What are the advantages/disadvantages of a fixie?

[thekarens]

If you race track you have to have a fixie :-)

[Wahine]

Pros of Fixies:

Learn better pedaling technique
Simplicity, quiet, pure
Easier maintenance
Forces you to use inefficient gearing and as a result can help to build another layer of strength
Definite cool factor


Cons:
To quote my SO "f**king dangerous", made less so with a brake but still requires a great deal of skill
Can be very hard on your joints, especially when learning. The lower cadence required in many circumstances is not great for knees as they increase adverse joint forces, not to mention what happens if you forget and try to coast at speed.

Having said that, I love my single speed for training power and for the much simpler clean-up after muddy rides (cyclocross or mountain biking).

[Crankin]

My son had a single speed commuter that could be flipped into a fixie.
He said "No f*n way."
That pretty much sums up my attitude, but of course, I am risk averse, compared to a lot of people. My non-riding/adventure friends don't think so, but I know my limits.
I do understand the allure of a single speed, but my body is kinda too broken down to deal with it at this point in my life.

[Owlie]

I get the single-speed thing as an urban commuter or simply for fun and a nice challenge, and I'd get one if my knees would take it (I had my eye on the old version of the Charge Plug for the longest time). Fixie..., but then I'm a risk-averse klutz.

[colorisnt]

I get the single-speed thing as an urban commuter or simply for fun and a nice challenge, and I'd get one if my knees would take it (I had my eye on the old version of the Charge Plug for the longest time). Fixie..., but then I'm a risk-averse klutz.

I love old bikes and especially old steel roadies, so I can see the appeal for commuting in a flat place but here, the way people drive and the number of times I really HAVE needed brakes, I really couldn't see it. Back home where my parents live, it'd make more sense. But I'm also a klutz, so it's prolly a bad idea.