Fixie vs. road bike, which is better? It’s a question that a lot of cyclists ask. Well, there’s no straight answer because several factors will determine whether or not either of these bikes will be the perfect one for you. Among them include your cycling experience and how long your rides will be, to name a few.
Stick around as we explore everything you need to know about a fixed gear vs. road bike.
What’s a Fixie?
Formally known as a fixed-gear bike, this is a bicycle with a drivetrain with a single gear fixed to the rear wheel. Unlike other bikes, fixies don’t have a freewheel mechanism, meaning they cannot move unless the rider starts pedaling.
However, many fixies, nowadays are fitted with a flip-flop hub allowing riders to flip the wheels if they want to function as a normal bike with a freewheel mechanism. Many cyclists tend to confuse a fixed-gear bike with a single-speed bike. While both of these bicycles have one gear, a single-speed bike has a freewheel mechanism, allowing riders to coast.
Fixies require cyclists to pedal the entire time they’re riding, which is okay when cycling for short distances but really tiring if you’re riding for more extended periods.
Fixed-gear bikes are also not quite suitable for bikers who are not physically fit, especially when it comes to the muscles of the legs and knees. Since the bicycle requires you to pedal the entire time you’re riding, your leg and knee muscles will feel the pressure if they’re not used to this kind of strenuous activity.
Another vital thing to keep in mind about this bike is that stopping it is no easy task, so it’s recommendable to practice to prevent getting into an accident.
Since it doesn’t have a freewheel mechanism, its momentum may increase as you continue pedaling, making it hard to stop the bike. And if you’re not careful, that momentum may be strong enough to throw you off the bike when you try stopping it.
Most fixies have high-pressure wheels, meaning they most likely have Presta bike valves. So, it’s advisable to have an adapter to save you the trouble when inflating the tires.
Pros/What to like
- Little Maintenance Required
This is the main advantage of having a fixie bike. Since they don’t have a lot of technical components, fixie bikes require little maintenance. All you have to do is lubricate the chain drive when necessary. You also have to ensure that all its other fixtures are securely tightened to prevent unnecessary mishaps.
You also need to change its brake pads when necessary because they are subject to wear and tear.
- They Are Lightweight
Since fixies don’t have several gears, derailleurs, and gear levers, they weigh lighter than road bikes. This may compensate for the fact that you have to pedal more when riding this bicycle.
- They Are More Efficient
The single gear in fixies results in a shorter chain, and no derailleurs or other mechanisms need to shift several gears. The chain’s short length and lack of the other bike parts make a significant difference.
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- They Are Easier to Control
Fixies are hard to ride, especially for beginner cyclists. From learning how to stop the bike to learning how to pedal quickly to move the bike faster, you name it.
However, once you get the hang of it, fixies are actually one of the easiest bikes to control. Unlike road bikes with a more complex system in general, all you have to know about fixies is how to stop the bicycle by pedaling backwards and increasing your cadence to increase your cycling speed.
- They Have an Attractive Aesthetic Design
The simplicity of a fixie bike makes it one of the most attractive bicycles around. Since each bike component is neatly spaced from the others, this bike gives a minimalist yet beautiful look.
Cons/Disadvantages
- You’ll Feel Every Impact When Riding This Bike
Typically, fixies have lightweight frames, wheels, and no suspensions. This means you’ll feel almost every bump on the trail you’re riding, making your rides quite uncomfortable, especially on uneven terrains.
- They Are Difficult to Ride
As you may already know, fixies are hard to ride. For starters, the lack of extra gears makes you pedal more and use a lot of energy while doing it. It’s also difficult to start this bike and keep it in constant motion since it relies on your pedaling power.
Fixed-gear bikes are also quite dangerous when taking on sharp corners because of their braking mechanism. Speaking of brakes, the most efficient way to stop a fixie is to pedal backwards. This can be challenging, especially after riding for a long period, since the bike will have gained more momentum, making it challenging to pedal backwards.
- They Are Not Suitable for Hilly Terrains
The last you’d want to ride a fixie is a hilly trail. Since its speed and efficiency rely on your pedaling power, it is extremely hard to ride uphill with this bike.
- They Are Not Suitable for Riders Who Aren’t Physically Fit
Again, a fixie bike’s speed reliant on your pedaling power. And how fast you pedal depends on the strength of your leg and knee muscles. So, this bike may not be suitable for you if you’re not physically fit.
What’s a Road Bike?
As its name suggests, a road bike is a bicycle designed to be ridden on roads or paved surfaces. Let’s take a brief look at a few key characteristics of this bike.
Frame
Most road bikes have aluminum, carbon fiber, or titanium frames since these materials are lightweight. Many road bikes have frames with a straight top tube. However, some road bike manufacturers have included a sloping top tube on their bikes to make them more compact and enhance their standover height.
Wheels and Tires
Typically, a road bike’s wheels have light rims and few spokes. However, some road bike manufacturers have taken it a step further with their road bicycles by making their rims longer, making the wheels more aerodynamic.
What’s more, many road bikes nowadays have wider rims, increasing the tires’ volume for smoother rides.
Usually, road bikes have skinny tires compared to other types of bicycles. However, nowadays, more and more road bike manufacturers are making their tires slightly wider for smoother and more comfortable rides.
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Brakes
Most road bikes either use disc brakes or rim brakes. Normally, rim brakes are lighter than disc brakes. However, disc brakes provide more stopping than rim brakes.
Saddle
Normally, road bicycles have narrow seats that are sparsely padded. While they may look uncomfortable, they are impressively comfortable, especially when riding long distances. They provide support in vital areas and do not compress the nerves.
Pros/What to like
- They Have an Aerodynamic Frame Design
Most road bikes have an aerodynamic frame design, allowing you to tuck your elbows and lean forward to reduce the air drag while riding. Some road bikes also have wheels with longer rims, enhancing their aerodynamic build.
Most bikes also have drop handlebars that allow riders to be in a more aerodynamic position while riding.
- They Have Several Gears
Unlike fixies, road bikes have several gears, making it easy to adjust your pedaling rate depending on the trail you’re riding on. This not only increases your cycling speed but also enables you to control your bicycle better.
Its several gears also make this bicycle suitable for long-distance and uphill riding.
- They Have Skinny Tires
A road bike’s skinny tires handle more pressure, resulting in less friction between them and the road while riding, increasing cycling speeds.
- Their Handlebars Offer Different Handling Positions
As we mentioned earlier, road bikes feature a pair of drop handlebars. Normally, these handlebars offer three handling positions; on top of the bars, at the drops, and at the brake hoods.
The top bar and brake hoods handling positions are suitable for casual riding. Holding the handlebars at the drops puts you in a more aerodynamic position while cycling for faster rides, especially when riding downhill.
Road bike handlebars also have multiple grip positions, making them comfortable for long-distance riding.
Cons/Disadvantages
- They Are Heavy: Road bikes are heavier than fixies because of the extra gears and components that support the gear-shifting mechanism.
- They Require More Maintenance: Unlike fixies, road bikes require more maintenance because of the extra technical parts that support the gear-shifting mechanism.
- Expensive: Road bikes are more costly than fixed gear bikes due to the extra components they have.
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Differences Between a Fixie and a Road Bike – Fixie Vs. Road Bike
Here are a couple of differences between a fixie and a road bike.
1. Use/Purpose
Fixies are designed for short-distance riding, while road bikes are suitable for long-distance riding. Well, let’s go back to the basics. Since a single-speed bike has one gear, it requires one to pedal more. And as you may know, pedaling requires energy, and the more you pedal, the more energy you’ll need.
The extra energy consumption from pedaling more when riding a fixed-gear bike will make you feel tired quickly. That is why it is not suitable for long-distance riding.
However, “the short distance” depends on a rider’s physical fitness and capability. For instance, some cyclists consider 70 miles a long distance, while others can cover this distance within a short period without any difficulties.
On the other hand, road bikes have several gears allowing riders to adjust the rate at which they pedal, enabling them to cover long distances easily.
2. Gears
As we’ve mentioned severally in this guide, a single-speed bike has only one gear. While it may not seem like it, fixies have many benefits in terms of weight, cost, and maintenance, among other factors.
To determine the number of gears a road bike has, you simply multiply the number of its chainrings by the number of its cassettes. So, if a certain road bike has three chainrings and a 9-speed cassette, then it has 27 gears.
As we explained earlier, having several gears on a bike is beneficial as it allows you to adjust the rate at which you pedal depending on the terrain you’re riding on. This will enable you to have smoother and more comfortable rides and be in more control of your bicycle.
3. Frame Design and Riding Style
Both fixies and road bikes tend to have lightweight frames. However, road bikes may have heavier frames making them more stable.
When it comes to the riding style, a fixie is perfect for casual riding because it only has one gear. On the other hand, road bikes are also suitable for casual riding, although their overall build and number of gears make them suitable for race riding.
4. Geometry
Fixies have fewer bike parts compared to road bikes. Since a fixed-gear bicycle only has one gear, it doesn’t have components like a derailleur, and gear levers, to name a few. This makes fixies lighter than road bikes.
5. Wheels, Tires, and Clearance
While road bikes and fixies have lightweight wheels and tires, fixies have slightly lighter ones than road bikes. Since fixies have fewer bike components, they tend to have more tire clearance compared to road bikes. This means that its tires are less likely to rub on any other bike part.
6. Suspension and Brakes
As we mentioned earlier, road bikes come with either rim or disc brakes. On the other hand, most fixie bikes don’t have brakes. Instead, riders have to pedal backward to stop the bike. However, there are some fixies that come with front brakes. As for the suspension fork, both road bikes and fixies don’t have suspensions. However, some road bikes have suspensions, but not the suspension fork you’d find in mountain bikes.
7. Weight and Maintenance
As expected, fixies are lighter than road bikes because they have fewer bicycle components. When it comes to maintenance, fixies are easier to maintain since they have no technical parts like derailleurs, and gear levers, among others.
FAQs – Fixie Vs. Road Bike
Q: Are Fixies Better Than Road Bikes?
A: Yes and no. Fixies may be better than road bikes because they are easier to maintain and cheaper. They are also easier to operate once you get the hang of it.
However, road bikes outweigh fixies when it comes to speed. Since they have several gears, they allow riders to adjust their pedaling rate to accommodate the terrain they are riding on.
Q: Is a Fixie and a Road Bike the Same?
A: Yes and no. They are pretty similar since they have light frames, wheels, and tires. They are also not suitable for off-road riding. However, the main difference between them is that a road bike has several gears while a fixie has one.
The difference in the number of gears affects these bikes’ other qualities like speed, comfort, and ability to tackle hilly terrains, to name a few.
Q: What Is Fixie Bike Good for?
A: Fixies are suitable for short-distance riding. As we’ve mentioned severally in this guide, its lack of extra gears makes you use more energy to pedal, making it hard to ride it for long distances.
However, this depends on your cadence and physical fitness. As we explained earlier, what you might view as long-distance may be a short distance for another cyclist. Again, fixies are suitable for flat trails since you’ll use less energy to ride the bike on a flat terrain compared to a hilly one.
Q: Are Fixies Good for Long Distance?
A: Well, no, they’re not. As you may now know, fixed-gear bikes rely on your pedaling power to move. And the more you pedal, the more energy you use, making them unsuitable for long-distance riding.
Q: How Do You Ride a Fixed Gear Bike Faster?
A: One recommendable thing to do is stay in an aerodynamic position when riding. You can do so by leaning forward and tucking elbows. Doing so will decrease your body’s air resistance, making you go faster.
Another great tip is to avoid areas with high traffic, be it vehicles or people. Stopping and starting a fixie frequently will interfere with the momentum you’ve already created, making you go slower.
Q: How Do You Go Downhill On a Fixie?
A: The key to riding safely downhill on a fixie is to start slow. Do not be quick to pedal faster when going downhill. Remember, a fixie doesn’t have an efficient braking mechanism like other types of bikes. So, it’s advisable to go pedal slowly (but not too slow that you lose your momentum) when going downhill.
Q: Can You Coast on a Fixie?
A: No, you cannot. Coasting is basically moving a bicycle without necessarily pedaling. Fixies cannot move unless you are pedaling. However, many fixies today have a flip-flop hub, allowing riders to switch them into freewheel bikes.
Conclusion – Fixie Vs. Road Bike
A fixed gear bike isn’t completely better than a road bike, and vice versa, as each has its share of advantages and downsides. So, it’s vital to put several factors into consideration before choosing either one of them.