It's a promise of value or experience to be delivered in the future. An exotic car, for example, seeks to project a huge value proposition to justify it's high price. A one-time use item like a cotton bud would be seen as relatively low value. Now let's explore this concept. A multi-billionaire on his death-bed will most likely spend his entire fortune for a small drop of medicine that can extend his life.
Alternatively a starving beggar will not spend a single dime on a Bugatti if he can spend it on a loaf of bread. Different people find different value propositions for different types of products. Life after all is an existential struggle to improve one's experience.
People, whether they know it or not, spend money, risk their lives, break bonds and face challenges just so they can discover that one thing they are looking for.
What are you looking for? Do you want the same exact experience? Do you want to ride a bike just to ride a bike, then just buy a typical bike. But if you want something different, if you want a bike that has strides as meaningful and unique as your own distinct daily struggles, with scratches and dents as meaningful as your scars, with upgrades and customization as meaningful as your personal milestones, then a fixed-gear bike is the only bike for you.
Shopping cart close. No products in the cart. Main Blog. By Ary Ashoor. Perhaps having such a basic bike is ill-conceived. In fact, that was my immediate thought when I first encountered these fixed-gear bikes. But there was an element of intrigue What is the point of a fixed gear bike? There is an entire underground culture loyal to fixed gear biking. It's like seeing an ugly guy with a hot girl - you have take a closer look.
You start looking for clues, to unlock the secret as to why something seemingly bad at first glance is capable of achieving something great.
So basically my first opinion of singlespeed bikes wasn't exactly positive. But I kept looking. It was like being immersed in a good book, I couldn't stop.
And then it happened. I realized that there was an entire world to be explored, a vast untapped perspective to ponder. If you've encountered profound life experiences that go beyond face value, you begin to understand why a seeming downgrade may actually be an upgrade when you give it a closer look.
A good example of that would be jogging outside. Why on earth you ever want to go out and potentially get run over by a car, get eaten by a mountain lion or make an awkward eye contact with a person you've been avoiding. Why do all that if you can just stay in the safety of your own home away from any kind of dangerous vehicles or animals? The reason is discovery. We are all built with this inherent need to discover our world, to discover ourselves and discover the meaning as to why we do the things we do.
There is more to life than just walls, pretty things that glow in the dark, reports, grades, money and fear. What does this have to do with fixie bicycle you say? Let me compare this to regular bike.
I have nothing against regular bikes they are great products, they are easy and they get the job done. But similar to how convenient and easy treadmills are, there is this seeming disconnect.
A disconnect to the entire experience that it feels like a chore you simply go through the motions just to get it over with. While some fixie fanatics prefer to ride track bikes on the street, especially those who are or were into track racing, it's generally not the best option for real-world fixed-gear riding due to the unforgiving stiff ride and lightning-quick handling, which respectively, beats you up a bit and forces you to pay close attention when riding.
A better choice for most riders are fixies designed for the street, such as the ones we sell keep in mind that we can easily convert any fixie to allow coasting should you prefer that option. It's also possible to build your own fixie starting with a bike with standard road geometry and clearance for wide tires and even fenders.
These rigs are available complete and can be built from older road bikes, too. We carry a full assortment of components and accessories and can help you with advice and the right parts should you want to take this approach. Only one gear? Which one?! Since there's only one gear on a fixie, choosing the best one is important. You'll need to weigh how you like to pedal how fast you pedal , where you enjoy riding the hills or flats, or both , and have a feeling for how fit you are stronger riders can handle higher gears and vice versa.
Another way to determine which gear to use is to select one that is easy enough to get you up the hills you need to climb yet one not so easy that you lose control on the way down.
When you buy a new fixie we can help you choose the perfect gear. And, you'll have the opportunity to ride the bike and feel if it's right for your fitness, terrain and needs. Hub hubbub One of the most important parts of any fixie is the rear hub. It's a bit of a special animal that incorporates two opposing sets of threads on the right side, one for the fixed cog and one for the lockring.
Some hubs have two sets of these opposing threads or standard freewheel threads on the left side so that you can install a different-size cog on the other side, or a one-speed freewheel to that side. This allows flipping the wheel around in the frame to change the gear or allow the bike to coast.
An interesting detail of fixie rear hubs is that they usually feature threaded axles and high-quality threaded axle nuts rather than the quick releases you see on standard road and mountain bikes. This is because most fixies feature horizontal dropouts on the frame, which make chain tensioning possible, but also don't lock the rear wheel in one position.
The threaded axle and nuts are necessary to prevent the wheel from changing positions under the additional torque on the rear wheel and drivetrain of fixed-gear riding. Do I need a special chain? So, these are more frequently used on fixies.
They're lighter, too. What frame to use? You can convert any frame to fixed-gear use providing that it has horizontal dropouts because these are essential for tensioning the chain. These adjustable dropouts were common on steel road bicycles built around 10 to 20 years ago and more. And, as a bonus, these stalwart steeds of yore were typically hand brazed of great-riding quality steel tubing and used attractive lugs to join the tubes.
If you can find a fine second-hand road frame or bicycle like this, it's a great place to start your fixie project. You might want to double check that old speed in the garage or your neighbor's shed — chances are, it'll work great! Still, we recommend fixed gear bikes that have at least one brake, usually located in the front.
The earliest versions of fixed gear bikes go back to the earliest bikes themselves. All of the earlier bikes in the their many various forms all used a sort of fixed gear system. Regardless of the types, shape, or size of the early bikes, they all used a wheel that was connected to a pedal via chain, and that wheel's hub and cog were one in the same. Things remained this way for year until the freewheel was introduced, and after that, derailleurs and bikes with multiple gears.
However, even while this was going on, fixed gear bikes were still very much in use, and preferred over other types. This was mainly seen in the track bike race world, which was immensely popular back on the late s and early s. In fact, major cities such as New York City hosted huge track races regularly, and the Madison Square Garden even housed a velodrome track beginning in Track racing then and now relied on fixed gear bikes.
The sport of track racing has changed some over the years, but the use or fixed gear bikes has remained the same. Due to the popularity and sustained success of track bike racing, any road bike racers were already familiar with fixed gear bikes. Today, fixed gear bikes remain a popular form of training for road bikers in the off season, as it gives them a different workout, and helps improve their pedal cadence.
The idea of fixed gear bikes as we know them now started to form with bike couriers during the s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Bike couriers were relied on in major urban areas and still are today to transport important, time-sensitive documents between businesses and post offices, as they were much after than cars in heavy traffic, ands much more efficient. Early bike couriers began modifying their bikes to be more conducive to their work. This eventually resulted in fixed gear bikes that were light and fast, and had far less maintenance required as well.
Fixed gear bikes are still heavily favored by bike couriers in modern times, but many of them have to use a brake as required by law. Sometime in the mids fixed gear bikes really began to take off as their own sub culture. This was likely carried over from bike couriers, and those that were fans of the overall vibe that these fast, savvy, unrelenting urban riders gave off.
Amatuer riders instantly became experts of sorts, and many began to modify and build their own fixies using bikes from thrift stores, or just from spare bikes they and their friends had lying around. The widespread obsession has been around ever since, and there are now many fixie clubs in large cities, and plenty of both sanctioned and unofficial racing circuits. Fixed gear bikes have a fairly standard build when compared to other bikes.
Still, there are some differences that are more appropriate for their riding style. The frame of a fixed gear almost always involves a road bike frame. This can include any number of materials, including steel and aluminum , and maybe even carbon fiber if you want to take things that far. The frame uses the standard road bike design, which includes a top and bottom tube in a diamond shape, along with a front fork and rear chainstays.
Many fixie frames come in bright, bold colors for more of a statement, while others may prefer understated colors that give the bike an even more streamlines, chic look. Some fixed gear bikes are available with frames that are more similar to a mountain bike build, but they are not nearly as common. If you'd like to learn more about how to choose the right size bike for you, click here. As with the frame, the fork of a fixie is similar to a road bike, or may just be a road bike fork entirely.
The fork will sweep slightly forwards, placing the front wheel into a more ideal position. Like frames, steel and aluminum are the most common materials. The fork will often support a quick release latch that allows a rider to take the wheel and tire off in a hurry. Those who want a bit more style may either upgrade to a fork with a different color from the frame, or just repaint it themselves. The handlebars are used to steer and control the bike. For a fixie, this is where things tend to differ the most among rider and bike models.
Some may elect to use a straight handlebar with custom taping on each end, and aftermarket grips. Other may use a road bike drop down-style handlebar, helping retain more of the roadbike look and feel.
Others use a shortened handlebar, and apply BMX-style rubber grips on each end instead. This design is in style with fixed gear riders who want more of a standout look, and a different steering feel as well. Most fixed gear bikes available on the market today offer a broad range of handlebar types , so you can really narrow it down to your preferred look and feel.
The stem is the metal component that connects the handlebar to the headset. Keeping with the prevailing road bike theme, most fixed gear bikes have a stem length and angle that's similar to non-competitive road bikes.
It extends out from the bottom of the bike frame where the fork is connected, while simultaneously meeting the stem where it connects the handlebar. Headsets determine the overall height of the handlebars, in conjunction with the stem. They also allow for the handlebar assembly free rotation.
The saddle is the seat of the bike, where the rider often rests when not standing up. Saddles on fixed gear bikes can vary, especially for those who are more concerned with creating cohesive, standout look. For the most part, fixed gear saddles are similar to road bikes in that they are lightly cushioned , and have more of a minimal seat coverage.
Those who desire a bit more comfort may opt for a mountain bike style seat, or even a hybrid seat. They allow for adjustment in both height and angle of the seat. Aluminum alloy and steel are common seatpost materials.
Road bike oriented seatposts remain the most popular among fixies. The crankset refers to the assembly attached to the pedals, including the arms. For a fixed gear, this is one large cog that holds the chain, with the other end being held up by the rear cog on the rear wheel hub.
The crankset size largely determines the gearing ratio of the bike, which in turn affects how it rides and feels in terms of both accelerating and maintaining speeds. The rear cog is basically a smaller version of the crankset that is attached to the rear wheel. As with the crank, its size determines the gearing ratio as well. Not to be overlooked, pedals are what drives the crankset, which powers the bike to go faster.
Flat platform-style pedals are considered the norm due to their simplicity, but clipless pedals and holster versions give the bike more control, especially when it comes to braking. With a fixed gear, the bike uses both momentum and your physical pedaling to maintain its speed.
This is one of the most notable advantages to a fixie. Since it lacks a derailleur, levers, a cassette, and brake assemblies, it sheds a very good portion of weight, leaving just the frame, drivetrain, handlebars, seatpost, and wheels. This increases its portability. No matter what the style is, a fixie will always have that cool stripped-down look that is appealing no matter what the color scheme and components look like.
Less components means less cost. The absence of a multi-gear drivetrain is a huge cost saver for a fixed gear, and the saving are even greater if you opt for a brakeless version. This means you can acquire a very nice road bike frame with high-quality tires for just a few hundred dollars. This goes back to the less components aspect. Multi-gear drivetrains, disc brakes, and caliper brakes all require a good deal of maintenance if you ride frequently.
0コメント