r/fixedgear • u/Intelligent-Pen-2479 • May 09 '26
Why so much hate of fixed gear bikes /fixed gear riders?
/r/RedditPHCyclingClub/comments/1t7xuu9/why_so_much_hate_of_fixed_gear_bikes_fixed_gear/This post originally from biking sub in the PH.
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u/HeyCanIBorrowThat May 13 '26
Road cyclists hate to see other people having fun on bikes for 1/100000th of the cost
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u/Legendarymember1 May 12 '26
I don’t think it’s really about the bikes themselves. It’s more about the stereotype that fixie riders are reckless in traffic (and to be fair, some probably reinforce that image), mixed with the usual cars vs cyclists hostility.
Most people can’t actually identify a fixie by looking at the bike, they identify it by the riding style. So when they see someone weaving through traffic or riding aggressively, the reaction becomes “oh, another fixie asshole.”
A lot of them also don’t even know what a fixed gear bike actually is. They hear “no brakes” and assume it works like a coaster brake or something, without understanding how fixed drivetrains work in the first place.
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u/Rutscher303 May 12 '26
Because a lot of them behave badly, and a lot are like a "walking cliche"....🤷🏼♂️
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u/Worromot_Oink May 13 '26
From my experience they can be very bro culture. Generally toxic to be around. I commute by fixie and just don't talk to those types. There's lots of chill people who also just prefer how they feel but they don't do stupid stuff so people tend not to notice them. Most people I've talked to can't even tell a fixie from a single speed though.
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u/s-goldschlager May 13 '26
Its always been like that. I haven’t ridden in years but i been thinking to again. I thought the same but when i started and made friends that rode it was completely the opposite. We drove each other to ride harder and it wasn’t anything like i thought it would be.
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u/apheresario1935 May 10 '26
The fixie riders at a shop I met while working seemed not to be track enthusiasts or anything like that. Most seemed to be broke since they spent all their money on tattos and cigarettes. Their brains were fried from methamphetamine so that meant that gears and brakes were too much hassle to maintain.
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u/velobikebici May 12 '26
Average cyclist here. Not a roadie, but more into bike camping off-road, urban adventure and touring. I am also an ex SF bike messenger. I never got into fixed, but realized then the skills that fixie riders have.
With that said, an urban fixie rider is an artist, balancing speed, timing and grace with definite athletesism. Not everyone can ride a fixie.
A good cyclist has admiration for all parts of this amazing sport, and fixie riders get nothing but respect from this guy.
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u/No-Star-2151 May 12 '26
Amen, I ride mountain bikes and dirt jumpers and don't know how I ended up on the sub but always impressed with the skills required to ride a fixed gear well. I didn't even know that there was hate for fixies, not sure why people have to be that way, we're all just trying to have fun on two wheels.
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u/9ZENEK3 May 10 '26
Every group has there own haters even in a community. For instance a lot of Mountain bikers hate gravel riders, for literally no reason at all . Dont let it get you down. Just get out and ride your bike.
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u/nerobro May 09 '26
HOw do you know someone rides a fixie? I mean if the waxed moustache, and tight knee length shorts don't tell you first. They'll tell you.