Delving into the world of fixed-gear bicycles.

So I have a new obsession; fixed-gear bikes.



I still love my '99 Schwinn Moab 2 mountain bike, six years after I purchased it, but I'm starting to feel the urge for a change. The simplicity and challenge of fixed-gear riding appeals to me.

I also want a bike I will actually be able to lock up somewhere outside without immediately having it stolen. If you lock your bike up outside in Toronto, make sure it's one you don't mind losing.. I think we were in first place one year for the bike theft capital of North America.

It would be great to be able to ride downtown and stop somewhere for a coffee, or something, again. As it is now I literally can't keep my eyes off of my bike. My U-Lock has been tested in circumstances where I was away from my bike only for a few minutes.

Finally I really want to learn about bike mechanics so I can maintain my own bikes. It's not so much that I'm shelling out a lot of money in maintenance, but I'm the type of person who feels helpless if I can't maintain something that I depend on.

So where do I start? Well as it so happens I recently picked up a somewhat abused hybrid CCM from my friend Viet with the intention of restoring it as my "beater" bike. It already has a road frame and slim tires so it's a good template for my project.

As I began studying, I kept landing on single-speed and fixed-gear enthusiast sites. Many who had converted bikes from the almost inescapable 18 speed commercial variety into custom-made, light, and really simple, capable machines. You can also buy fixies pre-assembled, but they're a bit rare and in my mind it defeats some of my purpose to buy one already made.

Fixies have some interesting advantages over geared bikes too;

Fixed-gear bikes force you to keep cadence with your terrain, so it's a bit like spinning. There's no freewheel, so there's no coasting.

Fixed-gear bikes give you more control over your ride. Since you are in more direct contact with the traction of the ground you're on. (At least in theory).

Fixed-gear bikes are lighter simply by having far fewer components than geared bikes. On a properly configured fixie, you can drop most of the cogs, your rear brakes, the freewheel, and the shifters out of the configuration. The weight savings add up pretty quickly.

Apparently you lose less torque with a fixie because there are fewer components between you and the drive-train. (At least in theory).

Fixed-gear bikes are much more simple to maintain.

You can peddle backwards on a fixie. Can't wait to try this out.

Finally, the beef; where I am looking for my research on how to convert an old 18-speed bike into a fixed-gear.

Sheldon Brown has published a lot of really good information on fixies and conversions. His glossary also kicks butt too (it's right there on the index page).

There's an evolving Fixed-Gear Wiki with some helpful diagrams and more data as well.

I am actively trolling BikeForums for tips, tricks and support from the community.

For inspiration check out the Singlespeed/Fixed Gear Bicycles group on Flickr.

Personally I really like the idea of gaining more control over the mechanics of my bike, as well as more control over it's ride. I'm excited by the prospect of being able to build my own bikes as well; me being too lazy to learn how to maintain a complex set of gears, pairing it down to one gear, no freewheel ball-bearings, and a minimal front brake.

If you need further inspiration yourself check out these crazy videos at digave.com. The most recent New York vid blew me away.

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