Fixed Gear riding - pros?

[roguedog]

Ok. Sorry if this has been posted before...

Am thinking of building up a fixed gear bike to tootle around on. (I've subscribed to a thread where 11.4 lists out his recommended parts list)

They seem like a lot of fun and something I've been curious about.

Initially, I also thought there'd be advantages to riding them like they're supposed to help your cadence and pedal stroke. But then I read somewhere that that was kinda silly. I get similar conflicting reports to other benefits sooo I dunno.. what's the story?

If you've ridden fixed, how has it helped you improve your cycling?

[MattTuck]

It helps your cycling reputation.


you're either a track racer, a hipster or a hard man...



If you end up doing it, for the love all things holy, put a brake on it.

[phcollard]

If you end up doing it, for the love all things holy, put a brake on it.

+1. Save your life and put at least a front brake on the bike, especially if you are riding in the city!

[rustychisel]

what Matt said.

It's a different style of cycling is all

[AngryScientist]

i ride a fixed gear bike occasionally. i think it definitely toughens you up a bit and has the potential to improve your pedal stroke and cadence, without the luxury of coasting.

definitely keep the brakes, especially for a beginner, they'll save your life, but more importantly your knees.

[danielpack22@ma]

I ride a fixed gear bike 3k - 4k miles per year. I started about 5 years ago because I had lousy spin and very low cadence. I simply could not spin smoothly above 80rpm.

I'll have to say it has helped both my spin and cadence and has made me a much better rider.

Another benefit is that the drive train is simple. Even after the nastiest ride, I can have everything cleaned up and pristine in just a few minutes. And quiet... The drive train is dead silent. I love to hear the rubber meet the road.

As for brakes... GET THEM! You don't have to use them, but it's really hard to install them just before the car pulls out in front of you. :)

[Ray]

As for brakes, don't get THEM. Just get one for the front. The rear doesn't really help and can kind of screw up the feedback between leg speed and bike speed. But definitely get a front brake.

As for the benefits, I've heard both sides too. But I can tell you that when I was riding fixed a lot I was a stronger cyclist than I have been at any other time. Smooth cadence, capable of much higher cadences, able to be efficient at a whole range of cadences from about 60-160. None of that is a bad thing and all of it is arguably good.

But the main thing is its just a blast. Unless you're dealing with crazy hard hills, its more fun than I've ever had on a bike any other way. And in urban riding, its incomparable to ANYthing else. Just wonderful flow to it. And its cheap and easy to put together and to maintain.

-Ray

[sg8357]

If you've ridden fixed, how has it helped you improve your cycling?

It is fun.

Ray, for going down crazy step hills the rear brake is of some use.
Anyway I like have both brake hoods for climbing.

[Bob Loblaw]

Ever considered a single speed? It's a fixed gear that coasts. I ride one all winter and love it. It offers many of the advantages of the fixie, but you don't beat up your knees as much on downhills, there's no issue with cornering clearance, and it's not as fatiguing so you can do longer rides.

I ride a single all winter, and I love it. It forces you out of that narrow RPM range, so you're either legging it out up a hill or spun in the flats. It's a fantastic training tool, and a great way to switch it up in the off season.

Oh, and whatever you do, for the love of god, put brakes on it.

BL

[veloduffer]

Lots of fun and a very different ride. I really enjoy the simplicity of just pedaling and the quiet drivetrain. I've used one for many years and it really helps improve your cadence and spin.

Great for bad weather and winter, as it is easy to clean and you get a complete workout (you ride 20 miles, you pedaled all 20) in a short time frame (before the toes freeze :D ).


I built an old Falcon frame into a fixie and sold it when I got into golf (big regret :crap: ). But last year, I bought a Specialized Langster on sale as I missed the ride. Langsters are pretty good - about $600 and its aluminum with carbon fork (good weather resistance). A bit quick turning for my taste but I couldn't put a fixie together much cheaper from scratch. It does have a flip flop hub, so I can ride it as a fixed or single speed (able to coast) option.

And do use a brake - it ain't worth the risk.

[fieldrecordings]

Here's an additional vote for a front brake. Absolutely no reason, aside from aesthetics, to not have one.

[bking]

http://bking.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/My-Bikes/my-bikes-020/859671624_QqDo9-L.jpg (http://bking.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/My-Bikes/12097644_x5FzA#859671624_QqDo9-A-LB)

Get one. I'm lucky enought to own several bikes, this is my favorite. very simple connection to the bike.
Another vote for brakes, and i have both single speed and fixie. Ride single much more as i ride it with my usual group and it'd tear me up trying to hang with them on the fixie. And you'll find you climb on them better then you'd think. Perhaps not mountains, but you'll suprise yourself on the hills.
For freewheel may i suggest white industries. very good stuff.

[rugbysecondrow]

http://bking.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/My-Bikes/my-bikes-020/859671624_QqDo9-L.jpg

Get one. Another vote for brakes, and i have both single speed and fixie. Ride single much more as i ride it with my usual group and it'd tear me up trying to hang with them on the fixie.
For freewheel may i suggest white industries. very good stuff.
I prefer SS to Fixed now, although fixed is fun. I like riding down hills more on a SS than a Fixed, and there are quite a few hills where I live.

No wrong answer, just have fun.

[AngryScientist]

http://bking.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/My-Bikes/my-bikes-020/859671624_QqDo9-L.jpg (http://bking.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/My-Bikes/12097644_x5FzA#859671624_QqDo9-A-LB)

Get one. I'm lucky enought to own several bikes, this is my favorite. very simple connection to the bike.
Another vote for brakes, and i have both single speed and fixie. Ride single much more as i ride it with my usual group and it'd tear me up trying to hang with them on the fixie. And you'll find you climb on them better then you'd think. Perhaps not mountains, but you'll suprise yourself on the hills.
For freewheel may i suggest white industries. very good stuff.

pics of the while bike please!

[fiamme red]

But the main thing is its just a blast. Unless you're dealing with crazy hard hills, its more fun than I've ever had on a bike any other way. And in urban riding, its incomparable to ANYthing else. Just wonderful flow to it. And its cheap and easy to put together and to maintain.Well said! :beer:

Single-speeds with a freewheel may be easy to maintain too, but they're a different creature. They just don't appeal to me. I like the feeling of being one with the bike that a fixed-gear gives.

[FlashUNC]

Brakes, brakes and more brakes.

Also, you'll need to be a bit more careful going around corners. Pedal strikes on a fixed gear are nasty business.

And, one lesson I nearly learned the hard way on the track: If you get out of the saddle to sprint/stretch the legs, whatever, keep spinning as you sit back down. Otherwise, the bike might decide its had enough of your shenanigans and try to buck you off.

If you do build a fixed, spend some time figuring out what might be the best gear to deal with both downhills (so you're not totally spun out halfway down) and still get you back uphill without exploding your knees in the process.

[roguedog]

Morning folks.

Thanks for the responses. First, I'm definitely getting brakes. I'm definitely far from a hipster. I don't think I could do the the whole skid thing. I just don't have that level of coolness :cool:

I actually wasn't really getting the whole fixed gear/ss thing until I did very brief ride on one in a shop while I waited for a friend. Was a lot of fun just in the parking lot. Ever since then it's kinda been niggling in the back of my mind to give a whirl (in a cheap way so if it doesn't stick, I'm not out too much).

I'm just curious is all and for riding bout town it seems like I only use one gear anyway and if that's all I need, seems like it'd be fun to try a fixed gear (or singlespeed).

I was wondering whilst I satisfy my curiosity, if there were truly other benefits I'd gain. There just seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there.

[fieldrecordings]

I think it'll also be worth your while to look into the stock frames (if you're going that way) that have more traditional road geometry. That'll help with the pedal strike & maybe make the switch between bikes smoother.

ps
Curiosity is what led me to FG, too. I went from 21sp mtn bike (3x7) to 7sp road bike to SS road bike to fixed gear (and soon 20sp Serotta!). In terms of gearing, I rode 48/16 for a long time. 47/17 suits me fine in NYC but if you've got hills, you may want something a tad easier.

[spiderman]

mostly good habits, i think...like track stands at stop signs, etc...
i have gone from riding fixed early in the season
to riding fixed all year...maybe 80-90% of my riding right now.
a front brake is essential
but i am finding a rear brake helpful, too.
descending on steep grades
and even cornering in sharp turns
i have found the rear brake much more useful than i previously thought--
helping me spin with more fluidity in those extreme circumstances.
having hoods really helps with accelerations
and climbing, too.
tends to be a much more full body experience
and dialogue with not only your bike
but opens your eyes to your surroundings as well...
you're gonna love it!

[veloduffer]

If you live in a hilly area, get a rear brake too - just in case the cable on the front brake fails. Rare but I've seen it happen.

Front and rear is a must if you ride as a single speed freewheel.

[cmg]

clipless pedals or pedals with straps?

[bironi]

Been riding fixed mostly for the last 5 years, probably 80-90% of my riding.

A couple comments:

Low q-factor crank with short arms 165 - absolutely no pedal strikes - I did strike a couple times with 170's

I have spun faster than I ever would on a geared bike. I can hit 200-210 for short periods.

My feel for cornering has improved. I can feel when I'm a little too hot, and quickly correct with some foot drag. On a geared bike I have to be more careful determining the speed going into the corner.

It's great to ride in groups of other fixed gears of similar gearing. We have a weekly Saturday fixed ride, and all our winter rides are fixed. We all have fenders with long mudflaps, and can hang within inches of each other. It makes for a very efficient and safe pace line. Brakes front and back for the wet conditions. We only use the brakes when descending separately.

I also have a summer fixed gear sans fenders. Front brake only.

Spiderman is correct, it is addictive. BTW, what size is your Llewellyn Spidey?

[spiderman]

BTW, what size is your Llewellyn Spidey?

i think it's one size fits all?!?

http://vimeo.com/14916149

i really like what dazza has to say about fixed riding...
...if you haven't watched it...
it's for your own good

[john903]

I ride my fixie from October to around May and am in the gym over winter doing overall weights and core work. Come spring and switching to the geared bike I find I can pull long climbs much more comfotably (relaxed) and comfortably cadence wise, and "feel" stronger. There was a few years when my last fixie was stolen so I only did the gym and rode the geared bike and I did not "feel" as strong or comfortable on long climbs.

Yes, brakes I have both and feather both on long decents to help control leg speed.

Oh best of all is they are FUN.

[bironi]

i think it's one size fits all?!?

http://vimeo.com/14916149

i really like what dazza has to say about fixed riding...
...if you haven't watched it...
it's for your own good

Yes, I saw that the other day. If I can afford a custom down the road, Dazza will do the building. :beer:

[Clydesdale]

This is my first summer riding fixed and I have switched in and out with my road bike pretty regularly. I have several hundred to maybe a thousand miles fixed and I love it. The climbing has not been as hard as I thought as the cranks are shorter and my fixed is actually a little lighter than my road bike. I really like the flow of it and while I don't know if it makes me a better cyclist in any significant way it's a fun change of pace, I love doing it, I love the simplicity, and it certainly doesn't make me any worse ;)

I have brakes and use them a lot as the back pedaling can irritate my knees and I gave up on being cool a long time ago. I also use them downhill if I feel like I'm getting the the edge of my cadence limits and can't spin without bouncing.

Try it - you'll like it.

PS - the best part is when you get back on your road bike and have a "panic moment" for a split second when you stop pedaling and wait for the kick. It makes me smile.

[nobrakes]

I'm old school, and always trained on a fixed gear in winter/colder months. There is great benefit in doing this, and I believe that anyone can benefit from fixed gear training, year round. I ride fixed gear with my trackie friends at least once a week all summer.


The blue one is fixed at about 70 inches (39X15), which for around here is perfect, keeps legs spinning fast at 20 mph or so, with sprints for road signs, etc. thrown in adds fun to the rides.

The black bike is the around town single speed, (40X17) freewheel. It is always changing with different tires/wheels/bars/racks/fenders depending on my mood and weather.

[zray67]

A fixed gear bike in an urban environment is the ONLY way to go. The previous postings have covered the rest of the ground.
Finally, not to use front and rear brakes is masochistic beyond believe!

[benb]

Tried it for a couple years and eventually got bored of it.. but my bike was not very nice, strictly a budget affair.

I had a couple freaky scares riding in the winter but never went down.. had my chain jump off the cog and lock the rear wheel on a bumpy hill. (Got really religious about checking my chain tension after that.) Had a couple times where I hit ice due to lack of maneuverability and ability to stop. (I had canti brakes on mine) Pretty freaky to go over ice.. but I didn't crash, perhaps cause your legs just keep spinning.

I'd get all the brake I could next time.. maybe even discs. The last scare I had on mine was commuting. Between fixed and the greater weight due to carrying a rack + bags, I had a real scare where I almost didn't stop in time when a car pulled out in front of me.

I'd do singlespeed next time unless I lived somewhere more flat.

[phcollard]

I believed somebody mentioned single speed already. I am not into fixed gear - there are too many in town :D - but I really enjoy my singlespeed for riding in the city. It's simple. It does the job. I can enjoy downhills without being scared to death.

I don't even use a dedicated wheelset for this: just my old 105/Open Pros with singlespeed cog and spacers from VeloSolo in the UK.

I am not sure it has made me a better cyclist but it's definitely good for the legs and cardio. It's a 44/16.

Here's the thing : http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocean7/4987306136/

[11.4]

False reasons to ride a fixie:

1. With a fixie you can ride steep uphills and it'll make you work harder. Duh. Instead, just ride hard in a geared bike and don't hurt your knees.

2. With a fixie you can ride steep downhills and improve your cadence. Duh. Riding a runaway fixed gear doesn't do anything for your cadence. Cadence is only valuable when you are applying force at that cadence. Just letting the cranks spin your legs does not improve your ability to ride faster.

3. Ride a 48x18 or 48x16. Duh. If you're riding in Atlanta or Houston, perhaps. But even then, gradual grades and wind can make it a slog. The greatest benefit in a winter fixie comes from riding lower gears at a continuous higher cadence -- like a 42x18 or 44x19. We ride much of the winter in this gear and pretty much continuously in a 21-24 mph paceline.

4. Spinning a low gear all winter will make you faster in a bigger gear in the spring. Duh. You'll learn to ride pretty fast in a low gear if you work at it, but it doesn't actually translate that well, on its own, into riding at that same cadence in a big gear. Actually, for some people who are horribly cadence-impaired, it might. But for most of us, you have to start in a low gear and then go up the gear chart, always keeping your cadence at your target mark. Riding high cadence in low gears and low cadence in high gears doesn't do a lot for your ultimate power output or speed. Ride high cadence in high gears.

What a fixie does for you are

1. Gives you a break from your regular season.

2. Gives you an ability to ride a very close paceline with other fixie riders (2-4 inches isn't unreasonable on clear roads).

3. Pushes your aerobic system a bit more, as long as you ride at a high enough energy output (pushes your aerobic system more than a big gear would at the same speed, basically).

4. Gives you more pedal rpms per mile compared to your likely road bike ride, so your joints and muscles become stronger and more resilient than just hogging a big gear in January.

5. Teaches more contact with the bike and more ability to steer with your butt rather than your bars, more ability to gauge speed without relying on brakes (I'm not talking about using the fixed gear to slow down -- rather, about how on a fixie you learn how to put just enough energy into riding a very smooth speed to sit close on someone's wheel without incessant braking, and how to pace against other riders without rushing up and then braking), general bike handling and balance, etc.

6. More workout per hour (how much of an hour's riding do you freewheel on your road bike? that's wasted training time, right?).

7. You fall in love with track and become a real cyclist.

Personally, I ride a fixie for a while in the winter, in a 44x19, then I start doing very fast fixed gear rides with teammates to start building power into my cadence (going up to about a 48x16 at most, since we warm up on the track in that gear and warmups go up to about 30 mph). I intersperse road riding, both so my legs don't start to get fooled by the automatic lift you get from the fixed gear for the non-thrusting leg, and also for social reasons.

If I'm riding in serious hills, I take a road bike. If I'm riding with other people on road bikes, I typically ride a road bike so I can maintain speed with them (plus it's more dangerous when you mix freewheel and fixed). In really miserable weather I usually ride a road, especially wind, because slogging along in a fixie doesn't do me much good, nor does getting blown along and being spun out. But the more I end up riding a road bike on the road, the more I ride a track bike on rollers or trainer.

I detest the fad that fixies have become. Being hip is not the reason to ride one, and the hipsters frankly don't get the best training out of one and their bikes would usually get rather skeptical ("stay away from me on the track") comments from my track teammates. Some street fixie riders can be very good track riders, but it's the exception rather than the rule. With their skidding and other tricks, they are dangerous on a track, and they certainly don't know how to create the smoothness that is part of why track racing can be so fast.

Just my $0.02.

[fiamme red]

Excellent post as usual from 11.4. But I ride a fixed-gear year-round, and often on long rides with steep climbs. For me, the real training benefit of a fixed is this: it's more fun for me than a road bike, so I end up riding more.

[bironi]

False reasons to ride a fixie:

1. With a fixie you can ride steep uphills and it'll make you work harder. Duh. Instead, just ride hard in a geared bike and don't hurt your knees.

2. With a fixie you can ride steep downhills and improve your cadence. Duh. Riding a runaway fixed gear doesn't do anything for your cadence. Cadence is only valuable when you are applying force at that cadence. Just letting the cranks spin your legs does not improve your ability to ride faster.

3. Ride a 48x18 or 48x16. Duh. If you're riding in Atlanta or Houston, perhaps. But even then, gradual grades and wind can make it a slog. The greatest benefit in a winter fixie comes from riding lower gears at a continuous higher cadence -- like a 42x18 or 44x19. We ride much of the winter in this gear and pretty much continuously in a 21-24 mph paceline.

4. Spinning a low gear all winter will make you faster in a bigger gear in the spring. Duh. You'll learn to ride pretty fast in a low gear if you work at it, but it doesn't actually translate that well, on its own, into riding at that same cadence in a big gear. Actually, for some people who are horribly cadence-impaired, it might. But for most of us, you have to start in a low gear and then go up the gear chart, always keeping your cadence at your target mark. Riding high cadence in low gears and low cadence in high gears doesn't do a lot for your ultimate power output or speed. Ride high cadence in high gears.

What a fixie does for you are

1. Gives you a break from your regular season.

2. Gives you an ability to ride a very close paceline with other fixie riders (2-4 inches isn't unreasonable on clear roads).

3. Pushes your aerobic system a bit more, as long as you ride at a high enough energy output (pushes your aerobic system more than a big gear would at the same speed, basically).

4. Gives you more pedal rpms per mile compared to your likely road bike ride, so your joints and muscles become stronger and more resilient than just hogging a big gear in January.

5. Teaches more contact with the bike and more ability to steer with your butt rather than your bars, more ability to gauge speed without relying on brakes (I'm not talking about using the fixed gear to slow down -- rather, about how on a fixie you learn how to put just enough energy into riding a very smooth speed to sit close on someone's wheel without incessant braking, and how to pace against other riders without rushing up and then braking), general bike handling and balance, etc.

6. More workout per hour (how much of an hour's riding do you freewheel on your road bike? that's wasted training time, right?).

7. You fall in love with track and become a real cyclist.

Personally, I ride a fixie for a while in the winter, in a 44x19, then I start doing very fast fixed gear rides with teammates to start building power into my cadence (going up to about a 48x16 at most, since we warm up on the track in that gear and warmups go up to about 30 mph). I intersperse road riding, both so my legs don't start to get fooled by the automatic lift you get from the fixed gear for the non-thrusting leg, and also for social reasons.

If I'm riding in serious hills, I take a road bike. If I'm riding with other people on road bikes, I typically ride a road bike so I can maintain speed with them (plus it's more dangerous when you mix freewheel and fixed). In really miserable weather I usually ride a road, especially wind, because slogging along in a fixie doesn't do me much good, nor does getting blown along and being spun out. But the more I end up riding a road bike on the road, the more I ride a track bike on rollers or trainer.

I detest the fad that fixies have become. Being hip is not the reason to ride one, and the hipsters frankly don't get the best training out of one and their bikes would usually get rather skeptical ("stay away from me on the track") comments from my track teammates. Some street fixie riders can be very good track riders, but it's the exception rather than the rule. With their skidding and other tricks, they are dangerous on a track, and they certainly don't know how to create the smoothness that is part of why track racing can be so fast.

Just my $0.02.

I agree with reasons 2-7. I don't have a regular season to get away from. :beer: Good post as usual. Thanks.

[Ray]

False reasons to ride a fixie:

2. With a fixie you can ride steep downhills and improve your cadence. Duh. Riding a runaway fixed gear doesn't do anything for your cadence. Cadence is only valuable when you are applying force at that cadence. Just letting the cranks spin your legs does not improve your ability to ride faster.

I disagree with this point. When the cranks wanna be going 160-170 and you're not actively braking to keep them below that, you don't just "let the cranks spin your legs". You have to get on top of the gear or its gonna knock you out of your seat. For me this happens somewhere between 120-130 rpm. Up to that point, if I'm on a gentle downhill and don't have to generate any power and that's how fast the cranks wanna go, I'm happy to just go along for the ride. But north of that, and particularly when I get up close to my max, which is around 170 plus or minus, I have to be actively (as hell) involved in the pedaling process. I may not be applying the power that makes the bike go the speed its going, but I have to be on top of the gear and driving my legs and firing the right muscles in the right sequence to maintain that kind of cadence. In fact to do it, I generally have to unweight my rear and sometimes suspend it a half inch or so above the saddle. So while this may or may not apply directly to power generation when on a geared bike, it damn sure affects leg speed and the ability to recruit and fire the right muscles at very high cadences, which can ultimately affect the speed on a freewheeling bike.

At least that's my guess. Developing that kind of leg speed in a pedaling motion can't hurt and seems like it should help somehow.

-Ray

[6day_rider]

I detest the fad that fixies have become. Being hip is not the reason to ride one, and the hipsters frankly don't get the best training out of one and their bikes would usually get rather skeptical ("stay away from me on the track") comments from my track teammates. Some street fixie riders can be very good track riders, but it's the exception rather than the rule. With their skidding and other tricks, they are dangerous on a track, and they certainly don't know how to create the smoothness that is part of why track racing can be so fast.

Just my $0.02.

Yes which is why I took very subtle enjoyment watching their skills go out the window when riding through turn 3-4 at 17 mph during my developmental track class. The aviator glasses couldn't hide the terror. And then their hot girlfriends starting to question everything after witnessing this from the infield. I found the middle aged housewives did fine in the drill and didn't run purple chains and laminated alley cat race fliers between their spokes. Use two brakes because if your chain breaks/falls off, your kind of screwed. I found the fixed gear useful when motorpacing as well as for building camaraderie with the team on winter rides. The enormous Wald basket on the front is good for groceries. Different bikes. I'm most comfortable using low 60" gearing on the road. Some sort of animated banana goes here.

[false_Aest]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=6566&highlight=gym

[swithouski]

I love all bikes. My 3 ladies include my road, track & "grocery" bike. I love them all the same. With that said.... I take the road out on rides of (30 mi +), The fixed/track bike for commuting to/from work (20 mi -) & my "grocery" bike for ya know groceries and (or after a couple beers) :beer:

I will say that in the last two years of riding fixed to/from work (roughly 20 miles a day) Has made me a much better rider with the road bike and now I leave me weekend warrior friends in the dust :banana:

Also, I find myself using a much less number of gears on my roadie now since I started riding fixed. Even on larger 50+ rides I will probably only use 3-4 gears - I love it.

[monkeypants]

Interesting discussion/thread... but now I want a fixie.

[victork]

I take my fixed gear out on flat rides and road bike on hilly routes. Also commute with my fixie. I can tell you 40 flat miles on a fized gear give you a much better workout.