Single gear bikes
Single gear bikes
Out of context: Reply #65
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- sander0
There is some confusion here about the difference between a fixed gear and a coaster brake. A fixed gear means you cannot coast, and to slow the bike, you have to resist the forward motion of the pedals, or lock your legs and do a skid. A coaster brake, by contrast, allows you to coast, and to brake, you push back at the 3 or 9 o'clock positions. A single-speed has one gearing, lets you coast, and to stop you must use a handbrake.
Fixed gear does not necessarily imply that there are no handbrakes. Most of the people I know who ride a fixed gear use a brake. Unless you're doing tricks like barspins or actually riding on a track, a brake is good to have.