Coasties vs. Fixies

The pros and cons:

Coastie Pros:

• Clean. They give you the clean look of fixed gear without all the danger.
• Quiet. No clicking, clunking, freewheel or cassette noise.
• Safer. Because of the mechanical advantage inherent in the hub, you put less stress on your knees.
• Comfortable. You can run a big, flat BMX pedal without pedalstrike or straps, allowing more comfy everyday riding and shoe choice.
• The Hubs are sealed, and are less affected by bad weather, dirt and grime.

Coastie Cons:

• These are Get-around-town wheels, not high-tech track wheels. Coaster brakes (like all friction brakes) stop by converting forward motion into heat. Because the braking is done in a small area (inside the hub as opposed to the circumference of a rim), heat build-up can be extreme, especially if the brake is used alone during a long descent. Because of this, Coasterbrakes need to be repacked with grease at least annually.
• Coaster brake hubs ain’t light weight. Internal brake hubs outweigh most cassette and single speed wheels. It makes sense because you are combining your wheels with your brakes.