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I chose the very basic I could find: a single speed Dahon Boardwalk. It has a steel frame so it's not that light, but I'm OK with the weight. The bike is simple so there's not much to break and for a year and a half of (ab)use it has been solid. Where I live it's mostly flat, so it may not be the best choice for hilly SF for example, although I hear fixies are popular there. Bike forums are best to discuss these matters.

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Fixies are terrible for hilly areas, but they're trendy as hell ATM, so that probably explains it.

Still, they're nice: there's really not much to break (or spend time maintaining). They are also incredibly easy to keep stable on ice and snow, provided you have reasonable tires. If the wheels start to lose traction, the pedals lurch, and you reflexively stabilize them.

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