And London-based architect Andy Martin teamed up with furniture company Thonet to design a gorgeous bentwood fixed-gear bike.

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On the other hand, the fixed-gear bike, currently popular with hipsters and cycling purists, is rather too Spartan, not to mention tough on the calves.

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If you really want to get the most from your bike a smooth, reliable gear change is a must.

BBC: Sport

The brakes worked well, and the gear settings operated just like on a standard bike.

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It's a far cry from those first bike trips, where they didn't even have a support vehicle to haul gear.

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When I get out of the bike's saddle to grind up hills, I actually have to click to a higher gear.

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