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Fixed Gear Bicycles

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edro

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
Our bike rack at work had a new bike in it this week.
It is an IRO Cycles frame, fixed gear, without brakes, with cage pedals.

When you back pedal, the rear wheel spins backwards. (same as pedaling forward)

How the heck could you ride something like that?
Your feet would always be moving.
No coasting.
No quick stopping.

Is this a certain type of setup? Does it have a name?
Most fixed gear bikes I have seen can at least coast without pedaling.

Can a bike person fill in some terminology?
 
K

KMc

Golden Member
Jan 26, 2007
1,149
0
76
I have one that I use for training in the off season. Helps to keep my spin at high rpm smooth. Also makes for some killer training rides in the hills. But I have a front brake on mine. Your ability to do a quick stop without some sort of brake is pretty much negated. Not a good choice as a commuter without brakes.
 
edro

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
Originally posted by: Sabot
This is the new hipster trend in Toronto.
Click to expand...
Ah, that makes sense. Sheldon's site says it is a trend in NYC too.
The rider of this bike is definitely "hip".
 
K

KMc

Golden Member
Jan 26, 2007
1,149
0
76
Originally posted by: edro
Originally posted by: Sabot
This is the new hipster trend in Toronto.
Click to expand...
Ah, that makes sense. Sheldon's site says it is a trend in NYC too.
The rider of this bike is definitely "hip".
Click to expand...

Well with no brakes and only cage pedals, he'll be lucky if he can keep from breaking a hip, or at least giving it a nice case of road rash.
 
Capt Caveman

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Originally posted by: KMc
Originally posted by: edro
Originally posted by: Sabot
This is the new hipster trend in Toronto.
Click to expand...
Ah, that makes sense. Sheldon's site says it is a trend in NYC too.
The rider of this bike is definitely "hip".
Click to expand...

Well with no brakes and only cage pedals, he'll be lucky if he can keep from breaking a hip, or at least giving it a nice case of road rash.
Click to expand...

Not if you know how to ride a bike.
 
dainthomas

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,935
3,914
136
Portland tried to require fixies to have at least a handbrake. Some people even got tickets, but I think they were dismissed after the hippies flipped out.

I couldn't care less if some smelly hippie can stop his bike. Worst case scenario: a minor dent in my truck and one less hippie. OK with me.
 
T

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Fixed gear bicycles are the bike equivalent of running Linux on your computer. They're mostly for masochist uber-geeks who want to show off, and have no practical purpose.

Look at me! I'm cooler because I choose inconvenience for no reason!
 
scott916

scott916

Platinum Member
Mar 2, 2005
2,906
0
71
Fixies are all the fuckin' rage in Sacramento. Hipsters think they're the second coming and ride them everywhere with those stupid little small brim skull caps and calf tattoos. It's funny, POS old road bikes painted funny colors and converted to fixies command 5 times as much cash on craigslist as they would've if they had gears.
 
D

DrVos

Golden Member
Jan 31, 2002
1,085
0
0
Originally posted by: scott916
Fixies are all the fuckin' rage in Sacramento. Hipsters think they're the second coming and ride them everywhere with those stupid little small brim skull caps and calf tattoos. It's funny, POS old road bikes painted funny colors and converted to fixies command 5 times as much cash on craigslist as they would've if they had gears.
Click to expand...

Amen to that. Hipsters and their fixies are everywhere. Singlespeed in Sacramento I can understand, that's what I ride....but riding fixed without brakes in traffic? Idiots.
 
L

LS21

Banned
Nov 27, 2007
3,745
1
0
theyre really good for city riding, because youre in a small range of speed, so more than 1 gearing ratio is not required. biggest benefit is slow speed control because you can slow down by applying back pressure or resisting forward pedal... its actually much more natural than a "normal" bike... imagine when you're walking on foot, and to slow down you have to trigger an external button or lever - unnatural
 
Abe Froman

Abe Froman

Golden Member
Dec 14, 2004
1,064
11
81
My old roommate lives in Chicago, and I fly there to see him every few months. The bike messengers and hipsters have been riding fixed gear in Chicago for a couple years. If you can coast, it's a single speed, if you cannot coast, then it's a fixie.

His roommate has one (hipster) and he told me that some of the really expensive bikes can be one speeds OR fixed gear bicycles. It hasn't really taken off here, everyone rides beach cruiser. But some of the cruisers are fixed gears, not many, but some.
 
Capt Caveman

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: rdubbz420
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html
Click to expand...

Wow, that guy's an idiot.
Click to expand...

Not even close. Sheldon Brown was the man.
rose.gif
RIP
 
E

Eeezee

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
9,922
0
76
Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Originally posted by: KMc
Originally posted by: edro
Originally posted by: Sabot
This is the new hipster trend in Toronto.
Click to expand...
Ah, that makes sense. Sheldon's site says it is a trend in NYC too.
The rider of this bike is definitely "hip".
Click to expand...

Well with no brakes and only cage pedals, he'll be lucky if he can keep from breaking a hip, or at least giving it a nice case of road rash.
Click to expand...

Not if you know how to ride a bike.
Click to expand...

That's just stupid. Having at least a front brake is important, even if you've got monster legs and can back pedal like a champ.
 
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