snowflakeyness

Im building a fixie, **** orf! 😉

Not enough suspension and needless kit for some folks round here.

looks like some nice bikes on there though, I'm toying with the idea of building a fixie commuter using my Paul Milnes CX frame. mmmmmmmmmmm

Paint some wheels a pretty colour, put some silly handlebars on a sh1tty old road frame and bingo! You can sell it for way more than it's worth.

As said above, tossers. Fixed is fine on a track, or even out on the open roads if you so choose, but around a City? No.

Obvious lake of skills?

What is with the hate leveled at other cyclists? Juct because they are different? Just get on with what your riding and doing and foprget about what others choose to ride. NickC and CaptainFlashHeart you seem to be attacking something you don't understand its pathetic, grow up.

How do you know I don't understand?

Because of your normal sweeping comments and pig headed attitiude.

Sweeping opinion, and one to which I am entitled. Sorry if you disagree, but that's the way it is. I am of the opinion that fixies are utterly pointless as a town bike, as they do not allow for safe braking. Now, at this point, all manner of luddites will be along to tell me that they can stop on a sixpence and really don't need brakes etc, etc, etc, but the number of accidents or near accidents I see around town involving muppets being "on trend" with their fixie-fashion-bikes is such that I have formed my opinion. Hooning through a red light nearly mowing down pedestrians is hardly a good image for cyclists, and one which fixie riders are sadly perpetuating.

Stu, I will indeed give you that fact, fixed with brakes is fine. As you say, simple and easy. The fakenger trend, however, isn't fine in my opinion.

Well I see a lot of accident involving cyclist with gears and brakes. Plus I run through every traffic light with a bike that have a freewheel it's fine then?

I get that in terms of lack of gears. But really, is it THAT much more maintenance than a SS in town?

fixed gear is more efficient on the roads. I have road ss and fixed on the road and fixed wins for me every time.

mountain bikes were a london hipster courier thing too, back in the 80's.. look where we are now. i love the different styles of these bikes and it's getting more people into bikes, it's all good..

it'll calm down a bit after the fashion victims move on, but these bikes will stay around now, i reckon it's like the start of skating or bmx all over again, interesting times!

(i still prefer SS with drops to fixed and little bars tho)

the fact that your pedalling all the time does help, going uphill slowly on a fixie is a right pain as well so i just try and get them over as quickly as possible.

i don't know if a fixie is more efficient but it does feel faster.

How can it possibly be more efficient?
You can't stop pedalling, so the 'motor' is always running. You're wasting energy.
Go downhill, freewheel, recover, speed up more than you would pedalling, get up the next hill faster. Simples.

Well imho I find I am a lot quicker on a fixed than a freewheel ss. Freewheeling is where you waste momentum, keep pedalling and you plough up those hills no probs. I have found that I hardly freewheel whilst mountain biking now thanks to fixed riding.

I get the whole fixie thing. I get the skill involved and the need to be different and individual.

But, after being hit by a chap riding one in London (Kings Cross area) – he couldn't stop, because he didn't have any brakes – I think its for tossers.

Why? Because its hard enough riding around the city on a regular bike and being given grief by motorists and pedestrians, without someone with no brakes riding around riding into people. It doesn't help anyone.

It just plain irresponsible and selfish to ride around with no brakes. Doesn't matter how skilled you are, you will end up riding into someone or something and you or someone else could get hurt badly.

Rant over. 🙂