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We carry the most extensive inventory of fixed gear bicycles in the greater Boston area. We stock more fixed gear parts than any other New England bike shop, including parts from Formula, Mavic, MKS, Nitto, Sugino, Velocity, plus many indepent brands.
Fixed-gear bicycle accessories we stock: Kashimax frame protectors, messenger bags by Bailey Works, Chrome, Ortlieb, Freight, Narifuri, and Sag.
Fixed-gear bicycle wheels we stock: Formula and customs.
Cambridge Bicycle and Superb Bicycle specialize in custom fixed-gear wheel builds!
We carry completes from Bianchi, Fuji, Jamis, KHS, Swobo and also stock various track frames and parts from almost all available sources, including Euro Asia Imports, Merry Sales, and Phil Wood.
We specialize in building custom fixed-gear bicycles using components from Bareknuckle, DeBernardi, Pake, Soma, and Surly, among others. We help you select each component and we work within your budget. We can some multi-speed bikes to fixed gear, depending on the dropout type. |
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Fixed gear and track bikes are defined by the rear cog which is attached or "fixed" to the rear wheel. The rider cannot coast and is always in sync with the motion of the bicycle. This type of riding requires an athletic effort. A fixed bike may or may not have a front or rear brake. 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 that you're 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.
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