¿¿¿Fixies???

Kootie_Kat

Whats the deal with these fixed wheel bikes (fixies)?
I have seen a couple around and they look cool but are they worth the money?

Raam

Never heard of them.

seamus

If you think they look cool, then you may already be too far gone to help.

CianRyan

You mean track cycling?

KTRIC

OI OI OI OI
Got on the train from Cambridgeshire
Moved down to an East London flat
Got a moustache and a low cut vest
Some purple leggings and a sailor tat (twat)
Just one gear on my fixie bike
Got a +1 here for my gig tonight
I play synth...
We all play synth!
20-20 vision, just a pair of empty frames
Dressing like a nerd although I never got the grades (fail)
I remember when the kids at school would call me names (tramp balls)
Now we're taking over their estates!
Woo-oo-oooo!

mcmoustache

They are just regular bikes with a lots of bits missing.

What happens is this:
A road bike worth €500 from a company such as Trek or Giant arrives at a hipster bike shop. The hipster then removes the rear cassette which has 7 cogs on it and replaces it with a single-cog cassette. He then does the same for the front cassette. Next he removes the gear shifters and cables.

Next, our hipster sees that maybe Trek or Giant provided handlebars that were too long. After temporarily removing the brake levers, he starts up an angle-grinder and removes 6 inches off either side of the handle bars.

When it's time to think about putting the brake levers back, the hipster decides that you don't really need your brakes and promptly removes the cables, brakes and levers.

Finally, it's time to come up with a price for the new bike. The calculation is as follows:

€500 bike - gears - brakes - handlebars = €1500.

It's a simple formula and if you don't understand it, you're just not hip enough.

CardinalJ

KTRIC wrote: »

OI OI OI OI
Got on the train from Cambridgeshire
Moved down to an East London flat
Got a moustache and a low cut vest
Some purple leggings and a sailor tat (twat)
Just one gear on my fixie bike
Got a +1 here for my gig tonight
I play synth...
We all play synth!
20-20 vision, just a pair of empty frames
Dressing like a nerd although I never got the grades (fail)
I remember when the kids at school would call me names (tramp balls)
Now we're taking over their estates!
Woo-oo-oooo!

"Say I work in media but I'm really on the dole" - also a fav line.

KTRIC

Have we scared the OP off yet !! :pac:

CardinalJ

KTRIC wrote: »

Have we scared the OP off yet !! :pac:

He's gone to buy leggings and get an anchor tat. Shops won't sell the bikes to you otherwise.

droidus

This fixie/hipster bashing is all a bit 2009 isnt it? Ive seen more and more 'norms'* riding fixies on my commute over the last 6 months...

*middle aged/high viz flapping/backpack wearing/utility cyclists

Kootie_Kat

scared me off? Not at all! Im a bit intrigued, although there seems to be a lot of animosity towards these bikes?

Raam

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

scared me off? Not at all! Im a bit intrigued, although there seems to be a lot of animosity towards these bikes?

The bikes are fine.

manwithaplan

There are cheap(ish) road bike geometry singlespeed/fixie machines available. Giant Bowery, Specialized Langster etc. They are a decent low maintenance option for commuting. They don't make you look cool though.

The ones that are supposed to make you look cool are a different story entirely. As a card-carrying middle-aged suburbanite, I can't tell you anything useful about them.

Kootie_Kat

So what's the difference between Giant Bowery, Specialized Langster etc. singlespeed/fixie and the other one's?

mcmoustache

They're good bikes for what they do. Simple and low maintenance.
I just don't understand the pricing from a cost-of-materials plus labour perspective. The markup seems insane. Large markups remind me of the fashion industry which in turn makes me think that part of the price you pay for a fixie is for the right to say that you have a fixie.

The single gear idea is odd as well. I had a bmx when I was a kid with one gear. I could barely get up hills (Connemara's far from flat) and the top speed was pretty bad. I persume that fixies are meant for short duration, urban trips.

Raam

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

So what's the difference between Giant Bowery, Specialized Langster etc.

The spelling and the colour.

CianRyan

I believe most hipsters build, or at least claim to build their own bikes.

Or have some one steal one for them, which I've seen.
Don't take this option.

manwithaplan

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

So what's the difference between Giant Bowery, Specialized Langster etc. singlespeed/fixie and the other one's?

They are stock mass-produced machines. They have front and rear brakes and standard drop handlebars. They look more or less like road (racing) bikes without the gears.

The hipster efforts are often DIY projects built on old frames with custom paint jobs, narrow flat bars, no more than one brake etc. Largely built for style rather than function, although they can be nice simple urban runabouts.

seamus

mcmoustache wrote: »

I persume that fixies are meant for short duration, urban trips.

Not necessarily, but primarily. If you don't have a lot of undulating terrain, then you don't really need gears and they can just be a maintenance hassle that you don't need.
Fixie proponents will also tell you that they're more efficient than derailleur gears because there's less power loss. Whether that makes a serious difference or not I don't know, but it would be of some benefit on longer touring rides across flatish terrain.

With the acquisition of pedals & shoes for my road bike I hope to be taking my singlespeed to the streets next week (if survives the test ride) so I'll let you know.

Kootie_Kat

So would I be right in saying that other than the price the only difference is the handle bars?

manwithaplan

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

So would I be right in saying that other than the price the only difference is the handle bars?

I don't even know what that means.

CianRyan

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

So would I be right in saying that other than the price the only difference is the handle bars?

You don't know a lot about bikes, do you?

Not looking at them now bit they more than likely have different chain sets, wheels, stems, headsets, cranks, etc...

SomeFool

This is what you're looking for I think :eek:

Lumen

mcmoustache wrote: »

The single gear idea is odd as well. I had a bmx when I was a kid with one gear. I could barely get up hills (Connemara's far from flat) and the top speed was pretty bad. I persume that fixies are meant for short duration, urban trips.

Depends on the rider.

Greyspoke did the National Hillclimb Champs on one gear a few weeks back.

That was apparently quite steep, average of 9.6% for 2.5km and and up to 16% in the final 200m.

Lumen

CianRyan wrote: »

You don't know a lot about bikes, do you?

Ah come on, play nicely. It's Friday!

Kootie_Kat

cheers 'Some fool' the bike is a beaut but a little out of my price range.

rp

mcmoustache wrote: »

The single gear idea is odd as well. I had a bmx when I was a kid with one gear. I could barely get up hills (Connemara's far from flat) and the top speed was pretty bad. I persume that fixies are meant for short duration, urban trips.

Trips like this one?

kumate_champ07

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

cheers 'Some fool' the bike is a beaut but a little out of my price range.

dont worry, Im sure a friend will arrive soon and post a link to a new select your custom affordable 'fixie' website..

(I could be wrong, maybe you're genuine)

Kootie_Kat

I dont get it kumate? cheers Rp thats a classic video but whats the relation to 48 - 16?

kumate_champ07

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

I dont get it kumate? cheers Rp thats a classic video but whats the relation to 48 - 16?

I had a hunch your OP was shill for a new fixie business, apologies if Im wrong

CianRyan

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

I dont get it kumate? cheers Rp thats a classic video but whats the relation to 48 - 16?

48 tooth cog on the front, 16 on the back.
It's the gear ratio, very important for fixed gear bikes.

Kootie_Kat

ha. In this economy! I wish, no I need a bike as im starting an internship and dont want to shell out for the bus everyday. Admittedly I like the look of the bike I saw but I dont want to spend on something I know nothing about.
What's your opinion?

CianRyan

Completely depends on the bike, post it here and we'll see.

kumate_champ07

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

ha. In this economy! I wish, no I need a bike as im starting an internship and dont want to shell out for the bus everyday. Admittedly I like the look of the bike I saw but I dont want to spend on something I know nothing about.
What's your opinion?

my opinion is dont buy a bike just because you like how it looks, research more and buy a bike you will actually use and get benefit from. If I was buying a branded fixed gear bike I'd get something from Wiggle or CRC on sale

VW 1

http://www.rothar.ie/Bikes_for_Sale.htm

Kootie_Kat

so whats wiggle or CRC? i like the fact of the fitness. @ Cian i just saw the bike on the street in Temple Bar. and how hard is it to ride a fix wheel?

Kootie_Kat

cheers VW 1.

Lumen

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

how hard is it to ride a fix wheel?

There are slightly more ways to die whilst riding a fixie, including catastrophic pedal strike and lethal trouser entanglement. And you can sever your fingers while working on it. Otherwise they're fine

CianRyan

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

so whats wiggle or CRC? i like the fact of the fitness. @ Cian i just saw the bike on the street in Temple Bar. and how hard is it to ride a fix wheel?

www.wiggle.co.uk
www.chainreactioncycles.com

Ah, then it's like asking how long is a piece of string.
There are good bikes and there are **** bikes, forget about how it looks 'till you understand what makes them good or ****.

What's the budget?

bogmanfan

I would suggest that anyone considering a fixie should first take a spin on their intended route using a geared bike. If they don't change gear once, then go for the fixie. I commute in 'flat Dublin', but I like having the option of shifting up or down depending on just how flat the section I'm on is.
As to the hipster angle, I think they've moved on to old 80s racers with downtube shifters.

manwithaplan

Kootie_Kat wrote: »

im starting an internship

Remember to ask lots of questions.

Holyboy

bogmanfan wrote: »

I would suggest that anyone considering a fixie should first take a spin on their intended route using a geared bike. If they don't change gear once, then go for the fixie. I commute in 'flat Dublin', but I like having the option of shifting up or down depending on just how flat the section I'm on is.
As to the hipster angle, I think they've moved on to old 80s racers with downtube shifters.

Yes indeed it seems they are moving on to old road bikes, I for one support this move,it pains me every time I see an old steel frame with a SS wheel fitted and stays jammed together. IT WAS MADE WITH 126/130mm SPACING FOR A REASON....GEARS! Then theres the frames with the hanger cut off, that actually makes me cry on the inside:(

Alanstrainor

Just get a single speed instead. I've gotten a lot fitter riding my single speed (48 - 16) compared to my Giant FCR4. Powering up hills is fun;)

mcmoustache

seamus wrote: »

Not necessarily, but primarily. If you don't have a lot of undulating terrain, then you don't really need gears and they can just be a maintenance hassle that you don't need.

I agree. I don't understand why my Trek has 21 when I only use 3 gears:

One for 45 degree inclines which is rarely used.
One for taking off at the lights - 2 down from highest cadence.
And one for cruising - highest cadence.

I would actually like to have one cog on the front cassette and 3 at the back.

seamus wrote: »

With the acquisition of pedals & shoes for my road bike I hope to be taking my singlespeed to the streets next week (if survives the test ride) so I'll let you know.

Best of luck. I'm curious as to how quickly you can take off from the lights and whether or not it will allow you to overtake a car doing 30-35 kph.

Alanstrainor

mcmoustache wrote: »

Best of luck. I'm curious as to how quickly you can take off from the lights and whether or not it will allow you to overtake a car doing 30-35 kph.

Once you get your arse out of the saddle you'll be up to speed in no time. And 35kph is no problem. 43kph is where i would max out with my gearing on the flat.

mcmoustache

rp wrote: »

Trips like this one?

Those lads came fourth out of four. While it's impressive, I think that doing it on a fixie is as sensible as doing it a tricycle. Sure, you can do it, but there are better bikes for the job.

Still, it was an amazing feat. Then again, so would going it on a trike.

I'm not trying to diss the fixies but I'm trying to gauge what they are good for and what their weaknesses are. Other posters have helped inform me but I'm still not too impressed.

petethedrummer

http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html

happytramp

Hmmm, I too am curious about these things. I've spent the last couple of hours researching them and from what I can tell they are a type of child's toy built by Fisher Price™ They are similar to (but not to be confused with) bicycles. I tried to find a picture of one but I wasn't really sure what I was looking for. I think one of these is a fixie but it's confusing since they are built from the same material and have the same gear ratio.

mediwheel

I have a nice fixie for sale a Giant Bowery in red if interested ??!!

GTDolanator

CianRyan wrote: »

I believe most hipsters build, or at least claim to build their own bikes.

Or have some one steal one for them, which I've seen.
Don't take this option.

hipsters dont build bikes sure they can barely cycle the shaggin things

GTDolanator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn29DvMITu4