Fixed Gear Bicycles
Click here for a full definition and description of a fixed-gear bicycle.
By now you have probably seen someone racing by with one gear and asked yourself why? Well maybe you should ask yourself why not?
- All the cool kids are doing it. You'll be popular! Seriously, it can be a trendy thing, but you can either join or ignore the lemmings and still have a great time.
- A fixed gear bicycle is perfect for cadence training. You can't coast, even down hills, so if you maintain constant speed you are also maintaining constant cadence.
- Try something new, riding a fixed gear is a different experience, if you are looking for a little spice in your cycling life -- here it is.
- Mechanical simplicity results in something that is very easy to maintain.
Q: I hear they are bad for your knees, is that true?
A: They can be, the legally correct way of addressing this is probably to consult your doctor, however... Listen to your body, it has a lot to say. If you are experiencing discomfort, stop and evaluate the situation, try the following:
- Make sure the bike fits, the Bicycle Collective or other bike shops can help you with this.
- Are you using too hard of a gear for the rides you are on? Your cadence should be fairly high, but not so much that you are spinning out. Be a spinner not a masher.
- Brake pads are cheaper than knee replacements, if you don't have brakes and your knees hurt -- consider the obvious.