Okay i'll go first BSO. Im not a bike snob and no disrespect meant to the poster as ive never posted a deal myself.

Firstly the picture doesn't match the description, none of the bikes shown in the photos have V brakes they have very cheap looking side pull calipers combined with painted rim surfaces which could provide a nasty surprise the first time you ride in the wet. Other points I note the saddle is very shiny, schrader valves on 700c wheels, cheap pressed steel chainset, weird inclusion of a chain guard considering its minimalist pure cycling experience and finally 14kg total weight (thats 30 lbs and I have a 15 year old full sus that weights less than that).

I have no issues with cheap bikes, but I generally dont believe that you can get anything new for under £200 nowadays thats worth riding. This bike will have a very short life expectancy before components need replacing or it will require constant fetling to keep it roadworthy and efficent. If you have less than try second hand.

That said you can occasionally get a cheap carrera on offer from Halfords for under £200, ladies hybrid below (no mens left) £170 - which will outlast the posted one many times over.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-axle-womens-hybrid-bike

Blue here http://www.tesco.com/direct/royal-london-fixie-fixed-gear-single-speed-bike-bluegreen/740-3309.prd?skuId=740-3309

image hosting above 5 mb

Also available in white but can not get links to work, if you go on tesco direct and search "royal london fixie" should return 4 results.

Think the yellow one looks great. Added Heat

Rode a fixie once and never again. Absolutely terrifying if your pedals unclip going down a hill and your frantically trying to get your feet back on. Probably something you'd get used to but scary all the same.

Heat

Eyesore.

it's not no gears and if they had their way it would have no brakes?

what's the world coming too? that's like selling a car with no engine, no gearbox and no brakes as a 'stripped back minimalist design"

who on earth would buy one of these for a hundred bones?

id rather buy a bike with all the parts a bike should have for the same kind of money

A better way to build leg strength would be to keep the hundred quid and just go for a walk instead of buying one of this poorly thought out 'bikes'.

I've never even heard of them before today, and if it was April the 1st I'd be convinced this was an April Fool posting.

No offence intended to the OP at all, I just think it's a crazy idea. That is unless they are the CEO of Fixies, or came up with the idea of 'let's create a bike missing loads of bits, paint it with some luminous paint and see who'll buy them"

Thanks, but "I'm out" :stuck_out_tongue:

Pure?? Load of rubbish. Just more of a pain to ride, If you only want one gear get a single speed so you can freewheel. If you want pure build a wooden bike with no pedals!

Im out too! If they have left out a 300g gearset in order to save weight why did they use a steel frame instead of an alloy one which would be several kgs lighter!

Pretty sure this have a reversible back wheel with a freewheel on the other side so you don't have to ride "fixie" you can have a single speed freewheel too.

There is something oddly refreshing about these bikes. Funky looks too!


edit: Yup it's in the OP, I didn't see it (just like everyone else apparently)

The favourite of hipsters nowadays.

Same price with free delivery or pickup at Argos if you buy on eBay (from the same seller)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-London-Fixie-Fixed-Gear-Single-Speed-Bike-/291872799829

I grew up with fixed wheel bikes in the sixties so despite what some people in this thread may think they're hardly new
( therefore hipster? :smiley: ), they obviously weren't when I was growing up with them either.

I haven't voted either way because I don't know if they're good for the money or otherwise, I have to be honest, I came to see if any bike snobs had come on to dismiss them as BSOs, I miss those threads, they were great, I'd say the leasing threads are the nearest equivalent nowadays. :smiley:

First I heard of Fixies was after watching the movie Premium Rush. Looked so cool 8)Thought I'd look into it but then realised it definitely wasn't for me.

Oh and to say it's stripped back that should help withweight saving and then quote 14kg :man:

Okay i'll go first BSO. Im not a bike snob and no disrespect meant to the poster as ive never posted a deal myself.

Firstly the picture doesn't match the description, none of the bikes shown in the photos have V brakes they have very cheap looking side pull calipers combined with painted rim surfaces which could provide a nasty surprise the first time you ride in the wet. Other points I note the saddle is very shiny, schrader valves on 700c wheels, cheap pressed steel chainset, weird inclusion of a chain guard considering its minimalist pure cycling experience and finally 14kg total weight (thats 30 lbs and I have a 15 year old full sus that weights less than that).

I have no issues with cheap bikes, but I generally dont believe that you can get anything new for under £200 nowadays thats worth riding. This bike will have a very short life expectancy before components need replacing or it will require constant fetling to keep it roadworthy and efficent. If you have less than try second hand.

That said you can occasionally get a cheap carrera on offer from Halfords for under £200, ladies hybrid below (no mens left) £170 - which will outlast the posted one many times over.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-axle-womens-hybrid-bike

You obviously have no idea what your rabbling on about.
Fixed wheel bikes have been about for years and some cost into the thousands.

Did you watch the velodrome at the olympics? Fixed wheel.

A lot of club cyclists use them during the winter for training as you can get a better workout over a shorter distance.

Its not some fad that someones pulled out a hat.

Superman on a fixie

14kg! for a fixie!

Yup, me and my mates were turning our standard bikes into fixies and ss back the early 70's when we were kids. We'd change the bars and do all manner of mods to our bikes.
Nowadays i see people on here that cant even assemble a bike when its ordered online and talk about which shop to take it to !

Guy Martin seems to get on ok with a ss...... Rode across a desert in China with one and did it in record time.

Guy Martin is surely the world's most irritating person? Like Karl Pilkington only actually thick instead of pretending to be lol

I'm a little disappointed, you weren't in the least little bit obnoxious and you made some fair points. Other than that you used the abbreviation BSO so I'm putting you straight on ignore. :wink:

Riding a fixed gear is ace; I've commuted like that for years. For one, you'll start to realise how little you need gears. Uphills are a challenge, downhills are your "spins". And contrary to what you would think, comparing my strava times over various 12 / 15 mile commutes, I'm fastest on uphills on the fixed - it's the downhill and flat I'm limited despite running a long-ish gear (15/46). On my current 12mile, I'm consistently 5 mins slower on the fixed.

Give it a go! It doesn't take long to get used to it and is definitely a great feeling whizzing along clipped in and spinning all the time (a very clean feeling, less losses)

completely agree I switched from geared to ss then fixie, as stated it does take a little while to get used to but it's worth it. I wouldn't go back now.

if you have any interest at all I recommend giving it a blast.

clearly you know very little about cycling and bikes if you have never heard of fixed gear bikes and think that you could get a decent geared bike for £100 .

As someone who does spend a lot of time cycling and does know about bikes in a city fixies are perfectly adequete if not sometimes preferable because of the simplicity and lack of excess weight . if i ride my geared hybrid to work I rarely if ever use more than 2 gears and can easilly make the same journey on a fixie with the same level of effort mainly due to how light it is . This even has a flip flop hub so if you are not used to riding a fixed gear you can still freewheel . Although 10 minutes on a spinning bike in a gym should be enough to get you used to using legs to slow down etc .

​Nah.

Superman isn't real?

Hat fad.

Fixies have no place on public roads. They should be kept on a track.

No bike is preferable because of its lack of excess weight if it means it poses safety risks to its user and others. I'd never say that the omission of brakes, etc, is preferable unless riding on a track or on a closed private road, for example.

Using legs to stop isn't preferable at all. You can't slow as quickly (and can lose control in doing so) if you're traveling at speed and that can have serious consequences, especially if you're inexperienced on a fixie. If you have an accident in central London, god help you!

If a flip-flop hub is used, technically you should ensure that a rear brake is fitted, and that is why Royal London have included one on this bike. However, I'd argue that this makes the case for not bothering to ride this bike.

One reason not to ride a fixie is that they seem to turn ordinary riders into selfish prats.

Clipping in with moving pedals is a challenge, so why stop at red lights and pedestrian crossings? Brakes don't look right, so skidding to an eventual halt in three times the distance and with no directional control is the way to go.

All the supposed advantages of a fixie apply to SS bikes, too, along with free-wheeling down-hill and no pedal strike. Each to their own, but for almost all riders and riding a fixie is the worst choice.

I never said that a bike would be preferable without brakes . clearly as this bike includes both front and rear brakes your comments are irrelevant .

I saw that, you need a push to get going and take an age to get up to speed and that is without wind in your face.

I never said that you said a bike without brakes is preferable. What I did say is that a fixie wouldn't be preferable because of its lack of excess weight if it poses safety risks to its user and to others. A fixie is often brakeless and that poses a risk, so no, my comments aren't irrelevant. You simply didn't understand what I said. I was talking about true fixies. This bike isn't a true fixie, so in fact your comments are irrelevant.

And what exactly qualifies you to decide what is and what is not a true fixie ?

Given that the main element that defines a bike as a fixie is having a fixed gear to propel it this has that thus in my mind this is a fixie .

Buy a fixed gear bike from any reputable retailer and it will have front and rear brakes in order to comply with the law so what basis you have for the "a fixie is often brakeless" comment is somewhat questionable . I've very rarely seen people riding fixies without brakes and I live in a big city with a growing hipster community , i've actually seen as many people riding normal bikes with one or both of their brakes unhooked because they have untrue wheels and do not have the knowledge to solve the problem of rubbing brakes . The bottom of shoes used to stop you would certainly be much less effective than brakes .

I completely agree if a bike manufacturer has elected to exclude brakes from a bike in order to save weight then that would be unsafe and certainly not preferable to any bike with fully operational brakes .

I don't think you need to be qualified to deduce that a fixie has no freewheeling mechanism. It's a fixed-cog that gives it its name. If the cog that attaches to the rear wheel has no mechanism for rotating independently of the wheel to which it is attached, it's a fixie. If the cog can rotate it's not fixed and therefore not a fixie.

As for braking requirements, the law states that any free-wheeling mechanism must be accompanied by a dedicated braking system. If a truly fixed-wheel is apparent on the bicycle it can be considered to have its own braking mechanism simply by virtue of the fixed cog attached to the fixed cog at the pedals via the chain. If, however, a flip-flop is installed that wheel must then have its own dedicated braking system which is independent of any other. On that note, the retailer doesn't have any obligation to sell a bicycle with any brakes whatsoever; it is up to the consumer to ensure that it is roadworthy. If a bicycle is sold with fitted brakes, however, they must be installed in the correct configuration before the consumer takes it away.

I reiterate therefore that a brake does not need to be installed on the rear wheel where a completely-fixed cog is installed, nor does the retailer have to install one.

As for the brakeless fixie comment, that's completely true. I've seen plenty of people down in London, and elsewhere, with no brakes on their bikes. When 'hipsters', as you put it, starting using fixies they were often brakeless, much like they were in countries such as Holland, for example. Holland follows EU rules. Yes, the law in the UK may say that a brake is required on any free-wheel, but EU legislation only states that an efficient brake must present. A fixie is deemed to be an efficient brake as long as it isn't a flip-flop, for example, so that means no front brake is required in Holland and therefore no hand-operated brakes are installed. The law ultimately applies in the country that you're cycling in though as long as it at least adheres to EU legislation, so UK law trumps in this case, and at least a front brake must be installed.

So wait essentially we agree that because this has the option of a fixed rear cog it could be considered a fixie .

we also agree that because it has a flip flop hub the inclusion of front and rear brakes is necessary to comply with the UK law on bicycles to be used on the roads .

it seems we also agree that there are some riders out there who choose to ride un roadworthy bicycles by removing the front brake and just using the fixed cog to slow down and stop . I however fail to see how this is anything to do with manufacturers or retailers of these bikes if people chose to remove components . Any reputable bicycle retailer just like a reputable car retailer would provide you with a road legal vehicle ,should you then choose not to maintain or to modify the vehicle so that it is not road worthy this is your own responsibility .

as I said I do not see the relevance of your comments saying that a fixie without brakes would not be preferable to say a hybrid with brakes . because nobody here is advocating the use or sale of such bike . it is unfortunate that some do decide to ride bikes configured in this was yes but it is not relevant to this bike or any comments in this thread .

Oh dear.

No, it has a flip-flop so it doesn't include a true fixed cog. Therefore we don't agree that it could be considered a fixie. I don't see how you can dispute this. It's like saying a tuned Ford Focus with a RS bodykit is a true RS. It just isn't.

I didn't dispute the inclusion of a front and rear brake to comply with UK law. Yes, this bike does require a brake at the front and back. No issue there. However, I don't see why you're talking about reputable retailers failing to include brakes to make any bike "road legal". As I've said, numerous times; retailers don't have to include brakes when selling a bike, but if they include brakes at the time of sale those brakes must be installed in the correct configuration.

My point about preference was in relation to this:


People often deem simplicity and lack of excess weight to mean "no brakes whatsoever". The simplicity comes from having as little mechanical features as possible, and this therefore reduces the overall weight of the bike. This is evident now and was even more evident when people began to choose fixies en-masse a few years ago as part of the 'hipster' trend, as you implied. I don't understand why you're disputing this either. Again, the retailer is under no obligation whatsoever to include any brakes if they so choose.

Correct it has a flip flop hub , so on one side of that hub there is a fixed cog that would operate identical to any other rear wheel with a fixed cog so if the bike was being used with that fixed cog how would it operate or be any different to a fixie ? Your Focus RS anecdote is inaccurate ,this bike has a fixed cog , if only had a single speed freewheel cog and no way of using it as a fixed gear bike I would agree .

As for you still bleating on about the lack of brakes . When I said "As someone who does spend a lot of time cycling and does know about bikes in a city fixies are perfectly adequete if not sometimes preferable because of the simplicity and lack of excess weight ." I was in no way implying that a bike that is not legal or safe because of the absence of brakes at the front and rear would be preferable .
People may well ride fixes that are not actually road legal because they have no brakes however there is really no way of you actually knowing that people often deem this to be the case because you dont know how many fixies are being used with no brakes or no rear brakes .

I reiterate my point that a fixie bought from a reputable retailer that would have front and rear brakes would sometimes be preferable to a hybrid/mountain or road bike .

​Look, a flip-flop allows a fixed and free-wheel cog to be used. That means it's not a true fixie. A true fixie ONLY has a fixed cog which is directly attached to the wheel. What part of that don't you understand?

Actually, don't answer that. I'm not going to waste any more time here. It's evident that you misinterpret or confuse what I say, especially around the brake requirements and obligations of the retailer.

As I said you have yet to actually tell us what your qualifications are to decide what is and is not a "true fixie" . However I have provided a perfectly logical argument that this has a fixed cog so is a fixie . Its inclusion of a single speed freewheel is neither here nor there . Majority of the single speed bikes I see being used on the roads on a daily basis have a flip flop hub . If someone buys this and never uses the freewheel then how would that be any different to whatever this "true fixie" is that you are going on about ? Exactly precisely nada .

Given that you keep alluding to the fact that you think "A fixie is often brakeless " But have yet to provide any evidence to back up the fact that fixies used on the road often have no brakes at all I hope you will excuse me for regarding the rest of your opinion as utter nonsense plucked out of the air and certainly not coming from someone qualified to decide what is and what is not a "true fixie" .

As for confusing the brake requirements and obligations of the retailer . I am not mistaken as to this . It just seems that you are not correctly interpreting what I am saying which is that a reputable retailer would provide brakes on a bike with a fixed rear cog . I completely understand they do not have to provide them and legally only a front brake is required on a bike being used with a fixed cog being used to propel at the rear wheel however a reputable retailer is not going to sell a bike that cannot legally be used without modification . What is difficult to understand about what I am saying ...

{sigh}

You have confirmed yourself that people do ride fixies with no brakes, even though they shouldn't. Stop arguing with yourself.


Hmmm. Ok, fixed wheels can be used without an independent braking mechanism. That means a bike can be used legally in the UK on the road with only a front brake fitted. That's a fixie. Now, if a flip-flop is fitted, the rear wheen can be used as a free-wheel. This means a rear brake MUST BE USED. The inclusion of a fixed cog on one side of the hub is neither here nor there. This means it's not a true fixie. A true fixie doesn't NEED a rear brake, and isn't capable of free-wheeling. Obviously you'll undoubtedly come up with some drivel to dispute this.

Once again, retailers are under no obligation to supply brakes. A reputable retailer would not supply brakes because it is pre-empting how the bike will be used, or how it will be modified. As an example, you may be buying a bike for use on a track, yet want to adapt it yourself later for road use. The retailer wouldn't necessarily supply brakes given the fact that the bike is going to be used on a track, even though a front brake is a requirement for use on the road. You really can't make statements that imply a retailer isn't reputable simply because it didn't supply brakes.

It seems you're clutching at straws now, and as for qualification, who are you to question mine? You're, by your own admission, an amateur.

I have indeed said that some people do use bikes with no brakes I am not contending that . What I am questioning however is repeated statements by you suggesting that "A fixie is often brakeless" You have made repeated statements of this kind stating that in your view a lot of people would consider a fixie to have no brakes and a lot of people ride fixies without brakes . And yet when repeatedly pushed as to the validity of these claims you have failed to back them up thus meaning we can only conclude that they are made up pie in the sky statements . I will reiterate again for the slower of us to understand , I have seen some single speed bikes being used without brakes . But the majority of single speed bikes I see have front and rear brakes . Unless you have any evidence to back up that fixies are often used without brakes I suggest that will be all on this matter .

I have not disagreed that retailers are under no obligations to supply brakes I have acknowledged that so no need to repeat yourself dear . So again that is this misunderstanding cleared up .

What I am saying is that if the bike was a fixie being sold for use on the road any reputable retailer would specify it so that it can be used as such straight away ,they are under no obligation to do so however . Obviously if you are buying a track bike for professional use it will not come with brakes . But then you are talking about completely different bike then the one in this deal , you are talking about a bike specifically designed and specified for use on a track . Just like if you bought a car that was not road legal you would not expect to find it specified for such use and so you should not use it on the roads .

So essentially yes some retailers will supply bikes for use on a track without front or rear brakes . But as I originally said to you this is irrelevant to this thread because the bike that this deal relates to is a fixie for use on the roads complete with front and rear brakes . Feel free to disagree that this is not a "true fixie". However we wil have to agree to disagree I am afraid I would consider any cycle with a fixed cog in this fashion to be capable of being operated as a fixie . However as you said I am not qualified to decide on this being an amateur , absence of you providing your qualification suggests you are just as qualified .

It seems that this misunderstanding has stemmed from the fact that you thought that I was suggesting that a fixie with no brakes would be preferable to a hybrid with brakes because according to you "Fixies are often brakeless " . Again I have already cleared this up ,IMO fixies often still have front and rear brakes so this was not my perception of a fixie (even if not required to ) I was suggesting that a fixie with front and rear brakes will sometimes be preferable .I know that sometimes people ride them without brakes and they are idiots as I have already mentioned

Hopefully that is cleared up for you .

You see, this is purely down to your lack of understanding, comprehension or grasp of the English language.


No! No, no, no. I've never said or even implied that a fixie is a fixie because many people ride them without brakes. What are you smoking?

I said that people ride fixies, often without brakes.


Ah, so now you're changing your tune somewhat. That's great. It means you've accepted that your earlier statements weren't correct, even if you don't openly admit it.

Basically, you've said that any reputable retailer would supply brakes. As I said in my last post, this statement is wholly unfair. A retailer is under no obligation to, so the lack of any on this bike would not make the retailer any less reputable, given that the retailer has no control over how the bike will be used.


That's a bit of an odd thing to say. Think before you speak...



Now, shall I embarrass you any more, or can we agree to leave this alone now?

So you acknowledge that you are saying that fixies are often used without brakes . And herein is the fundamental issue issue with your argument , you have no evidence to back it up . If you did you would have provided it many posts ago when I questioned you on this . If you actually had the ability to comprehend me raising that issue . I genuinely am not sure if you do have that ability

As for the rest of your post , I never once misunderstood the requirements or the obligations on retailers . I reiterate however that any reputable retailer supplying a fixie for use on the roads would supply it with the correct brakes to comply with the law . Yes a retailer will supply a track bike without brakes , and it is possible that someone will decide to use this on the roads . However this is not really relevant to this deal because the bike being sold here is a bike intended for use on the roads with front and rear brakes .Perhaps I was not as clear on that from the get go as I should have been . But I am glad we got the opportunity to clear that up

Why would you think that a retailer would be reputable if they would supply something (A fixie specifically for use on the road) without the necessary components for that to be legally used(front and if necessary rear brakes) . That would be like a car retailer selling a family hatchback with racing slicks . Just not going to happen . Of course someone could buy a track car with racing slicks and use it on the roads . But they would surely be in the same idiot category as people using fixies without brakes

All of this simply because you jumped the gun and made the assumption that me saying a fixie was preferable in some situations to another bike was me encouraging the use of bikes without brakes on the road . Are we clear on the fact that I did not mean that a brakeless fixie would be preferable to anything else .

I am yet to be embarrassed by your obvious lack of logic and intelligence . However do continue if you wish . I really however see no point . You have no evidence for your speculative comments that fixies are often used without brakes . You have no ability to comprehend what I am trying to say with regards to retailers supplying things that can actually legally be used out of the box so it seems there really is nothing further that needs to be said . You seem to just be fixated on this idea that some people ride fixies without brakes . I do not deny this however you are saying that this is often the case despite not having the requisite evidence to back this up . As I said to you in the beginning comments about fixies being used without brakes are wholly irrelevant to this deal because that is not what is being offered here .

I have provided evidence, by quoting you saying that you've seen it yourself.


Hmmm, what did you say about me making assumptions?


Because, as I've said, it's not for the retailer to speculate as to how or where the product will be used. IF the retailer supplies brakes and they are not installed correctly and in accordance with the law, then I'd question their reputability, but not simply for not assuming you'll need them.

Anyway, I'm off out. Chow :wink:

thank f for that...

I know, it was an epic exchange, but a necessary one. These lycra ninjas are never wrong, apart from all the time, so it's nice to get one to shut up for a change.

by "shut up" I presume you mean rattle on and on and on and on and on and on and on until the other person kills themself? lol

Exactly that mate :wink: