Minimal equipment?

[Bicycle]

My youngest criticised my fixie the other day.

He recalled me saying that one of the joys of it was the absence of anything not absolutely necessary. Why, he asked, was mine laden with computer, bottle cages, full-size pump* and lights?

Rather than come up with a clever reply, I took one cage, the pump and the computer off. (Absense of a computer is liberating on such a machine, so well done youngest child.)

I need the lights now that it's November. I need one bottle cage. I'd rather have two, as my tools live in an old soup carton that I stuff in there, but son was offended by the aesthetic, so they go in my pockets.

I wish I could take off the rear brake, but I do use it in the hills and cover it like a security blanket when nervous.

Rear brake notwithstanding, how minimalist can a fixie be and still be useful as a daily hack?

* The full-size pump slots in under the crossbar and was supplied new with the bike (a Claud Butler criterium) in about 1991. It still works.

 

[Jonathing]

My hack fixed has nothing on it. Knog lights live in my bag when not in use, so does my mini pump, and my lock. You're right, not having a computer is very liberating although having endomondo running on my phone in my pocket can be consulted if needed. I do still run a rear brake but only because having one lever was making the bars look lop sided and was doing my head in.

You can make a bike as minimal as you like if you're already taking a bag with you.

 

[Dan_h]

How minimal do you want or need it to be? It is a matter of personal taste. I would have said a front brake and that is about all that is required. I have seen people without even that, but what you do if the chain comes off or snaps I am not sure... foot on the back wheel BMX stylee perhaps?

 

[MacB]

unicycle?

 

[wheres_my_beard]

My youngest criticised my fixie the other day.

He recalled me saying that one of the joys of it was the absence of anything not absolutely necessary. Why, he asked, was mine laden with computer, bottle cages, full-size pump* and lights?

Rather than come up with a clever reply, I took one cage, the pump and the computer off. (Absense of a computer is liberating on such a machine, so well done youngest child.)

I need the lights now that it's November. I need one bottle cage. I'd rather have two, as my tools live in an old soup carton that I stuff in there, but son was offended by the aesthetic, so they go in my pockets.

I wish I could take off the rear brake, but I do use it in the hills and cover it like a security blanket when nervous.

Rear brake notwithstanding, how minimalist can a fixie be and still be useful as a daily hack?

* The full-size pump slots in under the crossbar and was supplied new with the bike (a Claud Butler criterium) in about 1991. It still works.

Assuming the bike is mechanically sound before you set off (which of course you will check daily!) you should only need a spanner for the axle nuts, tyre lever, a small puncture kit, and a small, high pressure pump. Saying that I carry non of these things

.

Weather and light conditions will obviously determine what else you need. It's not cool to soak yourself or other cyclist in the rain with no mudguards or suitable clothes, and it is not hip to get squashed by a Renault Clio or any other vehicle that didn't see you on a dusk commute, because you have no lights. Being a dead minimalist may be taking things too far.

 

[Rob3rt]

How minimal do you want or need it to be? It is a matter of personal taste. I would have said a front brake and that is about all that is required. I have seen people without even that, but what you do if the chain comes off or snaps I am not sure... foot on the back wheel BMX stylee perhaps?

I agree with this. Other than the mechanicals and a front brake nothing else it required. However you may care to add some sort of saddle bag if you dont use a backpack. I dont like keeping items in my jersey pockets unless its sweets

I dont use a rear brake, I prefer to gradually alter my speed using my cadence, if I need to brake fast I can brake pretty quick with my legs, or skid if I feel like looking hip. But I do run a front brake for emergencies and when it is required. I find it quite liberating to forget about the brakes and not use them, but then again, there are times a fistful of brake is required so its worth keeping the front one (its also a legal requirement to have 2 independent braking mechanisms, leg braking counts for one, so you need some other brake if you care to conform to the law).

 

[Bicycle]

I would LOVE to be able to brake with my legs. I practise and practise, but I can't yet get the smoothness I need.

I can slow down quite well, but the actual stopping gets a bit jerky and wrenches at my joints. You have inspred me to keep striving. Thank you.

As to mudguards (Where's My Beard) I don't own a bicycle that has them (apart from an old 40s gent's bike I haven't ridden for 20 years).

It had never occured to me that there's a social-responsibility aspect to having mudguards.

I feel quite bad now for not having them. Not bad enough to fit them, but a little bit bad.

 

[YahudaMoon]

fixie ? Wish people would call em fixed. The term 'fixie' never existed before 2006

 

[Ibbots]

Can't be doing with saddle bags on any of my bikes, tools and tubes are in a swish Lezyne pouch which goes in the pocket or bag. Can't imagine ever riding without my Garmin and it sits on the stem whatever the bike (at least it incorporates a HR monitor instead of a separate one I used to have on the handlebars). On my fixed have lights at the moment cos it's often dark when I ride and one bottle cage. It does have mudguards but that's cos' it's my commuter and crappy weather weapon - bike and me would get filthy without 'guards in winter. If the roads are dry I get the nice bike out.

I have front and rear brakes but try not to use them, gone off skid stopping though since I started to rip my knees and also had to fork out for new tyres - have also found that it's a little too easy to skid when the road is wet, better to be able to moderate braking when required. Managed to get from over 30mph to virtual stop to take a tight turn this morning without using the brakes, which I am disproportionately pleased about.

 

[Bicycle]

fixie ? Wish people would call em fixed. The term 'fixie' never existed before 2006

It isn't 2006 any more.

And although I didn't make mine until 2009, I'm sure I heard the term before I came back to the UK in 2002.

Oooh... this is like amateur etymological philology.

 

[fossyant]

Oh well my fixed is full of crap, lights, two brakes, panniers, computer (wireless) yadda yadda.

Needs two brakes and leg braking to stop it though !

 

[Smurfy]

Two brakes (three including the fixed wheel)
Frame pump
Small seat pack (2 tubes + tools)
Lights if I think I'll need them
Bottle cage + bottle

No computer, I don't need to know how fast or slow I'm going, I just put it on a route mapper when I get home to see how far I've been

Even with all that it still looks very 'clean' compared to a multi geared bike

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My fixed is complete with mudguards, rack, saddlebag, lights, computer and brakes back and front. I need mudguards to keep the road crap off me, the rack gives me somewhere to put my work bag, the saddle bag gives me somewhere to keep my tools and spare tube, I need lights because its dark when I leave work at a quarter to seven in the evening, the computer lets me keep track of the miles and the brakes mean I can stop quick enough to ride in modern traffic, the back is needed when its slippery, I don't want to have to rely on a front brake in slippery conditions.