30
votes
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
Disclaimer: I am a fixie hater. I'll try to answer this as if I was impartial.
Proper road bikes (Including the Moulton) are the machines for speed, and always have been (unless you're on a velodrome)...
- 5,690
22
votes
Why do fixies (fixed-gear bicycles) have one brake on the front?
It feels safer because it is safer.
With a fixie you can brake the rear wheel from the pedals. In theory, you only need a front brake. The theory is great for experienced fixie riders. For novice ...
- 49.1k
20
votes
Why do fixies (fixed-gear bicycles) have one brake on the front?
Longtime fixed-gear rider here (~14 years, thousands of miles), and I run a front brake only.
I won't go fully brakeless because I consider it too risky. I am a year-round commuter and I have actually ...
- 301
17
votes
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
Who rides fixes? Roadies who have got bored with always being out the front? Maybe its someone wanting to make a statement to the "Freds" (look it up) in the group
I once did a 160km ride where some ...
- 49.1k
13
votes
Accepted
Fixie: how to learn to ride: step by step
I’ve been riding mostly fixed gear for, oh, maybe ten years now. I use bmx pedals with straps.
Straps
You really ought to practice getting in and out of them until it becomes second nature. Having ...
- 893
12
votes
Accepted
Does having bigger wheels mean less effort pedaling?
Assuming a completely smooth road and neglecting the weight of the wheels, it makes no difference: you still need to do the same amount of work. Essentially, larger wheels give you a higher gear ratio,...
- 17k
12
votes
10 gears to singlespeed
I've got a 2nd hand Hercules too and I've done this exact thing. Get a quality chain tool and look up some videos on Youtube about how to remove and re-link a bike chain. I pretty much winged it as I ...
- 121
11
votes
Setting up chain tension on a fixed gear with road bike frame
If you cannot control the rear cog's position, you can try moving the front chainring to tune the chain tension. That is, get an eccentric bottom bracket:
By rotating it in the frame, the distance ...
- 14.4k
11
votes
Accepted
Fixed gear steel frame from AliExpress
No, it is not serious, you should not believe these descriptions. They just try to attract people searching various terms.
There are indeed many counterfeits in these shops. When they claim so much ...
- 16.1k
10
votes
Aero wheel on front, regular on back - why?
I think this is being over-thought. Aerowheels on messenger rigs have nothing to do with performance, quicker locking ability etc. etc. It’s just the new generation mimicking the older generation, ...
- 101
10
votes
Does chain tension change how hard/easy it is to pedal?
If the tension is too high, the drivetrain will bind. If it is too low, the chain will drop (which is dangerous on a fixie, since it can catch and lock up the rear wheel relatively easily).
You ...
- 46.1k
10
votes
Accepted
Turn single speed into multi speed!
Technically yes, economically no.
You obviously need to obtain a multi sprocket cassette, rear derailleur, shifter, and cable and housing. Additionally you need:
Singlespeed frames have dropouts ...
- 75.5k
10
votes
Terminology: coaster brakes vs free wheel?
It doesn't make much sense to insist on one thing being the opposite of another, so let's just focus on what these things are, and you can decide for yourself what, if anything, is "opposite" of what.
...
- 17k
10
votes
Accepted
How do I properly torque a track cog lockring?
A torque specification is not just a torque-spanner setting but a physical property. That is, there are many ways to apply the correct torque.
In this case it means more or less: pull it as tight as ...
- 9,610
10
votes
Accepted
Setting up chain tension on a fixed gear with road bike frame
The short answer, is you generally cannot make a fixie out of a frame with vertical dropouts.
Not only do you need to tension the chain, but the spacing of the axle of the bottom bracket and rear ...
- 12.1k
10
votes
Accepted
What type of bottom bracket does my bike have?
There's nothing integrated there - instead, there is one cup still in the frame, and it has been painted red at some point.
You'll need either a careful hand with a large spanner to remove it, or to ...
- 121k
9
votes
Accepted
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
For context, I have been doing group rides for about 20 years now, raced at the cat 1/2 level for a good portion of that, and had a fixed gear obsession off and on for many years too. Riding fixed is ...
- 30.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Convert fixed side of flip flop hub to freewheel
You can just use the freewheel on the large thread on the fixed side. It's the same size, and just as durable as the freewheel side, for normal people.
So just unscrew the lockring and cog, and put ...
- 106
9
votes
2- or 3-speed fixie
There is a Sturmey-Archer solution for you:
S3X Silver
Just to copy the information available on their page:
Silver 3 Speed Fixed Gear Rear Hub
FEATURES
3-Speed fixed gear with gear ratio of 160%
...
- 4,281
9
votes
10 gears to singlespeed
If your bike has slotted dropouts and a rear wheel secured with axle nuts (which Poster's answer implies you have) you can do a single speed conversion without the need for a chain tensioner device.
...
- 75.5k
9
votes
Fixed gear steel frame from AliExpress
Personally, I would suggest you look locally for a used bike for your project. You don't need a brand new bike and that bare-frame is not exactly cheap.
Also notice that you'll need to paint the bike ...
- 121k
8
votes
Accepted
Can we turn a fixie bike into a freewheeler?
You can buy a flip hub rear wheel where one side is fixed, the other free (Some bikes even come with them). You just take the wheel off, flip sides and put it back on. Brakes will depend on the frame ...
- 846
7
votes
Accepted
Fixed gear wheel NOT stopping when feet stop. Any ideas why?
Braking with the chain on a fixed gear is unlike any other manoeuvre in riding a bike, because as you slow down, your momentum change unweights the rear wheel, making your actions less effective. To ...
- 121k
7
votes
Fixed gear wheel NOT stopping when feet stop. Any ideas why?
That bicycle you had long time ago had rear brake (actuated by pedals turning backwards), the one you have now has no rear brake and you have to fight force of inertia with your feet to stop it. One ...
- 2,213
7
votes
Wheel gets stuck
Check to see where it's rubbing. It will probably be rubbing on the brake pads, or less likely on the chain stays. If it happens once per rotation it means your wheel is probably warped and needs to ...
- 21.7k
7
votes
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
Engineer and fixed gear rider here, hello. My top speed on flat on fixed is 1 km/h less than on geared bike with similar wheels, and I'd explain that with my geared bike having lower handlebars.
On ...
- 21.8k
7
votes
Convert fixed side of flip flop hub to freewheel
As a follow up, I actually did put the freewheel on the fixed gear side (after some cleaning). As you can see from the pictures, the freewheel won't be all the way threaded (like my LBS said) but it ...
- 282
7
votes
Chain noise, fixed gear
Looks a little tight. There should be +/- 0.5 inch vertical movement of the chain possible halfway between the sprockets.
Park tool has a great video on single speed chain replacement:
...
- 75.5k
7
votes
Rim brake on front and disk brake on rear
With no disk brake mounting lugs on the frame you cannot mount disc brakes. There are bolt on adapters but I personally would not trust them. Additionally you would need a disc compatible hub which in ...
- 75.5k
7
votes
Is it possible to convert a single speed rear wheel into a multi-speed rear wheel?
Conventional wire spoked wheels don't allow this. All types of conventional singlespeed hub (BMX, cassette, freewheel, track, coaster) take advantage of their one-cog-ness to have center-to-flange ...
- 81.9k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible