Best Fixed Gear Bikes: 8 Single Speed Fixies Reviewed

2. GOLDEN CYCLES SINGLE SPEED FIXED GEAR BIKE

The frame itself is constructed of steel which is incredibly lightweight and uses fork with relaxed geometry to forget your worries of a rough ride. This construction method gives you the best of both worlds, a bike that is light enough to carry upstairs while still being extraordinarily durable.

6KU believes “everyone should be able to own a bike without breaking the bank” which is why they skipped unnecessary features to keep the price affordable and to give you huge value.

Their fixed gear bicycle are available in five different colorways so that you can find one to match your personality. Navy blue/black, black/black, burgundy/black, celeste/black,banana colour and white/black.

Every bike is manufactured and designed by 6KU, ensuring that every model that leaves their factory has been stress tested, color approved and quality assured. Plus, they have a hassle free warranty if the bike breaks because of a manufacturing problem.

That’s great, but what about the specifications? This fixed gear bike uses a lightweight steel frame, with a matching  fork that gives you strength and comfort.

You’ll notice that it’s packed with features including wide & low handlebar setup  and premium aluminum components.

The components are  quick and easy to assemble with an assembly video guide provided by the company.  With all these features, this bike requires less maintenance as well.

The bike rides on wheels complete with a flip-flop hub, which lets you swap between freewheel and fixed gear so you can coast or use a direct drivetrain. Swapping between them only takes a minute or less!

If you want to remove the front or rear brakes, as many people prefer to do with fixed gear bicycle, it’s incredibly easy and will only take a minute or two.

Our in-depth review of the 6KU Urban Track closely examines many of the features of this  lightweight aluminum bike, such as its replaceable stainless steel dropouts smooth double butted welds.

4. CARACI FIXIE SINGLE SPEED URBAN ROAD BIKE

Caraci Bike comprises an Alloy frame, fixed gear bicycle, riser handlebar and a chain guard. The Caraci bike has been designed to use both men and women for commuting or leisure riding. It comes in three different sizes: Small, Medium and Large.

This model at most major retailers like Walmart, Target, Sears, Kmart, etc.

5.  Schwinn Kedzie Single-Speed Fixie Road Bike

Schwinn is a company founded in 1885 that focuses on improving people's lifestyles by offering the best gear bikes. Nowadays, gear bikes are in fashion as riders love high-speed variation.

Kedzie Single-Speed Fixie bikes will let you dive into the world of smooth gear cycling. It features a steel racing frame and suspension fork for a reliable ride. The advanced gear technology has a 46T by 18T single-speed drivetrain that lets you do the flip flop hub.

The large 700C wheels with 32 attached alloy rims provide extensive strength and add great speed performance difference whenever you commute.

It is suitable for city dwellers who love the fusion of styling, designing, and authenticity. It has alloy front and rear caliper brakes that help in the effortless stop. Also, the seat of the bike is comfortable with a back-straight posture.

You do not have to worry as long as you want to ride on the bike because it assures you a lifetime warranty.

If you are looking for an elegantly designed bike, then the Oni Single Speed Flat Bike is the perfect choice to make as the bike is made for simplicity and practicality.

The bike is made from a tough built welded steel material that gives immense strength. While you paddle your bike, the 32 hole double-wall and 28mm wide rims will help you stop your bike anytime.

The rear hubs have a flip-flop feature that will help you to choose in between the fixed gearing system or the freewheel. Also, the company assures the safety of riders. This bike is available in Large and Medium sizes along with the green color variant.

Fixies always make for great commuter bikes, but the this one really takes the idea to heart. It offers plenty of functionality, without sacrificing style, feel, and comfort. This is easily one of our favorites.

The Schwinn Stites Single-Speed Fixie Bike is a fixed gear bike that includes a few different approaches for an economical fixed gear. This bike manages to include a noticeable different frame design, and more unique brake choice as well.

The Schwinn is all about steel racing frame and fork. Its frame and fork gives a responsive and a reliable ride. The frame is forged from steel, along with the handlebar, stem, seat post, and even the pedals.

Schwinn urban seat and urban grips offer added comfort at key touch points, not to mention a touch of sleek urban style

The bike’s saddle adds comfort at key touch points, and is a good match for the handlebars complete with urban grips. This helps create the typical bike-oriented riding position but with just enough angling for a more relaxed stance when seated.

Dual alloy calliper brakes are operated to offer crisp all- conditions. One of the standout characteristics is the 46t x 18t single-speed drivetrain with bike’s flip flop hubs . The rear flip flop hub can easily be switched around to offer freewheel riding.

The 700c x 28mm tires are paired with super high profile alloy rims which offer stability and durability. We love the Silver with Blue and White with Black of Schwinn Stites, which comes with a good tire option if you’d like to be a little more bold.

Either way, for under a bike of its price, the Schwinn Stites offers a great value for a lightweight commuter package with less maintenance, and a good way to get into riding fixed gear bicycles for cheap.

Our Merax Finiss in-depth review thoroughly covers features such as its unique tire design, along with many other qualities.

This classically-styled fixie uses a lightweight 4130 Chromoly frame Set  which is superior to hi-tensile steel frames, that offers great stability and momentum as a trade-off.

A rear flip flop hub allows for fixed gear and single speed with coasting, and is part of a drivetrain that uses a 16T fixed cog, and a 46T chainring bottom bracket .

Brakes come on both the front and rear wheels for better stopping power. 43mm double-walled deep-V rims with hubs are a great match for the bike’s 700cx23c city tires with minimal tread.

Overall, State Bicycle Bernard is a good fixed gear bike that merges style with solid components and quality frame materials. Riders who want a comfortable fixie  should give this one an extra look.

1. Cinelli Vigorelli Track Bike

A saddle offers a fair amount of padding, which is a nice surprise considering the overall build of the bike.

The caliper brakes are found on the front and back of the bike, giving you lots of stopping power that’s perfect for the unpredictability of urban streets. 

The wheelset offers a bit of a contrast from its tough frame design. With 700c x 25mm  tires, it also features a small amount of tread for added grip on the pavement. 

Some other features it includes are  classic round Columbus alloy tubing and the extra-long dropouts for perfect chain tension.

This  doesn’t offer any unique or standout aspects, but overall, it’s a very quality fixed gear bike that gives riders who need more toughness an affordable option.

Important aspects to consider when buying Best fixed gear bikes

The more you know beforehand, the better your shopping experience and final purchase result will be. Here are the most important things to go over prior to buying a fixed gear bike.

SKILL

In case you weren’t aware, fixed gear bikes do require some skills that go beyond your basic bike riding ability learned at a young age. Most of us are used to having a freewheel for years prior to riding a fixed gear bike, so the drivetrain’s operation changers things fairly drastically.

With fixie, the constantly engaged pedals alter how you accelerate and slow, which in turn affects how you navigate the bike and achieve your pedal efficiency. If you’re still a novice in regards to your bike skills, a fixie is going to take some getting used to.

This is especially true if you are going to opt for a brakeless model. If you have never ridden a brakeless fixie, you will need some adjustment and reconfiguring of your riding habits.

In this case, it’s best to get a bike with brakes for emergencies while you learn to stop using other methods.

SIZE

The size of your fixed gear bike is just as important as any other. These bikes generally use a road bike frame design with a flat top tube, so you have to be mindful of the inseam clearance first and foremost.

If you end up with a bike that is too big or too small, the quality of the ride will be affected, which includes your steering and pedal efficiency. The extra control needed for fixed gears places an added emphasis on buying the right size as well.

Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of fixed gear bikes are available in multiple sizes, and not just small, medium or large. Most of the time, you can find a bike in a particular size measured by inches, giving you the ability to purchase the exact size for your body.

PURPOSE

Fixed gear bikes are very popular for commuting and urban transportation in dense areas, but their uses can go well beyond that. Identifying your future bike’s main purpose and usage can help you select the one that is best for that.

If you’re a heavy commuter, and you need a bike that is light, fast, and controlled, it’s best to look for models that are around the 20-22 pound range, have a mid range gear ratio, and include a hand brake as well.

Those who are looking to ride a fixie more casually around the neighborhood or close by, and prefer a little more style will have more choices, since brakeless models will generally be okay, and the bike’s design and aesthetic get a little more attention too.

Riders who are using the fixed gear bike for fitness use and training will want to get a model that places an emphasis on comfort and performance, which will include optimized drivetrain components, a light weight, and maybe even clipless pedals or holsters.

We have covered  best bike pedals that will help you improve your endurance and experience when riding your bicycle,  

Now, you don’t have to classify yourself in any of these areas, but it does help to consider your main reasons for getting a fixie.

COMPONENTS

A proper understanding of a fixed gear bike comes from having a proper understanding of its core components. Here are the main ones you need to be familiar with.

Fixie Frame

The frame is where it all starts. As we said earlier, fixed gear bikes generally have a road bike-type frame. This gives the bike some added response and control, which helps with speed and maneuvering too.

The usual build of a fixie means you’ll be feeling a lot bumps and shocks in the road, so the frame can help with that in some sense. Aluminum frames are not only lighter, they offer a bit more flex than steel frames, which helps absorb shock.

Steel frames do offer the most in terms of pedal efficiency and stability, so it’s really a trade off, and depends on preference. Most will want a lighter frame, however.

Hub/drivetrain

This is arguably the most important part. A fixed gear bike really is all about the fixed gear, so the components are of the utmost importance for those wanting the best riding experience, speed, and power.

Sealed hubs are usually preferred since they keep out dirt and moisture, and help cut down on the maintenance. Reversible hubs are always a good idea as well, since they give you the option of flipping the wheel around for freewheel riding, which may come in handy from time to time.

The front crank and rear cog comprise the rest of the drivetrain, with their size determining the gear ratio of the bike. Larger cranks will have higher top speeds, but slower acceleration.

Pedals can vary on fixies, but a basic BMX-style platform pedal set is very common. Those who want more control, or need assistance with brakeless stopping will want clipless pedals, or toe cages.

Handlebars

The handlebars of a fixie play a large role in determining how it steers, and your actual riding position as well. Handlebars that curve upwards on the sides are more comfortable to ride, but may not offer the right aesthetic to some.

Shorter handlebars are popular among fixie purists, along with a purely flat design. Bullhorns and dropped handlebars are options as well, and depend on your preference and riding needs.

Saddle

The saddle of a fixed gear can vary greatly. Road and racing saddles are very common, but there are some who will want something a little more comfortable, even if it doesn’t look as cool.

For the most part, fixed gear bike saddles are basically road bike saddles with a little extra padding. Some may have a more aggressive shape as well. The saddle’s angle adjustability plays a big role in how it well feel for you and your body size.

Grips for a Single-Speed

Fixed gear bike grips give you plenty of options for expressing your own personal style preferences. BMX-style rubber grips are popular with urban riders who are going for that street fixie look. Taped grips are popular with others.

Rubber grips are going to be the most comfortable, but grips are one of the easiest things you can change out on a bike, so don’t prioritize them too much when shopping -- you can always change them later.

conclusion

We hope you have some clarity now when it comes to shopping for your own fixed gear bike. As we’ve said, all of these bikes are solid, with most of them catering to certain budgets or riding styles.

Just remember to use the criteria we highlighted earlier in the article, and you’ll end up with the perfect single-speed bike for your riding needs.

Let us know how you like your new bike in the comments below, and please feel free to check out our review section for some in-depth examinations of a handful of our favorites from this list.