Reddit mentions: The best fixed gear bikes

Do you think you'll get into cycling beyond 5 mile commutes or half-hour casual fun rides? Because if this does happen, you'll regret getting a hybrid eventually.

Hybrid geometry is meant to be comfortable on super short, low-speed, flat rides. Trying to climb hills, ride quickly, ride for more than an hour, or any substantial distance and it'll punish you in ways other bikes would not.

Just know going into this that hybrids are NOT "all-around do everything bikes" like the name implies. They are not meant for, or good at, riding any real cross or mountain trails. The basic unpaved park path sort of thing doesn't matter either, you can roll through them on literally anything, even a full carbon road bike or brakeless track bike on 23s (which I say from first hand experience).

Rather hybrids are designed for an ultra-casual style of riding. They're good for somebody who rides once every other week. They're good for somebody who thinks 15mph on a bike is fast, or 10 miles far. They're good for those who aren't flexible enough to not ride the most upright cockpit possible. And this is fine, not everyone who rides a bike is going to get super into it, nor would I expect everyone to.

But ultimately if you like to push yourself physically and challenge yourself at all, a hybrid is not a good choice.

If you genuinely want the ability to ride both on and off-road with ease, a cyclocross bike is the best choice. It's certainly the most utilitarian bike out there. If you're going to mostly ride on the road, and maybe an unpaved foot path now and again, just get a road bike.

Random diversion time. Sorry if it doesn't all make a ton of sense at the moment.

Sometimes people like the cockpit of a hybrid, IE riser bars, but that's something you can make work (while still indexed) with literally any setup out there (except 11 speed campy but even then it could be sorta done). I actually think it's a great urban setup, because you have high visibility from being upright but the aggressive frame geo makes for an ultra-nimble bike, letting you dip in and out of traffic with ease. It's not a setup that you're going to find on a pre-built bike in the shop, but nothing says you have to keep the bike the way you bought it...

More random thoughts from on the bike itself.

All of the components are super low end. They'll work for a while. That's about the only positive thing I can say. I wouldn't expect more than a few hundred miles before shifting is just awful though. Especially if you get any rain/dirt/mud in the mechs, which you will if you don't only ride in perfect weather.

The fork is hi-tensile steel. Fucking garbage. It's barely a step above two steel pipes welded together. I'm genuinely a but upset that a bike over $500 has this trash on it. Steel is an amazing material, arguably my favorite material for bikes, but it has to be cromoly steel. Hi-tensile is pure shit. I can not even think of a less crass way to phrase it. Frames and forks made from hi-ten steel are more useful as a boat anchor than their intended use as a bike component. Without getting too into the metalurgy behind it, as fascinating as it is, I'll just mention that cromo is a lot harder, has a way higher tensile strength, and allows for building a much stronger frame or fork while using less material. IE, the tubes on a cromoly frame or fork are substantially thinner than the same frame/fork made from hi-ten, and thus weighs a LOT less while still being stronger.

The wheels are alright I guess. Formula hubs are the standard no-frills hub. They work pretty well. You can replace the bearings easily and fancier bearings (Phil, Enduro) can improve the way they roll for a very low cost. I can't say anything on the rims really, I haven't seem them firsthand. I also don't see any mention of what kind of spokes they have, Don't be surprised if the spoke tension isn't very uniform, or if the wheels go out of true quickly, or even if you break some spokes.

The braking is going to be poor. Don't expect them to stop you on a dime or provide good speed modulation. Better pads will only do so much to help- it's mostly the fault of the super cheap calipers.

As an aside, never put any faith in online store reviews for things like bikes. 9 times out of 10 the person reviewing it has no idea what they're talking about. Take this
bike shaped object with high reviews on Amazon. Everything about this "bike" is shit. You literally couldn't pay me to ride that thing around for a day, I value my life too much. Yet it has 4 stars overall because ignorant people are like "oh hey i know nothing about bikes but this moved me forward a few hundred feet so it must be great!"


Edit: some formatting. Damn, this turned into a lot longer post than I thought. I have... many thoughts on the subject of hybrids.

TLDR: Hybrids suck if you're not an ultra-casual rider. This bike in particular is over-priced for the parts it comes with.

UGH I JUST REMEMBERED TO FINISH THIS BRB

EDIT: Okay here it izzzz.

These are the items you are looking for... (everything listed is from my wishlists here! )

1.) Something that is grey. – The bike lock on my wishlist (that was already gifted (: ) This one’s grey!

2.) Something reminiscent of rain. These leggings are Doctor Who Cosmic Tardis Leggings are cosmic… as in galaxy… as in the universe… in which there is a water cycle…. Which is reminiscent of rain…. Yup. ;)

3.) Something food related that is unusual. – It’s not every day you get to have jagermeister infused gummy bears....... Freaking nom.

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!) – A dog bed for my puppy!! He really, really needs a new one.

5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it! – YOU NEED TO READ THE HOUSE OF LEAVES IT’S SO CRAZY AND I LOVE IT AND … AT SOME POINTS… YOU READ IT UPSIDE DOWN AND CRAZY AND INSIDE OUT AND OMFG WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING READING THIS GO READ THIS NOW

6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related! This with the value of 95 cents ;) hehehe I’m sneaky.

7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (Keep this SFW; you know who you are...) -- This cat bed, even though I don’t have a cat, was on my puppy’s list! My puppy (who’s really a 9 year old dog but I call him puppy cause he looks/acts/is one) is a 6lb pup who’s basically a cat ;)

8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. – The Chuck Complete Series Collector Blu-ray is not necessarily useful to my life…But the show’s so gorgeous, the cast so beautiful, the plot so delicious…I love it and need it! :P

9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? – TANGLED!! (OK, one of the only movie related pieces on my list :P) But really, Tangled is PERFECT, SO adorable, a real winner.

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. – Okay this may seem crazy but stick with me here. these bones would be super helpful once whittled down. You could use it to double tap those stanky ass zombies

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. I have lots of stuff for fitness and school and all my goals likes that, but I thought I'd use something a little different for this one. This skin corrective cream would allow me to cover up my stupid little burn marks on my leg that make me really self conscious in skirts and shorts. This would be a good step in my goal of being happy with myself and gaining self confidence for the first time in my life.

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.– One of those pesky add-ons… The MSC Joie Simply Slice Strawberry Slicer on my WL is one of them pesky add-ons.

13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item, why? – A Bike. Why? Mine was stolen and its extremely hindered my mobility as I need it for transportation to school /:

14.) Something bigger than a bread box. – The puppy bed on my puppy’s wishlist within my own wishlist is most definitely bigger than a breadbox.

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. -- These cable organizers HOLLAH at me, Tiger Woods.

16.) Something that smells wonderful. -- French Vanilla Green Mountain Coffee Portion Packs for Keurig Mmmmmmmmm, delicious.

17.) A (SFW) toy. -- Crock Pot COOKING IS LIFE AND HAVING A CROCK POT WOULD BE THE BEST OF TOYS. For something more traditional, I have hedgehog toys etc on my puppy's list.

18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school. -- This beautiful backpack! Mine is shot to hell and I'm dreading buying a new one.

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. This Friends Milkshake Poster Print from my wishlist OMFG I AM OBSESSED WITH FRIENDS RIGHT NOW. IDK WHY BUT I AM. Also with the Chuck DVD on my dreams list xD

20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.– The New York Window Print Poster on my wishlist is pretty awe-inspiring. Looking into the city "where dreams are made of" in whatever town your in.... In a place that's essentially the culmination of all your dreams and desires.... At least for me.

-------

BONUS ITEMS

1. [YOUR NAME IS……]() Amirite?! actually... I've messaged so many people trying to figure it out, and I could've sworn I knew it before, but I absolutely cannot remember it.
   
   
2. And this handwarmer mug – OCEAN TIDE was made in Milton, Oregon! This ones not on my WL however.
   
   Finally, some people say that fear cuts deeper than swords but does it? Who knows.

Hi r/FixedGearBicycle!

As the title suggests, I'm looking to buy my first Single Speed / Fixie bike and would greatly appreciate your recommendations. Additional info to help with your recommendations:

• Main use-case is to bike to work sometimes (9KM round-trip), and light rides (errands, friend's house, etc). I have a Specialized Allez Comp 105 that I use for long rides.
  
• I'm a Fixie / overall Bike Noob. I had a Single Speed I used to ride as my commuter bike, but it unfortunately got stolen hence why I'm looking to purchase. If interested, it was my fault... I left it outside during a storm for like 2 hours and they used a power tool to cut right though my lock :/
  
• Aesthetics is a bonus, but I'm more interested in quality. More specifically, I'd like a bike that is fast, lightweight, and won't break down on me after a few months
  
• Budget isn't an issue, but I'd like to spend less than $800 if possible. I wouldn't mind investing in a good frame and then slowly making upgrades (wheels, etc). I'll have to lock the bike up in downtown Toronto at times, hence why I don't want to spend too much in the event it gets stolen again.
  
• I'm in Canada, so I guess that limits my selection. However, I'm willing to buy from the US and pay duties if needed. However if any recommendations are for bikes I can easily buy from Canada, that's definitely a bonus!
  
• I almost pulled the trigger on the 6KU Urban Track Bike, however I didn't because of the reddit threads I've seen here. Are the new Urban Track Bikes from 6KU that bad?
  
• I never built a bike before (used to take my bike to the shop all the time). However, I feel like ordering and building a Fixie is a great way to get started!
  
  Happy to share more details if needed.
  
  Thanks everyone!

Hello everyone! Looking to get my first bike as an adult and figured this would be a good place to ask questions.

At first I was thinking about a fixed gear but my friend pointed out to me how many hills are in our area (greater St. Louis around Affton/Webster Groves). Is there a type of bike you'd recommend for this? I don't want to deal with the bulk of a mountain bike.

Maybe more importantly, I'd love some suggestions for bikes. I'm looking for something super minimal. White with black accents is ideal without an obnoxiously large logo. ~$250 is the price I'm going for.

Saw this bike (link below) and love the style but have seen way too many comments suggesting it's dangerous due to poor build quality. Sorry for the long post; thanks for any help or suggestions you've got for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085HTV0U/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2KI84YP8NV3YT&coliid=I7JH0ONXCC38M&psc=1

Hi I decided to buy this bike instead

https://www.amazon.com/State-Bicycle-black-Label-Aluminum/dp/B07613WSTK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510088622&sr=8-3&keywords=6061%2BBlack%2BLabel&th=1&psc=1

let me know your thoughts what if I change out the saddle? and I put in a bigger more comfy saddle? do you think it will solve the comfort issue?

Also can you tell me what size to buy?

I previously had this bike the 18 inch

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/revel-3-2015

the top tube as you can see was a 22.8 inch.

Therefore looking at the state bike

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0232/3305/files/BlackLabel2018.jpg

55cm has a top tube of 21.6 inch. So it has me wondering WHICH SIZE is right for me?

I am 5 feet and 11 inches with a 33 inch inseam. My old Giant bike was a 18 inch frame and was a perfect fit. The chart apparently recommends me a 57 cm but I dunno

BUT look how sexy this bike looks

https://www.statebicycle.com/collections/black-label/products/6061-black-label-v2-raw

too bad its super thin slicks dunno if it will support my lard 260 obese weight but I want it so badly its sooo pretty.

Amazon! I got a black non branded single speed road bike delivered within 22 hours and cost me $214 after taxes with Amazon Prime free shipping.

Here is the one I picked up, the price has gone up since... I guess I got it on deal but there are many other options

My Bike

Sample option

My Roommate also purchased his on Amazon, he has the Tan colour option

Good Luck!


edit: I used this website to figure out my frame size and it was a perfect fit

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Cycles-Single-Brakes-Celestial/dp/B01F4LFLXA

I've had it for 2 weeks now and love it. I feel absolutely comfortable on it. Its sold as a fixie but its really just a single speed. Sorry for the confusion. I have both front and back breaks. I've already done around 15mile trips on it and love it. I've been fine in traffic too. I don't take the crazy roads like 4th street. Thanks though!!

What about something like this? 24lbs.

They also have a chromoly version, which would be fantastic since it puts the weight at 19lbs, but it's $470 and the color options are... eh. I also kind of doubt it's 19lbs. Probably closer to 20-21lbs? I don't know. After doing a bit of research, that seems like an incredibly low number, even for a chromoly frame?

I also stumbled across this Nashbar AL1, which is 23lbs... but $500. Pretty cool looking bike. Seems to have alright parts. How does it compare to other $500 bikes, though? Better than most? Worse than most? Just right?

It's surprisingly hard to find bikes that don't just say 'lightweight' and instead list a weight range (size depending) proving that their lightweight. At least in the $1000 and under bracket. I suppose it's not as important to non-professional riders, but it's still nice to know, especially for those who live in hilly regions, or even those who live in top-floor apartments, or those like myself who carry their bikes + other gear often enough that a few pounds makes a noticeable difference.

New to the this sub. I'm sure this is a super common first post question: What is the best quality commuter bike for me?

My commute is about 5 miles M-F. Budget is ~$250

Was looking at this Amazon commuter or this aluminum bike .

Reviews were mixed. Willing to upgrade parts, would love some suggestions/help.

Thank you!

It just looks to me like a normal bike with a small battery and okay motor, I just don't understand who would buy it for $3000. A BBSHD 1000 and a battery of the same watt-hours together is $1100. The bike frame looks very similar to this all-aluminium bike, which is at most $430. Let's say there is $500 in labor costs and other expenses (just an estimate), that makes the total for the company $2030, leaving $970 in profit. That could make sense if those bikes are not predicted to sell well, but this estimation is using a BBSHD 1000 (1600W peak). I just think this bike is vastly overpriced, and it doesn't really target a specific audience (which would justify the price if it had special features). This looks like another overpriced ebike that will end up not doing much to improve the market for electric bikes. We'll just have to see how it does.

Thanks! It’s just released!

Talked to Schwinn about the release date (it was advertised as coming soon since December) and they said they’re only selling it through Amazon:

Captain Marvel Schwinn

I purchased mine last month and it just came in today! You have to assemble it but it was super easy.

check out regal bikes. free shipping Canada wide and it has a pretty good rep here in Toronto, and a bit cheaper than the Pierrot. The other options are on amazon canada; they have basic stuff like critical cycles, retrospec, and state bikes

If you can up your budget I would recommend a premium bike from regal ($649 bucks) or a black label from state bikes at $745

they both have decent frames and parts already on them that you wouldn't have to replace fast

Hey Friend- ordered a Vilano by accident off of Amazon.com not two weeks ago. If you're curious and want to try it- you can get this for 200 bucks free shipping: Vilano Track Bike

However, it was way more work than I wanted. The brakes were scary- the wheels weren't quite aligned, and the lockring was free spinning out of the box. All in all, for the money, it was a bike, I did ride it, it got me places.

After about a week of dealing with its issues- I got sick of it. The wheels had been ever so slightly out of alignment when I ordered it- so Amazon, God bless it, returned it free of charge. Hell, they even paid for UPS to pick it up at my house. Did I mention I live in Hawaii?

If you're like me and just getting into it- I don't recommend it. I DID learn a ton about how a fixed gear functions from working on it. In the end I settled on a Kona Paddywagon from an LBS. Expensive? Unfortunately yes, but, as I learned the hard way, that extra cash results in a dramatically different ride.

Good luck on your decision.

This is good advice. I bought a bike from amazon Link back in april. I rode it a few times, it was clunky and heavy, and after riding 16 miles I was tired and knew I wanted more. Right away I knew I wanted a road bike and just last thursday I bought a used Trek 5.2, moving from all steel to carbon fiber was a massive change, I love my new bike.

But I also recommend spending time with your bike fixing it how you want. I put a new seat on the takara, I took off the stickers, I broke and fixed it trying to improve some things, I learned a good bit even though I hardly rode it.

If you don’t mind ordering online, I bought this bike from Amazon for $179 on Prime Day (usually $199) and it’s been fantastic for commuting and exercise. I prefer not having gears to bother shifting through and the bike is pretty fast. Weights nothing and is easy for me to carry up stairs every day. Maintenance is low with no gears as well.

Link:

Retrospec Harper Single-Speed Fixed Gear Urban Commuter Bike https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MBR5SC3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SdGsDbGBYWBRN

And to help with size reference if you’re looking to order, I’m 6’2, 210lbs and the 57cm/L model was perfect for me.

https://i.imgur.com/v1zFXAF.jpg

This one looks pretty good, and is in your budget. Going over the reviews, it seems like it would be a decent starter bike/more or less of what you are looking for.

Probably less love than you'd think . It was most likely cheaper than Ubering back and forth to the music festival, so I'm guessing it lives there now.

they have a mounting hole? I'm not sure if we're talking about the same bike: http://www.amazon.com/TRACK-FIXED-FIXIE-SINGLE-SPEED/dp/B004WA8YQ6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407971168&sr=8-2&keywords=vilano+single+speed

the one that looks like a road bike is what I have (drop handle bars). If it's still the same bike that is awesome news!!

From my own personal experience, I've had this Vilano and it's been running excellent for me since last December. Get some foot retention and you're ok to ride. People talk shit about bikes in this price range, but not everyone has a $2k budget to drop on a whim. And while buying a used bike can be beneficial because you get a "better bike" for the same price, if you don't know what to look for when buying it, it can very quickly become a deathtrap.

Not answering your question, but the reason all your hyperlinks aren't hyperlinks is that you've included the page title in each one. What you need to do is have the [hard brackets] as you did, that was correct, but in the (parentheses), you start immediately at the http://, so it'll looks like this while you're editing and will display correctly as bike once you've submitted.

This one looks better to me https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VQR300I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_czIIxbE9VBBRH

Ah, that's true of some fixies, but not all. I think that's a $200 Amazon Special. Since it can be converted between a fixed gear single speed and a freewheel single speed, it has brakes. I can't tell how it is operating currently, however.

womp womp Been riding this fixed with only the front brake for a few months. http://www.amazon.com/Takara-Kabuto-Single-Speed-Road/dp/B004W8LG1S Might as well be a toy compared to the Secteur.

I bought this one last summer. http://www.amazon.com/TRACK-FIXED-FIXIE-SINGLE-SPEED/dp/B004WA685K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426106179&sr=8-1&keywords=fixed+gear+bike And it's basically what you'd expect for 200 bucks. The brakes are kinda shitty, seat is okay, pedals are cheap, but overall a solid bike to beat the shit out of without worrying if it would get stolen. I did have a slight issue with the rear tire leaving the rim a couple times, but that stopped after putting it back in a couple times.

I'm looking at getting a new road bike. What do we think of this one?

https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Cycles-Classic-Fixed-Gear-Single-Speed/dp/B00FTXQORG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WA685K/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1426824138&sr=8-2&keywords=single+speed+bike&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41byeB7%2BLZL&ref=plSrch

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

Those on this bike...
http://www.amazon.com/TRACK-FIXED-FIXIE-SINGLE-SPEED/dp/B004WA685K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411693268&sr=8-2&keywords=vilano+single+speed

Do you think its the same frame as the Takara Kabuto?

It's a vilano bike. Only thing custom on this is the wheels and sprocket.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WA685K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was thinking about this, from amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Takara-Kabuto-Single-Speed-Road/dp/B004W8LG1S/ref=cm_cd_ql_qh_dp_t