Talk to me about fixed gears

As someone who has put 4000+ miles on a fixie this year, I guess that makes me the poster child for these things.

They’re fun to ride! I got back to riding fixie to get a bit more of a workout with my 15 mile commute. I had so much fun with it that I really don’t ride my other bikes that often.

I’ve seen lots of different incarnations of fixies. I’ve got 4 different incarnations: 1) Surly steamroller as a beater with fenders. I can ride it in virtually any weather; 2) Surly Troll with a rack up front for panniers if I need to haul stuff; 3) Big Pink is my bike for long rides… though I’ve been using it for commuting lately too; and 4) Mountain bike which is really fun on trails, in the mountains and around town.

Many talk about how they’re easier to care for. Many use them as an expression of style. I guess I do that too… with Big Pink at least. There certainly is a fixie culture in DC. I don’t do so much with that… except that I photograph, observe and comment.

If I were starting on a fixie for the first time, I might try something with flat bars. You don’t need to cut them down super narrow… maybe a little more narrow than a mountain bike since you may not need the width for honking up steep hills. All of my fixies are drop bars except for the mountain bike. I basically set them up like road bikes… same saddle height, bar height and width.

I hope that helps a little.

Pete

@americancyclo 20693 wrote:

More importantly, who has one in/around 60cm that I can try to ride!?

Mine are probably a little tall for you, sir. I just found out that the seatpost and frame on Big Pink have become one. I don’t really want to take any measures to extract it until the end of the month since that is the bike that I’m using for Total200. Everything is right on the bike at the moment, I don’t want to mess it up. I could probably set up the troll as something you can mess around with.

@Dirt 20704 wrote:

Great question. I have absolutely no answer for you in general terms. I can list some of the reasons I love it.

I like that I’m much more in touch with the terrain that I’m riding. Hills take a little more planning and technique.. both going up them and down them. I like the simplicity. I enjoy the challenge.

I like that many, if not most fixie riders have put their bikes together themselves. For some, that is a matter of necessity… the bike gets put together from parts cast-off or left over from other bikes. For others it is a matter of building a bike that does exactly what you want it to be… functionally, personality-wise or both. I guess that’s as close to the fixie culture as I really get.

Ultimately YOU are the one that needs to decide if it is fun for you or not. It really isn’t for everyone. Test ride one. Borrow one. If you’re bold and have the ability, build one.

Thanks! First rational answer to that question. Of course, it’s the first time I’ve asked.

@jrenaut 20710 wrote:

We’d each have to grow a foot taller.

Sorry. It would be a lot easier if I were human-sized.

@baiskeli 20714 wrote:

Thanks! First rational answer to that question. Of course, it’s the first time I’ve asked.

I’m rarely accused of being rational, so this is a unique honor for me. Thanks!

The only other thing that puts it in perspective for me as to why fixies are fun is to think in other terms: Why is golf fun? Tennis? Yoga? Hot dog eating contests? The answer to those completely depends on the individual. The answers to all of the above may be “They’re not fun.”

Rock on, y’all!

@baiskeli 20715 wrote:

You could simply not shift on your current bike, I presume.

You need to have the cassette sufficiently rusted to the hub so you can’t coast.