What is a fixie bike?

A fixie is a fixed-gear bike. It is a single speed bike that you can find in wheelsizes of 20″, 24″ and 700C. They used to be supplied with frames, wheelsets and tyres that are brightly coloured. 

The double wall rims are usually wide which may require tubes with valve length of up 80mm.

If the double wall rim of the fixie you going to purchase is very wide, check with the bike shop to make sure that they have stock for replacement tubes with valves in the length required.

This is one of its features that attract cyclists. On most fixies, if you look at the rear wheel, you will notice that other than the regular freewheel for single speed attached on the right hand side of the hub, you will also see a fixed gear cog installed on the left. That is because the rear wheel is installed with a double-sided or a flip-flop hub.  Cyclist can flip the rear wheel to ride the bike with the fixed gear cog or the freewheel.  I have written about the differences between freewheel and a fixed gear cog earlier.

Fixie used to be very popular with the younger generation as it is low in cost and maintenance. At one time they were looking for fixies with curved shaped frame and bullhorn (handlebar) installed. This is how it looks like. This higher end model from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has Chromoly frame and the parts installed are branded.

As you can brake with your legs when you are cycling on fixed gear cog, some models have only front brake installed. The more expensive models have their front brake cables inserted through a hole in the centre of the stems and they come out from the base of the steerer tubes to be attached to the brake calipers. This is how a 20″ wheelsize fixie with such a brake system installed looks like. 

You can find out why it was designed this way in the following article I shared about its history:

Why do bike messengersride fixies rather than bikes with gears?

In Malaysia, fixie used to be very popular in the early to mid-2010s.  There is currently a revival in interest for fixed-gear bikes. It started during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have been getting many request to fix up fixies from young cyclists.  They tend to replace the original handlebar on their fixies with drop bar and hooded brake lever.

They want their bikes to look like road bikes. 

Cyclists who are still interested in fixie are now looking for less colourful models. This is a later version with bullhorn installed. It is a high end model with an alloy frame and a sport rim.

Some cyclists made the mistake of buying their sport rims online with double wall rims that are 100mm in width.  We were not able to replace their tubes as, currently, in Malaysia, the longest valve length available is only up to 80mm.