Fixed gear bicycles are just like a normal bicycle except, they lack the "free wheel." The "free-wheel" is the mechanism that allows a bicycle's pedals to stop rotating allowing the rider to coast. A fixed gear does not have this mechanism, which means the rider cannot coast. This allows for the bicycle to be stopped by resisting the pedal's forward movement.
It can take some time to get used to riding a fixed gear bike once a rider makes the change. The ability to coast is a luxury that most riders take for granted. The best comparison for those who drive would be that an automatic car is sort of like a free wheel bike while a standard or manual transmission is more like a fixed gear. Each just requires a bit more of the operator's attention.
Crib And Changer Combo
One of the biggest concerns about riding a fixed gear bicycle is safety. Many riders consider it much more dangerous to ride a fixed gear bicycle without the ability to coast. Though some city and state laws may require cyclists to have at least one working hand brake, there are many places that don't have this law or do not enforce it. In these areas it isn't uncommon to see fixed gear riders without handbrakes at all. This means all of the cyclists stopping power must come from their resistance on the pedals.
It requires more attention from the rider and more control over the speed of the bicycle since it will take much more time to stop. One way to bring the bicycle to a complete stop quickly is called a "skid-stop," appropriately named because it locks the rear wheel preventing it from moving, causing it to skid along the ground until the rider comes to a stop. For as easy as it sounds there is actually a technique to it and it does take some time to master.
The best way to practice is in an open paved lot, like a parking lot, or a road with minimal traffic. There are really just two things to remember. The first is to try and get as much of your body weight off of the rear wheel as safely possible. The best way is to just stand and lean forward. Then you just resist the movement of the pedals. As long as enough of your body weigh has been displaced off of the back wheel, your pedals and wheel should stop allowing you to skid smoothly to a stop and look pretty cool doing it too.
It may take a half hour or so practicing but once you have it, it is really fun. One of the hardest things about learning how to skid stop is that you can't practice in slow motion. So you can't be going too slow or else the wheels won't lock, you will just slow down. So you have to commit to going a bit faster than you might normally want to when trying something like this. Just be sure to wear a helmet and be safe.