Fixed-gear bicycles – or so called Fixie Bikes are a new fad in the San Diego area. They are also allegedly responsible for a recent San Diego fixie bike accident that killed a 17-year-old boy.

Fixies are modified bikes that don’t ride like your average multiple-speed bicycle. Unprepared riders can be bucked off if they don’t know how to stop. The pedals are always in motion when the bike is moving- meaning you can never stop pedaling and just coast. If a rider wants to stop the bike, his or her legs must be strong enough to stop the pedals.

Kids love them because they’re reliable, and less likely to break down.

Some “fixie” riders add a hand brake to help slow the bike down. Others do not. And when there’s a problem, the results can be fatal.

17-year-old Francisco Sanchez Porras was killed this month when his fixie crashed into a car at an Encanto intersection.

“We have numerous witnesses that are pretty consistent. The bicyclist entered the intersection without stopping,” says SDPD Sgt. Art Doherty.

Are fixies legal?

Yes… but beware.  One fixie rider equated riding one of the bikes to skiing. You don’t have brakes on skis, you use your legs.

If you have been injured in an accident related to fixie bikes – or any other type of bicycle – pick up the phone and contact a team of San Diego Bicycle Accident Attorneys who can fight for your rights – and get you the compensation you deserve. Fixie bike riding is a new fad that will mostly likely be the center of many personal injury suits in San Diego.

Steven Elia
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