fixed gear, you've got to be joking

jezwold

I just saw my first fixed gear bike go whizzing past my office window today, the guys legs were just a blur ;-) I looked at it and thought if anyone crashes on a fixed gear bike then it should always be regarded as the cyclists fault no matter what the actual cause because they are just so fricking dangerous.
Anyway that's my rant for today.

andyp

And an uninformed rant to boot. Why are they 'so fricking dangerous' then?

I still can't believe someone on a cycling forum has posted such ill informed opinions about fellow cyclists. Jesus wept. :roll:

gkerr4

you need to have a go on one then cos they are awesome!!

i love my fixed - it's just a cheap langster with bull bars fitted - bought it new for £300 and it often gets picked over my self-build S-Works roubaix.

so much fun - go try one.

Fixedweasel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNeq2Utm0nU

fraz167

Jeremy Clarkson comments on Fixed..brilliant

jezwold

erm... they are so fricking dangerous because if you hit the road with your pedal with a fixie then you will crash, if you rely on braking with a back wheel then you will crash and if you ride down a hill with your legs spinning round at 150rpm then your legs will fall off and you will crash.

Big Red S

jezwold wrote:

erm... they are so fricking dangerous because if you hit the road with your pedal with a fixie then you will crash,

Corner slower.

if you rely on braking with a back wheel then you will crash

Fit a front brake.

and if you ride down a hill with your legs spinning round at 150rpm then your legs will fall off and you will crash.

Go slower.

Bronzie

jezwold wrote:

and if you ride down a hill with your legs spinning round at 150rpm then your legs will fall off and you will crash.

Mine don't................perhaps you should try it before passing comment.

"Stone him! Stone him!..............................BLASPHEMER!!!"

gkerr4

honestly mate - you have t have a go at it - it is awesome!

going downhill - my legs reach about 120rpm tops - thats about 22mph - then I have to use the brakes (yes - i have some! - front and rear!) to limit the descent speed.

they are so much fun, so simple and - oh just go get one - you know you want to!

meagain

"just so fricking dangerous. "

If, as seemingly promoted in Sunday's Observer, brakeless, then I agree. If one (or better TWO) brake(s), then no more inherently dangerous than anyother bicycle. The WAY it is ridden is the key, not the bike. Mine plods along nicely, just like its rider!

Mark Alexander

you don't know what you're missing

peejay78

who's this chump, clearly strayed from the 'pipe and slippers CTC fascist forum'.

rustychisel

jezwold wrote:

erm... they are so fricking dangerous because if you hit the road with your pedal with a fixie then you will crash, if you rely on braking with a back wheel then you will crash and if you ride down a hill with your legs spinning round at 150rpm then your legs will fall off and you will crash.

No you won't, unless you're an idiot

No you won't but you might

No you won't. I customarily get over 175 cadence and there's blokes here get up to 200+

In conclusion, you've just crashed and burned because you're an idiot.

nmcgann

jezwold wrote:

erm... they are so fricking dangerous because if you hit the road with your pedal with a fixie then you will crash, if you rely on braking with a back wheel then you will crash and if you ride down a hill with your legs spinning round at 150rpm then your legs will fall off and you will crash.

Brakeless fixed gear bikes on the road are an urban fashion thing, no-one with half a clue would go out without at least a front brake. I have 2 brakes on my fixed since I can't apply much braking force (safely) with my legs.

There's no need to spin like a loon either, I use my fixed for winter strength training so I have quite a high gear on it. Moderate hills (under 10%) are fine.

Neil

Mark Alexander

as nmcgann says, there's no need to spin out. I use 48x17 and can get up hills ok too. I have front and rear brakes

SamWise72

Brakeless is ridiculous, but none of the other concerns are valid. If you hit the road with a pedal on any bike you're liable to crash, so don't hit the road with a pedal. If you can't spin 150 rpm, you need to train. If you're descending on a fixed gear, and it gets hairy, you just slow down. It's really not that complicated.