Fixies-what the hell is up with this trend?

[eaalto]

Fixed gear bikes have a greater mechanical advantage. Similar to the difference in wheel horse power between a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission asopposed to an automatic transmission, fixed gear has fewer moving parts, and thus less power robbing friction. There is just the front crank, the rear gear,and the chain. You get more pure power from each pedal stroke. In a standard 30 speed road bike, sure, you have a larger variety of gears, but you also have alot more moving parts. The chain runs through derailleurs, and there are at least 2 extra chain rings that do absolutely nothing for delivering power, theyhelp to guide the chain. The more contact the chain has with moving parts as it travels to turn the gears, the less power it delivers. If you look at the rearcassette and rear derailleur, you can see two small gears. Those rob power. In the exact same gear ratio, a fixed gear will be easier to power than a roadbike. In this drive train, it's simple and efficient.

There is such a thing as a free-coasting rear hub, so you have themechanical advantage of the single speed system, and the comfort of coasting from time to time. Doesn't need to be fixed gear. And as for hills, themechanical advantage is huge. It's easier to power through a higher gear ratio, thus easier to power up hill. Fixed gears usually climb hills easier than30 speed road bikes.

 

[mecks]

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional +@% lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottleon back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes anywhere

 

[kicktionair]

Originally Posted by MECKS

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional +@% lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottle on back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes

Seriously?

Where do you stay at? Cause Ive seen these in L.A (Downtown area) for a while now and recently the phase seems to have started dying out.....

I still see kids riding them but the popularity is def on the decline unless they come back in the Summer

 

[boys noize]

Why are people so salty about things they don't understand or aren't into themselves? They're bikes, you guys sound silly as hell.

 

[cwrite78]

Originally Posted by MECKS

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional +@% lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottle on back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes anywhere

all over downtown LA...but it's usually dudes that make deliveries to offices and such. only place ive seen 'em tho

 

[soltheman]

I'm gonna convert my current bike into a fixie come spring. its gonna have a coasting hub though. i need to coast so i can text.

 

[boys noize]

Originally Posted by soltheman

I'm gonna convert my current bike into a fixie come spring. its gonna have a coasting hub though. i need to coast so i can text.

That would be a single-speed, not a fixie.

 

[nash]

Originally Posted by MECKS

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional +@% lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottle on back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes anywhere

Where you stay at? Cause anywhere there are white people in LA, there are fixies

 

[its that dude]

even the lil gangsters in LA have fixies

 

[soltheman]

Originally Posted by Boys Noize

Originally Posted by soltheman

I'm gonna convert my current bike into a fixie come spring. its gonna have a coasting hub though. i need to coast so i can text.

That would be a single-speed, not a fixie.

blame it on the goose.

but yeah. that $+*.

my legs are gonna be on swoll at the end of summer

 

[doosta45]

Originally Posted by MECKS

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional !++ lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottle on back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes anywhere

what part of LA you stay in? i see dudes on these in long beach all the time. go to any socal university and youll see plenty. hell i even seensome dudes on florence/crenshaw riding they bikes.


fyi, these bikes arent commuter bikes or made for long distances. and your supposed to have brake.

 

[justinvincent]

Originally Posted by doosta45

fyi, these bikes arent commuter bikes or made for long distances. and your supposed to have brake.

True they are originally intended for the track [velodrome]. You can definitely commute and ride long distance with them, it may not be the most efficient butits definitely do-able. I know people that do 50+ miles on their fixed gear.

 

[bijald0331]

Originally Posted by MECKS

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional +@% lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottle on back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes anywhere

WHAT PART OF LA YOU IN??? WHAT PART??

 

[eaalto]

Originally Posted by justinvincent

Originally Posted by doosta45

fyi, these bikes arent commuter bikes or made for long distances. and your supposed to have brake.

True they are originally intended for the track [velodrome]. You can definitely commute and ride long distance with them, it may not be the most efficient but its definitely do-able. I know people that do 50+ miles on their fixed gear.

I did a 100 mile ride on my road bike back in October, and there were 2 guys on my team that road a full century in a day on their fixed gear bicycles. Thebikes are capable of any kind of distance, it's up to the endurance of the user. How is it any different than a normal road bike down a 100 mile flat?It's easier to ride the same gear ratio in a fixed gear than it is in a road bike. If the user has the endurance, any distance is possible.

 

[miketysonthekiller]

Fixies look like fun.

 

[spidermachine916]

are they for professional cyclists?

 

[platanohead22]

Originally Posted by nosepiker

I stay seeing these dudes rockin the vans authentics with the jeans rolled up

It's like a uniform for them.

This. or ripped jeans from the knees down, like this lame.

Random dude I found online that's part of their "biking clique" at school. funny to see almost all of them wearing the same thing.

 

[ricekrispies420]

a lot people at my school own fixies. they definitely go faster than regular bikes

 

[4dwriteprice]

Originally Posted by platanohead22

Originally Posted by nosepiker

I stay seeing these dudes rockin the vans authentics with the jeans rolled up

It's like a uniform for them.

This. or ripped jeans from the knees down, like this lame.

Random dude I found online that's part of their "biking clique" at school. funny to see almost all of them wearing the same thing.

ny >

 

[airtrainerkid]

Both my roommates have one,lol

 

[nash]

Originally Posted by bijald0331

Originally Posted by MECKS

by LA i assume you mean louisiana because i never seen those in Los Angeles, unless its on a professional +@% lookin spandex suit , goggle-wearin, water bottle on back pouch flossin, with cleats, type of bicycler.

other than that i don't see those bikes anywhere

WHAT PART OF LA YOU IN??? WHAT PART??

uh oh, internet funny man in the vicinity

 

[wallyhopp]

who wouldve thought the bike I had as a kid would be similar to that.

I do remember that thing being fun to ride. so braking is done with the back tire? thats what I remember as a kid. although this bike obviously didnt gobackwards as these appear to do.

 

[b smooth 202]

BMX bikes are more hip than these.

 

[deliSOLEous]

From what I noticed, these are mainly expensive because of the frame/tires. The frame is SUPER light, basically a road bike's frame. Also, some people usethem to do tricks since you basically have total control of the entire bike, a preference thing I assume..

From what my supervisor have said, "fixie" bikes were used for training by bicyclists on tracks in the 70s or so. Since you can't stop pedaling,it helped with their endurance..

BTW, I work for the bikes department in Davis, Ca, apparently aka the bike capital of America..

 

[lemonade41]

bike with no brakes