Bike Friday Walter has a great post about the benefits of riding a fixed gear. I think he makes some pretty good points and I have to agree with him that riding a fixed gear bike is a great experience. Though I do most of my riding on bicycles with derailleurs, I think that everyone should own at least one fixie. In fact, 28% of my personal bicycles (OK, that’s only 2) are fixed gear machines. One of them is a true track bike and the other is an older converted road bike, but both are low maintenance and a lot of fun. Whether it is on a velodrome, a 30-mile road ride, or a quick trip to the store, riding a fixed gear is a pure cycling experience.
Since Walter works for Bike Friday, you probably already guessed that his fixie is also a foldable. I have only ridden a folding bike once, but I certainly like the idea of a bike that you can travel with, stow away in a tight office, or take on a crowded bus or subway train. To me, it makes a lot of sense for a bike like that to be fixed. Not only is it simpler and lighter, but also there are no cables to deal with (or only one if you run a rear brake). If you are interested in a fantastic, folding Friday fixie (say it three times really fast), Walter has special deal in his post for the month of November.