Fixies - I just don't get it

[Milzy]

"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]

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

 

[Cyclopathic]

So that you can ride backwards if you want. Handy for stuff.

 

[mcshroom]

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

 

[Dave Davenport]

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]

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

Cool. I already apologised to him, but okay.

 

[format]

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]

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..

 

[Boris Bajic]

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.

 

[Hip Priest]

I'd love to try one. It's on my list for things to try when I've got money.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

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.

 

[4F]

I'd love to try one. It's on my list for things to try when I've got money.

Well if we are ever on a cc ride together and you can ride a 56 you are welcome to give mine a ride

 

[Hip Priest]

Well if we are ever on a cc ride together and you can ride a 56 you are welcome to give mine a ride

Very kind offer. I mean to try a CC ride one day, so I'll bear that in mind!

 

[Venod]

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]

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