first 1000 fixed

[AngryScientist]

one of the strongest cyclists i know has a mantra of riding the first 1000 base miles in the off-season fixed. no coasting at all before that first 1k is under his belt.

i'm considering giving it a go this season starting in January. anyone else subscribe to a theory like this?

[tannhauser]

No. We have mountains here.

Anyway, I barely coast on a ride, even downhill I pedal.

[Fixed]

my year long program
slower speed little gear spin
cheers

[coylifut]

yes. and it is hilly where i live. where do you live and what gear inches does he ride?

[ultraman6970]

The benefits of the fix gear are great angryman... Will get you faster and the aerobics will improve a lot. Not the same doing 100 kms with 42x17 fix gear than with a road bike.

[AngryScientist]

it's hilly here, but definitely not mountainous. i run 48/19, and ride fixed pretty often, but have not made a commitment like this. i think i am going to go for it this year though. no coasting till 1K!

[merlinmurph]

If I were younger, I would definitely invest in a fixed gear. However, the reality is that I'm too old (57) and it's too hilly around here (the Hopkinton sports teams are "The Hillers") for me to enjoy a fixed ride.

Getting out on a ride is good enough for me, regardless of gears.

[Fixed]

If I were younger, I would definitely invest in a fixed gear. However, the reality is that I'm too old (57) and it's too hilly around here (the Hopkinton sports teams are "The Hillers") for me to enjoy a fixed ride.

Getting out on a ride is good enough for me, regardless of gears.
i am your age
cheers

[avalonracing]

In a similar vain, 1000 miles in the small ring is something I've done. The key is just to get the spin speed up while continuing to work on strength in the gym.

[Ti Designs]

My base mileage is all on fixed gear, and the gear gets lower as it gets colder. There are a number of reasons for this. First, it's about time in the saddle, calories in, calories out - I don't even consider the first 90 minutes to be part of the base mileage. On a fixed gear the workload is steady, at times I feel I'm working harder going down the hills. It's a better workout in a shorter time, that counts when it's 20 degrees out. Another reason is spin, when I start in my 42x18 it feels like I'm spun out most of the time. By January I'm turning a 44x20 without a problem. It's just not possible to have too much spin in the spring. Lastly there's the little fact that the studded tires add a lot of weight and rolling resistance (and noise) to the wheels...

[merlinmurph]

i am your age
cheers

And you live in FL. :eek: (or at least your heading says that....)

By no means would I call it "hilly" here, more rolling. Generally, every 20 miles climbs 1000 ft.

As far as inventions go, the rear derailleur is right up there with the wheel. :beer:

[Fixed]

actually i am 1 year younger :beer:
suppleness in the legs during the winter
you can do that geared as well
small ring and spin
imho
cheers

[ultraman6970]

Angry if you want to start doing this start with lighter gears, 48x19 is like too much. 42x17 to start is ok. But u need a training plan too IMO. Enjoy it and start with not a lot of miles, at the end u should be able to ride 100 kms with the fixie and non stopping.

1st time i did my 100 km in fix gear was 14 y/o. 42x17. took me a lot of time but it worth it.

Good luck.

[spiderman]

This idea is a very good one, indeed!
There's something very good that happens
To your cycling musculature when
You ride every day fixed over a period
Of days, then weeks and months
At a time over varied terrain...
Many skills that you work on
As a cyclist happen naturally
And aren't so much work
...After the wall gets hit, smashed
And then pushed back.
Several years ago I commuted from
Overland park to downtown
Kansas city fixed...
My legs were screaming all day long
At the conference
And then I would ride home
20 miles fixed thinking
My legs would explode.
They didn't...
They still have that muscle memory that
Has made them stronger even today.
...And yes, it will make you talk about
Your legs in third person, too!
Spider"angrylegs"man

[rice rocket]

Several years ago I commuted from
Overland park to downtown
Kansas city fixed...
My legs were screaming all day long
At the conference
And then I would ride home
20 miles fixed thinking
My legs would explode.
They didn't...
They still have that muscle memory that
Has made them stronger even today.
...And yes, it will make you talk about
Your legs in third person, too!
Spider"angrylegs"man
We're talking base miles here though. Isn't the point of base mileage to not push your legs till they explode?

I can't ride 20 miles here w/o climbing at least 1000 ft as well, I could have some decent spinning, but I'd also have some 40 rpm climbs. :rolleyes: I could stick to a doing laps on a flat trail, but that would drive me to insanity (and I'd have to walk my bike back up the hill to my house, which seems silly in the first place).

[coylifut]

your gear is ridiculously enormous. guys around here (national champion caliber) start with a 42x18 for the first 500 and do the next 500 in the 42x17. It's all about how fast you can turn over a small gear. Plus, a typical 3 hour ride will have 3-4 climbs of 8% for up to 2 miles.

[Ti Designs]

1st time i did my 100 km in fix gear was 14 y/o. 42x17. took me a lot of time but it worth it.


When I turned 30 I decided to do something really stupid, so I showed up for the start of the 200K brevet on my fixed gear. My plan was to shed most of them on the first big hill going to Mt Vernon. There was one guy I couldn't drop on the hill, he had an irish accent and a huge saddle bag...

[Peter B]

After my first PBP I wanted a bit more challenge. So for '07 I decided to ride it fixed. In preparation I rode from SF to Santa Barbara over 3 days in Jan, did 2 full SR series (200, 300, 400, 600k), a fleche, several double centuries, lots of commutes and a few 150mi/15k' solo training rides. Had a great time in France and my best 1200 experience.

Riding in these parts means 100'/mi; not exactly FL flat. Bucking the conventional wisdom I rolled it all at 48-17. I was 45 at the time and rode about 6500 miles fixed that year.

Several of my riding pals espouse the 60" winter gear. I'm sure there's wisdom there. Funny thing is even as the season progresses and their gear increases none of them are holding my wheel. YMMV.

[coylifut]

After my first PBP I wanted a bit more challenge. So for '07 I decided to ride it fixed. In preparation I rode from SF to Santa Barbara over 3 days in Jan, did 2 full SR series (200, 300, 400, 600k), a fleche, several double centuries, lots of commutes and a few 150mi/15k' solo training rides. Had a great time in France and my best 1200 experience.

Riding in these parts means 100'/mi; not exactly FL flat. Bucking the conventional wisdom I rolled it all at 48-17. I was 45 at the time and rode about 6500 miles fixed that year.

Several of my riding pals espouse the 60" winter gear. I'm sure there's wisdom there. Funny thing is even as the season progresses and their gear increases none of them are holding my wheel. YMMV.

some folks are just faster/stronger than others. that happens to be you.

[BobbyJones]

This conversation has come up before- just riding "fixed" is over rated.

See here: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=88190

[rustychisel]

This conversation has come up before- just riding "fixed" is over rated.

See here: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=88190


No, that's not true. In fact, the only meaningful conclusion to be drawn from the thread you linked to is that riding a fixed gear bike is surrounded by more mystique and bull***** than riding road.

It's still cycling, it's just a little bit different [thank you Avenue Q].

[fatallightning]

Im going to have to be the counterpoint on this one. I think spinning around all winter on a little fixed gear does nothing but burn calories. It doesn't develop a smooth spin, doesn't develop leg strength, and limits your ability to ride in targeted zones.

To elaborate, if you want a smooth spin, ride a small single speed, not fixed. Riding fixed means you can spin sloppy as hell without actually firing smoothly since the pedal momentum keeps everything an even cadence. Want to be smooth? Do ramped up leg speed drills on a geared bike. Also, the neuro muscular adaption to spin fast doesn't take all winter, do it for 3 weeks before the season and you'll be fine. Pushing a baby gear also means no hypertrophy of muscle tissue. The off season is the ideal time to work on leg strength and power. Doing so in-season usually means recovery time cutting into race peak fitness. Push a giant gear seated all winter. Walk funny up stairs all winter. Crush souls come spring. Being limited to one gear means most of the time you're either too hard or too easy. Fine for junk miles, bad for getting faster.

Yes I ride fixed also, at least one ride a week or 30 or so miles. I do it on my race gear, 49x15. Mainly to keep in tune with the handling/fit/feel of my track bike.

[AngryScientist]

After my first PBP I wanted a bit more challenge. So for '07 I decided to ride it fixed. In preparation I rode from SF to Santa Barbara over 3 days in Jan, did 2 full SR series (200, 300, 400, 600k), a fleche, several double centuries, lots of commutes and a few 150mi/15k' solo training rides. Had a great time in France and my best 1200 experience.

Riding in these parts means 100'/mi; not exactly FL flat. Bucking the conventional wisdom I rolled it all at 48-17. I was 45 at the time and rode about 6500 miles fixed that year.

Several of my riding pals espouse the 60" winter gear. I'm sure there's wisdom there. Funny thing is even as the season progresses and their gear increases none of them are holding my wheel. YMMV.

Peter, this post is inspirational to me, seriously. I hope to someday come ride with you :beer:

[witcombusa]

Angry if you want to start doing this start with lighter gears, 48x19 is like too much. 42x17 to start is ok. But u need a training plan too IMO. Enjoy it and start with not a lot of miles, at the end u should be able to ride 100 kms with the fixie and non stopping.

1st time i did my 100 km in fix gear was 14 y/o. 42x17. took me a lot of time but it worth it.

Good luck.


They are ONE inch apart :crap:

(66 vs. 65 inches)

[Fixed]

i say some dumb sh** sometimes
imho caution results may vary

[BobbyJones]

No, that's not true. In fact, the only meaningful conclusion to be drawn from the thread you linked to is that riding a fixed gear bike is surrounded by more mystique and bull***** than riding road.

It's still cycling, it's just a little bit different [thank you Avenue Q].

Agreed.



To elaborate, if you want a smooth spin, ride a small single speed, not fixed....

Or for a smooth spin try Powercranks. I got turned on to them a few years ago, originally to help rehab a running injury. They'll definitely teach you about a smooth spin. Much more so than JRA on a fixed gear. Some (not me) will even claim it helps with overall cycling performance!

[fatallightning]

Agreed.




Or for a smooth spin try Powercranks. I got turned on to them a few years ago, originally to help rehab a running injury. They'll definitely teach you about a smooth spin. Much more so than JRA on a fixed gear. Some (not me) will even claim it helps with overall cycling performance!
yeah, powercranks are a touchy subject. i think it becomes hard to differentiate the gains made from the fact that it's harder to just putz around on power cranks versus gains made because they're decoupled. i personally think that, yes, they make you smoother through your dead spot, but physiologically speaking, the upstroke makes very little to no actual contribution to actual power output. at best, your upstroking leg is getting out of the way of the power leg better at most.

[RudAwkning]

After my first PBP I wanted a bit more challenge. So for '07 I decided to ride it fixed. In preparation I rode from SF to Santa Barbara over 3 days in Jan, did 2 full SR series (200, 300, 400, 600k), a fleche, several double centuries, lots of commutes and a few 150mi/15k' solo training rides. Had a great time in France and my best 1200 experience.

Riding in these parts means 100'/mi; not exactly FL flat. Bucking the conventional wisdom I rolled it all at 48-17. I was 45 at the time and rode about 6500 miles fixed that year.

Several of my riding pals espouse the 60" winter gear. I'm sure there's wisdom there. Funny thing is even as the season progresses and their gear increases none of them are holding my wheel. YMMV.

Peter is the man. He's one of the guys who inspired me to "go big or go home". I ended up rolling 7 double centuries on my fixed gear last year, completed a fixed gear R12 (12 consecutive months of riding a RUSA brevet of 200km or longer), and nearly killed myself rolling fixed gear on Death Ride (made 4 of 5 passes and still the only ride I've ever DNF'd). Now that I've gotten the solo 508 monkey off my back, it's back to the fixed gear. I'm hoping for a fixed gear Super Rando this year and maybe a 1000k or 1200k.

My gear inch varies. My normal gear is a 50x19. I've been enjoying a 50x20 for hillier routes like Mount Diablo (summit tops out at 17%). And I'll probably roll the Santa Rosa 200k in January with less than 3k' of climbing on a 50x18.

But in regards to the OP, unless you plan on building up for big fixed gear events or plan on knocking that 1000k out in 2 or 3 weeks, I'd still sprinkle some geared rides in there so you don't lose your "pull stroke". The fixed gear can make certain muscles lazy :D

:edit: oh yeah, and you don't want to lose your descending instincts like a buddy of mine did this year. Starting in January he rolled fixed exclusively (2 Super Rando series, Death Ride, Ride Of The Immortals and loads of of doubles and brevets) and nearly forgot how to properly take a turn when he got back on a bike that could coast in September!

[AngryScientist]

new computer installed, ready to rock:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PiNyzqOilF4/TsJpIiZJ9cI/AAAAAAAAAO4/kZHoVyKdwys/s320/IMG_0133.jpg