweebs and dudes who seemed they were compensating for something.
fixie is great when you get used to it, deceleration without breaks is amazing, I ran fixie with both front and back breaks for 10 years, it's a more intense work-out and makes you stronger faster. more break control just always feel connected to the ground. (coasting feels lame and uncomfortable to me(eww cassette,/derailer maintenance f-that)) it's great for strength/ resistance training as you are always moving. I went 250k once in 6 hours. never trained. just always gunned it. snapped many chains. the community is hella whak tho, and people don't know how to drive so I quit biking.
Most of my riding is done in a high density downtown core, rush hour traffic, public transit and pedestrians every and being able stop quickly is of utmost importance so a fixie doesn't make sense. Perfectly happy riding way to fast on a single speed as long as I can hammer on the brakes when needed.
Fun Fact: this is my 2000 liked video. Good job 👍
I raced bikes (road, mt. bike, gravel) for 25 years. Later in life I discovered fixies. Loved the challenge and the fun. Never raced fixies but did start doing longer rides, centuries, TOMRV, RAGBRAI days on my fixie. Use clip-in road pedals. Now at 72 the only riding I do is fixed gear.
Fixies are great for dense moving traffic because you can make minor speed adjustments by resisting the pedals.
I can do thatw ith my pedals by NOT pedalling. And my tapping the brakes!
In traffic you have more control on the fixie and yes, after 23 years I’m a member of the fixie cult. On another note, there’s no relationship between a fixie and a single speed.
Nice video! I’ve been riding fixed for 12 years....you should be using straps or toe clips....foot retention is key...it will help you stop faster and pedal faster because your upstroke adds to your speed...if you try it again you will probably be even happier with your ride
what's a foot retention? i'm just a newbie and trying to get into biking and im in a dilemma between gravel bike and fixie since i'm in a city that doesn't have much hills and maybe rarely do long distance trips using bicycle, what would you recommend?
@@whoami724y just keeps your feet on the pedals :) helps with stopping and your stroke benefits from both pulling and pushing …you have an up stroke and a down stroke with clips…or straps …this helps you go faster ..if you didn’t have anything to hold you in you only have a down stroke and that’s really more for coasting and casual biking
There are a few things You missed
The 1st: You have to have straps on your fixie. You don't have the full control on your bike without them
The 2nd: When You ride down the hill on fixed gear, it is possible to ride too fast to keep pedaling. Here comes the skidding. It's a way of breaking on a fixie, also if You are going to fast, You can always use Your brakes (if You are keeping them on you ficed grear, imo it's a good idea)
An the 3rd, the most important one: God damn WEAR A HELMET, I don't really like your opinion about fixed gear bikes but still don't want You to loose your life
I grew up riding old fixed gears with no hand brakes before I had any idea that other types of bikes existed. Very dangerous contraptions, can remember many times having my feet fly off the pedals, then trying to match my leg speed to the pedals to regain control only to slip off and suffer either smashed shins or hit the back of my leg and drive your feet into the dirt peeling you off the bike😂
I didn't use to understand it either, but I got my fixie and two weeks later I was totally hooked. Now I have two months riding everyday, and sometimes I love to just stop somewhere safe and stand on a single spot as long as I can, with my feet strapped on the pedals. My balanced has improved a lot, I can stand still a few minutes without falling
My impression of fixies was that they are Hard to ride in the city. It takes a specific skill to brake one, by hopping the rear wheel and counter-rotating. Messengers take a certain pride in this.They think this makes it less attractive to steal.
Big thing getting used to fixed. Foot retention really helps. Something about it just makes it a more connected experience. I know I’m influencing the cult like following. But it really really helps with speed controls
It's been decades since I rode a "fixee" at all, and I did for a few weeks in Chicago, in my teens. It's faster because it quickly tells you how much energy you are wasting if you aren't actually pushing on the pedals, especially if you tend to struggle against them, in a "zen kind of way", and you have to learn how to always take the right cut in a turn because you must pedal, and it improves your line of travel. It's probably kind of crazy, but back in the seventies, when I was riding one, we did use clips and straps. At the time, in my teens, I had an older friend who rode one, and lent it, along with rollers, to try training with, so got comfortable on the rollers, and then crashed a few times on the street, and went back to my actual "ten speed". I'm putting one together now, over the next weeks, just for fun, and to make use of some spare parts laying around, going stale. Well, gone stale decades ago. Thanks, I enjoyed your perspective.
Fixed in traffic is just unsafe in my experience. Riding fixed on the track is another thing.
Fixed gear is not for everyone.
@@silentcyclist Unfortunately, many of those who ride fixed gear seem to regard it as some kind of religion. One where personal reponsibilities and brakes are forbidden and only the chosen few can reach a zen like state with the bike. Fixed gear isn't the pinnacle of cycling, nor is it ideal in all circumstances... any more than BMX, MTB or Cruiser bikes are.
@@another3997 Fixed gear is an ideal transportation for me. I do have a mountain bike and a road bike, but I don't ride them anymore. Fixed gear is not a religion, but it changed my life and the way I look the way I look at it. I respect other cyclists, and there is nothing wrong with having mtb or bmx, I respect all riders with pedals.
I used to be a bike shop manager. Fixie Cultists are always telling ANYONE that practicing on a fixie bike; 1 is the quickest way to maximize your efficiency on a pedal stroke, and 2 is the best way to improve handling. First point, I agree 100%, as long you're clipped in, you'll get rid of unnecessary movements on the first ride. Second point, that's the piece that takes time, and definitely comes with a grain of salt.
Ride what you like, ride fast, and ride safe, friends.
Even though I love riding fixed on the road, riding MTB offroad will do more to improve your bike handling skills IMO.
Also you need foot retension to experience the full fixed gear experience so i think fixedgears are amazing if you know how to ride them
Part of it was that I thought I was going to crash the whole time, and that gave me a thrill.
Fixed is so much fun. Braking by hopping on the back wheel, track stand at lights. Low maintenance. Absolutely awesome
Yeah, because the maintenance on a regular road bike is such a killer.
If you brake a lot, brakeless fixie eats chains like crazy!
how about going downhill, looking like a clown when you lift your feet or all the skids that kill your tire.....
@@PavKar308 you can put your legs on the frame and breaking little bmx trick "footjam" if you need
@@PavKar308 but if on your mind "how i look on my bike?" You stay clown on any bike you are use
Been riding a fixed gear all summer for the first time and my favorite thing after a long ride is jelly legging (with pedal straps) while going down a long hill, it feels good in a runner's high sort of way. Otherwise I just like the challenge, it makes me want to ride more. Not quite brakeless yet, but getting there.
Just discovered this channel as an everyday bike rider I love this
My first real bike is a fixed gear (it’s actually a Fuji tarck bike) and I just like the looks of it. Fixed makes it easier to ride really slowly through crowded seconds, and there are way less mechanical issues over the long run. They’re also easier to work on, and are naturally fast and fun.
The downside is that they are more tiring to use, especially on long rides.
But the benefit as a trainer for a good spin technique is really nice as I coast much less often than other roadies.
I challenge you over them being more tiring over long rides. I have done several over 100m on geared and fixed. The geared bikes are a bit quicker, but my legs have felt less knackered on the fixed by the end of the ride. Climbing some of the hills has been a bit lung busting at times, but lungs (mine at least) recover much more quickly than muscles! Gear selection is all. On a long ride I would choose a 69" or 66" gear depending on the severity of the hills to be encountered. Clearly on long mountain ascents (and descents!) a fixie is not a sensible choice though.
Hopping a curb on a fixie without a helmet... and you ask in another video if not wearing a helmet "makes you an idiot".
Thanks for being so honest.
Great look at these two aspects. I enjoy both modes.
One more benefit to Full fixed - Theft Prevention !
If so, I bet you'd get a kick out of seeing Track races @ full fixed gear.
My kids raced Velo for 2 seasons & I raced with them.
Track racing is crazy fun, blindingly fast & it's own little universe !
We raced at the outdoor 333m Concrete Alkek Velodrome / Houston.
There are only 20 or so in the USA but you could have one locally ?
Cheers - David in East Texas
We do have an old-school outdoor concrete track, and it's surprisingly fun to ride. I'm not much of a racer, but it's intriguing.
@@Shifter_Cycling
Awesome. Which Velodrome ?
My son raced @ US Olympic Trials in 2015 @ the Olympic Velodrome in Carson Ca.
It's a steep banked 250m Indoor one. Extremely different feel. Polished Siberian hardwood.
Minimum speed 17 mph in corners or you slide down embarrassingly...
I had a homeless guy bring my cinelli back to get his bike because he couldn't ride it.
Many soviet bikes were something in between- the pedals are not directly connected but you brake by pedalling backwards
Ahh yeah, coaster brakes. Also super popular in North America
I have been watching your Channel for a few Years now and Happy because of that!!!!!!
Cleat your shoes and you'll learn how to really ride a fixed gear (strap ons are authorized for the beginning, but pls don't ride fixed without a mean to attach your feets to the pedals… But you're on the good way ;)
just some points for our consideration:
1- it doesn't take 1 or 2 days to get to know (with your body) what's the point in not to coast, and how you can do it without effort. yes, without! it's a whole new perspective to build and it takes time. u'll find out that you can stop pedaling - what u can't do is stop spinning. they are not the same ;)
2- with time u'll learn the limitations of your bike in things like "how much i can let it go as i'm going down this hill?" (of course it depends on your ratio). you'll learn to go downhill as you keep your speed without going crazy and losing control (btw, did you ever notice before the speed you are directly in your legs? that's something the spinning gives to you)
3- the way we learn to ride shape our bias on what's strange. that said, fixed wheel it's just different.
whats "fundamentally absurd" is the buzz on "what is better" question - even more if u ignore your context bias to get an generalized answer...
if you ride a fixed gear for 2 months and try a single, you will feel something very interesting... (and later if you keep riding both maybe the way you cycle will improve a lot)
4- there's no use calling the use of a fixed gear in a city a cult when you absolutely ignore bike messengers who do 8+ hours a day and choose to do it with a fixie. right there is some old knowledge... way before it's became fashion-commodity and an instagram trend
5- there's something kind of curious about calling fixied gear a cult and at the same time ignoring the fact that single-speeds with flip-flop hubs came huge into the market exactly surfing the fixed-fashion wave... could we separate the cult of fixie gears from the cult of its aesthethics?
Do they say ash-phalt in Canada or am I hearing things 🤔
well, I know how to say it. but I do hear a lot of people say it like that ha
Couldn’t un hear it
I think the big allure of the fixie is that it's the simplest most minimalistic bike possible. No gears no brakes. And I think there's a certain logic to that because honestly the gears and brakes are the most maintenance heavy items on any bike. It just seems like something is always needing tuned or replaced. I mean obviously there are major drawbacks, but I think that mostly depends on where and how you ride. If you live in a city where everything is super flat and you never go more than like maybe 15mph, the fixie does make a lot of sense. Especially from a financial perspective since gears and brakes are usually the most expensive components of the bike.
The biggest appeal of a fixed gear drivetrain is arguably more important than any other aspect of riding: it's FUN!!! I don't want mine to have fenders and a heavy rack, so I reserve it for particularly nice days. But it's certainly my favorite bike to ride around town.
When the pedal is pushing you along, it's like a coach encouraging you to go further/farther and I love that. Always there, encouraging you. Don't. Stop. Don't Stop. And you imagine being a messenger or someone who HAS TO DO CYCLING FOR MONEY you actually might feel down and out sometimes. And a little devil on your shoulder to keep you going ain't a bad thing.
So yeah.
And I get it, it is kinda silly having to leave feet off the pedals in a panic going down-hill, but I think that's why I actually have fantastic hand brakes installed--even on a fixie. So that is just a tad bit less of a problem and honestly SILLYNESS IS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR AND BEST BUDS OF FUN. It's goofy and therefore it's fun! :)
My take on single-speed? I would go for it, if it was like the island cruiser I had as a kid, where if you reverse the pedals, it acts as a brake, then okay. That's kinda cool. And island cruisers are very much about chill'n and going no where fast and so single-speed is perfect for that. But I look at the messengers trying to make bank so they don't get evicted and I get what they are going through and they'll happily take a possessed set of lil-devil/life-coach pedals over a set of life-less single-speed pedal!!
Another way to look at it, I think if you cycle a ton (like a kid who is still very passionate about cycling--fixies would totally rock--but if you are a casual gamer who hardly ride--you'll forget all the eccentricities of a fixie every time you dismount and it'll be another frustration getting back on the saddle. So if you ride a lot--fixies might for you. If you hardly ride--keep it casual and avoid fixies.
I love fixed gear for commuting. I ride a fixed gear road bike with both front and rear brakes. The main reason I like fixed is it let's you control your speed with your legs, instead of with brakes. The other advantage is that having one speed (I always commuted on geared bikes before) creates a muscle memory for speed that you don't get with geared bikes. These two things make a fixed gear awesome for riding in traffic. Fixed gear rules for winter riding - I literally rode uphill on ice this past winter. I've been a year-round bike commuter in cities for 35 years and switched to fixed about 18 months ago. If you are comfortable riding fixed, I honestly believe they are the best for commuting in the city.
Good insights. But an important aspect of fixed gear is learning to pedal smoothly at higher rpm without bouncing on the saddle. If you are going to "spin out" -- not able to keep your feet on the pedals -- then use the front brake to slow yourself down. Taking feet off the pedals is not something you ever want to do. Regarding pedals, in my experience, the most challenging aspect of fixed-gear is simply mounting up and getting going. Particularly if you will be doing short-hauls with stops and starts, pedal straps can be a problem both when starting -- you will always have to strap into one pedal that is moving -- and stopping. Really skilled fixed-gear riders learn to use such pedals to advantage but others would be well-advised to start with a simple platform.
One thing that has occurred to me - what if they made a fixie with a clutch? You'd have a lever on the handlebars where the rear brake lever would go on a normal bike, and it would operate just like a normal fixie until you squeezed the lever, whereupon the wheel would be completely disconnected from the pedals so you could coast.
I can see two problems with this though. First, and most important, if you were coasting at high speed and suddenly let go of the lever you could be hurt. You'd have to gently ease up on the lever to avoid that. Secondly, the fixie purists would hate it because it would be at odds with their minimalist philosophy.
In any case, I think I'll stick to my good old fashioned utility bikes for now.
I predict a few fights when the post-covid masses start cycling more and certain cyclist snobs overstep their mark on common manners.
Only roadie bikers will be the ones being douchebags as they already are douchebags (most, but not all). Wanna interact with normals? Talk to the MTB crowd.
@RollinRat and no one cares about YOUR shop
I used to ride a single speed coaster brake bike. I just didn't feel comfortable with no other type of bike because one time the old style rubber hand brake pads let me down, and I landed at the hospital. I wasn't seriously hurt, but it was enough to need evaluated. Never again, would I step on a bike with nothing but coaster brakes. Then I discovered a more modern bike with disc brakes, they're very comparable to coaster brakes. The risk factor of pedaling a single speed bike for too long over a period of years is developing knee arthritis. If you develop arthritis, you should immediately switch to a multi speed ebike. If you have knee arthritis, you should listen to your knees if they start feeling discomfort or even pain if you ride too long, even on an ebike. Although riding is much easier than walking, you can still overdo it even on an easy E bike, even on the lower settings. Once you've tried an easier to ride bike, a single speed manual bike is awful! Of course, in a pinch, you'll probably still ride one if you absolutely have to, because riding is so much easier than walking anyday. Looking back now I won't ride a single speed manual bike ever again as long as I can avoid it. I know that if I ever have to, though, I can be thankful it's there, but as long as I have something better, I'll use that over something not so good.
Yeah single and fixed are cool until you got 50 miles and 10th hills @9% grade to go!!!
That's apart of all cycling you baby.
What makes riding a fixie great is when you ride clipped in or with clippless shoes. Then you can do skids and you really feel that control
I don’t know about fixed being faster on the street, on my single speed I can go nuts. On my fixed, I don't have breaks so I can't go all out. I have to judge when and where to skid etc. Definitely get straps for your single and fixed. Makes life easier
jimmy goody Locked up? That’s a bit extra. I would have thought a hefty fine or something and no insurance payout, but locked up? Wow
Fixed wheel is faster, because of the added weight of the freewheel.
@@damonthomas8955 You own weight fluctuates more through the day than is the difference between freewheel and fixed cog
Get some damn brakes then. You don't HAVE to use them.
You're bound to go a bit faster if your bike has no brakes.
You can really feel the asphalt and the kinetic energy of the collisions better when you have no way of slowing down during your accidents.
Foot retention and the ability to pay attention to what you're doing is all you need. It's not that difficult nor scary
@@TheBlackestMessiah Some people feel they need a front brake because in an emergency stop that's the wheel the weight shifts to and where you can obtain rapid braking. Who drives a car without front wheel brakes? It wouldn't even be considered roadworthy.
i love fixies but maybe it is because i‘m a unicyclist 😀👌🏻
I'm 68 and have been riding fixed almost exclusively for about 20 years. I have platform pedals without straps but never take my feet off the pedals on downhills. I also have front and rear brakes. The place where I pass non fixed bikes is when I hit a short downhill like an underpass of a cross street. The other bike slows because they coast on the downhill whereas I continue pedaling on the fixed and pass them. I don't feel right riding a bike where I can coast.
Used to ride fixed gear as a kid around San Francisco. No brakes of course. Large reason was I was a broke college kid, and with a fixie there's basically no maintenance or parts to replace. You slow down on a fixie more than you 'brake'. There shouldn't really be a time when you have to skid to a stop, but if you ever need to then there are ways to do it. Biking in the city you usually just slow waiting for traffic. The bombing down a hill and skidding isn't really practical, though you gotta do it at least once!
So funny to hear "fixie" said seriously. In Canada we call them fixed gear. "Fixie" sounds like some hip and silly teenage slang term. Great video and authentic exploration of these riding styles. I've been flip flopping between free and fixed for 15 years. I still can't decide. My vote is free in winter, fixed in summer.
I grew up with fixed bikes so the way I would "coast" is by taking my feet off the pedals and just going, then when my bike starts to slow down I would put my fit back on, of course timing it. I also grew up with a little bit of single speed bikes so I would just leave my feet for that, honestly didn't even know its not considered coasting for a fixed gear bike, thought they were interchangeable till last year. So I think when I look for bikes I won't care about the gears, anything you can do on a single speed bike you can do it on a fixed gear bike, just got to learn how. But I do understand why people would be so divided on something like this but for me I just don't care, a bike is a bike.
31 seconds faster on one 50+ minute ride and your ready to make a conclusion? Id like to see more data. That kind of disregard for the scientific method would’ve even hold up in an elementary school science fair.
what ur missing is that u need to be clipped or strapped to the pedals to get the "fixie experience". This goes double for pedal breaking,
Expecting people to pop in and start talking about skidding for fun anytime now. LOL
Right here bud! Skidzzzzz fo dayzzzzzz!
What’s ridiculous is trying to ride a fixed gear without any kind of foot retention!
Watching the pedals pinwheeling as you bombed down that hill was nerve wracking!
For those who really aren't experienced with bikes to commute the fixie might be a problem, you have to understand the bycicle to ride it. About the "feet off the pedal on downhills", the main "thing" about riding a fixie is the control you have, so if you're going downhill, you control the speed and you can skid to slow doan, in order to do that you must understand the basic physics haha. i wear foot straps to ride my fixie but I reckon that without them it would be ridiculous to rike it.
There is another benefit of a fixed gear bike. Winter cycling. It avoids loss of power when the flywheel disengages in cold weather (minus 20 degrees Celsius).
When I was younger and had to balance training, working, and racing I used to use a fixie for training purposes. Now that I'm older I find that I spend nearly all my time on single speeds and fixies. I love them both and ride the one that best suits my mood. I'm not sure why I still have a road bike because I can't remember the last time I rode it. The simplicity of SS/fixies just make exploring a cityscape so enjoyable.