Because no brake works 100% perfectly well in wet/snowy situations. Also, with a fixie you can feel the amount (or lack) of friction between you and the street, something important in judjing if the street is imperceptibly iced over.
Personally I run just a straight up 8-speed road bike with 28mm slicks. Not at all the ideal, but yes of course you can still ride it in winter. I want to build up a fixie as a winter/short ride bike.
You're certainly correct to say that water reduces the performance of rim brakes. But, what connection are you trying to make between the brakes and the gears?
I built a mountain bike from parts of several mountain bikes. I oiled it up and I use it as a 'winter' bike. I keep my better mountain bike inside during winter.
Do you know what a fixie is? There is no freewheel or freehub, so you can slow down or even come to a skidded stop just by putting backwards pressure on the pedals. If you brakes give out for any reason, such as water slicking the sidewalls, snow or ice getting packed into your calipers, or even ice getting inside and wrecking havock on your brake cables, it won't matter because you can brake with your fixed gear.
Also, if your brakes are working fine but you're on very icy ground, your fixed gear can work like an anti-lock brake system on a car. Instead of locking up with the slightest touch of your caliper/disk brakes, you can safely modulate your rear wheel to come to a non-skidded stop.
It's like walking in winter only faster. I dont see why people get surprised when they see cyclists in winter. lol
Charles2337 4 years ago
i have used bike 15 years winters and no problema keeps me very good condition
illiboys 4 years ago
Winter cycling's not really bad. If you've got a fixed gear bike with knobbies and fenders you're good to go.
blickblocks 5 years ago
Why do you recommend the fixed gears? My gears work fairly well in winter if I keep them lubricated with light oil.
AristocratJonathan 5 years ago
Because no brake works 100% perfectly well in wet/snowy situations. Also, with a fixie you can feel the amount (or lack) of friction between you and the street, something important in judjing if the street is imperceptibly iced over.
Personally I run just a straight up 8-speed road bike with 28mm slicks. Not at all the ideal, but yes of course you can still ride it in winter. I want to build up a fixie as a winter/short ride bike.
blickblocks 5 years ago
You're certainly correct to say that water reduces the performance of rim brakes. But, what connection are you trying to make between the brakes and the gears?
I built a mountain bike from parts of several mountain bikes. I oiled it up and I use it as a 'winter' bike. I keep my better mountain bike inside during winter.
AristocratJonathan 5 years ago
Do you know what a fixie is? There is no freewheel or freehub, so you can slow down or even come to a skidded stop just by putting backwards pressure on the pedals. If you brakes give out for any reason, such as water slicking the sidewalls, snow or ice getting packed into your calipers, or even ice getting inside and wrecking havock on your brake cables, it won't matter because you can brake with your fixed gear.
blickblocks 5 years ago
Also, if your brakes are working fine but you're on very icy ground, your fixed gear can work like an anti-lock brake system on a car. Instead of locking up with the slightest touch of your caliper/disk brakes, you can safely modulate your rear wheel to come to a non-skidded stop.
blickblocks 5 years ago