Fixies - I just don't get it

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Milzy

Guru
"Passing Judgement"?

Please point me to the part of my original post that led you to believe I was because I've re-read it several times I can't find it?

My OP was just a question, that's all.

Don't worry CC is full of people like this, you'll get used to it.
 

line71

Guest
I dont care what anyone says,Fixies are shite,maybe they are fun on the flat and abit of a novelty but they would be bloody useless on long climbs and what they hell do you do on descents? you cant freewheel,you have to keep peddling
im sorry they are completely impractical and no amount of publicity and phoney London hipster morons would get me near one
 

mcshroom

Bionic Subsonic
I dont care what anyone says,Fixies are s***e,maybe they are fun on the flat and abit of a novelty but they would be bloody useless on long climbs and what they hell do you do on descents? you cant freewheel,you have to keep peddling
im sorry they are completely impractical and no amount of publicity and phoney London hipster morons would get me near one

You may want to have a look at what equipment hill climbing competitors tend to use ;)
 
Location
Hampshire
I dont care what anyone says,Fixies are s***e,maybe they are fun on the flat and abit of a novelty but they would be bloody useless on long climbs and what they hell do you do on descents? you cant freewheel,you have to keep peddling
im sorry they are completely impractical and no amount of publicity and phoney London hipster morons would get me near one

Either that post is tongue in cheek or you really are a very silly person with very little knowledge of cycling.
 

format

Über Member
Location
Glasgow.
I dont care what anyone says,Fixies are s***e,maybe they are fun on the flat and abit of a novelty but they would be bloody useless on long climbs and what they hell do you do on descents? you cant freewheel,you have to keep peddling
im sorry they are completely impractical and no amount of publicity and phoney London hipster morons would get me near one

Yeah, totally useless.
 

4F

Active member of Helmets Are Sh*t Lobby
Location
Suffolk.
I dont care what anyone says,Fixies are s***e,maybe they are fun on the flat and abit of a novelty but they would be bloody useless on long climbs and what they hell do you do on descents? you cant freewheel,you have to keep peddling
im sorry they are completely impractical and no amount of publicity and phoney London hipster morons would get me near one
Lol, can't freewheel ? Well I never..
 
I dont care what anyone says,Fixies are s***e,maybe they are fun on the flat and abit of a novelty but they would be bloody useless on long climbs and what they hell do you do on descents? you cant freewheel,you have to keep peddling
im sorry they are completely impractical and no amount of publicity and phoney London hipster morons would get me near one

That's OK if that's your take on them, but I ride mine in The Malverns and around the Beacons and it is a hoot.

Gearing varies between 66" and 69" and there are long, steep climbs and descents.

I've climbed at sub-4mph speeds (which is wobbly for one with my modest skill) and descended at 35mph, which is 170-ish rpm.

Both the climbs and the descents are amusing, but it different ways.

The beast works best on very gentle ascents (only just over horizontal) where the gearing is about right and I keep comfortably up with my 17-year-old son on his geared whizzbang.
 

SomethingLikeThat

Über Member
Location
South London
Surely fixies/single speeds are what were around before geared bikes? So it's not really a case of them being a 'new' thing, although they have become popular again recently.
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
mcshroom said.

"Not being able to bail out into a lower gear makes you climb hills better"

Having built & ridden 2 fixies I would disagree with that statement, it makes you climb the hill in the gear your fixed at, if this gear is higher than the one you normally use on a geared bike to climb the hill you will have to expend more effort to get up the hill, you might get up quicker but not better.
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
They're just something a bit different. Cheaper and lighter than a geared bike, less to go wrong and therefore easier to maintain.
My carbon roadbike with 105 and Shimano RS30 wheels is no lighter than my fixed assembled with bits I had lying around. I'd not swap the carbon for a fixed, but I'm glad I've got the fixed. It's just...fun.
If I've got to explain it, you won't ever get it :becool:
 
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