Fixed Gear
 Fixed gear is our passion. The bike pros at our Cambridge location specialize in fixed gear.
We stock more fixed gear bicycle parts than any other New England bike shop, including fixed gear bicycle parts from Formula, Mavic, MKS, Nitto, Sugino, Velocity, plus smaller fixed gear bicycle brands.
We have a very knowledgeable staff who are equally eager to teach newbies or "talk shop" with experienced fixed-gear bicycle enthusiasts. And our pricing on sales, service, and fixed gear bicycle custom builds is aggressively competitive - we do it for less!
We specialize in building custom fixed-gear bicycles using components from Bareknuckle, DeBernardi, IRO, Pake, Soma, and Surly. We help you select each component and we work within your budget; from conversion of your multi-speed bike to fixed gear bike; beginner to high-end fixed gear bicycle. We can supply you with a frame set or build your fixed-gear bicycle around a frame that you bring to us.
Fixed-gear bicycle accessories we stock: Kashimax frame protectors, messenger bags and courier bags by Bailey Works, Chrome, Ortlieb, and Timbuk2.
Fixed-gear bicycle wheels we stock: Formula, Suzue, Van Dessel.
 Custom fixed gear bicycle wheels: Cambridge Bicycle specializes in custom fixed-gear wheel builds - let's talk!
Fixed-gear bicycle completes we stock: Fuji, IRO, Jamis, and KHS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fixed-gear bicycles used to be thought of as strictly track racing bicycles, but “fixed gear” is now popular for getting around town also. (Our customers from the UK know fixed-gear bicycles as "fixed wheel")
A fixed-gear bicycle is technically a subset of single-speed bicycles. But fixed gear is better thought of as a separate category of bicycle entirely, with its own enthusiast culture.
The mechanical difference: a single-speed bicycle allows the rider to coast without pedaling, whereas a fixed gear bicycle does not allow coasting without pedaling. You are always pedaling on a fixed-gear bicycle. Also, where legal, a fixed-gear bicycle enthusiast may choose to go with no hand brakes, or with just a front brake; braking mainly using leg power on the pedals.
At Cambridge Bicycle we refer to fixed-gear road bikes as “fixed gear”. We call track racing bikes “track”.
You’ll know your looking at a fixed-gear bicycle when you see a bike rider stopped at a traffic light holding the bike stationary, balancing the bike upright with their feet on the pedals. The fixed-gear bicycle rider will often be a bicycle messenger, who prefers a fixed-gear bicycle for the light weight, simplicity, agility in traffic, lack of stealable parts, and low maintenance. Fixed gear bicycles are also popular among hipsters, who prefer them for fashion.
Recommended article:
the fixed gear purist cult mentality thing - by Scott Larkin |
