Survey: Should Fixed-Gear Bikes Be Allowed on the Road?

You have GOT to be kidding me. The people that ride fixies are experienced cyclists and besides, these "dangerous" bikes are loads safer than the piss-poor excuses for bikes that come out of mass merchants (Wally World) that are assembled (very poorly) by a guy that just got done bringing in the shopping carts from the parking lot. You are more likely to get hurt riding a mass merchant bike that wasn't properly assembled because something is likely to seize or come loose.

Secondly, what IS dangerous about the bike in that picture is that it doesn't have a headlight and taillight. Not having those items is more likely to get you killed than having to use your legs as brakes.

Finally, if there is anything that should be illegal about riding a bicycle it is riding without a helmet. Riding a fixie might cause you to fall, but riding without a helmet almost guarantees head injury.

even in amsterdam you nead brakes on your bike... in the Netherlands you can be fined if your bike does not have: brakes, lights and a bell...

it is not a question of your own safety.. you can brake your neck if you like.. but it should not endanger other people, and that is what brakeless bikes do... because is you can't stop in time, you might hit that pedestrian, or a small child crossing... or any other object or eprson endangering other people's lives or posessions...

I even find this quite disturbing, and I hardly ever drive with my hands on my steeringwheel (only when I need to brake or shift gear)... but that is something you cannot do without a measure of control over your bike and a large amount of practice, a freewheeling bike you don't have brakes, no matter if you have or lack the conrtol and skill to use it

Regardless of short-term safety, these things are terrible for your knees (apparently). Imagine going at full speed and then using the strength of your legs alone to stop immediately. Ouch!

i agree, at least in part, with Chris. It isn't necesarily a question of the safety of the bike rider - if you want to be so foolish as to kill yourself, go for it - but there is no reason to put others in danger. If you can't stop, and you ram a pedestrian, or, possibly worse, hit a moving vehicle, cause that vehicle to swerve, it hits someone or something else. . . the potential for injury is too great with a bike you can't properly stop.

I ride a fixie to work almost every day(with a geared bike other days) and brakeless. I get through the city and suburbs just fine, and actually feel safer on it than my brake-ed bike. It's dangerous, but so is driving. I think the boom in fixed gear culture is positive because it serves as a banner for simplistic, "quality over quantity" mentality which serves both human and environmental interests. It isn't for everyone, but if it gets more bikes on the street, I'm for it(After all, the US isn't the Netherlands quite yet) Personally, I find it about as dangerous as driving, but much more fun.

Adam=next statistic.

I was recently asked to give a statement about the accident i saw where the fixie ran into the side of a car. No brakes, no brains.

Fixies are fun bikes to ride. Too bad they are kind of dangerous, but I agree that the fact many bikers are not properly equipped with lights and helmets is an equal, if not greater risk. Because fixies are trendy, I worry that people without a good handle on them will put themselves in danger. I wouldn't commit yourself to a trip on one unless you feel totally confident. Remember, too, that cars are not all that nice to bikers, and while bikers need to assert themselves on the road, it probably shouldn't be at the expense of major injury or accident. Every one should ride a fixie at some point in their lives. They're good fun!

I work in the bike industry and am a rider. If someone wants to ride a bike...any bike let them. Riding fixed takes practice and the people who ride them (at least the ones in my area) know what they are doing. Besides even if there in no break cailper there is always stopping pedalling or putting your gloved hand on the front wheel.

Come on people, a bike should have a break. In NYC stories of messengers hitting pedestrian are pretty common. Its like airbags in cars, it saves lives, which increases happiness, and saves money and strain on hospitals and ambulances.

Fixies are fun for sure, but does having brakes really kill the fun? Its not like adding a bunch of gears and a derailer (sp).

While some people may be skilled enough to ride fixies I think the issue is it is now hipster trendy to ride one. Thus plenty of people who don't have the skill to ride them hop on and get in trouble. Living in San Francisco these days it isn't uncommon to see someone on a fixie with both feet on the ground desperately trying to slow their bike down as the petals spin like mad and they slide through an intersection. My buddy saw someone doing this in flip flops for gods sake. I know we have fairly massive hills compared to most other cities, but still it's fairly pathetic people would get these things knowing they can't stop. Maybe we need licensing for bike riding on city streets; lord knows as a cyclist about 80% of other cyclists piss me off for not obeying the law while riding. I know the law tends to suck and be very car oriented but that doesn't mean it isn't the law. If you don't like it then support your local bike activist group to get it changed and/or get more bike lanes / paths.

Adam will not be the next statistic as he sounds like he has his head bolted on right.
Most likely the fixed gear guy mentioned in the comment who hit the car did so because the car did something wrong.

Starting the new year off right -
January 2, 2008 - Some guy in a white Caravan mini-van swings his door open when I was about even with his tail lights. Sent me flying across the street. I was giving a wide space on the right but no wide enough apparently. I keep a flashing headlight on even in the daytime. And I am not the smallest profile. I was on a mountain bike. Luckily I was OK. I am glad law enforcement wasn't around because I would have been hauled away due to the scene I was able to make. I threw my radio at him (no headphones, just a speaker) and used all the deadly curses I could imagine. But rode off OK with a wicked arm full or black + blue (Bergen Street + 3rd Ave Brooklyn NY).

The knees - I ride a Specialized Langster fixed gear sometimes. My knees aren't the greatest and I am 215 pounds at 6ft. I am heavy and I use a gear that is too tall for me (48 front 15 rear) and I keep brakes on it. I know I can't stop it in time in a big emergency so I keep the brakes on it. But that is just me. I know my limits.

God bless the ones who know how to ride them and have a better power to weight ratio.
It's not for me and I know it. I also know I am not going to get in Darwin's way. I am not going to tell someone else who has been doing it for years they are crazy.

Lights - everyone needs lights - day time, nighttime, all the time. And a loug loud bell or horn thing. The megazound 9 volt horn sounds like a police whistle and you can lean on the button as long as you need - for obtuse pedestrians, stupid taxis idling in the bike lanes, delivery cyclists drving the wrong way in bike lanes, etc...

Let those who ride decide. Good Luck!!

vsk

Any kind of cycling is a Good Thing. Even unsafe cycling is better than driving a car. That being said, this is obviously not very safe. I had one as a kid, with an extra front brake, and I never had any problems with it. But without a front brake, I wouldn't be caught dead on one.

Oh, I just have to get this off my chest: cyclists who insist on cycling without lights in the dark should be shamed, fined and flogged. Same to those who feel the need to drive on the wrong side of the road, on the frigging sidewalk or otherwise in the way. Seriously. Bikes are a wonderful form of transport, so DON'T act like a tit on one.

And as far as helmets go, I've never used one in my life. Whether or not you need one obviously depends on how bad the traffic is and on how careful you are. I've been scooped up by a few cars, I've had my chain brake while outrunning a tram and I've cheated death (or worse) a few times. When being hit by a tram, train or truck, I very much doubt that a helmet would save me.

Best thing to improve bicycle safety, is more cycling lanes as far away from motorised traffic as possible. That, and truck drivers who actually use their rear-view mirrors.

The discussion so far ... and all good points ... seems to miss the issue of the bicycle as a vehicle on public roads. There are reasons for laws ... to ensure the safety of the public.

Helmets are an issue for the rider. A personal choice.

Lights aren't necessary to see, but to be seen ... blinkers are great, and reflectors are essential since they're 'activated' by nearby autos. Bells are mandatory for reasons of safety.

Brakes, though, are an essential mechanical component that comprise the machine.

We need cycles (bi/tri) to be acknowledged as practical vehicles and respected on public roads.

State bike laws generally say something to the effect of 'able to skid a tire' - a fixie can do that with about as much training as it takes to learn hand or hub brakes.

There are bikes being sold at sporting stores and K-mart types that have only one brake. Often those bikes are not well prepared before sale, usually they come with no support or instruction. And they have no better stopping power than a fixie with no separate mechanism.

I think the 'should be outlawed' meme is a conflation of issues. It may be the 'no separate mechanism' which gives an impression of no braking power. It may be an issue with image and poor riding style (especially urban).

Swapping lanes with no signals, running redlights, are not fixie problems. Not having clear bikelanes, motorists not knowing bike traffic laws and rights are not fixie problems. Bike riders not being responsible are not fixie problems. Banning fixies won't fix the problem.

As a previous poster said, reflectors, lights.

I don't currently ride a fixed bike, though I have for track and road racing training. I do commute and shop by bike. Needing to stop at traffic lights, etc doesn't need two hand brakes. Needing to watch traffic and pay attention is more important. A bad fixie rider might be just as bad a car driver.

Sigh*

First off, they aren't brakeless. They may not have a traditional pivot brake, but the fixed gear itself is a braking mechanism. The same device used by "Safety Bikes" since the late 1800's.

The misinformation and one-sided stories about fixed gear bikes in the media are giving them a bad name (this post isn't helping). Because people eat up bits and pieces and then spit out a half-hearted thesis based on very little fact.

I own a variety of bikes. My favorite being my fixed gear. It is light, quiet, easy to maintain, quick to lock up, and looks fantastic. I've ridden and commuted in many cities, including San Francisco for a year – hills and all – and I now ride in Chicago. Fixed gears aren't dangerous. Unskilled cyclists who don't obey traffic laws, or dedicate their full attention to what lies ahead are dangerous. Just as cars aren't dangerous, but drivers talking on cellphones and putting on eyeliner are. I have had a lot of incidents on my bike where some ignorant commuter on a hybrid ran a stop sign and almost t-boned me. He had brakes, what was his excuse?

I find myself to be much more aware and a safer rider when I am on my fixed because I am scanning much further ahead, reading traffic and continue to make sure my bike is within my control. Slamming on brakes isn't always the best option anyway, depending on road conditions etc. you may end up just tossing yourself over the bars.

Also, until someone shows statistics of pedestrians being killed or even injured by "brakeless" fixed gear riders running them down...please stick to the facts, not absurd probabilities.

Hey, I ride a fixed gear bike pretty much every day in downtown Atlanta. Granted mine has a front brake, and I wouldn't go without it, but I'm not going to legislate that you've got to have one. I have a road bike and outside the city center that's what I ride. The reason that I favor the fixie in town is that it gives you a lot of control over your balance and allows for better riding in tight traffic. If your knees can handle it and you've got the skill riding brake-less is your prerogative.

while we're on the subject of what, in our infinite wisdom, should we next prevent the lowly public from doing, i suggest we make illegal something else, something with quite a bit more social and personal negative ramfications than riding a fixed gear bike (LOL!). and that wold be...

driving. anything. ever. especially for personal transit.

from this point on, i decree that driving cars for personal transit shall be illegal.

Riding a fixed gear bike is not a dangerous or difficult thing to do. I agree that it is not for everyone however, the break-less bike is not the bad guy. Bikers hit cars and pedestrians all the time. Very rarely is it the bikers fault. If a car suddenly cuts you off, breaks or no breaks you are out of luck. If a pedestrian steps out in front of you, again, breaks or no breaks, your best (and often only bet) is to swerve (not slam on your breaks). Riding a bike with no breaks does not mean that you cannot stop and it does not mean that you cannot stop short. It's a different type of riding that requires a different type of thinking. You are constantly anticipating and preparing yourself for what may happen. Break-less bikers are far more cautious and aware of their surroundings than bikers with breaks. I would wager that the majority of bike accidents involve bikes WITH breaks. And, I would wager that the majority of those accidents were not the fault of the biker.

The article says: "They have no brakes and no freewheel" .. wrong. They have no freewheel. That's it. Whether or not they have brakes is a separate issue.

Riding a fixed wheel bike is no more dangerous than riding an ordinary bike; sure you have to keep pedalling but do you ever forget to move your legs while you're walking? In fact you have a greater feeling for what the back wheel is doing and you have more control. Also they're lighter, simpler, and easier to maintain and keep clean.

Riding in traffic without any brakes is nuts (sorry to people I know and like who ride brakeless) and is illegal in the UK. The law here is you need two independent braking systems. On a fixed gear your legs count as one, and in the hands of a good rider, this is as good as a back brake - you can lock it up and skid. Routine stops for lights etc are easily accomplished without using the brake - it's just a matter of thinking ahead and actually it encourages you to be aware and not rush about like an idiot. But if something jumps out in front of you or the car in front slams his brakes on, a front brake will make all the difference. So ultimately, the front brake is for things which are out of your control.

Whether or not its 'cooler' to ride brakeless ... I can see where this idea might come from, but honestly, amongst the riders I know, it's generally accepted that using brakes (like using a helmet, or running red lights) is up to you - we don't bother arguing about it and there's no pressure to ride brakeless just to be 'cool'. I realise that this might be different in other peer groups.

Anyway, in my experience the majority of fixed wheel riders do have a front brake. The whole tenor of this thread is misleading: it's not about fixies vs everyone else. It's just about brakes, and riding brakeless is already illegal. Don't tar the rest of us with the same brush.

ps. resisting is not bad for your knees, but can cause muscle damage if you overdo it before building up some strength, in just the same way that you get sore the day after you do 50 press-ups for the first time in six months.

I must say, there seems to be very very little logic in the argument that it's easier to stop a bike with your FINGERS as opposed to you LEGS.

And i doubt i was the only kid to be thrown off the front of his bike when he was going too fast downhill and the front brakes caught. Had i had my fixed gear at the time, i don't see how that would've happened.

Oh, and what's with this attitude of retarding personal liberty(the right to ride whatever you want, use whatever bulb you wish) in favour of the environment? It's like the Americans giving up freedom for security.

And finally, i have to disagree with the tone of the article. One person should never be responsible for the impressions of a third party.

Helmets and bike lanes are overrated. Helmets cause car drivers to exercise less caution around you as a driver. Bike lanes, indirectly, do the same. What we need is shared space, and some degree of education for biking (every kid should get biking lessons, including a diploma, in school).

Bike lanes, insofar as they are dedicated, should always be on the road. Segregating traffic does not work in the city as it inevitably meets again, at intersections, on and off ramps, where most serious accidents occur due to 'right and left hooks'.

So, if there weren't any cars running over cyclists, would these bikes be dangerous, or is it the cars and their drivers that are dangerous?

No, I won't be the next statistic (at least not in the way ruben insinuated) as I do not, nor have I ever ridden a fixie (I don't even ride a single speed...I spend most of my time on a triple 9 speed 'cross bike with cantilever brakes on both ends and never go out w/o a helmet).

In response to the Anonymous poster that said helmets are personal choice - true, but the same can be said for wearing a seatbelt in your car. You not wearing a seatbelt harms no one else, but because of the cost to society by you getting smashed up in a wreck, the law says you should wear one. Same should be true of a bike helmet (for cyclists and motorcyclists, IMO).

BTW, I know for a fact that in Austin, TX there is a law stating that every bicycle must have braking capabilities which allow the bike, as Robert said, to skid a tire. This includes fixies, and the Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Coordinator for the city rides to work on a fixie.

The "no brakes" descriptor is misleading: the rear wheel functions as a brake just the same as a coaster brake does. Stop legs -- stop wheels. Braking requires a skosh more effort than your standard handbrake, but no able-bodied cyclist should encounter an issue and so I fail to see where there is a safety hazard.

I like the idea of fixies, but they need to at least have a front brake.

Both this survey and the article are being phrased badly.

This issue isn't the fixed gear bike. It's the lack of brakes, which is an entirely different issue.

The school of thought, and it's a bad one, is that you can get away without running any brakes because you can skid by using your legs to lock up the rear wheel like a coaster brake. Which you can.

Why is it bad? You've got crap stopping power. Rear wheel braking only slows you at best. For actual stopping power you need a front brake.

I ride fixie with a front brake. I'd argue I have more control of my bike than most people do with two brakes on "traditional" freewheel bikes. This is due to knowing exactly what my rear wheel is doing, if it's actually gripping the road or if it has lost traction due to water, gravel, ice, whatever. And if I have my front brake so I can actually emergency stop.

I learned to ride on a fixie. And it stopped there.

I don't understand the point of these. Gears make riding so much easier, why not have them?

Very little logic xns? It uses a lever and it magnifies the force of your hands.

I think calling a fixed gear wheel a brake is stretching the term. It can be used as a brake certainly but it's not a purpose-built brake. It's a poor brake in fact and talking about safety technology from 100 years ago is irrelevant. The road is a different place today & no car driver would expect to get by with 100 year old standards.

FWIW, I ride a fixie, with a brake.

Dear Lifehacker,
I used to think that YOU were cool. Then you started slinging this one-side propaganda!

"They are also dangerous and in many places, illegal."

The same can be said for cycling on many of our busy roads. Does it make the rider less of a good person? I guess that since fixies are illegal, only criminals would ride a fixie.

"you stop by fighting with the pedals or doing a skid stop."

And as others have pointed out, this is just ignorant. If the vehicle has a mechanism for stopping; then it has a break! Couriers have shown that they can stop in the legal required distance.

So why all the hate? A better use of a post would be if you actually took the time to try a fixie out. But, watch out - you might just change your tune after a quick spin around the block.

Sincerely,

A Treehugger question that could be asked is how many more tires get replaced each year on bikes because of skid stops. That would be an environmental question to ask about fixed gear bikes. Then we'd need to have the cost benefit analysis of tires vs. brake shoes... Maybe brakes are better for the environment?

Here, instead, I find a public safety discussion being waged by 30 commentators whom I think fall into two camps: 1) people who've ride fixies and support them 2) people who haven't riden a fixie and condemn them without really knowing what they're talking about.

Fixed gear bikes used to be ridden by experienced, dedicated, serious bike riders. By people who used to take old bikes and slap a track cog on a flip flop hub and strip off the rusted junked gears giving that old bike new life.

With the number of brand new fixies you can buy in the store today being sold to hipsters (now in addition to the Bianchis you can get 'em stock from SE, I think I saw a Felt the other day, etc.,.) I tend to think there are people riding fixies today that don't really have any business being on fixed gear bikes with no brakes. I would love it if those ridiculously overpriced hipster mobiles came with brakes. For @ $700 they ought to.

But for the most part I trust people who ride fixies without brakes to know what they're doing. For example, I ride a fixie, but I have a front brake. I know my limitations.

Here's a video for people to contemplate. What good would brakes have done this kid?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbzL0t-0aFs

Wow, look at all the comments on this issue. I feel it is 'reaching' for this to be valuable content for an article though. Nobody is going to ban these period. We all know that. Are they safe? Are they in danger of going mainstream and contributing to accidents? Seems like that is what you are getting at. I completely see the appeal for simplicity that they offer. Here is an alternative...I have a single speed track bike (freewheel). I recently damaged that back wheel and decided to replace it with a 700c coaster brake, and have now removed my hand brakes. It now has an extremely simple streamlined look, but also is very safe, and certainly simple to ride...no learning curve. Some people ask how you can ride distances on a singlespeed, it works great and the gearing seems just right on the SE Draft I have. www.sebikes.com if you want to check it out.

@Gabriel: What does this have to do with LifeHacker?

As several folks have said here, the issue is not about the bike being fixed gear!! The issue is a disagreement over the legal legitimacy of back-pedaling as the only braking mechanism.

Riding a fixie has many advantages... one of them being that you get a greater workout for a shorter distance, which makes it a good training tool for the winter. They are also lightweight and easy to maintain. They are usually built from older frames, which means that good materials are being recycled in a way, and also that the bike will probably not look very shiny... so it is a good theft deterrent.

I ride a fixie every day of my life. I keep a front brake on it for emergencies, but I find that I have become strong enough that I don't need it for normal, anticipated braking. IT IS STILL CALLED A FIXED-GEAR WHEN IT HAS A HAND BRAKE.

I think people that don't know anything about it should keep their mouth shut, or get on a bike and experience the joy for themselves.

@commuterrider

A coaster brake alone is still nowhere as good as a front brake.

You just can not stop anywhere near as fast as using a front brake with any sort of rear braking.

this is a pretty half assed survey. if you're gonna start stirring things up with topics like this, you really ought to put a little more effort into it. I don't get the feeling Lloyd Alter has much idea what a fixed gear is.
"I saw a news reel on the television about these darn kids riding some kind of new fangled velocipede without the normal doo-dads. I looked it up on the cyberweb and turns out these things are dangerous! my cyber buddy says they started with them damn couriers. Kevin Bacon and the lot! bunch a hooligans if you ask me!"

ok ok, so I know that a lot of messengers ride them, and they have become a bit of a trend. There should probably be some sort of regulation about riding track bikes on the street where you have to have a front brake (they make attachments for non drilled forks). but this article/survey is just poorly written and hardly thought out. maybe Lloyd Alter should learn to do a little research before he invests his presious time on this kinda stuff.

The idea and image of fixed gear bikes are dangerous so we should ban them to protect the image of cyclists in general?

What the Fu.....

I think people in spandex look ridiculous and also hurt the image of cyclists....should we ban geared road bikes?

Fixed Gear bikes are no more dangerous than any other bike. It just so happens stylish people ride them prematurely without the proper practice and a subsection of bike messengers are careless and would get hit on any bike , fixed or otherwise, but they happen to ride fixed so it gets associated.

The chain is the break on a fixed gear bike, they are not brake less. If that fails you can use your feet.

If the existing law only requires one brake, I don't see an issue.

If you ride fixed gear bikes with brakes you could argue its 1.5 to 3x as safe as a standard bike with 1 or two lever brakes. If your front brake fails you have a rear brake, if your rear fails you have the chain.

I think this falls under the category of "Don't be a dick." Which means riding a bike beyond your experience or riding a bike, regardless of the bikes brake system, like a dick.

"So why all the hate";

"maybe Lloyd Alter should learn to do a little research before he invests his presious time on this kinda stuff."

"I think people that don't know anything about it should keep their mouth shut, or get on a bike and experience the joy for themselves."

I am a proud member of the year-round bike community and spend much time on this site promoting bikes have never had as much personal abuse in comments as I have from this. Why the language? Why do you think I made it a survey? because I didn't know the answer and wanted to hear from readers, not get accused of being an idiot. sheesh.

how about these new poll topics?
1) "should pre-schoolers really be allowed to drive?"
2) "Lloyd Alter is gonna tell you about the taste of paint"
3) "I saw part of a news show about these new bikes, and I want to make a fuss about it"
4) "My name is Lloyd Alter, welcome to the information super duper!"
5) "do drum circles really have a positive effect?"
6) "how's your chakra brah?"
7) "Dreads, you're blond hair finally did it! but what now?"
8) "what doth life?"
9) "shoes without brakes, should joggers be allowed on the streets?"
10) "Baby, you been robbin' a bakery? cause you sure got sweet ____"

heh. I misspelled precious.

I resent the fact that there is more than a metric ton of articles/posts and stuff about fixed gears that lack any real research.

the second line of your paragraph says that they have no brake. while this is often true, it is not absolute by any means. I used to be a courier, I rode a roadie, but most of the messengers who rode fixed, had a brake. you can often buy fixed gear bikes with a front brake already installed, it doesn't have to be an "addition"

I also resent the generalization of fixed gear riders as "hip" or "crazy" or "daredevil" I own three bikes. one light race bike, one older bike with fenders (for the rain) and one brakeless track bike. I have a lot of fun riding the track bike, but given that it doesn't have a brake, I tend to use a lot of caution when riding it anywhere but the velodrome.

having been a courier, I've seen a lot of cyclist/traffic/pedestrian mishaps. I've seen more problems with inexperience or stupidity on the part of geared commuters than anyone on a track bike. of course, this says nothing about the safety of a brakeless bike, but it brings up a point, that it's more about watching what's going on around you than what you use to stop your bike.

the worst and most dangerous cyclists I've seen are almost unanimously commuters on cheap "mountain" bikes who are not paying a bit of attention to what's going on around them. (note, I am not reffering to actual mountain bikers who are often very experienced riders)

um, treehuggers, should the question be more focused on how do we decrease the number of cars and trucks on the road so that you can safely ride any type of bicycle?

Hey don't beat up on Lloyd for putting an idea out there.
Remember sarcasm? Opinions are like ... Snowflakes ... yeah that's it!
Hopefully the government won't shove brake legislation down our throats!
Let those who ride decide. It's all dangerous. Know your limits.

My friend who is a reckless lunatic had a fixed that has a front brake on it. He is OK with skidding and has good gearing on it but even he knows he might just need that extra few feet some time.

Now can't we get back to arguing about land use for wind farms, unaffordable electric cars, and hemp bags??

vsk

It's interesting how fired up everyone is about this topic. I myself rarely comment on blogs, but as soon as I saw the topic I felt compelled.

My ex boyfriend and I used to commute together for errands like going to work, out to eat, to the market, whatever. I know that a lot of people where we live don't like having bikes on the road, and I really try to respect that and be a polite rider. However, everytime my ex was on his fixie, he was more likely to ride out into the middle of the intersection before coming to a full stop, or to race across traffic when he should have stopped to avoid pulling his legs out of the pedals. Those types of moves are the ones that freak out the drivers and make them hate cyclists. Its not the fixed gear bike that I hate, it's the way people tend to ride them. I like the *idea* of them as a workout... but I just can't help but hate them.

Lloyd, i was not intending any personal "abuse" against you by my comment about people that know nothing about fixies. I was directing that towards the spirit of those who criticize without bothering to know something about their target.

However, I do think that your approach comes across as equating fixed-gear with brake-less, which is completely untrue and unfair. I dont know if you intended this or not. Most sensible people that ride fixed, for anything more than recreation, have at least one brake. Especially people that want to get around fairly quickly. A fixie rider without a hand brake cannot ride as fast as he is capable, esp. in traffic, because he is having to be uber-aware of anything that might jump out in front of him.

Idiotic article. Demagoguery plus factual error tends not to make great writing.

Treehugger has gone down in my esteem for publishing online such a inaccurate and pointless single sided view of an area that they would seem to know little about.

I predominantly commute using my fixed gerar bike. I feel much more in control than I do on my geared bike. After riding fixed, geared bikes fell like they are broken, and someone has poured treacle on your chain. However, I still keep a front emergency brake as a safe precaution.

I'd rather see a reduction in dodgy foreign drivers, who don't have licences, who make our police police the roads more, which in turn raises our taxes, which in turn also raises the cost of living in glorious London, which in turn increases depressin and most likely the suicide rate, which in turn will eventually make this country not England no more, and instead Monopolyistan and to be honest, that's not fukkin cricket i it??

Blame dodgy, un-taxed, un-licensed, kiss my teeth rice and pea, foreign drivers. Not the honest cyclist on his bike.

In my opinion, good journalism is objective and based in fact. As far as I can tell, this article is highly subjective, and rife with cheap sensationalism.

Bye.

I ride a fixie, and have done for years. I have a front brake.

I know lots of fixie riders, many don't have brakes. I can't even remenber one of them having an accident.

I know lots of people who ride 'proper bikes', wear hi viz vests, helmets and are lit up like an xmas tree. They always seem to be getting hit. It's just an observation but i think it's those indecisive, nervous types that are the danger.

Riding brakeless is pretty hardcore - hence the attraction. Life exists in the risk. It's their choice. Long may it continue to be.

B.

In response to Chris' comment: "even in amsterdam you nead brakes on your bike... in the Netherlands you can be fined if your bike does not have: brakes, lights and a bell... "

Like many people stated already a fixed-gear bike uses the rear wheel as a brake (and therefore is considered as a braking mechanism in the Netherlands). So none of the Dutch are getting fined for riding a FGB (in fact a large part of the bikes in the Netherlands are fixed-gear).

Fixies are stupid. But so are lots of other things. If people want to ride one, that's up to them. They're not much of a danger to others, so let 'em be.

when you're talking about riding on city streets, riding fixed is no more or less dangerous than riding freewheel or geared. riding in the city, as i do every day of my life, is a dangerous affair. cars don't use turn signals or mirrors, and the drivers are usually drinking coffee and/or talking on the phone. buses rarely see you. taxis will dart to the right to pick up a fare at a split-second's notice. most delivery trucks have had their mirrors smashed off at one point or another, or are just too wide to see you. my ability to stop my bike is the least of my worries out there.

i choose to wear a helmet and i choose to run front brakes on my fixed, but others who don't make those same choices should not be penalized by having rules applied which take away their ability to ride their bikes. one might argue that the ability ride the bike isn't being taken away by a rule for brakes or otherwise, but that argument could only be made by non-cyclists. a cyclist knows that having any rule applied to how your bike needs to be set up is a rule against you and your choices, and that is untenable.

we are all out there for a reason. whether it's exercise, environmental consciousness, the flow, or all of the above -- we're just tryin to get by like everybody else. let darwin worry about us. let the lawmakers worry about something else.

Right on BEATDOWN and Beem!!
Take it easy Lee.
Mark in San Fran Sicko - try it you might like it.

At least the article elicited comments from the masses. It all seems to boil down to know your limits.

Now about them wind farms and 'lectric cars...

vsk

Something that has been missed in these comments is a little compassion. The libertarian "my life-my choice" attitude is fine up to a point, but we must remember that few cyclists manage to kill themselves without help of some kind. Usually they end up smeared across something else.

Using that compassion bone for just a minute, let's all admit that we have on occasion done stupid things, even stupid, dangerous things. Hopefully we get lucky, and our lapse isn't fatal, for ourselves or somebody else.

Front brakes have an order of magnitude more stopping power than rear brakes. Cut the cars some slack by giving yourself that stopping power if either of you do something stupid.

Otherwise, somebody has to try to sleep for the rest of their lives with the memory of your brains on their windshield. The fewer people have these memories, the happier the world.

And you, of course, are dead.

Rode a track bike for years. Rode a road bike for years. What about that old Schwin coaster bike I had as a kid? Now that, in a good frame, would be cool.

Wind farms, 'lectric cars, hemp bags...what about hemp farms, wind cars, and 'lectric bags?

This has all the makings of a holy war like Mac vs. PC, wind vs. water, etc. Let's all just take a deep breath, and smile, OK?

The one really important point that was raised has nothing to do w/ fixed vs. others, and that is the affect we can have on others. Sure, I have a right to ride w/o my helmet, but do I have a right to require my wife and children to take care of me after a C3 fracture? Therein is the responsibility issue, none of us live in a vacuum.

Take care, love one another, smile more, feel the wind, and, oh, yea, if you feel like it, have a nice day.

I've been riding a fixed gear with brakes for over 20 years. I ride it in NYC, I ride it in the suburbs, in the country. I ride lots of other bikes too, but with or without brakes, a fixie isn't dangerous. Make them illegal? That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. You should start with what's really dangerous first--cars, SUV's, our poorly maintained roads, a dearth of infrastructure for cyclists, laws written by noncyclists that put cyclists at danger. Bikes aren't dangerous in any form, and this is especially the case when compared to the 30,000+ traffic fatalities caused by automobiles every year.

"What does this have to do with LifeHacker?"

Whoops, clicking on feeds so fast that I forgot where I was for a moment.

Still - my comment (and love for fixies) still stands!

fixed gear bikes are certainly a joy to ride and did not start with couriers! they are used for track riding, time trials and by many road cyclists as winter training bikes and a way to improve suplesse. it is a very pure form of cycling and once mastered, very enjoyable.

just because you can't handle one, doesn't mean we can't!

I ride fixed wheel for commuting. As others have said, in the UK you have to have two brakes acting on different wheels, one of which can be the fixed - but actually I use two calliper brakes as well.

Just one reason for riding fixed is control on slippery surfaces including ice - because braking throws your weight forward, rear brakes provide little control, whereas a fixed can give good control and a good feel for the road surface. Until relatively recently, all club riders would revert to a low-gear fixed wheel for winter riding, and after quite a short period of being out of fashion it's being rediscovered.

I struggle with the term fixed gear, since all single-speed bikes except those with direct drive (e.g. ordinaries - penny farthings) have fixed gears - but then since the wheel goes round it isn't really fixed either ;-)

There's a fundamental push-pull between personal liberty and security, and that seems to be one of the basic questions being explored here. Hand brakes are safer for the majority of cyclists, and for those cyclists who are expert enough to handle a fixie well sans hand brakes, the presence of brakes does not pose an enormous encumbrance.

Where I live, the law says you must have brakes, some sort of lighting, and a seat. None of these make it harder to ride, and all of these increase safety for those of us who are not absolutely amazing invincible cycling gods.

*Why they legislated the need for a seat, I'm not sure.

I started riding bikes again simply because bikes are fun! Along the way, I developed an interest in fixed gear bicycles. The simple bikes really captured my attention. They have nice looking, adult frames and very simple drivelines. Working on them is relatively cheap and easy and it really doesn't take much to figure out how to repair or even build your own bicycle. Riding them is an absolute treat. Once you've figured out the best gear ratios for your surroundings and developed a bit of strength you can get anywhere you need to go in decent time. I do use a front brake and lights and would recommend all but the most experienced of riders to do the same (the experienced riders should, of course, have lights as well). All of this is what has led me (a former car enthusiast) to become a bit more 'activist' in my mentality. It's helped me appreciate that bicycle commuting is a great means of transportation. It's cheaper, cleaner, relaxing, exercise, etc. It's helped me to look into ways in which I could help my community become more bicycle friendly. I drive less and try to encourage others to do the same. While fixed gear bicycles may not be for everyone, disallowing them would be a terrible blow against promoting bicycle advocacy as a lot of those advocates are fixed gear riders. The bicycle itself isn't the cause for injuries and collisions, it's the rider and / or an unavoidable situation that would have had the same results regardless of the bicycle being ridden. Just like anything else, a little common sense and these bikes are perfectly safe.

There are reasons un-related to trends that a rider may choose to ride a fixed gear bike. For one, less energy is needed to maintain speed on non-graded streets allowing you to get places without forking up a huge sweat. There is also a feeling of greater control over your bicycle and if you use front and back brakes (which i do) then you can stop faster then a free wheeled bicycle because you have 3 braking components. People have been riding fixed gear bicycles since the bike was invented, and only recently has its image been falsified by a trend.

What an asinine article. Without rehashing others' comments too extensively, fixed doesn't mean brakeless. Moderately experienced riders understand the advantage afforded by a *front* brake, and I think they're idiots for riding without one. Nonetheless, brakeless, experienced riders are far safer than clueless fashionistas or inattentive motorists. The real problem with brakeless fixed gears is image-conscious kids with little riding experience. But the bigger problem for everyone is poor motorist awareness with respect to cyclists. Let's keep our priorities straight.

I'd like to point out, as a friend of Bryce Lewis, the person who died as a result of being run over by a dump truck - and not as The Stranger erroneously reported because his bike had no brakes;
that Bryce's bike was in fact equipped with brakes. Aside from that bit of "reporting" which was the exact opposite of the truth, that's not the only thing that The Stranger article got wrong about the accident! (or even fixed gear bicycles in general, You as somebody who supposedly knows something about engineering should have been able to spot other errors in the descriptions about the operation of fixed gear and freewheel bikes)
You're only lending credibility to an incredibly poorly written and poorly researched piece of yellow journalism by citing it here in an attempt to lend credibility to your completely spurious claim that because some people die on bikes, people will stop using them.
Far more people die behind the wheels of automobiles each year than die riding bicycles - and that hasn't kept people from buying more and more cars every year.

It doesn't matter whether you call it a "survey" or "article." It's still poorly researched. Thanks for reminding me why I never read Tree Hugger.

Even if it were a survey with no article (which it does contain) the possible answers for the survey are equally as bad as the article itself.

LA: Fine. I screwed up. I apologise.

This is all very interesting. There is an epidemic as it relates to pollution and here on a tree hugger site someone is complaining about a person who wants to ride a bike instead of drive a car. Not only does a bike rider contribute to less polution they don't contribute to tons of metal and plastic getting dumped in a junk yard after a car has reached the end of its life. If someone wants to ride a bicycle...I don't care if it's a one wheeler, the pros far out weight the cons as it relates to our environment.

Not all fixed gear bicycles are brakeless. In fact, most have a front brake. I have two fixed gear bikes and both are equipped with very strong front brakes.

Also, a fixed gear drivetrain gives you more control in wet or snowy conditions. I've commuted on all kinds of different setups from mountain bikes to freewheel road bikes, but the best snow setup so far is my fixed gear with cyclocross tires.

I would compare braking (with your legs) on a fixed drivetrain to downshifting in a car to slow down. It may not work as quickly, but it is much more stable. And for emergency braking, you've got your front brake too, which supplies almost all of your braking power on a freewheel bike.

I've ridden thousands of miles on my fixed gear bike. It's my least expensive bike, is built entirely out of used parts (not to mention that it requires fewer parts), and I have never had a single issue with it and have actually gotten in fewer accidents ( 0! ) than when I used to ride freewheeled bikes.

thanks

When you ride one, you'll understand.

The point has been made that a fixed gear bicycle may or may not have brakes - that has nothing to do with the bicycle having a fixed gear. TRACK BICYCLES often cannot accommodate brakes and aren't really suited for road riding, although many folks use them for that purpose anyway.

To the argument that applying pressure on the pedals to slow the fixed gear bike is the same as a brake: true for gradual deceleration but useless for a panic stop, for three reasons: 1) you are able to apply more pressure with one's legs at certain points in the pedal rotation, and if you are on a fixed gear by definition your feet may be in the wrong place at the moment of "panic"; 2) even if you can stop the rear wheel from rotating, which is not as hard to do as it sounds once you learn to lift the wheel to break its desire to rotate, all you have is locked rear wheel, which leads to the third point: 3) a locked rear wheel is a very ineffective brake on a bicycle.

I have ridden a fixed gear for over 30 years (always with a front brake) and have never had an issue related to the fact that I was on a fixed gear.

That being said, it is worth noting that there is a wide variety of "braking effectiveness" among caliper brakes, with some cheaper brakes not providing much stopping power. The front brake on my fixed gear is about 1/3 as effective as the Campagnolo Record brakes on my road bike, for example.

Part of being a good cyclist is always looking far ahead and anticipating situations. The number of times a panic stop is required is very low, and suddenly stopping a bicycle and its rider at bicycle speeds is a much easier proposition than suddenly stopping an automobile at higher than bicycle speeds.

For those who wonder why one would want to ride a fixed gear anyway, there are several benefits: 1) forces you to pedal in circles without dead spots; 2) emphasizes the elegant simplicity inherent in a bicycle; 3) is pleasurable in the same way driving a manual shift car is compared to an automatic.

To each his own.

Fixed gear bikes are absurd, and the fact that they are utterly unsuited to city riding should be obvious to anyone. I see it every day of the week.

While those of us with bikes that are able to slow down and speed up properly (brakes! gears!) are able to ride with consideration for other road uses and pedestrians, the people who ride fixies are there sailing at high speed through busy traffic intersections and pedestrian crossings, wiggling and snaking around the lanes as if they are on crack, and all the rest of it.

When they do manage to stop, they tend to do it halfway across a crossing, right in front of me, doing that stupid "I'm too cool to put my foot on the ground" wobbling thing that makes them look like a senile monkey on a walzer. And then, when the lights change (we're assuming that the fixie rider has actually managed to stop at a red here), the *** is right in my way, and takes about 15 minutes to pick up speed.

Hate them.

All I know is that the people that ride these in London seem always to be the ones riding like sociopathic lemmings.

- straight across red lights and pedestrian crossings at high speed? Check

- unable to match braking performance of traffic around them, forcing them to swerve sharply inbetween other vehicles? Check.

- extremely poor emergency braking, due to reliance on pedal braking on rear wheel? Check.

- slowest off the mark at green lights (assuming they have been forced to stop), providing an obstruction to other road users with reasonalbe acceleration (people with gears)? Check.

I could go on.

I think the things are ridiculous, dangerous, and, as bikes, they perform in such a way as to actively encourage anti-social and dangerous riding.

I don't know about banning them - people should probably be allowed to ride penny farthings and unicycles if they really insist. And I would put fixies into the same bracket.

If you want bike lanes, safer routes and better educated drivers get involved with your local critical mass. Also, I ride fixed I have 4 fixed gear bikes. They surely aren't a bike for someone who is inexperienced but, for someone who is experienced they are as safe as your standard multi-geared bike with brakes. The problem you get is because now that they are a "fashion statement" you have unskilled riders getting into wrecks and, giving it a bad name.

I HATE fixed gear bikes. I have asked people what makes them better in anyway than a normal bike. Nobody can give a coherent answer. You know why? They are nothing but a stupid fad. On my 10 speed I can go faster up hill, I can go faster on the flats because I have a high top gear, and I have brakes front and back for sudden stops. Oh yeah when I feel like chillin' I can coast. You kids with your fixies better stay off my lawn!

I was considering getting a fixed gear and I have been put off by the stupid comments by all the "fixies". Thanks guys, you made it clear. "bikes are not the problem, cars are" Great statement, but it doesnt answer the question of wether fixed bikes could be dangerous by the fact of not having manual breaks or suplementary iron knees.
"Fixies are not for everybody" Well, lolly pops are not for everybody either, who said they were or they werent.
"Extrusion of the body, better connection with the road... etc" Well, that is exactly why I wouldnt like to ask most people with a fixed bike, they always have a memorized-Im-cool-answer.

Again, Im not putting in question people with fixies, Im just saying I dont like stupid arguments.

Thanks,

I've been riding a fixie for about 8 months now, and frankly i feel safer on that than any other bike. I think it's the fact that stopping is on me and me alone.

I took off my front brake and i've had no problems. It's all personal choice and how comfortable you feel with stopping/slowing down with out it.

Lights are definitely necessary. Due to the absence of a freewheel and brakes, sometimes you have to go across intersections or avoid things that may pop out at anytime, and trust me the light helps tremendously.

i've never worn a helmet, and i've had some nasty spills on my bike (even been hit by a car turning into a parking lot), and no problems.

If you feel comfortable without the brakes, by all means take them off and enjoy your ride.

Honestly, everyone should try a fixie once: it's fast, light, the quality of the bikes are outstanding, low maintance, and great exercise.

this is the most poorly written "survey" or mini article ive ever read about fixed gears. they just as safe as any other sport or hobby. is basketball dangerous? a kid could be playing hoops outside his house, the ball could bounce into the street where he could potentially be hit by a car.

you're unintelligent. i'll be cutting down a tree, in your honor. moron.

I'm curious what the best fixed gear bike is on the market. Any thoughts?

The best fixed gear bike on the market? It depends on what you're looking for. Judging by the question, I assume you may not have much experience with fixies...if that is the case, I recommend the Specialized Langster...its a good bike to begin with, it has a flip flop hub which means it is easily converted from freewheel to fixed.

Bsketball compared to fixies? wow, youve got a big brain inside that head.

You should try to find statistics of the percentage of fixed gear wrecks vs regular bikes. maaaybee percentage of fixed gear wrecks of riders after 6 months or so.

so many regular bike riders are lollipopping around, have headphones in. theres definitely something to be said for being forced into paying much more attention to the road.

Fixed gear bikes are fine. It's the riders that need to be reviewed. Give them a test to make sure they know how to ride these bikes.

Fixies are all we had when I was a kid. Whats the big deal? My entire generation survived quite well riding them. They have their place especially in short haul or urban environments where you dont need to be shifting gears.

To everyone that supports bikes without traditional brakes:

In engineering we have this thing called redundancy- we have two brakes on most bikes not just because it provides additional stopping power, but also because it provides redundancy. If on brake fails (bad cable, whatever) you can still stop with the other brake.

What does a fixed gear rider do if the chain jumps the sprocket or the master link fails? Wedge their foot into the tire? Jump off? Pray? The bike should have at least one additional stopping mechanism- preferably on the rear wheel. Besides providing redundancy it would allow shorter stopping distances and that just adds to the safety.

I don't care if you kill yourself flying off an embankment without a helmet. That's your problem. But when you slam into me at a crosswalk because you couldn't stop- then it becomes my problem.

For the record: I do not support bike helmet laws either. I'll always wear a helmet- but it should be my choice- not forced on me because we live in a nanny state.

Ran over my first pedestrian today on a fixie. 6 years of riding it daily in nyc and i thought i wasn't capable of such stupidity. it was a semi slow collision and the pedestrian had the right of way. i went to go behind them they stopped to let me go in front. walk means walk fellow riders, no matter how confident you are you can never control the actions of others perfectly so you have got to super cautious. i am installing my front brake again, it broke and i never used it so i just figured to heck with it. i feel aweful but who cares how i feel, i ran into her.

Didn't most of us grow up on fixed bicycles? I know my first couple bicycles as a kid were fixed wheel and I'm still here 30+ years later writing this.

When you want to stop you apply the brake by pedaling in the opposite direction. I agree that the additional brakes to front and back tires are safer options especially on faster, lighter, courier-type bikes that many of us ride.

I don't understand the venomous comments posted against fixed wheel bicycles. If people ride safe there won't be problems. Just like a car you have to slow your bicycle before you lose control. I think people should ride safe and continue leaving their cars at home (or on the lot). I'm convinced that the majority of critics on this forum don't really ride their bikes (if they even own one).

if you know what you are doing, and how to stop...who cares. there are idiots where ever you go...most of them are in fucking cars that are 100 times more dangerous. just learn how to stop the damn thing.

http://www.buyafixie.com/04/how-to-stop-on-fixed-gea/

this is my last straw with treehugger. i'm not coming back to this site again.

I could pull apart every sentence in that poorly written, opinionated intro.

Lloyd Alter is either an idiot, or a fool for thinking he can put this on the internet without knowing a thing about the subject they have raised.

An EDIT mentioning you've actually done some research, followed instantly by a demonstration your still clueless is just an insult to journalists, cyclists, and right-thinking humans.

oh the age old discussion about brakes on fixed gear bikes. there are good arguments on both sides. But I always lean towards the "helmet" argument. Meaning "true you may look like a poser, but you'll look more like a poser with your brains spilled out over Broadway Ave.

I can't imagine the advantages of fixed gear, with no free-wheel or brake other than the sorta "look at me! I'm different!" mentality that seems rampant in alt. messenger culture. Rocket scientists.