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I am new to cycling. I just brought a new single speed fixie, Takara Sugiyama. It's for commuting (commute include hills). When I went down a hill, the rim brakes couldn't stop the bike at all. It was basically out of control and I had to force myself to stop the bike. I've heard of bedding in brakes on a new bike, but most articles seem to only talk about disc brakes.
I'm not sure why my brakes are so weak?
From https://www.amazon.com/Takara-Sugiyama-Flat-Fixie-Bike/dp/B0061NVB80
Based on the specs on the Amazon page, its a low-end bike with cost-conscious components.
A quick google returns reviews like https://www.bikeride.com/takara-sugiyama/ that say things like "brakes are underpowered" suggests it is an endemic problem with this bike.
Some cheap/no-cost things you can try:
Things to try that cost money:
NEW BRAKE PADS is the single best thing you can to do improve brake performance. I personally prefer Kool Stop, which are excellent. Cheap brake pads are no good at all.
Replace the levers with metal ones. From the look of the photo, the levers are plastic, and will have flex.
Replace the calipers - they appear to be stamped metal. These would be fine on a child's bike, but not stopping an adult going down a hill at speed.
Replace the rims - if they're slippery then a light scuff may help tooth the brake track, but ultimately you need more friction.
Another serious point is Method - if you're not using the front brake, then you're not braking efficiently. The most braking you can get out of a bike is "as much front brake as possible until the rear wheel starts to slide"
If you're only using the rear brake, change your method.
If you are worried about going Over The Bars, learn to shift your weight backward when braking hard. Lock your elbows, lower your head, and stick your butt back like you're mooning the rider behind you. This lets you brake more and harder.
Smittay raises a good point. You could spend much more on making this bike work better than it would cost to buy a bike with better components.
This trendy fixie can be on-sold to offset the cost of a better bike that is more-capable of hills, to someone who only wants to putter 300 metres down a flat road to a coffee shop.
Next time you buy a bike, get a test ride in before committing. I suspect you bought this bike sight-unseen, which is always a gamble.
If you're truly committed to making this bike better, its going to cost money and you'll need to get your hands dirty. If you feel uncomfortable with tools and expect a bike mechanic to do the work, then the cost equation blows out very quickly.
Although Criggie's answer contains everything I would normally suggest, I want to address the "single speed fixie" thing.
The bike comes with a flip-flop hub. Depending on how you set it up, it is either fixed-gear, or singlespeed. It can't be both at once.
If you have the chain on the freewheel, then it's singlespeed, and you need to fix those brakes.
If you have the chain on the fixed cog, then it's fixed-gear, and ... well, you still need to fix those brakes. But you can also learn to control your speed with back-pressure, and to brake (if not very quickly) by skidding the back wheel.
Get some foot retention though - those pedals will wreck your calves and ankles if you lose your footing.
Here's a video that may give you some ideas on stopping on a fixie.
My apologies for some of the less helpful responses here. The blue tires do look cool in the photo.
