Riding old-style fixed gear bicycles may be rising in popularity, but it is hardly an indicator of previous fashions staging a comeback, such as the dreadful leg warmers. They have lately been a topic of concern among adults and officials, but what exactly are they?

Fixed gear bicycles, also known as “fixies” in America, are bicycles in which the sprocket wheel is attached directly onto the fixed hub, to essentially operate on just one gear. This means that the pedal turns in the same direction as the wheel and braking occurs only when the rider skids to a halt or stops the pedals from moving by locking their feet or reversing its direction.

“If you’re experienced, it should be okay to ride, but younger elementary school kids shouldn’t ride these,” says James Hong, senior, who rides the bike a few times a week alongside car traffic. The adjusted feature prevents the rider from coasting so that they are always pedaling.

Fixed gear bikes differ from regular bicycles as they make it very hard for the rider to ride downhill.

If someone is riding downhill, not only are they unable to break, but they must pedal at the speed of the bike as well.

The laws against certain types of bikes are not specific enough to rule out ones with fixed gears. Under California law, bikes “must be equipped with a brake that will enable the person operating the cycle to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level and clean pavement,” according to bikesense.bc.ca.

In regards to riding without brakes in public, Alex Trujillo, senior, says, “I ride brakeless on the street, but I have a light on the front and the back.”

Trujillo reports that he has not had any accidents as of yet, but adds that, “it’s actually pretty dangerous.”

Chris Roh, sophomore, has also been accident-free.

“My friends have crashed, not me. I’ve just been lucky I guess,” said Roh.

Despite the danger, he predicts he will ride “fixies” for years to come.

According to bigshotbikes.com, the bikes were the first type of bicycle, invented in the 1800s, but the popularity of the bike did not escalate until the 1930s. During this time, the bikes were used as messenger bikes or for track racing.

Today, they have become a sort of fashion statement, more popular among “hipsters” and young city residents.

The bikes vintage appeal and Zen- like attitude that reportedly comes from travelling with this bike have contributed to its surge in popularity over the past few years.

“People have been using them for BMXing and doing tricks with the fixies.
I just like to mosh, to ride real fast,” comments Hong.

The special bicycle has been used in races for decades now, and even has its own brand of racing, exclusively for the brakeless fixed gears.

The Monstertrack Alleycat race was originally for New York’s bike messengers, but has seen competitors from all over the US, Japan, and Europe coming to ride to this day.

Along with producing more power, riders believe that they have greater tire grip when while travelling with the bike in slippery or wet conditions.

Another feature of the bike is that it is easier to maintain because it has less parts.

The bike also carries many dangerous aspects among it. It is very possible to strike the pedal on a fixed gear bike which will raise the rear wheel of the bike off the ground causing the rider to fall. Chains can also get tangled in the wheels, causing a lock, which could also lead to an accident.

However, the fixed gear bikes, dangers or not, appear to have a culture of their own, obtaining a sort of cult following. Travelling with the bicycle seems to be safe enough, should one have the experience.

Bottom line: This specific bicycle requires much practice and control in order to ride it safely without harming others.