Disclaimer: Laws and regulations regarding fixed-gear bicycles and bicycle brakes vary by city, state, province or country. Be sure to review the specific requirements in your local jurisdiction to ensure your bike complies.
It began with a straightforward question: What would happen if I took my Fixed Gear Bike Fixie and pushed it to its limits with a 100-mile ride?
That distance was significantly longer than any ride I’d undertaken on this particular bike, yet considerably shorter than my usual centuries on modern, geared road bikes. The idea promised simplicity, a raw cycling experience, and at the very least, a challenging and memorable day on two wheels.
However, as any cyclist knows, simplicity in cycling is often deceptive. I could have easily thrown on some casual shorts, grabbed a water bottle and some snacks in a backpack, and set off on a spontaneous route, much like my regular fixed gear commutes. But tackling 100 miles demanded more consideration, even for someone like me with 84 century rides under my belt.
The challenge, as always, lay in the details. Hills were a primary concern. Elevation gains on a fixed gear bike fixie mean increased strain on the knees uphill, and even more so when descending without the ability to coast. Route selection was also crucial – avoiding congested roads and the constant stop-and-go of traffic lights was essential. Then there was the matter of gear and accessories. My minimalist fixie, usually stripped bare, needed essentials like bottle cages, road pedals, a saddlebag, and a cycling computer. Finally, I had to consider the spirit of the fixed gear ethos. Would it be a casual ride in relaxed attire, or a more serious attempt with a helmet and cycling apparel?
Over the week leading up to the ride, I addressed these questions one by one. By Saturday, the plan was simple again: follow the line on my cycling computer until I was back home. Pedal, eat, drink, and repeat the same gear rotation for over 52,800 feet.
The beauty of the ride lay in the ever-present complexity beneath the surface simplicity. Pedaling the same gear across the Sonoran Desert and the sprawling suburbs of Phoenix brought everything into sharp relief compared to my previous 84 centuries on more complex bikes. Throughout the ride, thoughts and insights emerged. I wanted to share some of these with usabikers.net, hoping to inspire you to embark on your own cycling adventures and discover where they lead your thoughts.
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My Fixie: The Best $400 Cycling Investment
Logan Jones-Wilkins
(Image credit: Logan Jones-Wilkins)
My fixed gear bike fixie, bought and built in 2019, has become a steadfast companion. Back then, the idea of a fixie intrigued me, but I couldn’t have foreseen the profound joy it would bring to my cycling life.
I assembled my fixed gear bike fixie piece by piece, starting with the frame and ending with the handlebar grips. The foundation is a black Dolan aluminum track frame, a purchase of just $175 USD. It was perfect – robust and understated, ideal for city riding and locking up on the street.
Next came the essential moving parts. The beauty of a fixie is its simplicity; I only needed a wheelset, crankset, bottom bracket, and chain. Living in Richmond, Virginia at the time, Facebook Marketplace proved to be a treasure trove for these components, which I acquired for a mere $132 in total.
Five years later, these original parts remain on the bike, a testament to their durability and the simplicity of a fixed gear bike fixie.
While some components have been updated – fixed gear pedals with straps for better braking, new tires, grips, and various handlebar and stem setups from my collection of spare parts – the core of the bike has remained unchanged. Eventually, the chain, chainring, and bottom bracket will need replacing, but for now, my fixed gear bike fixie stands as the best $400 investment I’ve ever made in cycling.
Fixed Gear Riding: It’s All About Rhythm and Flow
Logan Jones-Wilkins
(Image credit: Logan Jones-Wilkins)
As I rolled my fixed gear bike fixie out of the driveway on a crisp Arizona morning in November, uncertainty still lingered. Would my legs give out on a long climb after hours of constant pedaling? How would my sit bones feel, locked in a single position for five hours? Would the gear ratio, ridden for years in casual shoes, feel too aggressive with cycling shoes and clipless pedals?
Some answers came quickly. A gentle headwind from the east presented itself. Headwinds can theoretically be challenging on a fixed gear bike fixie. In practice, it elegantly resolved my gear ratio question. If the gear felt slightly too high, the solution was simple: pedal harder, become more aerodynamic, and the gear became manageable.
As the route shifted direction, I relaxed, sat up a little, and increased my cadence. Uphill sections demanded focused pedal strokes and surging with the terrain. Downhills required careful speed and cadence management to avoid being overwhelmed by the rapid pedal rotation. Riding a fixed gear bike fixie is fundamentally about mastering rhythm – focusing on form while slowing pedal strokes approaching intersections and accelerating smoothly away.
The Power of Stripped-Down Cycling: Back to Basics on a Fixie
Logan Jones-Wilkins
(Image credit: Logan Jones-Wilkins)
What became apparent in the initial hours, as I settled into the rhythm of a long ride on my fixed gear bike fixie, was how much of cycling on a geared bike can become automatic, almost mindless. While this can be therapeutic, it can also prevent cyclists from truly understanding the mechanics of pedaling and refining their technique.
Gears, like many modern conveniences, enhance efficiency. However, they can also diminish focus on fundamental technique.
Consciously working on improving your pedal stroke, especially on a fixed gear bike fixie, can foster what’s often called the mind-muscle connection. This neurological link, though difficult to measure, is popular in weightlifting and crossfit for boosting performance through focused muscle engagement.
Essentially, by consciously thinking about which muscles you are using and which others you could engage, you activate more muscle fibers, leading to improved results.
While the science is somewhat speculative, muscle memory is undeniably powerful in a sport like cycling, heavily reliant on repetition. Compared to endurance sports like swimming, running, and cross-country skiing, technique in cycling often takes a backseat to power output. But technique remains crucial, especially for long-term strength gains and efficiency.
Riding a fixed gear bike fixie, with its inherent cadence and torque variations, brings each pedal stroke into sharp focus. This sensation can be replicated with low cadence intervals on a geared bike, but the sustained nature of a long fixie ride internalizes this focus far more deeply than short intervals.
The Monotonous Yet Dynamic Nature of Cycling: A Fixie Perspective
Logan Jones-Wilkins
(Image credit: Logan Jones-Wilkins)
For the first three hours of my fixed gear century, the ride was exhilarating. The major climb, a nine-mile, 3% gradient on a straight road through the Sonoran Preserve, went exceptionally well. I even set a three-minute personal record, discovering the gear was perfectly suited for a tempo effort on that gradient. My bike fit felt dialed, always a concern when switching bikes for a long ride, and I felt well-fueled, perhaps even over-prepared due to the anticipation of the fixed gear challenge.
However, the euphoria waned in the following two hours. The downhill proved more taxing than the climb. My saddle position, without the micro-adjustments afforded by coasting, became bothersome. Knee fatigue set in after hours of resisting the constant pedal motion. My hands, lacking the usual hand positions on hoods, grew restless, shifting between the drops and tops. And traffic lights became more frequent as I re-entered Phoenix city streets.
As interruptions increased and frustration mounted, I eased off, prioritizing comfort over power (a notable advantage of a fixed gear bike fixie is its efficiency on flat terrain, rolling almost effortlessly).
Spinning through the fatigue, I reflected on the ride, returning to the balance between simplicity and complexity. Cycling, in many ways, embodies this paradox – a pursuit that can be both monotonous and dynamic.
This particular 100-mile ride, in retrospect, was statistically unremarkable. Averaging 18.8 mph at 141 bpm over 100 miles is, for me, quite average. Yet, within this seemingly ordinary ride, I gained insights far more valuable than any structured training session, regardless of intensity.
Still, upon returning to my geared bike with its freewheel clicking, I appreciated having options. Another fixed gear bike fixie adventure is certainly on the horizon, though perhaps after a bit of recovery time for my undercarriage.
