Fixie riders….

Damn I new I was going wrong riding my fixie in lycra and road shoes 🙁

there are a fair few bicycle couriers/companies in liverpool btw – though they will mostly be wearing something more comfortable than jeans.

No there isn’t. There is absolutely no requirement for them. Traffic ok, not a huge business sector with a small commercial district. There might be some freelance individuals, but certainly nothing to support an industry.

Personally, I hate the term “fixie”. I ride my fixed wheel road bike in full lycra club kit, commute on it all winter with guards and a rack, and ride winter club rides. It has drop bars, carbon forks, a proper set of brakes which of course I use, and hand made Open Pro wheels on low flange hubs. You would not notice it was fixed.

And then it gets stripped down for the IG Nocturn track bike race and again when we go to Herne Hill. We also have a vintage track bike and a Langster (only £100) for school duties. No rack or guards, but a blazer and tie 8)

Genuine Question:

For those saying lack of maintenance is a factor in riding a fixed wheel, what exactly does this relate to? I’ve never, in years of commuting five days a week year round, had a free hub fail and this is all I can think that the statement relates to?

There’s 2 types of fixie riders.

The ‘hang out in London Fields on the weekend and pull wheelies at the weekend types’ and the proper ‘elegant as f*** technique’ types. It’s easy to tell which is which.

Saying this I saw a ‘3rd type’ which I’ll call NinjaFix. He was a very long levered black guy on a stealth black track bike with a full skinsuit and a carbon full face helmet. But I think he is an anomaly.

I’ve had both a free hub, and a freewheel fail.
But then, I do resemble Jesus.

buck53 – Member

Genuine Question:

For those saying lack of maintenance is a factor in riding a fixed wheel, what exactly does this relate to? I’ve never, in years of commuting five days a week year round, had a free hub fail and this is all I can think that the statement relates to? You mean relative to commuting on a singlespeed with a freewheel? [Obv it’s night and day relative to maintaining a geared commuter]. Rel to a normal ss there’s not a great deal in it – I would get about 18 months out of those cheap shimano freewheels, so I guess you’re saving the occasional £20.

Ride is quite different though – I switched earlier this year after a freewheel went on my pompino, and wouldn’t go back. Like the way it rides fixed.

Big lustrous beard

Lustrous.

There’s a word.

there are a fair few bicycle couriers/companies in liverpool btw – though they will mostly be wearing something more comfortable than jeans.

– Shellsuits?

jameso – Member
there are a fair few bicycle couriers/companies in liverpool btw – though they will mostly be wearing something more comfortable than jeans.
– Shellsuits?

don’t forget the curly wig 😉

PS,
I ride one of my fixed gear bikes near enough everyday,shops,running my dog,etc.
some days it’s jeans and a hoodie,some days Ron hills,waterproof jacket,some days,baggies and an MTB jersey,some days I wear a piss pot lid,some days an MTB helmet,some days a cap,and some days,I turn full anarchist and wear no headgear whatsoever….
I ride it ‘cus I like it,on or off road,but prefer off road,TBH.

takes all kinds,I guess 😉

I ride it ‘cus I like it,on or off road,but prefer off road,TBH

There’s some rooty, stream-side singletrack near me which is great fun on my nichecore fixietwat fixed monstercross.

I like that Crikey tried to come up with 5 arguments against baggies, he ended up using the same argument 3 times. That’s quite informative I think.

I like that Crikey tried to come up with 5 arguments against baggies, he ended up using the same argument 3 times. That’s quite informative I think.

I wear ‘baggies’ over my lycra shorts, though they’re not that baggy really and they’re not bike-specific or anything.

I used to not, until I rode past a bunch of girls one day who said “there’s that teacher from college”. You get very self-aware when a group of 17-year-old girls who you may have to teach one day see you in lycra.

Fixie riders get more clunge…. Fact*

*jimmy in the pub said

especially if you have a stiffy.

especially if you have a stiffy

I always ride rigid.

Cheers Garry. I figured there must be more to it considering how often simplicity and lack of maintenance are cited as driving factors of riding fixed. I’m surprised it’s not more than that, I don’t think I’ve spent a disproportionate amount maintaining my geared bike in that case.

Ride is quite different though – I switched earlier this year after a freewheel went on my pompino, and wouldn’t go back. Like the way it rides fixed.

What’s this about? In what way is the ride different? I’ve ridden a track bike at the velodrome, but I can’t say I thought that I’d like that on the road. Again, genuine question.

Thinking back to the original question, do the riders wear the clothes that people who ride fixies choose, or is there a fashion statement that includes the need for a fixie.

Watching some of the local students, I think option B is most likely. The bike is an accessory to the image, rather then the image being guided by the choice of bike.

I’ll go back under my rock now (I wear baggies btw. Not because they are practical, but I think lycra looks stupid).

I wear the same clothes when riding fixed as I do when riding anything else.

Shorts – whatever is at the top of the drawer. Normally baggies with a liner because that is what was on special at Halfords a couple of Christmasses ago when I asked for cycleing shorts for Christmas.
Top – whatever is at the top of the drawer. Normally a knackered red one from when I first met FredDibnah/Elfinsafety up in London or a knackered yellow one from the very first BBB*

Sock/pants – yes
Shoes – Either of my pairs of 5-10 bike shoes as I can only ride flats and like the grip they provide.

*the yellow t-shirt has finally been retired as the arm fell off. It has now been replaced by a knackered green ‘Charlie the BikeMonger’ t-shirt which was an unclaimed prize from the second year of the BBB

When I moved into my current place there was a really old racer in the shed. I want to use the frame and the contents of my parts box to build a fixed gear pub-bike.

Problem is, I’m in a quandary because I’ve got these lovely old drilled brake levers that I want to put on it. But then half the point of building a fixed gear is wanting to experience the no-brakes riding style.

So, due to this, it just sits there, mocking me. 🙁

Incidentally, I can’t find any markings on the frame or forks at all. How would one go about identifying this frame? Only unusual feature is a lug on the side of the forks. Presumably for mounting a light.

Jambourgie,
brakeless is pretty silly, most fixed riders use at least a front brake.
I often ride without using the front brake,but have been very glad of it on at least two occasions ! better to have and not need etc…

If you strip the frame,you may find some no’s etc ?

or,…. post a pic,you never know.

Re: the Chicken and Egg question – it’s Egg – Birds are reptiles.

😉

I like the idea of a fixed wheel, but the short, steep hills hereabouts take the edge of the appeal a bit (based on my experiences riding them on my SS). I’m also a bit wary about the potential for pedal strike on rough surfaces / lumpy transitions (hmm, just use shorter cranks I ‘spose). Definitely with proper ‘bars tho’ – I like being comfortable on a bike.

Thinking back to the original question, do the riders wear the clothes that people who ride fixies choose, or is there a fashion statement that includes the need for a fixie.

I’ve seen quite a few nice new bikes around recently that look like what’s described as a “fixie” but very often they use a freewheel. I think people are attracted to those bikes because they’re pretty and practical, and often very good value. Yes it’s a fashion thing at the moment, but it’s more about the style of the bike than the ability to coast (or not).

brakeless is pretty silly, most fixed riders use at least a front brake.

Never, ever seen a fixie with any brakes.

Never, ever seen a fixie with any brakes.

I’m sure you have, you just didn’t notice it was a fixie.

Ahem!

It was not an argument against baggies.

It was intended to make the point that baggy wearers in general cannot claim any functional high ground when it comes to dressing for cycling.

I even have a couple of pairs myself, and have used them on most of my mountain bike rides. I use them to avoid knackering any of my lycra shorts, and have no problem in using lycra in the dry.

As for the ‘Ooh Mr Darcy, I can make out the outline of your John Thomas’ business; if you buy decent lycra shorts, the offending member is safely tucked away behind the drip tray on the chammy.

Never, ever seen a fixie with any brakes.

I have a disk on the front of mine.

Are we getting our fixed-gear’s and our single-speed’s mixed up? A SS has a brake(s), Fixed does not. Or am I wrong?

Are we getting our fixed-gear’s and our single-speed’s mixed up? A SS has a brake(s), Fixed does not. Or am I wrong?

A singlespeed can freewheel. A fixed wheel can not.

Brakes have nothing to do with it.

More people on bikes is good.
Doesn’t matter why, or what they wear.

I can confirm there is one full time bike messenger in Liverpool. you can’t miss him he’s 8 foot tall and incredibly scouse. he is the only one.

After watching an ace documentary about New York bike couriers in the 80’s/early 90’s I was tempted to try this. But I think it was the nostalgia of that age and the NYC backdrop that tempted me. When I think about doing it in my own city (Sheffield) it doesn’t seem that much fun. 🙂

plyphon – Member
brakeless is pretty silly, most fixed riders use at least a front brake.
Never, ever seen a fixie with any brakes.

not very observant then…

a front brake is a legal requirement in the UK,in fact,a ‘functioning brake on each wheel’ is a legal requirement,on a fixed wheel your legs count as a brake.
a ‘fixie’ is just that. i.e. a bike with a fixed,as in permanent drive,no freewheel.
the amount of brakes are irelevent,track bikes are ‘Fixies’ but so is any bike with one,or two wheel brakes,as long as it’s er,fixed wheel….

and yes,of course there are always going to be cockjockeys who think riding brakeless on the road is cool.
but not as bad (quite) as the bmx’er with no brakes,lights,or even a fixed wheel,who shot out of the park onto a main road infront of my car tonight.

‘Fixie’ is just a slang word for a fixed wheel bike. A track bike is exactly what it says, a bike for riding on the track. To be a track bike it has to conform to the rules of the track it is ridden at. I.e. No brakes, a certain height for the BB depending on banking angle and in some instances even the tyres are specified (you are not allowed to use Michelin at Manchester) and drop bars for bunch racing (no pursuit bars). Some velodromes have a gear inch limit too.

It was the Hoxton/Clerkenwell fixie lot that made cycling cool in London. We have a lot to thank them for