Is a "fixie" the new mountain bike?

[cyberknight]

Either you don't ride enough for your bike to require maintenance or your in denial. As for your fixed rattling when you stand up....learn how to maintain a bike and tension your chain, before it comes off and you chip some teeth.

For those of us that commute regularly regardless of the weather and just don't have enough time in life to tweek and clean gears systems....fixed gears make sense.

depends on commute terrain and loads carried of course.

 

[ColinJ]

depends on commute terrain and loads carried of course.

Well, bfb lives at the top of a big hill and is surrounded by them. Even if he wasn't carrying anything on the bike, he would still be carrying a big load - himself! (In fact, he always carries loads of stuff, prepared for anything.)

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

depends on commute terrain and loads carried of course.

of course, but this being the uk rain/sleet/snow and grit do not make for an unmaintained gear system either external or internal the maintenance free choice. i've set off with a brand new drive train and freshly serviced hub to manchester and back and been caught in a summer's storm, the drive system to be needed a total clean down and service and that's after 50 miles. on my fixed gear, no such drama's or wasted time servicing.

 

[cyberknight]

of course, but this being the uk rain/sleet/snow and grit do not make for an unmaintained gear system either external or internal the maintenance free choice. i've set off with a brand new drive train and freshly serviced hub to manchester and back and been caught in a summer's storm, the drive system to be needed a total clean down and service and that's after 50 miles. on my fixed gear, no such drama's or wasted time servicing.

Cheers , i just wanted to point out that its horses for courses and both systems have there merits before colin jumped down my throat .Being a commuting bike you clean it ?

 

[totallyfixed]

For those of you that don't ride fixed, well done, stay way from it, no benefit whatsoever to anyone. The pros that ride them through the winter are just being lazy so they won't have as much cleaning to do. How can whirring your legs around at 200rpm teach you to pedal smoothly? Riding hills without gears, what will they come up with next. Dangerous deadly things, bad for your health. If you have one sell it now, if it does happen to be in a 60cm size I will take it off your hands and make sure it is environmentally disposed of.

 

[Theseus]

Not if you have as much money as me. I also have a motorbike in my living room.

Some of the fixies I have seen have been like works of art. They are nice to look at.

Steve

If you want an expensive fixed wheel to look at but not ride, there is one fixed that I would not want to ride for fear of any wear on the components ... the gold crystal bike from Aurumania. Only costing 80,000 euros you can also add in 5,000 for a special rack to hang it from the living room wall.

 

[Andrew_P]

some days I ride fixed, some days I ride 8 speed brompton, some days I ride 27 gear mtb, some days I ride singlespeed mtb, some days I ride Strida, some days I ride 30 speed audax bike, some days I ride two speed hub gear with coaster brake, some days I ride 27 speed tourer, et cetera, et cetera.

It ain't what you ride that matters, it's that you ride that counts.

So when are you going to invest in a good bike?

 

[smutchin]

this bike ... sits in a glass box between the platforms of a metro station in Brussels

Don't let dave r read that!

d.

 

[Boris Bajic]

The above looks not unlike the fashion-victim tragicycle that Eddy Merckx rode to the hour record in Mexico wearing skinny jeans and espadrilles.

No brakes, rat cages.... My God, it's just sooo depressing. I'm surprised he didn't go for coloured spokes as well.

Merckx and his like were just hipster losers who 'trained' for their sport by annoying traffic while pedalling between coffee bars.

It's much better now. It's a proper sport.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Don't let dave r read that!

d.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

A fixie is the new BMX, not the new mountain bike.

 

[youngoldbloke]

It doesn't matter how nice the bike is, or how much money you've got, a bikes for riding, if you want an ornament go buy an ornament.

- but what is Art or ornament after all? See R.Mutt. I keep my (spare!) Campag Veloce 10 speed cassette on the desk. It is a thing of beauty. A work of Art, if not on the wheel.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

- but what is Art or ornament after all? See R.Mutt.

That question deserves a thread all of its own.

 

[steveindenmark]

I think gold on a bike looks garish. Even if I was the big lottery winner I would not pay that for any bike. I would rather give the money away to those who needed it.

That excludes you lot

Steve

 

[the_mikey]

Instead of buying a fixie, I'll just buy an 11-21 cassette...