Quote Originally Posted by Catrin View Post
This is interesting, and I've confused single-speeds with fixies. For some reason I thought they were the same thing
They can be.

A fixie has a single speed/rear cog but is called a fixie as there is no freewheel (no ability to coast). A bike commonly called a singlespeed has the one gear but also has a freewheel. A fixie is a singlespeed bicycle byt a singlespeed bike is not always a fixie.

As far as no brakes, some fixies have a single front brake added by the smart people who live in hilly terrain. You still use your feet to slow the bike sort of like a coaster brake.