Abstractworld

I'm pretty new to biking and I want to purchase a hybrid fixed gear bike to go on the road or a little bit of trails.
My budget is $300 - $500

What can you guys recommend me at this price range?

hairnet

not sure if trolling

Abstractworld

Is that not the right type of bike for road and a little bit of off trail biking?
I want a bike that doesn't have to be taken care of with all the derailluers etc. So a single speed is needed.
I also like the handlebars of a hybrid so it's easy to commute without hurting my neck like a dropbar.
I also want a slightly bigger tire than road bikes to go offroad.

Isn't a hybrid single speed good for this job? Or should I be looking at a different type of bike

79pmooney

Do you understand the difference between fix gear and single speed? You mention both. While they are mechanically rather similar, there are two very important differences. A fix gear uses a cog that screws onto the hun and must be locked in place with a lockring with left-hand threads to prevent backpedaling, whether intentional or not, from unscrewing the cog. Hence the hub must be a fix gear hub with twp separate sets of threads. A singlespeed uses a freewheel that screws onto the hub but no lockring is required. The freewheel can be screwed onto any hub designed for either a freewheel or a fix gear.

And then there is the riding. Very different. The pedals on the fix gear are always turning with the rear wheel. There is no coasting.

I'm guessing you already knew this and just wasn't thinking when you wrote the title. If indeed you are looking for a fix gear, you have to make that clear or the bike you receive probably will not have a rear wheel that is fix gear compatible.

Ben

Abstractworld

I thought they had fixed gear bikes that could flip around to be changed to free wheel if you choose and vice versa?

Either way, I prefer a fixed bike that requires the pedals to move and no coasting.

europa

There are a variety of hubs. Some have threads on one side only and if these didn't have the facility to take a locking ring, you'd be looking at SS only.

The sort of hub you're thinking of is often called a flip flop hub. Even here you have to be careful because they can be set up for SS on both sides (sometimes called free-free), FG on both sides (fixed-fixed) or, most common, FG on one side and SS on the other (fixed-free).

In practice, you can screw a SS freewheel onto a FG hub without a problem, there are plenty of threads. Therefore, the most useful hubs are FG on both sides, thus allowing you two have a different sized fixed cog on each side (allowing you to change gears simply by flipping the wheel, useful for fine tuning your gearing), or a fixed cog on one side and a freewheel on the other (useful for long rides where you may get very tired or have long downhills). The reality is that few people ever get around to flipping the wheel.

If cost effective, buy a hub that allows you to run a fixed cog on both sides. Most though, will take a freewheel and a fixed cog and in the real world, that doesn't matter enough to worry about.

TejanoTrackie 

I think something like the Save Up to 60% Off Road Bikes | Track Bikes | Fixed Gear | Single Speed Bicycles | Motobecane Fixie Flat Bar singlespeed bicycles | Save up to 60% off list prices might best suit your needs. It comes stock with a singlespeed freewheel, but the the rear hub can easily be flipped to add a fixed cog and lockring. It has an upright riding position with a flat bar and is equipped with larger 700x28c tires and probably has room for wider tires if needed. It is modestly priced, so you can afford to make changes / additions / upgrades w/o breaking the bank.

Abstractworld

For this bike, is it easy to flip the hub to make it a fixed gear? Do I need tools or another hub or make it fixed?

TejanoTrackie 

You just need to buy a fixed cog and lockring, and then install them on the unused threads on the flip side of the hub. You will need to buy a chain whip and lockring tool to properly tighten the cog and lockring on the hub. You also need a 15mm or adjustable wrench to loosen the axle nuts to remove and reinstall the rear wheel. You do not need the remove the freewheel that is already installed on the hub.

RaleighSport

+10,000,000

Saw this thread title and all that came to mind was a bunch of words the censor would filter out.

hairnet

OK. Well, take a look at the Kilo WT. You can add riser bars to it later and make it as upright as you want.

Juan Foote

+1 Internetz and free subscription to bike forums for next year since you were the first to recommend #Kilo in SSFG thread. Good job player!

hairnet

Ahem, it's #KiloTT

Juan Foote

Any mention of Kilo gets you something, had you gone that far you would be laying back in a hottub with Betty White.

hairnet

Hawt

AlmostGreenGuy

Best double up on the bubble soap.

spinerguy

I used to own a Specialized SingleCross which technically it's a fixed hybrid and a pretty decent one if you ask me.

This model was short lived. I don't believe is made anymore but you can find it often in CL. I bought mine new for $450.

I am not aware of any other hybrid types. It's a rare breed.