The Adventure Life With Steve Casimiro Gear Review: Swobo’s Sanchez

Text and photographs by West Coast Editor Steve Casimiro

In this age of 40-pound monster mountain bikes, the simplicity of a fixed-gear bike is inspirational—elegant, fast, efficient, utilitarian. Stripped of adornment, it is the bike in its essence, a mechanism for the purest conversion of human effort into speed: One gear, direct drive, no coasting…and often no brakes.

Fixed-gear bikes like Swobo’s Sanchez ($599) have been around since the dawn of cycling, but have become hugely popular in the last decade—particularly over the last three years. The bike’s chain connects the front gear to a rear cog, which is bolted to the hub. There’s no freewheel, no derailleur, and when the wheels are turning the pedals are turning. Riding isn’t easy at first—to stop you have to put backward pressure on the pedals—but you will never feel more connected to your bike, ever.

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