Singlespeed vs. Fixed Gear Bikes
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2024
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Choosing between riding a fixed gear or singlespeed bike mostly comes down to preference, but there are practical advantages and drawbacks for each.
Watch to learn about the pros and cons of riding a singlespeed vs. fixed gear bikes.
To coast or not to coast? That is the question -
Whether 'tis nobler for the legs to suffer
The cogs and freewheels of outrageous ratio,
Or to take gears against a hill of soreness,
And, by spinning, climb them?
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I enjoy coasting down the grade. It's the reward for having climbed the hill, in my opinion.
Same. Bombing a hill is great.
Good point!
hard work till the end here haha
I agree . I enjoy riding fixed gear for sure , but I moved to a hilly area and got sick of losing all my descent speed on every hill because I'm forced to over brake
YOU ARE RIGHT. !
Another benefit of fixed gear is that it immediately taught me to not waste energy. I had no idea how much energy I was wasting before when pedaling up a storm at a green light just to slam on my brakes at the next stop. Riding fixed taught me to pace myself and pedal just the right amount. So, it will improve your technique.
Thats kinda true. it makes me little calculated when goes little sprinting.
I started riding a fixed gear four years ago. I had purchased a Wabi with a freewheel but soon realized that there was no advantage to having one gear and a freewheel. When I switched to fixed I was hooked. I now have two fixed gear bikes that I ride on the roads in central North Carolina. I will be 69 years old my next birthday and hope to be doing this for a very long time. (My cycling friends think I am crazy)
David Fisher I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing your experiences and keep up the riding!
Keep it up
Your the man'
Right on man!! Im 57 and ride a fixed CX bike on rocky trails near my
house. These days and especially winter its the bike I ride the most and I have several nice bikes! I hope Im still doing it when Im your age!
Keep it up dude!
Riding fixed is just so much fun and its a great workout compared to coasting often. Even on my derailleur bikes I find I dont coast nearly as much as I used to. It just feels wrong! Like Im not getting anywhere!
This makes me feel so much better, I'm 55 and never see anyone else my age riding a fixed gear bike. Thank you so much!
no chain
i tape a leafblower to the back of my bike and fly away
ua-cam.com/video/bKHz7wOjb9w/v-deo.html Check this guy out! Looks like waaay too much fun to be legal. That what I always say about fixed gears offroad. And it definitely is.
Newton has entered the chat
Yep.. firmly in the Singlespeed club. I did flip my rear when I still had a flipflop and hated it.
51 year old knees + love of hill bombing = singlespeed
i always considered 'singlespeed' to be the umbrella term - all fixed gear bikes are singlespeeds but not all singlespeed bikes are fixed gear
Bessed Drest this is technically true, but since all fixies are single speed, the term single speed is usually referring to free wheels
sleepyzebra11: My Trek 420 fixie is a three-speed, courtesy of the Sturmey-Archer S3X three-speed fixie hub.
you mean higher bottom bracket (or less drop) will have less clearance problems.
Yeah I thought so as well. Never though anyone would be dumb enough to ride with out some sort of coasting hub.
The only reason people ride fixies is to tell people they ride fixies. He gave no real benifits in the video...right because there aren't any. Lol
Like how a rectangle is also a square
I like being able to bunnyhop curbs and dead cats on my single speed. It can get tricky on a fixed gear when you get to an obstacle and your pedals are at 12 and 6.
I try to keep my pedals at three and nine hopping up or down. My source of pride and joy is ID4 blue, has solar powered led lights, brown authentic brooks saddle, bullhorn handlebars,alloy wheels and Kevlar tyres. Oh, and a decent kryptonite lock!
Bunny hopping on a single speed is really not that hard
bunnyhops hurt the environment.
A H
Are there lots of dead cats where you ride? Ive hopped over a few rattlesnakes on trails but never a dead cat!
@@rollinrat4850
Haha, just once riding on the road at night.
I ride brake less single speed.
Euskal Gizona your feet i guess
Are you serious
BMX
Fedial H'dalas coaster brake?!
Same, just use your foot and push on the rear wheel like bmx bikes..allows you to do sweet skids too
I'm in NYC and having the freewheel capability helps both in downhill situations as you said and in changing direction and speed as quick as possible. I have yellow cabs to weave around! I also have a deeply ingrained desire to stand up on my bike when it comes to clutch situations from when I used to ride a BMX. Being able to stop pedaling, stand up and carve to the side has saved me from quite a few hairy situations.
"Ride your bike right now" Zach, it's midnight and I'm in my pajamas already.
I spent quite some hours on my new fixed gear and while I was starting to get the hang of it I've decided it's not for me. I flipped the hub over to SS. I like to ride in and out of traffic and not being able to pause my legs for a second while I look back at traffic is a deal breaker. The combination of my style of riding and fixed gear is just far to dangerous for me.
I’m mobbin with a single speed nowadays. I feel way more in control then when I use to ride fixies. How is coasting cheating? That’s some hater shit. Lol
Right cheating at what? .......surviving ur ride is not a game.
@@skyjuiceification for fixed gear riders it's "cheat" and degrading for their entitlement (for being fixed gear riders)
Everything aside from unicycles and fixes coasts, so is everyone cheating or fixed gear rides just likes doing it the hard way?
Gear set users who use multi speed gears are also cheaters, they spent more on their bike compared to single gear users so that is also cheating lol is that the point, well, define "cheating" lol isnt loading a bike on a vehicle cheating too lol is using an electric motor to a bike cheating lol so are fixie users holier than thou bikers lol
@@johnnyboy3357 every type of bikes have a cult and have to say someones cheating but its just bikes.
I spent 15 years in New York City as a bike messenger professional. During the 80s and early 90s. Single speed yes fixed gear no way. I do know guys who did ride fix gears, but every single one of them had crashed and ruin their rides. And broke bones But like you said personal preference. I have ridden a fixed gear in a velodrome.
What makes them more likely to have accidents?
@@antonioedwards1309 The NYC traffic is stop and go. Plus pedestrians in the mix too. It is very hard to stop on a fixed wheel. Riding a fix in city traffic is very unwise. I know from experience. There also lots of large metal plates covering construction sites on the road. In the rain they can be slippery as ice, hit the wrong angle and you go down HARD. and may get run over. I rode single speed (44 x 19) with brakes on both wheels.. It is also a Macho thing, which is silly!
PS - You can also do a Track Stand on a single speed. I have done it at traffic lights all the time. does not require a fixed wheel. It requires skill.. Peace!
@@5argetech56 Respect!!
Yeah I have an electric bike so I'm pretty much a horrible criminal
Hey, my Swifty Scooter will be electric soon. Hello criminal!
... a smooth criminal!
:D
Sorry but yes you are!!
Is it fixed?
@إدريس عبد الشكور I honestly thought you were joking until I read your other comments; don't gatekeep people who can't ride in 40 degree heat.
To me Fixie's only advantage is, it's cool. That's all. Just like you said, it's a preference.
caragio to me fixie are more efficient to control when you have traffic jam. I can see how gear bikes and ss are struggling to get through it.
Fixies are for kids. Maybe not the cool ones anymore!
FIXED gear is the most reliable gear set up. PERIOD. Most efficient too, believe it or not.
It requires the least amount of maintenance. Just oil your chain , inflate the tires. For a mechanic such as myself thats nirvana!! I used up all my patience on customers bikes!!!
It may seem weird ,even stupid to you , but dont knock it until you try it. Keep an open mind.
Robert Trageser lol just because a fixed gear bike won't brake in 10 years doesn't mean that I would give up easy hill climbing and going fast because the bike might brake every 2 years. Statistically speaking. And if you don't like fixing bikes, maybe you shouldn't be a bike mechanic?
Robert Trageser
I agree, my first bike was a fixed gear toy bike when i was four. its really not that bad to ride on a plain surface, untill you moved into some hilly places. To me, its a good toy, and a very good start up bike for any rider.
livey oone The most important thing efficiency wise is that any bike needs to be geared correctly for your particular terrain and set up for your unique style. You cant simply jump on a track bike and start riding in the mountains. You have to work at it, build up to it.
Fixed gears are mechanically very efficient. Ask an engineer. There is very little lost energy compared to a derailleur bike. It has nothing to do with the rider( the motor) Riders are strong, weak, efficient or inefficient. You need to get strong enough to stay on top of the gear. You need to learn how to suffer and hurt. Its as much a mental exercise as physical.
There is rotational inertia that gives you a lot more benefit that you might not realize until you try it.
There is very little energy loss compared to using a derailleur. Thats why derailleur pulleys in good clean shape make a big difference with derailleur bikes.
You can ride much smoother and develop a flow to your motions when you dont need to rely on brakes to slow down. I have brakes on my bike, I just dont use them much. Pads last much longer especially riding in bad weather and mud.
Because youre rarely in the right gear, you learn to ride smarter, handle the bike better use momentum and carry speed through corners,up small hills and over obstacles.
I ride fixed because its harder and forces you to push harder and go faster. It develops muscles you never thought you had. You learn to pedal correctly, at all cadences. You learn to lay down power all around the pedal stroke. It may sound weird but I enjoy this brand of pain and doing intervals over and over.
I ride a fixed custom built old school steel ‘cross bike on technical singletrack all the time. Most of my local trails are steep, many have more rocks than dirt.
People who dont understand riding fixed have usually never tried it. They cant imagine it simply because theyre ‘fixated’ on their own inability to even try. Thats why I always say you must have the mindset to just go and do it. Try until you cant anymore. Then you walk and try harder next time!
1:46 "On fast descents I often find myself blowing through stop signs"
Every fixie rider ever. Also red stop lights
With my flip flop hub and several testings I have noticed that I like the Singlespeed version more, because I can jump more easily and with shorter reaction time over curbstones. I like that because it gives me a very smooth riding. So a another advantage for singlespeeds.
Ok I grew a mustache, bought tight pants, and didn't vote in the last election. Any other steps before I'm qualified to buy a fixed?
Open a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Haha, f**k Heineken.
Betoni Designs Get a big-ass keychain to put in your belt loop then youre ready
Sailor tattoo.
drink pepsi
Good vid! Thanks for making a simple comparison rather than bashing on single speeds. You're right in that it's all personal preference, and whatever a person is comfortable with they should stay with that because, as you said, they will want to keep riding their bike.
I turned 40 this year and bought my first fixed bike. I really like it, I feel very connected to everything when I'm on it. This said, I still commute on my standard single speed. It's just safer and makes more sense. Great video!
Interesting and fair video, thanks. I've been a cyclist 40+ years. Years ago, I heard of fixed wheel from older club members and I often wanted one. I finally got round to buying one a few years ago, only to discover that they had somehow become fashionable outside of the world of club cyclists. On undulating roads, fixed is probably faster than single speed as your momentum pushes the pedal past top dead centre making for a smoother pedal stroke on the uphills. On steep ascents, the two types are pretty similar. On long or fast descents, the need to use the brakes on a fixie is frustrating. There's no doubt that overall, a single speed is a more practical vehicle. However, with a garage full of spares including single speed freewheels and fixed sprockets, I find that I now have the bike on fixed all the time for the simple reason that I prefer it. No logic, not rational, just I personally find it more fun, more involving, more of a challenge. It's absolutely nothing to do with the hipster fashion thing. You don't know anyone less hip or fashionable than I am. Then again, I'm used to pedalling all the time, no coasting, because I ride cross country and long distance unicycles too, mainly on 29 inch and 36 inch wheels. I also have a geared bike which is far and away the most versatile and practical in my garage, but I love riding the fixie on roads and easy trails.
You're right, there's nothing quite like riding a fixie. It took me a while to get used to it, but whenever I would ride my other bike I kept waiting for the pedals to come up the way they do on the fixie. weirdest feeling ever. sadly, my knees are all messed up so I can't ride the fix for long periods of time, especially downhill. But I still love it.
You are the most informative bike video guy I've seen. Also, I like your older videos from when you were younger. (ie.l how to paint your bike). Keep up the good work.
I ride single speed but love the culture and style of the fixie scene.
Coaster brake or rim brake?
@@adityajonathanmamahit2889
I use a caliper style rim brake...rear only.
Same
@@sicsempertyrannis9024 70% of stopping power is in the front brake.
@@TheClassicWorld
I understand but there's a lot of huge downhills in the city I live in where you can definitely get in trouble with a front brake only setup at high speeds.
I love my flip flop hub because while I'm usually on my freewheel because of the many hills I live by, if I want to switch to fixed for the day (if I could ever find flat ground) I could.
I would say that some additional benefits for fixed gears is the added difficulty and challenge.
And I don't think we can ignore the cool factor. There aren't nearly as many on fixed gears so there's a sense of not going with the flow.
Also fixed gears allow for brakeless riding which makes your bike look very simple and elegant. Go minimalism!
Zach so I have commuted on a fixed gear bike and the main issue with riding a fixed gear in the city is pedaling technique. You get used to pedaling wrong or soft pedaling. Where you don't put pressure on the pedals but your legs are still turning. So if you have more than one bike like a bike with a freewheel, you worsen you pedal technique. Also trackstanding is possible with a freewheel.
Excellent video with a perfect analysis. Ty, Chris
I like my gears, I just also like your videos
I like the achievement of riding up a huge hill on a fixie, and also not dying on the way back down :) Keeps me fit, keeps me happy
This guys videos are amazing the editing is on point and very informative 🔥🙌🏼
I do all my own custom builds because I love to build bikes, and you know every little thing that goes into the bike. I have 5 bikes, a typical modern road bike, a cross bike, a 1x tt bike, a downhill mountain bike, and a fixed gear bike. I used to hate everything about riding fixed, and I used to hate the whole culture of it, but I gotta say, after watching all of these videos, and after building one for shits and giggles, it's really gown on me and is actually a lot of fun. I built the bike just to sell it, but now I can't see myself letting it go and ride it just as much as my others. Thanks Zach for educating me on fixed gear bikes and the community!
super subscrider/
I'm more of a freewheel guy. You really got the conversation going zach! Nice video as always.
First time I road fixed gear was in the early 90s after buying a very high end track bike to race on. The route chosen for my first test ride was a very steep hill, the test ride went great until I had to use a rather large garden hedge to stop the bike !!!!
I was hooked and went on to race many times on the track, where large garden hedges are few and far between.
And these days I use my track bike as my go to city bike, there great fun, simple to fix and very fast
I love your videos. Im going to start my own bike vlog thanks to your videos
I too once thought fixed gears were only for hipsters, but after riding one for a year I'm never going back. Way better workout and it just feels more rewarding after your ride. Not to mention the control you have when moving slower (at stop lights and whatnot) also feels more natural. The people who ride fixies without brakes, however, are crazy in my opinion.
No brakes is suicide. But I do have front tekno brakes on my fix. Just in case the skid dont work the flip over will lol
"I too thought fixed gears we're only for hipsters, but after riding one for a year I'm [becoming hipster.]"
What Nick said, agree on all counts.
Because you can't stop efficiently by back pedalling.
You have outstanding quality in your videos man. I am also trying to to somethin cool related to bikes. If you have any advice llease share.
Good one Zach keep em coming.
hey zach, kindly do a video on the difference of fixed gear frame geometry (slope, standard and aero) pro's and cons.
Ipe de la Paz he already did one kinda hetalk about bike geometry.
oh cool, i'll go check it out. thanks. 👍
I wonder if the Germans have dedicated Bicycle Gear Police to issue tickets for riding a Fixie without any brakes?
Cudjoe Wms
Riding without brakes is pretty much illegal probably in all European countries. However in areas where the law enforcement is not as strong no one really cares about it.
Since when do you need a fixed gear to track stand?
and wheelies and skids, all the things are easily doable on a single speed.
rode singlespeed with coaster brake in colorado. tried fixed, but had no pedal straps and it was super sketch trying to stop/slow down, go down hill, or take some tight corners that were no problem while coasting.
I'm gonna buy new bike with flip-flop option so once I grow my shape back to last season I will try fixed riding. I like the changing option as it gives me chance to choose my gear set as I feel that day and adjust according to my route.
But I have one fully geared bike for rough terrain as well.
Wow loved the video. I always thought (started riding 4/2016) that I rode fixed gear. I actually ride single speed. I use the free wheel side of my fixed/free wheel rear wheel. I feel so much more informed after this vid.
I bought my first single speed that has the reversible hub if I want to make it fixed. Once I get comfortable riding I will try it on fixed!
You cannot get comfrotable with coasting then switch over to fixed gear, trust me you will make it harder on yourself
Great vid. Thanks. I ride a single speed and have number turned the wheel around to the fixie cog ... I've thought about it many times and maybe if i didn't ride clip ins and could lift my feet if needed but the thought of being attached to peddles that never stop. ...it kinda scared me ...lol
A reasonably dangerous day is basically my life motto that i didnt have the words for before. Thank you!!!
Singlespeed everyday all day
ldotmurray hell yea
I made it 100 likes LOL YEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I like all bikes but I've only bought a single speed new and it has been the most fun I've had on a bike so far. Easy to carry, feel safer to go fast(and I do), and I do ZERO maintanance. But I don't know if there is less muscle activation vs fixed and maybe it could cause muscle imbalances-I seem to have a weak knee. But yeah....
Fuck you man lame ass boy single speed sucks it’s for assholes who don’t have bike skills
@@tiktokxtocaboca5837 it's just a bike, Fixster McMessenger. They're all fun.
@BeboSaab no self-respecting messenger would ever use an E-Bike.. it was MTBs and Road bikes before fixed was popular. Fixed and SS are popular because they're low-maintenance. E-bike, hahaha NOPED. We all thought that shit was dumb as fuck.
fixed gear is better for slow speed control, and overall more stability when going through slow traffic
I have no hills near my neighborhood should I just get me a fixie bike???
I'm not even using any of those (fixed or singlespeed) but I guess I just like your content.
I've been riding fixed since 2012 and never really thought about changing back to single speed.
To coast, or not to coast? That is the question -
Whether 'tis nobler for the legs to suffer
The cogs and freewheels of outrageous ratio,
Or to take gears against a hill of soreness,
And, by spinning, climb them?
Zach Gallardo what's the best beginner fixed gear and is the cheapest please help
Zach Gallardo i dont think ill ever stop buying new fixies
bekfast4daiz thank you i appreciate that
Zach Gallardo gay? U used it as a insult! What the fuck is wrong with u
If you like a fixed gears, broken knee and many tears :)
Not a fixed rider here (not yet anyway - I'm definitely looking to get into it, largely because of this channel!), but I see two other minor technical advantages of fixed gear over single speed:
1. Easier to maintain cadence on flats.
2. Theoretically, the inertia of the pedals going around should make it ever so slightly easier on climbs. (No idea whether this hypothesis has ever been tested out, but it makes sense in theory, and anecdotal evidence does seem to point to people at least *feeling* that, given the same gear ratio, climbing is slightly easier on fixed gear.)
Beni Fisch I am not sure why it would be "easier" to maintain your cadence on flats. Maintaining cadence is dependant on your legs not drivetrain. And up hills... Say your doing 200 watts up a hill and maintaining cadence, there will be no theoretical difference between SS and fix. The built up spinning inertia would only come into play if you took your feet off the pedals of both bikes. Flats or uphill, If you do have a slight pause in cadence you will slow down much faster on the fixed as your minut lack of maintaining cadence translates into braking instead of coasting.
It's easier because on single speed you have to constantly pedal, where as on a fixie you put the amount of power in the beginning and you won't worry about pedaling as much. Why? Because fixie bikes pedals for you.
It took me two weeks to really get the hang of fixed riding. I’d ride around the neighborhood every day during that time and eventually had enough confidence to venture out into the world. I gained the nuts to ride in city traffic and found that along with the muscle memory I was developing I was also heightening my situational awareness. I really like fixed because it is zen. It is now and in the moment. The bike has requirements of me and I have requirements of it as well. I like single speed because they’re great set ups, but I love fixed because it is me.
I ride single primarily because I do endurance road cycling and back and forth between my road bike and fixed was a bit of a head trip, plus descents. But love the video Zach, quality has really shot up recently, all great stuff.
I have a mountain bike with big ass tires
mesascott13 not sure what to do with this information
mesascott13
FAT BIKE FAT BIKE FAT BIKE
I don’t care you lame ass boy
@1:22 - so you take your feet off the pedals what happens if a car pulled out on that downhill your riding?
Ending up in a hospital because you ride a fixie is not at all reasonable.
Note: idea for a future video topic. If you live in a hilly area you can easily injure your knees riding a fixed-gear downhill. Riding a fixed-gear down Hills is not the most healthy thing for a bike riders knees.
If you have a good quality set of brakes and brake pads the adjustment maintenance is minimal.
Rode one awhile back took my foot off the pedals road into the wall to stop
you forgot TO mention the awesome work with fix gear pal!!
I went from fixie to dual hub, so I can do both. Fixie for flats and single speed for climbs and downhills. I used to do fixie for downhills too, but one day....on a bumpy road section my chain popped, and it got pinched between the crank arm and the chainring, also it got stuck at rear fix cog, which effectively locked my whole train going 7-10mph downhill. A moments earlier I was going over 25mph, and it would have been catastrophic. I’m happy to be in one piece, and it’s easy to say “your chain was a bit loose”, yes, probably it was and after thousands of miles, one day, it’s easy to miss one thing but I know that if I would have been one a single speed, it would have been a non-issue. Also, I’m an old guy and I don’t have the bones of young guy. So, I’m still doing fixie but not for downhills. The whole repair: chainring scratched by the chain, chain with twisted links, pedal scratched, rear fix cog with bend teeth, and rear tired completely messed up by the long skid. I did not fall miraculously. :)
Flip flop hub
I rode a fixed speed without brakes in my childhood so I always romanticized being able to coast since I wasn't able to. Too many gears and I kinda lose interest. The simpler the bike, the more I tend to like it.
What are the build specs for the bike you're riding in the video? Looks sick!
I am relatively short with a proportionally short inseam and really need compact geometry but can't seem to find any fixed gear bikes that are compact, they all seem to be traditional.. Any recommendations?
I just bought continental GP4000s ii and so i cant do sick skidz anymore unless i wanna be broke forever😭😭
I know the feeling, bout a Gatorskin for my back wheel and tore through it without brakes. Not making the mistake again 😂
Get wtb thickslicks, I work in a bike shop and this is the tyre we throw at all the fixie riders. They are cheep and good for those skids, gatorskins have a stiff shell so they are less likely to get pinch flats and punctures. The gp 4000 II is for Roadies like me who is willing to spend a bit more for less rolling resistance.
Grand Prix 4000s are worth getting a freewheel for :) much faster, gripper and just better than any skidders tyre. Since you can actually go around corners on a single speed you may as well do that to take advantage of the grip the GP 4000 has. No point having a grippy tyre if you have to stay upright all the time to stop banging a crank into the ground and killing yourself.
Why choose, just throw a Thickslick on the back wheel and a Conti GP4000 on the front
Yeah same I don't want to skid out my nice tires either but slowing down without skidding and using a front brake too is more effective anyway. I'm not very much into doing fixie tricks but I do enjoy riding it.
@Thomas smith I take corners well with my fixed gear and it's one of the things I enjoy with it but because of that I have to make sure I have good pedal clearance. My crank arms are short for a rider of my height at 6'3" being 165mm.
4:30 Never rode a fixed gear, BUT I DO WANT THE FIXIE POINTS!!!
Great vid as always
One advantage I found with fixed gears, is on climbs the momentum of the bike can help carry you through the dead spots in your pedal stroke. On short fast climbs, I'm definitely faster with the fixed gear bike than I am with the single speed bike.
Zach--love the channel. My favorite reason for riding fixed is that it condenses a workout in time. Riding a fixed gear--even on the flats like where I live--keeps your legs active all the time. I'm sure someone has quantified it somewhere, but 2 hours riding fixed is a much more efficient workout than the same amount of time cycling with a freewheel.
Must be why the Euro pros in the past did their off season conditioning on fixed gear bikes. Not sure if they still do.
Mike Woods Yup! You got that right. I did an all day 80 mile fixed ride with some hard hills and trails. The next day I couldnt get out of bed!! Normally on my derailleur bikes 4 hours is a pretty short ride. 3 hours fixed is a good solid workout, especially doing intervals. The reason I quit road bikes was freezing in the winter down hills. Since I pedal all the time fixed , its much easier to stay warm!
In addition to the constant pedaling you learn to pedal correctly and at ALL cadences making you a stronger more complete rider. You also learn to be smoother and carry your momentum. Handling and fast cornering is improved. When I get back on derailleur bikes for my big mountain epic rides, the blood in my legs feel like Red Bull!!
More fun to me is ride a road bike with 36 speeds
Finally sounds like a smart man
Nice idea to compare singlespeed and fixed gear bikes. Great channel / great content. Greez
I want to ride freewheel but want the instant response of fixed. Do you have any suggestions on chainring/cog teeth setups?
Its really down to looks, fixies look so simple and thats whats appealing. Singlespeed still need a front/rear brake which 'ruins' that look of simplicity
Kristo A or you could get a single speed with a coaster break. That’s what I did and love it.
No, lol, do you think hand brakes are the only brakes there are?!? Have you never seen a drum brake that you operate using the pedals?
I ride Single speed with coaster brake too. But some fixed gear riders here in the philippines are rude. They laugh at you because you ride single speed.
What if someone makes fix gear to free wheel shifter
I've been thinking about this for awhile. Something internal hub like the old three speeds. Two gears. One freewheel and you can shift up to fixed. They do have hubs that are both. Fixed on one side and free on the other. You just take your rear wheel off and turn it around backwards. But it would be nice to just pull a shifter.
Curtis Dean that will be a neat idea but I don't think its possible...
The beauty is in the simplicity of a single gear. A shifter would be distracting.
It could work with a clutched hub. It would be stupid and you'd be better off buying a normal road bike with shifters but it would work.
I'll stick with my road bike for now... but I got another steal frame where I snapped my rear derailleur hanger so I thinking about "transforming" it into *Fix/single* any advice what will work with my biopace (52-42) cranks? I mean how big sprocket for rear I should get?
im looking into getting a fixed gear soon. i have a 12+ year background of dirt racing/bmx street and park so id say im a pretty strong rider. i am drawn to fixed gear bike because they seem pretty robust especially 4130 bikes. so, is there like a "standard" gear ratio for these bikes? on my bmx i'm running a 28/9 right now. i like a heavier gear.
You mention feeling more connected to the bike and that reminds me of the difference of driving an automatic vs a manual vehicle. That brought me to the idea of a clutch on a bike. How feasible is that and does it already exist? Ride fixed and coast only when you need. 😊
I did both for an equally amount if time, I rather be riding free coast
When he says subscrider I always think he's mispronuncing it.
I had a previous accident on my baby. And it took me a while to do my Daredevil Krazy Kizer stunts. You have valuable information which works in my favor. Love you page
Ride strong Brother 💪
I bought a 2015 Kona Fire Mountain mtb. The original owner had it as a single speed with Hone Crank set and single speed race face front sprocket. For 180.
Was that a good deal?
I prefer 11s. Electronic and wireless.
with hydro disc brakes
They Live We See and 160mm front and rear travel
Haha. Youll need a motor soon.... and a good technician.
What drivetrain I prefer? 2x8 speed
I suspect Fixie also enables you to maintain a higher speed on slight inclines due to the assistance of rear wheel momentum
Hi, im thinking about build a single speed bike. How is called the cassete single speed? Whats the type of frame that ill need?
Ok, So I'm not really a bike-type-a-guy. More into cars.
I live in the Netherlands. Everyone has a bike here.
And because of those maniac old people with electric bikes who don't know what they’re
doing, kids with their eyes on the phone, instead on the road.
And those irritating Lycra wearing cyclists.
I hate bikes.
But then a friend of mine had a fixed-gear-bike.
U should try it, he said.
I was like, nah, i'm good. Don't like bikes much.
(Didn't really know what it was)
it's a bike with a fixed gear, he said. It's not a normal bike, It feels different.
Try it. It's fun.
Me: nah, leave me alone man.
Dude? come on?
Hhmmm well okay, if you insist.
And as soon as I got on the bike. I was like Wowww, OMG this is seriously dangerous.
But my brain told me, dude, this is interesting and F*cking awesome.
10 paddle strokes later, I was instantly hooked.
I don't know man, this is a whole new world opening for me.
now 2 weeks later I got my own fixed. Stoked going to work every morning.
Still Choking on my track stand in front of the traffic lights.
Just ordered me some straps, so I can finally practicing some skids.
For me: fixed made cycling great again.
I even watch fixed gear UA-cam vlogs now hahaha
I'm a free coaster bmx
can some one explain me something please. tell me if I'm wrong but I assume that to go faster you have to pedal faster as there is only one speed... so you can you go like 30 km/h at 90 rpm , when you climb a hill at 10 km/h you would have to go at 30 rpm?
A friend of mine is just learning to ride a bike. He is not familiarized with pedalling because he did not even use a tricycle when younger. Is it okay if I teach him to ride in a fixed gear so he learns how to pedal? We tried using a bike with a freewheel, but he could not pedal easily.
I perfer gears and freehubs
I like gears, but I hate deraileurs. I have a graveyard of them. I gave up and went single speed and I don't miss gears for the Urban riding I do.
igh
That might be ambiguous.... Internal Gear Hub.
The points don't matter - just like on Whose Line...
Very smart video Zach!
I rode my fixed gear bicycle with a freewheel one time and then switched it back. I like being in fixed gear more and it's nice being able to control my speed all the time without needing to use the brakes. That way I can keep my hands anywhere I want unless I need to slow down faster with my brakes. I can also corner good with mine because of the pedal clearance and one nice thing about pedaling through a corner is accelerating through it. It can be really fun. The drawback is I need to stay with a shorter crank arm if I want to keep my pedal clearance where it's at.
Freewheel is more practical and better for a beginner, and I think it's better for stop and go unless you become a track stand master. Riding fixed is better for the fun factor and can help you become a better rider.
I’m still confused on the difference
on a fixed gear, as long as the back wheel is spinning, so are the pedals... therefore if you are going down a hill, you will either have to pedal super fast, or take your feet completely off the pedals until they're at more of a manageable speed for you to pedal at... on a single speed, you can pedal when you choose to, and not pedal (coast) when you choose to... you can also back pedal, where on a fixed gear, if you back pedal the bike moves backwards... fixed gear you pedal constantly... single speed not so much
On a single speeeder you can go downhill and the pedals won't Move unless you spin them. On the fixie the pedals will rotate weather you want or not. This is one way to explain the process.
1:49 nice job stopping :p
I am just like you, Zach. As soon as I bought and rode my first fixed gear bike in 2008, I fell in love and never went back to geared bikes!
Hello a new friend just dropping by to give some support, Thanks for sharing Singlespeed Bikes. Cool it seems you really are an specialist of the bike,
well thanks my friend for sharing this, to tell u the truth i have know idea when it comes to the bicycle and now i know that there 's a lot of things to do it. hehhee
God Bless
Singlespeed with pedalbrake = the best
Yep. Coaster brake all the way. I just need a 70s style orange flag for my bike.
Fantasc that’s the best
And I can even skid still to
Derailleur weighs nothing gives u gears. Downhill full suspension fixed gear is my favourite bike
I tt on Cinelli Vigorelli Steel fixed & a kona paddy wagon 3 speed, although I’m thinking of use it as a single speed tt bike so I can coast on bumpy courses
man, I would love to hear your opinion/review/comparison of not only these two, but also a counterpedal single speed. I love those things too hehe. Cheers, great video.
I have had fixed riders bombing hills out off control nearly kill me as a pedestrian. If you ride fixed do it where you wont kill someone if you lose control. Save fixed riding for the track..
MotoSurgeon nah
max garcia play stupid games, win stupid prizes
MotoSurgeon I've seen guys on geared with brakes do the same thing. It's not the bike that's the problem it's the person that's on that bike.
Robert Benner lies
MotoSurgeon LMAO