If you've ever wondered how bikes were originally set up before these became efficient multispeed machines, then you should head out to the bike shop and ask for a fixie off the racks. Fixed-gear bikes offer the simplest designs, but you'll hardly associate these with convenience and efficiency. A fixed-gear bike looks exhausting rather than efficient. In case you've seen one of these on the street and thought how people get by with the fixed-gear setup, then you should consider testing it just for kicks. Few people take the bike seriously and most consider it a fad. You'll just have to evaluate its merits and see if its appeal goes beyond the novelty.
Fixed-gear bikes are different from single-speed bikes, so you'll have to readjust to the feel of a fixie the first time you use it. Both run on a single gear located at the rear wheel, but a fixed-gear bike is unique because it doesn't offer the convenience of freewheel. The pedals are locked onto the drive train that runs directly through the fixed gear. You can't coast because the pedals rotate with the rear wheel and vice versa. Some fixed-gear bikes even have minimalist designs, removing the drive trains and placing the pedals directly onto the rear wheel's spoke.
Your bike can also have single-speed or fixed gear functions if you use a flip-flop hub with cogs on both sides. You can flip the hub so the drive train either runs through the fixed cog or freewheel. If you want to keep the setup simple, then you can always opt for the fixie bike's original configuration, without drive trains and brakes. You'll need plenty of road experience with a single-speed before you can manage without the brakes, though, and you'll have to cozy up to the setup before you even consider using it on the streets.
Multispeed bikes are actually more troublesome than convenient, even if you're used to your mountain bike's custom setup. There are too many gears to choose from, depending on the terrain or the pace you want to maintain. The complicated setup also ensures the derailers won't properly shift gears without perfect timing, which leads to anything from a troublesome side-road adjustment to a bad fall. The simple, efficient design of a fixie will do away with all that. Your ride will become second nature before you even notice it.
Since you'll only have that one gear on your rear wheel to work with, it must ensure a convenient and comfortable pace. Start out with a lower gear and replace it with higher gears as your pace and proficiency improves.
Fixed-gear bikes are different from single-speed bikes, so you'll have to readjust to the feel of a fixie the first time you use it. Both run on a single gear located at the rear wheel, but a fixed-gear bike is unique because it doesn't offer the convenience of freewheel. The pedals are locked onto the drive train that runs directly through the fixed gear. You can't coast because the pedals rotate with the rear wheel and vice versa. Some fixed-gear bikes even have minimalist designs, removing the drive trains and placing the pedals directly onto the rear wheel's spoke.
Your bike can also have single-speed or fixed gear functions if you use a flip-flop hub with cogs on both sides. You can flip the hub so the drive train either runs through the fixed cog or freewheel. If you want to keep the setup simple, then you can always opt for the fixie bike's original configuration, without drive trains and brakes. You'll need plenty of road experience with a single-speed before you can manage without the brakes, though, and you'll have to cozy up to the setup before you even consider using it on the streets.
Multispeed bikes are actually more troublesome than convenient, even if you're used to your mountain bike's custom setup. There are too many gears to choose from, depending on the terrain or the pace you want to maintain. The complicated setup also ensures the derailers won't properly shift gears without perfect timing, which leads to anything from a troublesome side-road adjustment to a bad fall. The simple, efficient design of a fixie will do away with all that. Your ride will become second nature before you even notice it.
Since you'll only have that one gear on your rear wheel to work with, it must ensure a convenient and comfortable pace. Start out with a lower gear and replace it with higher gears as your pace and proficiency improves.
About the Author:
Browse online bike stores for multi-speed, single-speed, and fixie bikes. You'll have numerous setups, designs and customization options to choose from; check out online stores first before you consider your local bike shops.
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