Top 11 Best Single Speed and Fixed Gear Bikes in 2019

Its chainring has 46 teeth and measures ⅛”. If you’re a very meticulous person, you can also check the weld quality. On this bike, you’ll see precise, consistent, and tidy tig-welds. They’ve done a pretty good job on this front. Bravo, Golden! Because you’re choosing a bicycle, we think you’re more or less concerned with expensive gas costs or our environment. Both are great, to be honest. When you buy this bike, you’re getting the best of both worlds.

You don’t have to pay expensive gas money and maintenance is pretty easy. Plus, this fixie is carbon free. In one way or another, you deserve thanks, considering all the nasty gases and global warming. Riding a bike is truly a way into the future.

Bottom Line:

We like this fixie. We think you’ll love it, too! We go with Vader and Viper. What would you choose?

6. Critical Cycle Urban Road Bike

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This Critical fixie is fire, folks! We love that they accentuate the handlebars, the seat, and the rim with red and the rest of the bike black. No other models compare to this one right here. Looks like you’re going to have a fantastic time on this bike while showing off your cool whip and skid skills.

If you’re a bit nervous when it comes to riding a fixed gear, we recommend leaving the front brake on. Honestly, the fixed gear may take quite some time to get used to and master, especially stopping it. The last thing you’d want is a header over your handlebars. Once you’ve gained more mastery, you can take it off and do your tricks.

The wheels on this baby measure 700 x 23 mm. Some riders find this a bit thin. But it would be great if you like your wheels slightly slim. They are puncture resistant, shock absorbent, and very high-quality. You’ll get rides as smooth as butter.

Some people call this the Critical cycle, but we like to call it the Cadillac of the fixie. You can also flip flop the wheel in 2 ways however you like. Overall, a sporty-looking fixie with great performance.

Pros:

• Sporty
• Unique colors
• High-quality metal frame
• Strong & durable components
• All tools included
• Lightweight
• Flip flop hub

Cons:

• May need extra foot straps

Product Specifications:

Wheel size: 700 x 23c

Handlebar: flat

Rim: super deep V double wall

Headset: Neco

Chain: KMC

Pedals: Well-Go

Brakes: Promax

Bottom Line:

We love the look of this bike. You’ll save a lot of gas money and have some great exercise riding this fixie around town. It’s a huge gas-saver and head-turner.

7. Vilano Fixed Gear

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To find your Mona Lisa fixie masterpiece, you don’t have to fly all the way to Italy. You have Italy come to you. Let us introduce to you this Vilano fixed gear right here. Vilano is actually an American bike manufacturer based in Florida. Their name does get a lot of folks curious and remind them of spaghetti-Italy Milano. But they do make great and solid bikes.

This is a very simple fixie with just two colors: black and blue. You’ll get one ⅛” threadless unicrown fork at the front of the bike. The wheels are pretty high-quality; they are double walled with CNC machine sides.

The padded seat style is urban and comfortable. Your butt won’t get sore after long rides. The overall frame and fork are tig welded with precision and made from hi-ten steel. This makes the bike very durable.

You can zip around a college campus or ride the bike to work easily and fast. What we love about this fixie and other models in general, is that it’s super easy to maintain. There are no complicated gears that break from time to time. Which means fewer visits to the bike shops. This saves you a lot of time and hassles down the road. Simply, awesome!

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Flip flop hub
• The clean & simple look
• Fast
• Low maintenance
• Durable

Cons:

• Some riders find the bike a bit heavy

Product Specifications:

Bike weight: 25 lbs

Wheel size: 700c

Handlebar: flat

Rim: double wall CNC machined sides

Hub: Flip flop

Stem: Alloy threadless 25.4mm

Crank: 46T chainring

Brake: front & rear

Bottom Line:

You can have a good time putting this bike together. From then on, your journey begins with great memories, laughter, and health. You’re on your way there so hesitate no more!

8. Takara Sugiyama Flat Bar Fixie

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If you’re reading this in April, the cherry blossoms are already blooming everywhere in Japan. This Japanese Takara Sugiyama fixie would be the perfect addition to the scene, taking you through beautiful streets and pavements in Tokyo. It’s not only the cool breeze that’s awesome, but it’s also your bike that’s jaw-droppingly cool.

Most Japanese products are known for their durability. With this fixie, it’s no exception. If you get the black and blue model, you’ll have a blue front wheel and a white rear wheel. This design doesn’t make sense to some folks. But we say, whatever! It looks unique to us.

With a bit of imagination, we see a laidback James Dean in his white T-shirt and blue jeans right here. Very sexy bike! Also, we love those two little reflectors the bike maker add to the front and rear wheels. It makes traveling at night much easier and safer for you and fellow riders.

All the tubes making up the frame are tig welded with precision. They kind of remind us of those Yonex badminton rackets’ shafts to some extent. It feels sturdy and is very lightweight. If you don’t like the Takara branding sticker on the tubes, you can use a blow dryer to blow them off. You can put your name or your own design decal on it.

Putting this buddy together is quite difficult, but we’re sure you’ll have lots of fun. Overall, this is a great-looking bike with solid performance. We highly recommend it, especially if you’re into the Japanese culture and products like manga, Super Mario, Pokemon, or anime.

Pros:

• Eye-catching design
• Strong & solid build
• High-quality & clean welds
• Steel frame & fork
• Durable
• Front & rear brakes

Cons:

• Assembly may be slightly difficult

Product Specifications:

Wheel size: 700c alloy

Handlebar: flat

Hub: Flip flop

Frame & fork: 58cm tig welded

Brake: front & rear

Bottom Line:

This Takara is a fantastic fixie for the smooth way it rides, its durability, and its looks. It has earned our bright 5 stars. It won’t go out of fashion anytime soon. Definitely worth your money!

9. Critical Cycles Classic Pista Drop

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This Critical fixie gives you a bit of a classic and vintage vibe. There’s one thing we know: Its crimson and midnight blue colorways won’t go out of style. You’ll also get those cool bullhorn drop bars with comfy rubber tape that can easily get you into the aero tuck position. With that, you’ll be flying around town looking and feeling like Lance Armstrong, or maybe Bradley Wiggins.

We love the look of this bike because it’s the perfect combination of shiny steel and vibrant paint. The pedals are also made from steel. There are even two-foot straps for braking. You’ll get used to the bike after a couple of days. Within a week, you’ll get it down perfectly. Super easy to ride, honestly!

The front brake lever is located on the left side of the handlebar. For some folks, this may be a bit inconvenient because they are used to using the right brake lever. We’re fine with this position.

We think, however, the manufacturer should consider placing the brake lever right underneath the drop bar instead of right above it. This makes it easier to reach when riding. Many pro bikes have this feature as well.

With that said, you can put your favorite beret or beanie on, hop on your fixie, and enjoy the ride downtown or wherever you want to go. You’ll surely turn some heads along your cruise.

Pros:

• Vintage design
• Pista drop bars
• Soft & comfy grip
• Steel pedals
• Strong build
• Very good price

Cons:

• The hand-operated brake may be hard to reach

Product Specifications:

Wheel: Wanda tires & alloy chain

Rim: super deep V wall

Handlebar: drop

Hub: Flip flop

Foot strap: leather

Brake: front & rear Promax

Crank: 3-piece

Tools included: Allen wrench (4mm, 5mm & 6mm) & a 10 function multi-tool.

Bottom Line:

For less than $200, this Critical fixie is definitely an all-rounder. You don’t even need to upgrade the pedals because it ships with steel pedals. A great buy for you!

10. Retrospec Harper Coaster Fixie

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Whether you love sporty or vintage style, this Retrospec bike can definitely deliver. The only difference this model has from the Retrospec Harper model we saw earlier is that it only has foot-operated brakes.

Yup, there’s no hand-operated brakes or whatsoever. Which is why we recommend this model if you’re more comfortable with riding bikes in general. It’s not that hard, though.

This bike, by nature, is a single speed bike. It has the style of a fixie, but technically it’s not. The difference lies in pedaling.

With this single speed bike, you can simply pedal backward to stop. This kind of brake is very intuitive. It’s also less risky than pushing your overall weight forwards to stop the bike.

You can freely coast from point A to point B on this bike without any surprises. This makes going up and down hills a safe and enjoyable experience.

What we also love about this bike is its price tag. For a bike of this build and quality, the price of under $200 is pretty hard to beat. It’s also very lightweight although it’s made from tough steel.

Maintenance may take you 5-10 minutes a week if you’re super careful. You may also want to do some customizations and upgrading. All in all, this is a good buy that gives you the best bits of what a single speed bike can offer.

Pros:

• Strong steel frame
• Intuitive braking
• Easy to coast & cruise
• Low maintenance
• Great price
• Comfortable

Cons:

• May need to upgrade the plastic pedals

Product Specifications:

Wheel size: 700 x 28c

Handlebar: flat 25.4mm riser

Weight limit: 220 lbs

Chain: KMC ⅛”

Rim: 30mm deep V double wall

Pedals: VP freestyle

Brake: Coaster

Tires: Kenda City

Bottom Line:

You can choose this bike if you’re looking for a reliable bike that offers great value for your bucks.

11. Vilano Rampage Fixed Gear

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The last stop on our short little journey is this sweet Vilano fixie. It’s a great bike for weekend warriors or daily commuters. Vilano never disappoints with their bike design.

The green finish does remind us a bit of the color Boston Celtics uses for their team. It’s a nice combination.

You’ll get both the alloy caliper front and rear hand-operated brakes with this bike. So, it’s quite a low-risk choice for beginners. You can try removing the brake to see if you’re comfortable. Otherwise, you can just leave them on for safer rides.

The overall frame and fork are made from hi-ten steel. It’s pretty strong but doesn’t sacrifice for the weight. The bike weighs around 22 lbs, which is quite light and acceptable in our category.

You’ll also get a Flip Flop hub in case you want to alternate between freewheel (aka single speed) and fixed riding modes. The chainring is made from durable materials with 46 teeth. You can easily find spare parts at Home Depot or any local stores and replace them if anything goes wrong. The rear cog has 16 teeth for freewheel, and 16 teeth for fixed riding.

The only point of which we’re not a big fan on this bike is its rim. It’s 45mm deep V. For us, that’s way too deep. We like it somewhere from 30-35mm. That way, the spokes can spread out longer and more freely, providing some more support for the overall tires. It also makes the design a bit sleeker.

This may not be a big deal for some folks. Because the chain stays and the seat stays of this bike are placed right on the money. This keeps the whole bike sturdy even over bumpy spots.

Pros:

• Nice colors
• Sturdy build
• High-quality steel
• Lightweight
• Safe brakes
• Flip flop hub
• Easy to find spare parts

Cons:

• Rims are a bit too deep

Product Specifications:

Wheel size: 700 x 28c

Handlebar: Riser

Weight limit: 200 lbs

Chain: KMC Z410

Rim: 45mm deep V

Brake: alloy caliper front & rear

Pedals: a free platform

Fork: ⅛” threadless

Crankset: forged alloy with replaceable chainring

Bottom Line:

You won’t get a better choice for under $180. This fixie is fast, practical, and affordable.

The Ultimate Guide To Choosing Best Single Speed and Fixed Gear Bikes

Which bike should you choose: single speed or fixed gear?

We know that the two may be used interchangeably, but there are some differences. The main difference between single speed and fixed gear bikes is coasting. If you’re not very familiar with this term, it simply means riding on your bike without pedaling or riding by taking your feet off the pedals.

You can’t coast on a fixed gear bike. Because when you stop pedaling, the cranks will continue to rotate. This makes it quite difficult, and even dangerous especially when you’re going downhills, to put your feet back on the pedals.

However, when you’re riding a fixie, you’ll have a direct connectedness with the bike, the road, and an unrivaled sense of control. You can go backward, just like King Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk, by backpedaling.

On the contrary, you can coast on a single speed bike. Because when you stop pedaling, the cranks will also stop moving. This makes declining much easier and safer. Putting your feet back on the pedals will also be no big problem.

With some models, you’ve seen in our list (like the Retrospec Harper Single Speed Fixie), when you pedal backward, the bike will stop. This feature makes a single speed bike a bit easier for beginners to get used to.

If you’re still wondering which one you should get, our quick advice is just to get both. How? You don’t have to buy 2 bikes. Many models have the Flip flop hub as you’ve seen earlier. You can easily switch between single speed (freewheel) and fixie riding modes by just flipping your back wheel to see which one suit your style. How convenient!

What are the best materials to look for on a fixie?

The three most ideal materials you can get on a good fixie are:

• Double-butted 6061 aluminum: the 6KU fixie has this
• Double-butted 4130 Chromoly steel (Reynold’s 520): this is a hard find
• High-tensile or hi-ten steel: plenty of fixies sport this type of material

How deep should the rim on your fixie be?

Generally, we would advise you to shoot for 30-35mm. Why, though? This range gives you the most durable, overall support, and nice ride quality. The color on these rim sizes, if the bike maker colors them, is also a bit nicer to look at compared to deeper rims. You should also keep an eye out for the branding of the rim. Weimann is a good brand.

What should you look for in the hub of a fixie?

The hub of fixie houses various other parts like chain, chainrings, axle, etc. It’s the red component you can see on the image. When buying a fixie, you should look for a sealed-bearing Novatec or Formula hub.

Novatec hubs have a teardrop design that goes around the axle. Whereas Formula hubs have a trapezoidal pattern.

These kinds of hubs are maintenance-free and will ride smoothly for a long time. You can scroll up to the 6KU fixie above to see the exact Novatec hub we’re talking about.

What else should you look for when buying a fixed gear bike?

We want to leave you with several last tips when choosing a good fixed gear bike for you or your loved ones. Usually, you’ll get a unicrown fork with your bike. A fork is that two pieces where your front wheel is placed between. It would be very ideal to get a dual crown fork because it does add a bit more support.

Also, check the overall welds. Are they consistent, tidy, and smooth? A job well done on these little details is a telltale sign that that bike is pretty well-made.

Don’t forget to check the fixie’s height. Manufacturers usually publish their size charts on their websites. A good rule of thumb is to choose the height that leaves a 1-inch gap from your inseam. When you find yourself stuck between 2 sizes, choose the smaller one.

Plus, never forget to check the price. You wouldn’t want to get ripped off or buy a cheap bike that requires so many upgrades or add-ons afterward.

Last Tip

As a last maintenance tip, you can try rubbing alcohol on your tires for a better grip. This is what Dave Brailsford, the performance director of British Cycling, did.

Coupled with many other factors, he miraculously led the whole British Cycling team to 9 Olympic records, 7 world records, and 178 world championships (including Tour de France victories) within a span of 10 years.

FAQs

1. How do single speed bikes work?

The short answer is: When you pedal forward or backward on your single speed bike, the force you exert will pull the chain. This turning chain, in turn, will turn the front and rear chainrings. This will then turn the cog attached to the rear wheel. As the cog turns, the rear wheel will turn with it. This movement propels the bike forward and the front wheel will begin rolling along.

If you want a more detailed look, check out below:

On single speed bikes, you’ll find only one gear (i.e. 1 front cog and 1 rear cog). To understand how single speed bikes work, you must first be familiarized with how multiple speed bikes operate.

Now, with traditional multiple speed bikes, you’ll usually find 2-3 gear rings (aka chain wheels or cogs) on the pedal (aka the crankset or chainset), another 5-7 gear rings on the back tire (aka the cassette or the sprocket), and shifters on the handlebar.

That’s a lot of gears. The number of cogs on the cassette determines the number of speeds you have. Each of the cogs also has a different number of teeth. For example, a 7-cog cassette may have 12-teeth (12T) to 25-teeth (25T) cogs, giving you 7-speed controls.

Usually, with multiple speed bikes, you’ll have to shift gear every time you want to adjust the speed of your bike. It’s kind of like the shifter on your car.

The shifters on the bike, in this case, will pull the derailleur arms (front & rear mech) away or toward the bike. This helps pull the chain up and down the front chainrings or rear cassette, helping you change the appropriate gear for your speed.

For mountain or race bikes, these powerful mechanisms are great. For daily commutes, exercises, or deliveries, we say no thank you. As you can see, there are a lot of headaches. There’s the problem of maintaining balance while pedaling, the problem of upkeeping the gears, and changing speeds at every turn or climb.

Single speed bikes with one gear come to the rescue. Just sit on and pedal away. Balance, solved, gear maintenance, solved, and tension solved. One single speed does it all, simple and easy. Okay, we know this is a lot of information to take in. If this sounds way over your head, take your time. Read it several times and you’ll get the idea.

These 2 videos may help:

2. What is the best fixie bike?

The top of our list is the 6KU aluminum fixie. For more generous budgets, you may want to check out other equally good options from Pure Fix. For tighter budgets, check out Vilano, Golden, Critical Cycles, or Retrospec fixies.

3. Are single speed bikes fast?

Yes, they are fast and can be crazy fast. The main advantage single speed bikes have over multiple speed bikes is the overall weight. Because there’s only one gear fixed on the rear hub instead of 2, 3, or 7 gear rings. The lighter the bike, the easier it is for you to use force to propel it. This makes single speed bikes much more efficient, quiet, and fast.

4. Are fixie bikes fast?

If you’re just using your fixie for daily commutes and normal rides, our short and sweet answer is a big fat yes. According to NPR, this British creation has already hit top speeds of 60 MPH on the open road.

Yet, adventurous creator Tom Donhou is still not happy about this. He wants to take it to a whole new level, 100 MPH, with a monster 107-teeth chainring that measures 17 inches. See the following articles if you want more details:

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/04/16/177468359/one-gear-one-mission-bike-is-good-to-100-mph-builder-says?utm_source=NPR&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130416&t=1554626615566

https://www.cnet.com/news/fast-fixie-bicycle-with-giant-chainring-aims-for-100-mph/