Out of the saddle: FG vs SS
 

Curious what FG riders have to say about the difference riding out of the saddle on a FG versus a SS. I have not ridden FG.

Typical situation is riding a long trail section that is relatively flat and there is no hill to inspire standing up, so periodically I’ll just stand for a bit anyway to stretch and have a change of position.

However, the higher cadence that works seated doesn’t work as comfortably for me when standing, so with a rear cluster I will shift from say 42/16 seated to 42/14 to stand. Standing in the lower gear, it’s harder to keep a continuous load of pedaling. Having that next harder gear is the main reason my bikes have a rear cluster at the moment.

So I’m speculating that FG would feel somewhat different and I assume more stable since any variation in pedal load is picked up by the momentum of the moving bike and pedals.

Or am I wrong in this? It just strikes me that this might be an advantage for FG over SS for the trail riding I do.

Thanks for any insight.

Otto

I typically run a taller gear on FG than SS, just to make descending more comfortable and controllable. When climbing, the higher gear gets me out of the saddle sooner, but I'll resume sitting as soon as the grade allows it. I rarely stand unless the terrain demands it.

I've never felt that fixed had an advantage on trails; it's fun, but I much prefer to be able to place the pedals where I want them when encountering obstacles.

I think spending even half an hour on a FG would be illuminating; it's a pretty different experience than freewheeling -- even on a singlespeed.

Fixed gear on trails gets kind of "busy". I ride 2 teeth harder gear when on fixed compared to SS. It wears you out mentally watching out to for things you need to hop, skip, or skid to avoid pedal strikes. Getting back on a bike with a freewheel is relaxing.

Maybe I misunderstand what's being asked.

There is no difference between fixed gear, single speed, and multiple gears with regard to pedaling in a given gear ratio. The various drivetrains might affect your riding habits, for example, choosing a lower ratio as you approach a climb or choosing a higher ratio to stand up and sprint if you have multiple gears, and deciding to coast on a descent or flat if you have single speed, vs. fixed gear where you of course have no choice other than to take a higher or lower cadence and to stand up or sit down to pedal.

If you are comparing three bikes with different drivetrain types but the same size chain ring and cog, when there is any positive force going through the crank (that is, rider applying force to the pedals, at any cadence or body position) any differences will be completely psychological/imaginary. Very minor differences exist in terms of drivetrain efficiency, or power robbed by friction within the drivetrain. These are too small to be significant in real world use.

I think you're asking about how a FG drivetrain affects a rider's habits or performance when the terrain tempts him to ease up on pedaling. There is certainly a difference here. But when standing up and applying power through the crank (whether it's 50 watts or 500), FG vs. SS are exactly the same.

To clarify, I’m talking specifically about the difference when pedaling out of the saddle on flat terrain where the pedal speed can easily exceed the speed that I can smoothly manage with continuous pedal pressure around the full pedal stroke. In that case, the freewheel behaves differently from a fixed gear, since a momentary slack in pedal speed will allow a quick moment of coasting in the pedal cycle. I’m assuming that feels different from a fixed gear where any such momentary slack would not produce a coasting moment and the pedal will support the weight on that foot during that instant.

This is something I do periodically to take a break when riding a long flat section of the trail across our state. With a rear cluster, I can manage it by shifting to or cruising in a higher gear than I would choose for SS, so that the cadence stays at something I can manage smoothly while standing.

Otto