Behind Bars in NE Mpls - great bike shop!

For all those in the Minneapolis area who have fixed gear bikes, or bikes in general, you should get familiar with the bike shop Behind Bars, in NE Mpls, if you don't know about them already. The owner of the shop, Chuck Cowan, is a great guy, and the entire shop is a down-to-earth, yet class opeartion.

The crew at Behind Bars know their stuff - they understand bikes, riders, and how to make everything work. I recently purchased a hand-built Capricorn frame (more on the bike in a separate review) and Chuck, Dan, and the crew at Behind Bars helped build the bike up, providing truly spectacular service.

Not only is this shop clean, well-organized, and friendly, but they have a great selection of bikes and merchandise. The service at Behind Bars, in my experience, is first rate, both in price and quality. The staff is friendly, courteous, professional, and knowledgeable. In the Minneapolis bike community, this shop is a gem that I wish I would have known about even sooner.

For fixed gear enthusiasts, they have some cool stuff from Masi, Salsa, Kona, and other brands, and they stock a fair amount of unique stuff other shops might not bother with keeping in inventory. If you want to purchase a new bike, find some gear, or get your bike serviced, I would suggest checking out Behind Bars first. Although there are a lot of good shops around, this is the one that is on the top of my list of favorites.

You can find their website here: Behind Bars website. Or, you can call them at 612-436-0255 (note that they are not open on Mondays). Chuck, Dan, and the entire staff - thanks for the help in getting my bike set up!

Macaframa - cool fixed gear photos and videos

For those of you who haven't already seen the stuff by Macaframa, I would encourage you to do so. They have some phenomenal fixed gear rider talent, some great photography, cool videos, and even some cool posters.




For example, check out this video:



If the above video link doesn't work, go to their website and see some really creative and well-produced short videos here: link to Macaframa videos



If you like the stuff you see from Macaframa, or if you want to support their efforts, throw a comment up below, and let's get a discussion going. Or, even better, give these guys some support by purchasing their recently released 2-dvd video, available here: link to Macaframa DVD for purchase

Fixie with Trailer

For those of you wondering whether it's possible to ride a fixed gear bike while towing a Burley trailer with a child in it, the answer is yes. Is it easy? Nope, not at all.

What would cause such a test? I decided to take up riding fixed gear last year, and decided to go all in (meaning I sold my mountain bike I had built up and ridden for years). Since we have kids, I decided a Burley trailer would be the ideal way to introduce them to riding, have some quality time exploring the great outdoors as a family, and getting to the park or ice cream shop without using our car.

This weekend was the inaugural test ride, linking the Burley to a fixed gear Steamroller (no, I did not use a freewheel flip-flop hub), and tearing off for a ride. Granted, we don't live in Colorado and didn't ride any massive hills, but this was a fun and exhausting challenge nonetheless.

What a fixed gear gains in simplicity, low maintenance, ease of use, back-to-basics enjoyment, etc. it lacks in ability to compensate for the rider's less-than-Olympic training/condition, so towing a trailer with a fixie becomes a true physical test. That said, it's pretty cool to know that four wheels (including bike and trailer), one brake, no gears, and a determined rider can make for a memorable and exciting family outing.

At FixedRiders.com, we're intersted in having this forum become a community for sharing unique and interesting fixed gear riding stories. Share your favorite fixie story, or submit a photo to include in our fixed gear gallery at info AT Fixed Riders DOT com.

Environmental Responsibility

Following closely on the heals of Earth Day, 2009, I attended the Living Green Expo today, which is a significant and well organized "green-living" and environmental responsibility expo in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although this is a slight diversion from bicycles generally and fixed gear bikes specifically, there is a clear parallel between bikes and environmental responsibility.

Since there is a likely overlap between those who ride fixed gear and those who want the environment to be around for the next few generations, I've decided to throw a post on FixedRiders.com to support the environmental responsibility and advocacy effort.

If you have any interest in reducing your carbon footrprint and leaving fewer marks on the world around you, try to extend your interest in fixed gear bikes another step forward toward a sustainable environment.

One blog/site focused on environmental responsibility and green living ideas is Green52.org. Green52.org has just completed 52 weeks of green tips, with 52 unique articles about green living and environmental responsibility. If any of your fixed gear friends are interested in the environmental responsibility cause, tell them about Green52.org.

Better yet, turn off your computer, stop powering all the other electricity consuming devices in your home, and get out and ride! FixedRiders.com encourages you to enjoy the spring season by reconnecting with everything that makes bike riding memorable from your childhood -- the freedom of having your own mode of transportation, with the ability to determine where you want to go and how fast you want to get there.

Fixed gear bikes are the grown-up version of a "big wheel" (images of brightly colored trike-style kid mobile should be appearing) from days gone by. It doesn't get much better -- and the fact that you can use your fixie to go where your car might otherwise take you is a significant environmental plus.

Spring at last! Fixed gear riding season begins.

Well, in Minnesota winter is long, and cold. This year was no exception. Although I saw a few fixies running through the winter, mine was in the garage. Cars don't pay enough attention to bikes in the warm months, and when the road conditions are worse because of ice and snow, riding a bike on the roads becomes an even more daunting task.

So, the big sign of spring for me is getting the bike out and ready for a season of action. That began for this fixed-gear rider two weeks ago with a quick run to get the dust off. Today, I made my first fixed gear bike commute to work for the season. Once again I was reminded how liberating and significant something as simple as a bike ride to work can be.

This season, I hope FixedRiders.com grows as a forum for fixed gear enthusiasts, custom builders, or those simply looking for more information to contribute ideas, share their enthusiasm for the sport, show off their fixed gear bikes in our photo gallery, or post their fixed gear riding events, products, and more.

Whether you use your fixed gear bike to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment, you use it to train or for fitness, or you simply like having a simple and no-nonsense commuter or hobby bike, fixed gear riding is an experience you have to be part of, to appreciate. FixedRiders.com is your community to offer tips, thoughts, information, ideas and more. Please leave a comment on this site.

FixedRiders.com is a forum and community for those who have already learned about, or are interested in, what makes a fixed gear bike riding experience different, and better, than simply riding a geared bike. Enjoy the biking season everyone -- happy spring!!

What is it with fixed gear bikes?

One of the most frequent questions a fixed gear rider will encounter is, "What is that thing?" or "Why does it have only one gear?", or some variation of the same.

Simply, a fixed gear bike is one which has no freewheel and only one gear. As the pedals move, so does the rear wheel, and vice versa. On fixed gear bikes, there is a direct connection between the pedals and the rear wheel by a chain that connects one front chain ring to one rear cog. There are no "shifters" or derailleurs, so there are no additional gear options to choose from. Consequently, there are no gears to fail or require adjustment.

Although people often associate fixed gear bike with track bikes or messenger bikes, these can be very distinct animals, and not all fixed gear bikes or fixed riders are the same. Messengers often appreciate fixed gear bikes for the simplicity, lack of mechanical parts that are subject to failure (or theft), and the fluid connection between rider and bike.

Track bikes are fixed gear bikes that typically have an aggressive geometry (designed for racing) and no brakes, front or rear. You may also see fixed gear riders using some form of a fixed gear road or track bike (which may or may not have brakes) as a commuting bike, short or long distance touring bike or a "trainer" bike to get in top condition for a road or mountain bike season.

Fixed gear riding requires concentration, thought, and some degree of bike handling skill. Although the "typical" fixed gear bike for general/casual street or road use will be equipped with a front brake (and sometimes a rear brake), brakes are used as a complement to proactive riding. That means the fixed rider plans ahead, tries to anticipate when to increase and decrease speed, and uses momentum, inertia, and efficient pedaling as tools.

What are the upsides of fixed gear riding? For one, the bike is stripped of surplus equipment and is a bare-bones version of what is essential. Much like some automobile purists prefer manual shift classics and some photography purists prefer the qualities of film over digital, fixed gear bikes offer a simplicity, efficiency and pure function that multi-geared bikes lack.

Fixed riders also benefit from lower maintenance hassles, as a fixed gear bike has less risk of component failure or components needing "tuning". There are less cables and attachments to clutter the look of the bike, and it consequently weighs less than a similarly built multi-gear bike.

Hopping on a fixed gear bike and going for a ride means focusing on the route, the environment around you, and the experience, rather than getting distracted with what gear to shift into for a hill or whether your drivetrain is making noise because it isn't properly adjusted.

Additionally, fixed gear riders tend to be in good physical condition, as such riding is demanding, and requires reliance on the individual's strength and condition, rather than gears selected to make the ride "easier".

Now that you know more about why fixed gear bikes are popular, and why fixed riders choose not to ride "traditional" bikes, you may wish to explore this site for information about fixed gear rides, equipment, news, photos of fixed gear bikes, and more.

Is a fixed gear bike a good bike for commuting, taking to the store to run an errand, or fun/fitness riding? Absolutely. Stay tuned to our future posts for more information on these topics and more.

Please add a comment, submit a photo to our fixed gear photo gallery (with a fixed gear slideshow coming soon), and let us know about an upcoming fixed gear race, ride, or club event to add to our calendar.