Frequently Asked Questions

Often the stuff of local folklore, we are indeed just a couple of guys that really like bikes.

The Boston Fixed Gear workshop and gallery is now closed for the 2009 season. We will continue building bikes on a limited production basis throughout the year. If you are interested in our products and services, or would like to get in touch, please email us. Stay tuned for announcements about our future store location.

At this time, Boston Fixed Gear's workshop and gallery will only be open during the summer riding season. During that period, we do provide full service and repair for multi-speed bicycles as well as fixed gear and single speed.

This depends on the order and what we have in stock. Typically, we finish custom bicycle orders within 2 weeks of the order being placed. Our custom bicycles and wheels are built to order and we must allow for custom powder coating and assembly. In rare cases, custom orders may take up to 4 weeks to complete. We’ll contact you after you place an order to give you a more precise time estimate, review your order, and answer any questions.

If you have questions or concerns about an order, don’t hesitate to contact us. Fixed gear is our passion and we will take the time to go through each option and offer our advice so you get exactly what you want.

Boston Fixed Gear specializes in customization. If there is a specific component you would like, chances are we can order it for you. Please contact us for a personal quote.

True, but you would end up with lower quality components, less street-cred, and ultimately (we believe), less satisfaction. You will never find a bike quite like ours in any store and our components are often of higher quality than similarly priced new bikes. Believe us, a get-rich-quick scheme this is not.

It does seem crazy, but there are many valid reasons.

• Since you can control your speed through pressure on the pedals, many find a fixed gear bicycle to be much more maneuverable through city traffic.
• Fixed gear and single speed bikes are more efficient to pedal, with less of your energy lost to friction of the chain running through complicated derailleurs.
• Virtually no maintenance. With so few parts, there’s less to break and even less to adjust. In most cases, you will enjoy many, many miles of riding without the need for a tune-up (this is why you will almost always see bike messengers on fixies).
• Fixed gear and single speeds look great and weigh less!

See the Wikipedia article on fixed gear bicycles for the long version.

The rear hub is the component that connects the rear wheel to the bike and allows it to spin smoothly. A “flip-flop” hub is threaded on both sides. One side has threads for a fixed gear cog and lockring. The other has threads for a freewheel cog.

All Boston Fixed Gear bikes include rear “flip-flop” hubs standard, ready for single speed conversion. Just add a single speed cog on our order form and have the best of both worlds. To switch from a fixed gear (no coasting) to a single speed bike (coasting), all you have to do is loosen the rear wheel, flip it around, and re-tighten it with the chain in place. The whole process takes less than a minute and we’d be happy to show you how it’s done. Feel free to contact us for more information.

We trust you, but we don’t want our bikes riding away. We’ll hold your license just to be extra sure.

Depends on the type. Email us with a picture (specifically of the rear drop-outs where the rear axle slots into the frame) and we’ll get back to you.

For information regarding returns, exchanges, warranties, and changes to an order, please consult our return, warranty and order policies page.

At this time, we can only accept payment by cash or check. Please contact us with any payment related questions.

Yes, please contact us for shipping methods and rates.