Fixie bikes are more for experienced riders, they are difficult because the pedal keeps moving (rotating, the danger is if you are not careful and remove your feet from the pedal, it will swing back and come back and smack you in the back of the calf, plus if you are cooking it takes some doing to get your feet back on the pedals. and true fixies have no brakes. You've got to skid to stop or work the pedals with reverse force.
vs.
Misnomver "Single speed" mistakenly called Fixie by marketing companies from Walmart and the like, calling them Fixies while they are only Single speed.
What is single speed?, like an 18-speed or other they have a sprocket that lets you coast and makes that bearing ticking sound. Except you can't shift because there are no gears or derailer. you can just coast.
I would buy the Wal-mart bike in a heart beat. And here's why.
It depends on you. Ask yourself some basic questions.
How often do you ride?
Where do you ride?
Where do you plan to ride?
Is your riding competitive?
is your riding for fun/pleasure/casual/ or hobbyist?
What level are you at?
For me here is how I answer those question.
I have a car for distance. But I'm an avid rider street and lifestyle rider with my 10 year old son.
I ride to work, Wal-mart (no pun intended), post office, bank, grocery store; local restaurants, (my bike has a basket in back for groceries-I hang the rest of grocery bags from the handle bar); I ride to the park where I do my jogging, and living in LA I love to do the Cyclavia that LA City has every few months, where they shut down ALL the downtoan LA streets for certain road paths for 8 miles. No cars allowed, only bikes, it's a blast, families, all types of people and riders come out. I throw my bike in the back of the pickup and drive to the nearest location, park and go riding.
That said, I'm more of a lifestyle bike rider, not competitive, I have three bikes, my main one, and two backups, in case I get flats or something.
That said, I usually know where all the bike shops are along my path, and keep spare tubes, air pump, patches on my bike, it's also setup for night riding. I have 5 or six front head lights, two are as bright as cars, and about 4 rear blinking red lights, you can never have enough lights at night, DO NOT just have one front light and one rear if you have to ride at night.
I also rigged lights on my helmet, 4 in front that turn with me when I turn my head, and one rear red blinking light.
My bike has lights in the wheel, on the basket, and everywhere, it's called "going Disco" like the disco dancing lights. I'm lit up like a Christmas tree at nights, LOL no joke. I practice law, so everyone in my neighbor hood knows me as the attorney on a bike in my area.
SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY, you are a 150-200 lb human, on a 50-75 lb bike against 3000 lb cars. At night, helmet, lights, action. You can't have enough lights at night, front and rear on bike and on your helmet.
and you will inevitably get a flat, have a spare inner tube, patch kit, keep that in a pouch behind your seat, 2 water bottles and a collapsible air pump.
For this type of riding, I would say the Walmart $99 bucks is perfect as a back up or main bike. You get what you pay for, and it's cheap but dependable, it doesn't have a derailer or fancy parts that can break.
It will probably out last you, most riders, ride for a little bit. And hang up their bike and give up.
Ultimately, you get what you pay for, and you can't beat this price, $99 for what it will do, you will save bundles in gas, if you can just get out of your car for even just a little bit. Plus the other advantage when riding like to shop is, you ride right up to the door and cable lock it on some railing and go in. No parking or trying to find parking and walking from parking spot to shop.
Just remember, ride defensively, there are stupid drivers out there, who are inattentive (talking or texting on their cell phone while driving, and God forbid they nail you), I ride on the side walk when ever I can. My city permits it, WHY? because you will notice 99% of the time the sidewalks are empty.
Plus the streets are scary because the cars are just as scared of hitting you and being liable as you are of being hit. It's especially scary when a BUS or an 18-wheeler Semi goes by. Thus I stay OFF the streets unless I absolutely have to, especially when with my kids. plus IN parts of LA, there are a network of Riverbed trails and Storm washes that allow riders on the paved paths that border these storm drains.
The laws need to be changed to allow riding on the sidewalk to share that with pedestrians, rather than cars. No ONE pedestrian has ever been killed in a hit and run by a biker. Unlike bikers being hit and run by a car and killed numerous times on the road. You've undoubtedly read about it in newspapers on heard about that.
Plus in certain cities you can google a direction and select Bike; and it will give you the alternate bike path that is not on the streets.
And invest in a good helmet. What I do is try to find a next size up helmet that will fit over my baseball rider cap. If you ride during the summer, sweat will pour over your eyes, and the cap or a head band will catch that.
Just remember and invest in a GOOD cable lock, make sure cable is as thick as your thumb. I've had two bikes stolen using cheap locks.
Also, Invest in a good comfortable wide jell filled seat. Not all riders are young and fit. Plus if you're a man the wider comfortable seat prevents such things as hernia or impotence because of the narrow seats.
The only complaint I have is the front brakes are weak. On any bike now adays to prevent accidents, you WANT FRONT DISC BRAKES, just like the bigger siblings cars and motorcycles, YOU WANT to stop on a dime to prevent getting hit or a hit a ditch. If you hit water puddles or get caught in the rain, or some sand or gravel, it's treacherous.
I've yet to find a (cheap) inexpensive Single-speed-fixie that has front disc breaks, or even the holes for the caliper where I can upgrade.
I can't even find front forks that have it, plus the front wheel has to have the adapter for the disc.
I would be willing to get a Walmart $99 single speed, and upgrade the FRONT disc breaks, The front is all you need, because that's where all your stopping powers is.
Then lastly you might want to invest in a trailer hitch and bike rack. I don't like the bike racks that go on top of my car, getting the bike up and down is a pain in the buttocks, so I got a trailer hitch and bike rack. plus the top car bike rack just ruins the aerodynamics of the car and mileage, you can feel the bikes on top just pushing against the air on the freeway.
That's my three cents.
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