#1
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Fixies?
I just got the new Nashbar catalogue, which appears to be pushing fixed gear
bikes as the hot new technology. First of all, is a "fixed gear" bike the same as a "single-speed" bike? Next, is anybody out there riding one of these? If so, what's your feeling about using one for a moderately hilly area with only moderately strong, 46-year old legs? I've got some old single-speed cruisers around that serve me fairly well for riding around the block. I wouldn't take one much beyond that, though. Are the new fixed gear bikes anything more than glorified beach cruisers? |
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#2
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Fixies?
"Papa Tom" wrote:
I just got the new Nashbar catalogue, which appears to be pushing fixed gear bikes as the hot new technology. First of all, is a "fixed gear" bike the same as a "single-speed" bike? Next, is anybody out there riding one of these? *If so, what's your feeling about using one for a moderately hilly area with only moderately strong, 46-year old legs? *I've got some old single-speed cruisers around that serve me fairly well for riding around the block. *I wouldn't take one much beyond that, though. Are the new fixed gear bikes anything more than glorified beach cruisers? They ain't beach cruisers. See: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixeda.html Art Harris |
#3
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Fixies?
Hmmm. Interesting that one of the first things that jumped out at me on
this page was the following quote: "I still feel that varable gears are only for people over forty-five." As I mentioned, I'm 46, so that answers PART of my question! |
#4
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Fixies?
I just got the new Nashbar catalogue, which appears to
be pushing fixed gear bikes as the hot new technology. =v= They're about 10 years late to the party, but hey. =v= Fixies are fun, they're just very a different feel. Your legs have a direct connection to the bike and never stop moving, which means you can't coast, and you use your leg muscles to pedal backwards when stopping. A classic fixie setup is to have a rear wheel with a different-sized gear on each side of the hub, and you can flip sides for mountainous terrain. =v= Fixies have a minimalist beauty and some people take it further by not having any brakes. The result is a "track bike," so named because it's intended for riding on velodrome tracks. One stops, as I mentioned, by pedaling backwards. =v= Track bikes aren't street-legal (there are laws requiring brakes), but some people do ride track bikes on the street. There has been much fear and panic about this, as if there's been a sudden influx of insane bikers who can only stop by crashing into widows and orphans. "I still feel that varable gears are only for people over forty-five." As I mentioned, I'm 46, so that answers PART of my question! =v= As you can imagine, fixies put more demands on muscles and joints (especially knees), as would any single-speed bike. My friend Jon is 50 and has no trouble riding his fixie every day, and he lives in a decidedly unflat part of San Francisco. _Jym_ |
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