Thread started by LouisAve at 12.28.09 - 8:27 am

A fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed wheel bicycle) is a bicycle that has no freewheel, meaning it cannot coast, the pedals are always in motion when the bicycle is moving. The sprocket is screwed directly onto the hub. When the rear wheel turns, the pedals turn in the same direction. This allows a cyclist to stop without using a brake, by resisting the rotation of the crAnks, and also to ride in reverse.


Advantages and disadvantages:

Fixed gear bicycles are ridden by cyclists for many reasons, such as their light weight, simplicity, and low maintenance.

Many people who ride fixed-gear bicycles simply find it more enjoyable than or as an alternative to riding bikes with freewheels. Although the bike has only one gear, the lighter weight of a fixed-gear bike over its multi-speed freewheel equivalent can provide increased performance in some conditions. In slippery conditions some riders prefer to ride fixed because the transmission gives feedback on back tire grip.

Descending is more difficult as the rider must spin the cranks at a very high speed (sometimes at 170 rpm or more), or use the brake(s) to slow down. Nevertheless, the enforced fast spin when descending is said to increase "souplesse" (a French word meaning suppleness or flexibility, usually referring to the human body), which improves pedalling performance on any type of bicycle.

Riding fixed is generally considered to encourage a more effective pedaling style, which translates into greater efficiency and power when used on a bicycle fitted with a freewheel.

When first riding a fixed gear, a cyclist used to a freewheel has a tendency to try to coast now and again, particularly when approaching corners or obstacles. Since freewheeling, or coasting, is not possible, this can lead to anything from a 'kick' to the trailing leg, up to a loss of control of the bicycle.

Riding at speed round corners can be difficult for the novice rider, as the pedals can strike the road, resulting in a possible loss of control. Riders of freewheeling bicycles usually instinctively equalise the pedal height when making such turns.[citation needed]

Brakeless

Cyclist riding a fixed gear bike without brakesSome fixed-gear riders think brakes are not strictly necessary, and brakeless fixed riding has an almost cult status in some places, based on the perception by some riders of the experience of riding in a state of intense concentration or 'flow' where brakes are thought not to be needed.

Other riders dismiss riding on roads without brakes as an unnecessary affectation, based on image rather than what is practical when riding a bicycle. Furthermore, riding brakeless may jeopardize the chances of a successful insurance claim in the event of an accident and, in some jurisdictions is against the law.

Physics and technique

It is possible to slow down or stop a fixed-gear bike by resisting the turning cranks, and a rider can also lock the rear wheel and skid to slow down or completely stop on a fixed-gear bicycle, a maneuver sometimes known as a skid stop. It is initiated by unweighting the rear wheel while in motion by shifting the rider's weight slightly forward and pulling up on the pedals using clipless pedals or toe clips and straps. The rider then stops turning the cranks, thus stopping the drivetrain and rear wheel, while applying his or her body weight in opposition to the normal rotation of the cranks. This action causes rear wheel to skid, which acts to slow the bike. The skid can be held until the bicycle stops or until the rider desires to continue pedalling again at a slower speed. The technique requires a little practice and using it while cornering is generally considered dangerous. As with the technique of resisting the cranks, the maximal deceleration of this method of slowing is also significantly lower than using a front brake. A wet surface further reduces the effectiveness of this method, almost to the point of not reducing speed at all.

On any bike with only rear wheel braking, the maximal deceleration is significantly lower than on a bike equipped with a front brake. As a vehicle brakes, weight is transferred towards the front wheel and away from the rear wheel, decreasing the amount of grip the rear wheel has. Shifting the rider's weight aft will increase rear wheel braking efficiency, but normally the front wheel might provide 70% or more of the braking power when braking hard (see Weight transfer).

Knee health

Braking by resisting the turning cranks greatly increases stress on the knees which can lead to injury.

Legality

United States - The use of any bike without brakes on public roads is illegal in many places, but the wording is often something along the lines of "...must be equipped with a brake that will enable the person operating the cycle to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level and clean pavement..." which some have argued allows the use of the legs and gears. The retail sale of bikes without brakes is banned by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. - but with an exception for the "track bicycle" (...a bicycle designed and intended for sale as a competitive machine having tubular tires, single crank-to-wheel ratio, and no free-wheeling feature between the rear wheel and the crank....).



SO KIDS!!! IF YOU WANT TO "RIDE" FIXED

THAT DOESN'T MEAN SNIGLE SPEED WITH NO BRAKES!


i'm only posting this after getting hit but a dumb stupid "kid"
now i have a swollen knee


age 20-25

and then him getting pissed of why i said LEFT
that didn't mean get on your left!!!!

and he was like MY BAD I'm RIDING "FIXIE"

but costing?


k thanks.

that is all...


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OH AND I MEANT

"on your left"

not "left"



LouisAve
12.28.09 - 8:34 am

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tl;dr



la duderina
12.28.09 - 8:35 am

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I JUST MADE THE CONNECTION.



eddieboyinla
12.28.09 - 10:10 am

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a note on 'rear wheel feedback'



**the front wheel is the one to worry about**

in shitty conditions (black ice, rain, flattening tires) supposed feedback from a rear wheel is less relevant than the fraction of a second that you cannot react to when your front wheel loses control and you go down with your bike. When you hit ice you eat shit about as regularly and more quickly than you can blink. This happens without warning.

I've fishtailed unintentionally at 37mph on descents but was able to correct when I had gradual rear wheel deflation--had it been my front wheel I'm confident I'd be in physical therapy today.

a note on brakes:
Get at least a front one. If, as a newer rider, subtle pressure of seeming cool is to not have a brake, my overt pressure calling you a fucking idiot out loud will be much much overt and worse. This pressure will enhance as I begin to makeout with the girl you were trying impress with your skid stop that you would've crashed into at the next turn had I not intervened with my sexy safety skills.

a note on knees:
--more expensive to repair than any bike most of us will buy--take good care of yourself



hitsthepoles_ow
12.28.09 - 10:52 am

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hahahh

" while i make out with the girl you were trying to impress"

so true. ahahah

yeah knee is swollen but good. a little "bumP"

i got 2 brakes for sale!

front bakes each 10bucks!!!!

caliper, lever, and wire



LouisAve
responding to a comment by hitsthepoles_ow
12.28.09 - 11:00 am

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shoot I think just icing it and raising it area all you can do - asprin? ibuprofen?

hit him up on those brakes people!



hitsthepoles_ow
responding to a comment by LouisAve
12.28.09 - 11:07 am

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i have some sort of sinus infection and i'm losing my voice. fuck my life.



coldcut
12.28.09 - 12:28 pm

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i have no problem with people riding fixies...just when they get in front of me on a down hill. GET OUT THE WAY!!



Volta
12.28.09 - 12:40 pm

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LOL I was a bit baffled at the post before reading the end.



et
12.28.09 - 12:45 pm

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no no i don't have a problem with people riding fixed
i ride fixed.

i'm saying to the humans that are riding SINGLE SPEED thinking or saying they're riding fixed

with NO BRAKES.




LouisAve
12.28.09 - 1:26 pm

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all so true.........single speed is NOT A FIXIE.................its A FAKESIE........fuckin idiots



louisiana
12.28.09 - 1:29 pm

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Thank you. This trend of riding singlespeed FREEWHEEL no brakes is the stupidest fucking thing I've ever seen. I'm really tired of all the hits and near misses. Get some fucking brakes.



toweliesbong
responding to a comment by LouisAve
12.28.09 - 1:33 pm

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I LIKE THIS WORD --->>> FAKESIE



eddieboyinla
12.28.09 - 1:34 pm

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A.K.A. TRACK BIKE

FOR TRACK USE

_iJunes
12.28.09 - 1:36 pm

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your welcome eddieboy



louisiana
responding to a comment by eddieboyinla
12.28.09 - 1:37 pm

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ice in la



_iJunes
responding to a comment by hitsthepoles_ow
12.28.09 - 1:38 pm

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haha.......i love this thread i vote it thread of the day!!!!



louisiana
responding to a comment by _iJunes
12.28.09 - 1:38 pm

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I found a fixed gear bike, with both brakes, in a thrift store 3 years ago ($89).
I rode it for a month as was, but my old runner's knee did not like it at all.
I had it neutered and now LOVE riding my single speed.



Creative Thing
responding to a comment by louisiana
12.28.09 - 1:53 pm

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nice so its a "fixed" fixed!



louisiana
responding to a comment by Creative Thing
12.28.09 - 1:55 pm

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so is a fixed gear with brakes, a BRAKESIE?



adrian
12.28.09 - 4:03 pm

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I don't want to be a jerk, but you really need to work on your citation. It appears that most of your article was borrowed (plagiarized) from Wikipedia. I know I had read it before somewhere...



Velocipede
12.28.09 - 5:07 pm

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Well, excuuuuuse me!



Joe Borfo
responding to a comment by Velocipede
12.28.09 - 5:12 pm

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did someone say souplesse?

Souplesse Trailer 1 from Andy Nguyen on Vimeo.

theshues
12.28.09 - 5:19 pm

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yes they are articles.



LouisAve
12.28.09 - 5:26 pm

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"
I don't want to be a jerk, but you really need to work on your citation. It appears that most of your article was borrowed (plagiarized) from Wikipedia. I know I had read it before somewhere...



Velocipede
12.28.09 - 5:07 pm"

hahahahahahahah did you really just call someone out on here for plagiarizing?? hahahahahahah you do realize 3/4 of the shit you read on here is plagiarized!?



theshues
12.28.09 - 5:56 pm

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I received a Dawes for Christmas and promptly had the hub flipped to single speed...I'm too old and my knees are too important to ride fixed. And I have two brakes. I'll never get the this is better than that blah blah blah...ride what you like...love who you ride.



TheJen
responding to a comment by Creative Thing
12.28.09 - 7:37 pm

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Yeah fixed... I ride 30+ miles a day to work and back. It's quite flat so I decided to make a single speed bike. I have been riding fixed for a couple thousand mile now and I must say it is different, but not better than using a freewheel. The advantage is that you can slow down with the pedals. I ride with brakes so that is just an extra control. Today I had the day off so I rode around the PV peninsula. It has some long hills and I'm sure glad that I flipped my rear wheel to the 18 tooth freewheel. The descents would have been rather tedious to spin down. I love to ride my bikes... fixed, free, geared, tandem, freak, whatever.
A. Dork



Cycle Dork Chic
12.28.09 - 9:01 pm

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I use my brake only once in every five times I go out riding. That one time though it saves me from getting seriously fucked up.



indigis
12.28.09 - 11:22 pm

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Im getting a fixed gear bike with gears.



Pancakes
12.29.09 - 12:35 am

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wait. is that even possible?



Joe Borfo
responding to a comment by Pancakes
12.29.09 - 12:43 am

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leave your fixies at the track
real ridazz run a 3-speed coaster brake!





oodlesofpoodles
12.29.09 - 12:51 am

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yes, joseph, it is possible!

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/asc.html

and there is talk of bringing the 3-speed fixed gear back!

http://sooper-genius.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-three-speed-fixed-gear-hub.html



oodlesofpoodles
responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
12.29.09 - 12:56 am

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http://sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/2008/09/s3x-fixed-gear-3-speed.html



north_valley_critical_mass
responding to a comment by Joe Borfo
12.29.09 - 1:08 am

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whups



north_valley_critical_mass
12.29.09 - 1:08 am

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