Fixed-gear bicycle

This article is about a bicycle with no freewheel mechanism. For a bicycle with only one gear, see single-speed bicycle.
A fixed-gear bicycle
An 18-tooth sprocket that attaches to the rear hub of fixed-gear bike
Track sprockets are typically attached and removed from the hub by screwing them with a chain whip. This tool incorporates a lockring spanner for securing a reverse threaded lockring against the sprocket.

A fixed-gear bicycle (or fixed-wheel bicycle in British usage,[citation needed] commonly known in some places as a fixie[1]) is a bicycle that has a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism such that the pedals always will spin together with the rear wheel. The freewheel was developed early in the history of bicycle design but the fixed-gear bicycle remained the standard track racing design. More recently the "fixie" has become a popular alternative among mainly urban cyclists, offering the advantage of simplicity compared with the standard multi-geared bicycle.

Most bicycle hubs incorporate a freewheel to allow the pedals to remain stationary while the bicycle is in motion, so that the rider can coast, i.e., ride without pedalling using forward momentum. A fixed-gear drivetrain has the drive sprocket (or cog) threaded or bolted directly to the hub of the back wheel, so that the pedals are directly coupled to the wheel. During acceleration, the pedal crank drives the wheel, but in other situations, the rear wheel can drive the pedal cranks.[2] This direct coupling allows a cyclist to apply a braking force with the legs and bodyweight, by resisting the rotation of the cranks. It also makes it possible to cycle backwards.

As a general rule, fixed-gear bicycles are single-speed. A derailleur for gear selection would introduce chain slack, which would interfere with braking. Gear selection can, however, be accomplished with the use of an internally geared hub. For example, a Sturmey-Archer fixed-gear three-speed hub is a fixed-gear multi-speed arrangement. Most fixed-gear bicycles only have a front brake, and some have no brake.[3][4]

  1. ^ Neil Bezdek (April 20, 2016). "Why I Ride a Fixed-Gear Bike". Bicycling. Retrieved 2016-11-15. A fixed-gear bike, or fixie, is a type of singlespeed bicycle that doesn't allow the rider to coast.
  2. ^ "What Is a Fixed Gear?". Commute by Bike. 2005-05-31. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  3. ^ Brown, Sheldon. "Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road". Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  4. ^ Brown, Sheldon. "The Sturmey-Archer ASC Fixed-Gear Three-Speed Hub". Retrieved November 19, 2018. The ASC was a true fixed-gear, in that coasting was impossible...the pedals would turn whenever the bicycle was in motion. However, it gave three different ratios: direct drive; 90% and 75%.