Colorful, sleek, and incredibly fast, a type of bicycle known as a "fixie" has recently gained popularity among young people. However, with only a front brake—or no brake at all—there have been at least four media-reported fatalities caused by fixies this year alone.
During brake tests, while ordinary bicycles had already stopped, the fixie continued moving forward. Photo by Liu Chang, reporter for Legal Evening News
The freewheel of an ordinary bicycle is movable, and the chain has some elasticity [Save to album]
The freewheel of a fixie is fixed, with the chain tightly attached to it
Legal Evening News reporters found that after a 100-meter straight acceleration, the stopping distance of a fixie was nearly 3 meters longer than that of an ordinary bicycle. As they do not comply with the Bicycle Safety Requirements, some cities have now banned them from roads.
What is a "fixie"? Fixed gear with no brake
"Fixie" is both a direct translation of the English term Fixed Gear and refers to its fixed freewheel.
Compared to the movable freewheel of an ordinary bicycle, a fixie's freewheel fixes the chain to the rear wheel. As long as the rear wheel is spinning, the rider must continue pedaling, either forward or backward. Therefore, unlike ordinary bicycles, fixies cannot "coast," but they can perform special moves like riding backward.
Additionally, a key feature of fixies is the absence of brakes, making their braking method very different from that of ordinary bicycles. Enthusiasts like Yu Hui refer to braking as "SKID," which means "skidding" in Chinese. That is, fixies slow down by skidding.
The most basic braking move on a fixie is to lean the body’s weight forward, then pedal backward when the feet are level, causing the rear wheel to stop or even spin backward, thereby achieving the braking effect.
Investigation: Brakes not included as standard
Like many products, online stores are the main channel for buying fixies. Ms. Cheng, who runs an online store, has sold over a thousand fixies priced between 300 and 2,000 yuan. She told reporters that most customers are students around 20 years old. "They are drawn to the vibrant color schemes of fixies and think they’re unique."
Ms. Cheng said that brakes are not standard on fixies. "Only when customers ask how to brake do we suggest installing a front brake and practicing on small roads first." She added that if customers are still not comfortable, they recommend switching to a freewheel from an ordinary bicycle and installing both front and rear brakes. "But many feel that doing so means it’s not a ‘real’ fixie anymore."
Yu Hui became a fixie enthusiast primarily for fitness. "Riding a fixie can improve various physical abilities, such as strength, endurance, reaction time, and balance."
Having worked at a fixie specialty store, he also mentioned that some beginners don’t even consider installing brakes when buying a bike. Some even ask, "Why does your fixie have brakes?" when they see them installed in the store.
Professional riders opt for front brakes
Reporters saw that some fixies online are priced at tens of thousands or even nearly 100,000 yuan. A clerk at one online store explained that generally, fixies priced above 5,000 yuan are imported from countries like Italy and Japan. Most are custom-assembled based on customer requests, with some even shipped as "frame-only" parts.
The clerk noted that the materials and weight of the main components—not the color schemes targeted at lower-end bikes—are the main factors determining a fixie’s price. Buyers of high-end bikes are usually professional riders who understand fixie performance and request front brakes to be added to the original setup.
A clerk at a fixie specialty store in Wudaoying Hutong said they require every customer to install brakes during purchase. "None of the bikes we sell go out without brakes."
As a seasoned rider, Yu Hui expressed concern that many young people new to fixies lack safety awareness. He gave an example: for a bike costing 500 yuan, a professional rider might spend 400 yuan on a helmet, "but some young people don’t even want brakes."
Interpretation: Non-compliant with safety standards, banned in other regions
Reporters found that Article 18 of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that the dimensions, weight, brakes, bells, and nighttime reflectors of non-motorized vehicles must meet safety technical standards.
Meanwhile, Article 5 of the Bicycle Safety Requirements, implemented in 2005, states that every bicycle should have two braking systems—one for the front wheel and one for the rear. Most fixies currently on the market either have no brakes or only a front brake, clearly not meeting these requirements.
This morning, police officers from the Chaoyang Traffic Police Brigade told reporters that they have not yet strictly prohibited fixies on the road during enforcement. However, new regulations targeting these new types of vehicles will be introduced in the future.
Reporters noted that in cities like Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Ningde, traffic authorities consider fixies as special-purpose track vehicles without traditional braking systems, classifying them as non-motorized vehicles lacking proper safety equipment, and thus prohibit them from roads.
News background: 4 accidents, 4 deaths
At around 12:20 p.m. on March 16, 2014, near the Amber section in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, a 13-year-old girl riding a fixie was fatally struck and thrown by a speeding private car.
On May 5, in Longxiang Subdistrict, Longgang District, Shenzhen, 17-year-old A Yang was hit and killed by a truck while riding a fixie across the street at the intersection of Longxiang Avenue and Dezhi Crossing.
On May 10, a 16-year-old boy surnamed Zong was riding a fixed-gear bike along National Highway 105 from Zhongshan to Guangzhou when he collided with a pedestrian. He died on May 19 due to severe head injuries.
On May 19, a 14-year-old middle school student surnamed Li in Zunyi, Guizhou, fell to his death from a high ridge while riding a fixed-gear bike.
Actual Testing
Braking distance nearly 3 meters longer
Due to the fact that fixed-gear bikes typically have only a front brake or even no brakes at all, media outlets frequently report accidents involving them. Just how significant are the safety risks of fixed-gear bikes? Actual testing by reporters revealed that when cycling at high speed, the braking distance of a fixed-gear bike is nearly 3 meters longer than that of a regular bicycle.
Testing Methodology: Reporters prepared a mid-range priced fixed-gear bike equipped with a front brake and a regular multi-speed bicycle, then conducted a “100-meter race” to measure the acceleration and braking performance of both bikes.
Visually, the wheels of the fixed-gear bike are larger in diameter than those of a regular bicycle, but the tires are slightly narrower. The tread pattern on the tires is also much shallower, suggesting lower friction compared to a regular bicycle. In terms of overall weight, the fixed-gear bike is noticeably lighter, weighing about 8 kilograms, whereas a regular bicycle weighs around 15 kilograms.
The test was conducted on a flat asphalt road with minimal vehicle and pedestrian traffic, spanning a distance of 100 meters from start to finish.
Testing Process
Acceleration: Fixed-Gear Bike Finishes 100-Meter Race 3 Seconds Faster
Reporters first tested a regular bicycle, shifting the gear from low to high during the ride to maximize acceleration. When the bicycle crossed the finish line, its speed was 27.8 km/h, and the total time taken was 12.95 seconds.
Next, the reporters conducted the same test on the fixed-gear bike. Because the freewheel is locked on a fixed-gear bike, the chain remains tightly engaged with the cog at all times, unlike the elastic chain found on regular bicycles. As a result, during acceleration, there is almost no noticeable loss of power, leading to rapid acceleration.
The fixed-gear bike completed the 100-meter distance in just 9.35 seconds, reaching a speed of 38.5 km/h upon crossing the finish line.
Braking: Fixed-Gear Bike Takes 11 Meters to Stop
In both tests, reporters performed emergency braking as they crossed the finish line. On the regular bicycle, both the front and rear brakes were applied simultaneously, achieving a braking distance of 8.4 meters.
When braking on the fixed-gear bike, the reporters squeezed the front brake to stop the front wheel and pedaled backward to brake the rear wheel. The final braking distance was 11.2 meters—nearly 3 meters longer than the regular bicycle. Additionally, during braking, the rear wheel lifted off the ground. Furthermore, even at 11.2 meters, the fixed-gear bike hadn’t come to a complete stop and required the rider to steer it sideways to fully halt.
Moreover, when not using the front brake, the reporters were unable to stop the fixed-gear bike within 15 meters in several test attempts.