Comments on: Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/ Bike Your Drive! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:26:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: OKDOK http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-17837 OKDOK Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:59:42 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-17837 After x years of commuting experience, I've whittled my choice of main rig to a traditional MTB, fit and assembled to my liking. Had a few Fuji tracks before , singlespeed. Why I went back to mtb? -Got bored of one gear... craved multi gears again. Wanted faster top speed on flats and easier time on hills with loads in backpack. -Wanted disc brakes for rain and snow braking performance. Done one winter season with disc brakes and wondering why I didn't do this 10 years ago. -Wanted fatter (still slick though) tires to give option of deflating a little bit for better black ice traction in winter. Yes there's more maintenance, but when you learn it all, it becomes pretty easy. To me, maintenance comes with anything. You live with it and learn to enjoy it. The strive towards "no maintenance" seems kind of greedy to me... like you want your cake, and eat it too? BTW I never see the fixie's leave downtown Toronto. Where are they 20-30km outside the downtown core? Also not too many north of bloor either... I guess the valley hills are too much? I don't see too many of them riding in the middle of winter either. To me it seems like 70% a fashion/trend thing. But it will stay around because in local flat downtown areas, with lighter loads, that is where they are indeed ideal. After x years of commuting experience, I’ve whittled my choice of main rig to a traditional MTB, fit and assembled to my liking. Had a few Fuji tracks before , singlespeed.

Why I went back to mtb?

-Got bored of one gear… craved multi gears again. Wanted faster top speed on flats and easier time on hills with loads in backpack.

-Wanted disc brakes for rain and snow braking performance. Done one winter season with disc brakes and wondering why I didn’t do this 10 years ago.

-Wanted fatter (still slick though) tires to give option of deflating a little bit for better black ice traction in winter.

Yes there’s more maintenance, but when you learn it all, it becomes pretty easy. To me, maintenance comes with anything. You live with it and learn to enjoy it. The strive towards “no maintenance” seems kind of greedy to me… like you want your cake, and eat it too?

BTW I never see the fixie’s leave downtown Toronto. Where are they 20-30km outside the downtown core? Also not too many north of bloor either… I guess the valley hills are too much? I don’t see too many of them riding in the middle of winter either.

To me it seems like 70% a fashion/trend thing. But it will stay around because in local flat downtown areas, with lighter loads, that is where they are indeed ideal.

]]> By: Parkinglot Sessions - Fixie Riding | Fixed Gear Bikes http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-17829 Parkinglot Sessions - Fixie Riding | Fixed Gear Bikes Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:24:34 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-17829 [...] Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting … [...] [...] Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting … [...]

]]> By: andy http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-17684 andy Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:27:32 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-17684 there is one aspect of fixies that seems to have been overlooked. a great way to get into fixed gear riding is by finding an old road frame and fork that nobody wanted anymore and turning it into a one-speed pedallin' machine. for me, this is ideal because it really turns reduces the desirability of the bike when it is glanced at. who would want to steal my 1970-something pos? when they tried to pedal away and realize that there are no brakes, this, hopefully, would deter the theft. because of the simplicity and low cost of getting into fixie riding, my vote goes for the fixed gear, especially when the bike is left alone for 8+ hours. there is one aspect of fixies that seems to have been overlooked. a great way to get into fixed gear riding is by finding an old road frame and fork that nobody wanted anymore and turning it into a one-speed pedallin’ machine. for me, this is ideal because it really turns reduces the desirability of the bike when it is glanced at. who would want to steal my 1970-something pos? when they tried to pedal away and realize that there are no brakes, this, hopefully, would deter the theft. because of the simplicity and low cost of getting into fixie riding, my vote goes for the fixed gear, especially when the bike is left alone for 8+ hours.

]]> By: Thomas http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-16549 Thomas Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:26:33 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-16549 I've got 2 commuter bikes: a touring bike and a mountain bike. The touring bike is superb for the summer. It's pretty much a road bike with mountain bike components. Man do I love those V-brakes. That was the major selling point for me: awesome braking power. It comes in handy when you've got heavy stuff to haul. If I'm caught in the rain, it's good to know that you've got brakes you can trust. I've got bar end shifters, 24 gears at my disposal and nice set of 700c wheels to cruise on. I could load the bike up for anything really. 80lbs of gear for a touring trip with killer hills? Nothing to it. A speedy ride downtown with just a water bottle? check. The name of the game for the perfect commuting bikes is versatility and reliability. As for the winter, by mountain bike comes into the scene with a rigid fork, fat tires and v-brakes. It snows quite a lot where I live and you need a bike that can roll over everything and take a punishment. It's true that the rear derailleur freezes but at least the front still works. 3 gears is better than nothing and in winter that's all you really need. In the summer, I also use my mountain bike for some "urban" commuting sessions like jumping up and down stairs, wheeling, hopping over curbs. It makes the whole commute more interesting. I don't quite agree with the fixed gear being more efficient. I've gone on long rides on my mountain bike with fixed gear riders and can keep up just as well. See fixies may be more efficient because of skinny tires and a direct drive, but mountain bikes have gears and can coast. I will definitely be faster going up and down hill. I don't see how cables can clutter anything. They don't get in the way at all. What's wrong with shifting gears and coasting? It's great and efficient! Sure there is more maintenance but that only deepens the relationship you have with your bike. You know how to tune it and repair parts that are broken. You treat the bike with care, the bike takes care of you on the road. And seriously adjusting brakes and derailleurs isn't that hard and things don't break often at all. So what I'm saying is no I don't think fixed gear bikes are better than mountain bikes for commuting. I’ve got 2 commuter bikes: a touring bike and a mountain bike. The touring bike is superb for the summer. It’s pretty much a road bike with mountain bike components. Man do I love those V-brakes. That was the major selling point for me: awesome braking power. It comes in handy when you’ve got heavy stuff to haul. If I’m caught in the rain, it’s good to know that you’ve got brakes you can trust. I’ve got bar end shifters, 24 gears at my disposal and nice set of 700c wheels to cruise on. I could load the bike up for anything really. 80lbs of gear for a touring trip with killer hills? Nothing to it. A speedy ride downtown with just a water bottle? check. The name of the game for the perfect commuting bikes is versatility and reliability.

As for the winter, by mountain bike comes into the scene with a rigid fork, fat tires and v-brakes. It snows quite a lot where I live and you need a bike that can roll over everything and take a punishment. It’s true that the rear derailleur freezes but at least the front still works. 3 gears is better than nothing and in winter that’s all you really need. In the summer, I also use my mountain bike for some “urban” commuting sessions like jumping up and down stairs, wheeling, hopping over curbs. It makes the whole commute more interesting.

I don’t quite agree with the fixed gear being more efficient. I’ve gone on long rides on my mountain bike with fixed gear riders and can keep up just as well. See fixies may be more efficient because of skinny tires and a direct drive, but mountain bikes have gears and can coast. I will definitely be faster going up and down hill.

I don’t see how cables can clutter anything. They don’t get in the way at all. What’s wrong with shifting gears and coasting? It’s great and efficient! Sure there is more maintenance but that only deepens the relationship you have with your bike. You know how to tune it and repair parts that are broken. You treat the bike with care, the bike takes care of you on the road. And seriously adjusting brakes and derailleurs isn’t that hard and things don’t break often at all.

So what I’m saying is no I don’t think fixed gear bikes are better than mountain bikes for commuting.

]]> By: megan http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-14749 megan Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:08:17 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-14749 I love riding fixed~! The challenge keeps me fresh and alert. It's a little harder and I feel like I can stay in good shape even if I don't do much beyond my daily 15 mile hilly commute. It's hipper! I love riding fixed~! The challenge keeps me fresh and alert. It’s a little harder and I feel like I can stay in good shape even if I don’t do much beyond my daily 15 mile hilly commute. It’s hipper!

]]> By: obtaistinvimb http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-5197 obtaistinvimb Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:53:19 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-5197 Hello! Nice site ;) Bye Hello!
Nice site ;)
Bye

]]> By: Stu http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-2674 Stu Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:01:04 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-2674 Noah, you cut down on the gears and it cuts down on the fat! My fixed keeps me fitter for more riding... 50 lbs overweight is not for me. I'd rather ride hard on 1 gear than coast with 27, especially for commuting. I ride the road bike on week ends and the fixed Mon-Fri. Fixed gives you more feel for the road, especially greasy, wet ones and more control of the bike in traffic. I save my MTB for trails..fat, nobby's are useless on wet asphalt! Noah, you cut down on the gears and it cuts down on the fat! My fixed keeps me fitter for more riding… 50 lbs overweight is not for me.
I’d rather ride hard on 1 gear than coast with 27, especially for commuting. I ride the road bike on week ends and the fixed Mon-Fri. Fixed gives you more feel for the road, especially greasy, wet ones and more control of the bike in traffic. I save my MTB for trails..fat, nobby’s are useless on wet asphalt!

]]> By: Biking Circle - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Biking - Powered by SocialRank http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-1649 Biking Circle - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Biking - Powered by SocialRank Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:11:44 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-1649 [...] Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting [...] [...] Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting [...]

]]> By: Biking Circle - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Motorcycle - Powered by SocialRank http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-1610 Biking Circle - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Motorcycle - Powered by SocialRank Mon, 01 Oct 2007 09:04:00 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-1610 [...] Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting [...] [...] Why a fixed gear is better than a mountain bike for commuting [...]

]]> By: misc. http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-1376 misc. Sat, 04 Aug 2007 01:21:07 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/08/01/why-a-fixed-gear-is-better-than-a-mountain-bike-for-commuting/#comment-1376 I got nothing to add than... I love my Surly Cross Check for commuting and f#@king off on the weekends. I got nothing to add than… I love my Surly Cross Check for commuting and f#@king off on the weekends.

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