The Hardest Part

Since the fundamental reason is “intangibles” :)

Like you, I wondered what the point was, and was under the impression that fixies were mainly ridden by fashion victim idiots who suffered needlessly on anything other than the flat.

I still think this, to an extent, because that’s a significant part of the fixie market.

However, there are real, definable benefits:

• they make you stronger. Because you can never simply change down a gear or two to tackle a hill, you just have to attack it, put real effort in, otherwise you’ll stop. Ditto headwinds, stop/starting in traffic, and downhills (which are actually the biggest downside to fixie riding).
• sleek looks. While I love the “machine-ness” of a geared bike, and think the rear dearilleur is one of the best things in engineering, I love even more the simple, narrow, geometric lines of a single speed bike.
• low weight. I ride fast, light bikes and not having to deal with shifters, multiple chainrings, mechs, cassettes and cables adds up to a significantly lighter bike.
• low maintenance. Put simply, there’s less to break, go wrong, get dirty, wear out etc. Cleaning a fixie takes maybe half the time.
• good value. While some bikes are priced as fashion items rather than for their function, the lack of all the extra gear makes them significantly cheaper to put together – and simpler, if your the kind of person who is confident building bikes (I’m not, yet, but I hope to be soon).

As for the intangibles, it’s harder to explain and, no doubt, will sound phony to some. But the connection between you and the machine feels must more intense, and you come to know the capabilities of the bike incredibly well. Fewer variables means it’s more predictable, and the immediate interface means you get out exactly what you put in. There’s a greater feeling of control.

Riding a fixie also makes you a better rider, because its disadvantages mean you have more things to bear in mind when riding. Because you can’t stop pedalling, you can’t freewheel round corners or over obstacles, and there’s always the possibility of striking your pedal on the road surface or kerb. So you plan better, you prepare earlier, and you’re more aware of your surroundings. As a result, I am liable to ride more circumspectly on the fixie, and the lack of a computer on it (I have one on my roadie) means I’m never in thrall to beating my top speed, or getting home in a record time, etc.

A fixed gear bike is a joy to ride in the city (I live in a very flat part of a pretty flat city) in a way the roadie just isn’t, fast and fun though it is. I wouldn’t have a fixie as my only bike, because once you get beyond its comfort zone its limitation become major problems. But for riding 7 miles to work though a bustling, busy city, it’s perfect.

the spare room should be rubber lined and decked out with all the necessary tools and kit so the bikes can live there. She’s a keeper.