• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Do any of you ride Fixies?

Climber

Climber

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 13, 2004
Location
Clovis/Fresno
Moto(s)
01 Goldwing GL1800
Name
Brett
This wild bike event turns SF's Mission District into a racetrack
Mission Crit is a fixed-gear bicycle race with multiple events that take place over five days. “Crit” is short for criterium, a format of multi-lap bike races on a short closed course, usually half a mile to a mile in length. Race participants ride on bikes that have a single gear and no brakes — meaning one wrong move, at speeds that sometimes reach more than 40 miles per hour, could spell disaster.
Click to expand...
There is obviously an attraction, for some, I'm sure there is a ton of adrenaline involved to ride these at speed in a race.

I don't know how they navigate a tight corner at speed with the direct drive forcing the pedals to turn, I'm not sure I'd want to deal with that kind of potential, especially if somebody changes your timing with a move through the corner.

I'm sure it's fun to watch if you're into carnage. :laughing
 
The indoor race from last year.

[youtube]qeuYw1Edmho[/youtube]
 
I don't get why you wouldn't want gears for going uphill or the device that lets you not pedal as fast as you're going downhill for city riding.

And people with no brakes, get no empathy when they can't stop.
 
Yeah, Fixed gear is for closed course only IMHO. I would LOVE to go to a velodrome and try a dedicated track bike someday. OUtside of that I have no interest in them.
 
I rode a fixie a couple times. I really don't get the point or understand why they became so popular.

It was like... all the things we made better about bicycles, take it all away. Do that. Good idea.
 
No, I don't ride one. I like my knees.

However, fixies are blissfully simple machines and for purists out there. I can understand the attraction on several levels.
 
The most impressive / nuts thing I saw on a bicycle was some guy on a fixie splitting lanes on Oak street while skidding the rear to control his speed. This was like 10 years ago so he's probably dead now. If I needed a get around bicycle in SF I'd consider a properly geared single speed with good brakes as they are nice and light and low maintenance.
 
DucatiHoney said:
No, I don't ride one. I like my knees.

However, fixies are blissfully simple machines and for purists out there. I can understand the attraction on several levels.
Click to expand...

Can you explain that to me? I'm not trying to be a contrarian or shit disturber at all. I really don't get it. Geared bicycles, even bicycles with one gear but aren't fixed gear are pretty simple machines.

What are the advantages of a fixed gear bike? That's an open question to anyone.
 
Kurosaki said:
Can you explain that to me? I'm not trying to be a contrarian or shit disturber at all. I really don't get it. Geared bicycles, even bicycles with one gear but aren't fixed gear are pretty simple machines.

What are the advantages of a fixed gear bike? That's an open question to anyone.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing a miniscule amount of weight savings and less parasitic drag than a single speed free hub. Also a direct "connection" to the rear wheel. Those may have an advantage on a closed course like a velodrome. The only place it's safe or sane to ride a fixed gear, brakeless bike is a closed course, like a velodrome.

I think its a bullshit argument to make that the level of simplicity in fixed gear bike has any advantage to real world riding in public. (That comment is not directed at you Heather.) Modern bikes are crazy reliable and durable. Hipsters looking for an excuse to justify their "eccentric" choice of bike will say its better because its "simple." Sure kid, go blow up your knees and plow into cars all you want, just don't get any mustache wax on me.
 
Kurosaki said:
What are the advantages of a fixed gear bike? That's an open question to anyone.
Click to expand...
Not sure, but I think, Every millisecond that your feet aren’t moving in a perfect circle of power has the potential of losing momentum, IMO, because of the loose hub (if it’s not a fixie)

That said of course this thread is probably too much ado about nothing b/c ofc that article’s race, in the OP, is on a closed course

-

And that guy on Oak is alive, ;) just saw him last year for like all of ten blocks keeping up with traffic…at which point he lost me turning right on Scott. Actually maybe even he turned further, on Pierce, which surprised me.

N4teTheGreat said:
The most impressive / nuts thing I saw on a bicycle was some guy on a fixie splitting lanes on Oak street while skidding the rear to control his speed. This was like 10 years ago so he's probably dead now.
Click to expand...

And the one I saw wasn’t splitting lanes, he was keeping up to the right-most one.

I may have lost the video of him tho.. didn't think it was that interesting to publish. I was pacing him and protecting him a bit
 
Last edited:
The main advantage of a fixie is aesthetic. No cables, derailleurs or brakes to muck up the lines of the bike, they look super clean. For their original purpose which was racing in a velodrome it was less about being an advantage, more about putting everyone on the same level for competition.
 
N4teTheGreat said:
The main advantage of a fixie is aesthetic. No cables, derailleurs or brakes to muck up the lines of the bike, they look super clean. For their original purpose which was racing in a velodrome it was less about being an advantage, more about putting everyone on the same level for competition.
Click to expand...

Check it, internal cable routing is really common on modern bikes, Yes this is a very expensive bike...

cervelo_s5_2020_1580948814_cf17471a_progressive.jpg


However, this is $4k

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...-sl/domane-sl-5-gen-4/p/36149/?colorCode=teal

DomaneSL5_23_36149_C_Primary



I could toss up some bikes with integrated rim brakes if the look of disks offends. (not you personally) The aesthetics argument is so silly to me. If someone is worried about how their derailleurs offend their eye I question if they ride enough. Anyway, get off my lawn you damn kids and take your fixie with you!!!
 
Last edited:
Mike95060 said:
Check it, internal cable routing is really common on modern bikes, Yes this is a very expensive bike...

cervelo_s5_2020_1580948814_cf17471a_progressive.jpg

..
Click to expand...

:laughing ^^^^ this guy. Seeing the battery packs much? ;) :laughing

bruh, seems to be electric shift.


-

once again, the OP is about a closed course. And no I don't ride a fixie.
 
Electric shift is also super common. I have no beef with the OP as it was closed course, where fixies belong. :x


BTdubbs, I'm no Areo full carbon bike fanboi. I did my last two triathlons on a bike most snobs would scoff at. I don't even use clipless pedals :toothless
 
Last edited:
Kurosaki said:
Can you explain that to me? I'm not trying to be a contrarian or shit disturber at all. I really don't get it. Geared bicycles, even bicycles with one gear but aren't fixed gear are pretty simple machines.

What are the advantages of a fixed gear bike? That's an open question to anyone.
Click to expand...

This is like asking why would anyone skateboard when they could ride an electric scooter. Fixies offer a different riding experience than geared bikes and some people really enjoy it. Thats all. Its just something people do because they get something out of it.

I've never ridden one but I'd like to try it sometime.
 
Mike95060 said:
BTdubbs, I'm no Areo full carbon bike fanboi. I did my last two triathlons on a bike most snobs would scoff at. I don't even use clipless pedals :toothless
Click to expand...

I'm sure all the modern tech is awesome (particularly disk brakes), I too ride a, ahem, "vintage" bike from around 1998 or so, it's a great bike and I like it's old school looks. My buddy got some fancy top of the line Specialized gravel bike this year and I think he was a bit miffed on one of our rides when someone walked up and wanted to checkout my old school Schwinn instead :laughing
 
Kurosaki said:
Can you explain that to me? I'm not trying to be a contrarian or shit disturber at all. I really don't get it. Geared bicycles, even bicycles with one gear but aren't fixed gear are pretty simple machines.
Click to expand...

No offense taken here. They're light. And that makes a big difference. I have an old cruiser I bop around town on and it's close to 30 lbs. It's a huge change from riding my sub-15 lb carbon fiber bike. I'm pretty small, so I feel the weight difference in responsiveness in a big way.

The machine is aesthetically more pleasing and working on them is easier. You can "make" a fixie bike out of almost nothing for almost nothing. And I really appreciate the clean lines of less "stuff" hanging about on a bike.

I think I've ridden a fixie for maybe a total of 15 minutes as an adult. I had a couple as a kid (before we called them fixies.) I have to say that I missed skidding to a stop and having to deal with brakes. But I didn't miss having the pedals slap my heels when I was going downhill and couldn't keep up with them. :laughing It's way safer being able to free-wheel. I just don't know if I'd have a fixie in a place with hills, but I've been on hills so steep that my brakes wouldn't hold--which is probably now why disc brakes are a thing!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top