All across India there is a sudden spike in interest in cycling as a fitness and leisure activity. Be it the social aspect of riding in a group, commuting within the city to avoid the ever-so-problematic traffic, or just pushing yourself to your limits to get fitter and faster, the possibilities seem endless.
As someone who is looking at taking up cycling, the first step involves choosing the right bicycle. And the most basic question we get asked is – Do I get a geared or a non-geared (a.k.a. single speed) bicycle?
To answer that question, it all comes down to the kind of riding one pictures themselves doing.
In this post, we’re going to focus on single speed and fixed gear bikes and the kind of riding they are apt for. Pure Fix Cycles is a well known Los Angeles brand, appreciated for its quality and extremely reasonable price point across the world.
Best suited for:
- Commuting within the city : Be it cycling to work/college, visiting your nearby grocery store or going to meet your friends, these bikes can handle it all. Considering the fact that most of our Indian cities are not in hilly areas, a single speed bike can easily handle such kind of terrain.
- BOTS Gyaan : The BOTS team themselves use the Pure Fix extensively for commutes (up to 20 km distances one way) and also for the occasional long distance weekend rides. These bikes can handle it all.
Single Speed or Fixed Gear Mode?
- Most of these bicycles come in two modes of operation – single speed and fixed gear.
- Single speed mode is just like any regular non-geared bicycle that we have ridden when we were kids. In this mode, one has the ability to coast while riding. Simplicity at its best! This is ideal for people who have just started to cycle after a long time. So if you’ve bought this bike to start commuting to work and cycling is something you’ve taken up after a long time, then this is the perfect mode to start out in.
- Fixed gear riding is more suited for riders who are already comfortable with cycling and have put in a some miles in their legs. To know more about fixed gear cycling, click here. Its great to own a swiss-army knife type of bike that you can play around with.
- BOTS Gyaan : The Pure Fix bikes come default with a front brake. While this is sufficient for efficient braking, a second brake can easily be installed for more confident braking. Feel free to reach out to us and we’ll be glad to assist you in this regard.
Advantages of Riding Single Speed/Fixed Gear over a Geared Bicycle
- Very Low Maintenance Costs : With geared bicycles, considering the number of moving parts and components involved, the maintenance costs and care associated are substantially higher. In general, by what we’ve seen at our bike shops, the maintenance costs associated with a Pure Fix is almost negligible compared to their geared brethren. Also, replacing components on the Pure Fix bikes are substantially cheaper.
- Simplicity : The simplicity associated with riding a single speed is immense! So say bye-bye to missed gear shifts and just pedal along purely on your strength. Not only is this less complex, but will aid in improving your overall cycling fitness!
- Light weight : With lesser components on these bicycles, they are much more lighter than their geared counterparts. This makes the bike more responsive to acceleration and deceleration and you’ll find yourself putting in lesser effort while cycling.
- Endless customization : Coloured wheelsets, fancy looking bartape, new handlebars or a completely new paint job altogether! The opportunities are endless when it comes to customizing these bicycles and giving it a personal touch.
To view our collection of single speed/ fixed gear bikes, click here.
For any queries or questions regarding these bikes, please send us an email to support@bumsonthesaddle.com
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CYCLING
I love riding my bike. Whether it’s a simple commute, a high-intensity road race, a jaw-grinding brevet, fixie rides thru packed Indian city or a kick-ass technical single track – I love it all. Apart from riding bicycles, I love being all geeky and know everything there is to know about bicycles, technology, bike fit, and service.
I started BUMSONTHESADDLE to share this passion for cycling.
DISCIPLINE: Partial towards MOUNTAIN BIKING but love it all
CURRENT BIKE(S): Specialized Rockhopper, Specialized Tarmac, Pure Cycles Original
DREAM BIKE: S-Works Epic HT & S-Work Roubaix
OTHER PASSIONS: Technology, Photography, Baking, Travel, and Reading
