I haven't heard anyone expressing their reasons for riding fixed gear. Let me try to explain how I became drawn to it.
First, I love the look of track and well done fixed gear bikes. They leave off some clutter and present an image of a pure bicycle.sort of an appealing minimalism.like listening to Bach's Suites For Unaccompanied Cello.
Next, I knew it exacted more from me physically. I love to coast.Coasting on a bike is next to flying for me and a really powerful attraction on my longer rides. However, I sometimes just don't have time for a two or three hour ride. I can really get some exercise on a forty five minute ride on a fixed gear bike.
It is a challenge, and some folks shake their heads over the idea of me looking for such a challenge at sixty five years of age.but it is what I want. It makes me a better rider. There are a lot of little sloppy moments easily corrected on a bike that coasts, but on a fixed gear, every little mistake is right in your face. I find I pay a lot more attention to the timing of things, angles, distances, proper fit on the bike and smoothness of access to the pedals, etc. It is very much a learning process.
I would never give up my other bikes.I love them dearly. But riding fixed gear has opened up a whole new area of enjoyment (and sometimes frustration) for me on a bike.
I have to admit I enjoy the idea of yet another cycling group that I can belong to, also.
Hope this sheds a little light for those who can't see what so many of us find appealing in riding a bike that is admittedly less convenient to ride.
Tom Sanders
Lansing, MI USA