The fixie is a unique urban bike which, unlike most bicycles used in the city, has a clean and minimalist style with few components. Without a derailleur, it has a fixed gear that makes it very particular to ride. The fixie is the bike of the trendy urban cyclist, who wants to ride freely and quickly in the city, with a certain style! You will find some tips here to help you choose the right model!
WHAT IS A FIXIE?
History
The fixie harks back to the history of New York cycle couriers and their exceptional ability to weave between cars. They were among the first to use these agile and stripped-back bikes, whose components they were not at risk of having stolen, since there were none, or very few!
Today, the fixie has almost become a cultural marker, that of the trendy urban cyclist, who began to appear in numbers in major cities from the 2000s onwards. Fixed gear races are even becoming popular — spectacular and perilous — where specialists compete on technical urban circuits!
Description
The main feature of the fixie is its fixed gear, which is integral with the rear hub and requires pedalling as long as the wheel is turning. It therefore differs from the traditional bike equipped with a freewheel, which allows the cyclist to stop pedalling without affecting the forward motion of the bike.
From this fixed gear derives an equally distinctive braking system, the back-pedal brake: on a fixie, the cyclist must block the movement of the pedals to reduce speed and come to a stop, in the stylish skid that is characteristic of this type of bike (skid)!
We should point out straight away that all the fixies available on Probikeshop are equipped with a traditional braking system (rim brakes), allowing you to try fixie riding in complete safety.
Perfect for getting around quickly on short journeys, the fixie consists of just a frame, a handlebar, a pair of wheels, a chainring, a chain, and the famous fixed gear.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FIXIE BIKES
The frame
A fixie must be agile and manoeuvrable, which is why it most often features a compact frame, with a relatively short wheelbase, and upright seat and head tubes. On the product pages of our fixie bikes you will find geometry tables detailing the important values to take into account (wheelbase, chainstay length, head and seat tube angles). You will also find a size correspondence table, which will help you choose the model best suited to your body shape.
Fixie frames can be made from aluminium or steel, chromoly or Hi-ten. Aluminium has the advantage of being lighter than steel, which remains stronger, more robust and more flexible, better at absorbing road vibrations. Steel also gives the fixie a certain character — retro and vintage — which is often appreciated by style-conscious cyclists.
Finally, it is important to note that the dropout is most often horizontal, to allow easy adjustment of chain tension.
The handlebar
A key element for both comfort and style, the handlebar of your fixie can take different shapes, from the most classic to the most original. You will find flat classic handlebars or slightly raised ones, which offer better control and a more comfortable position. There are also road-style handlebars, or even bullhorn handlebars, inspired by the time trial bikes used in the 1980s.
The braking system
For purists, a fixie is not equipped with a braking system. The models available on Probikeshop are nonetheless fitted with rim brakes, front and rear, which allow you to try the particular riding style of a fixie in complete safety. They also ensure the fixie complies with the Highway Code in France, which specifies that "every cycle must be fitted with two effective braking devices" (article R315-3).
Fixed gear or singlespeed?
It is important to understand clearly the distinction between fixed gear and singlespeed, both of which are single-speed bikes. The fixed gear is integral with the hub, whereas the singlespeed incorporates a freewheel that allows the cyclist to stop pedalling without preventing the rear wheel from turning.
There are flip-flop hubs that allow both systems — fixed gear and freewheel — on a single wheel, which simply needs to be fitted one way or the other to use either system.
Choosing the ratio
The ratio of a fixie corresponds to the relationship between the number of teeth on its chainring and that of its sprocket. It indicates the level of difficulty of pedalling, which will be more or less well suited to the routes you usually take. The higher the ratio, the harder the pedal stroke, which will be suitable for descents and flat roads, much less so for climbs and when setting off. In the city, the commonly used ratio is between 2.5 and 3 (44/16, 42/16, 46/17…). It is up to you to adjust it according to the journeys you will make with your fixie!
