Between a fixed gear and a single speed bike
Likes For Lemond1985:
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,510 Posts
One benefit I got in my racing days (and still) is the ability to recover while pedaling. I found doing long rides fixed forced my body to be able to recover (from the last hill, downhill, effort or upwind) while spinning whatever RPM I happened to be at. This translated to being able to recover at peloton speeds and I could do this training without partners or motorpace. A workout I used to do - if it was long ride day and the weather was bad (Boston) ('d check the weather and pick a town 50 miles upwind. Ride there for lunch. Spin home with a hammered body at RPM far too high to be fun. Real gains from those rides! Not speed. not impressive numbers but stamina at the end of long and hard rides and races.
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Left Coast, Canada
Posts: 5,126
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2236 Post(s)
Liked 1,313 Times
in
706 Posts
What if you made a coaster unicycle, but put a second wheel on the back so it would be easier for people to balance. That would catch on like wildfire!
Pros: more people would ride unicycles. They would be less skilled of course but you could probably add a brake to make it safer for them.
Cons: they might see someone riding an old school unicycle and call them reckless macho clowns.
Pros: more people would ride unicycles. They would be less skilled of course but you could probably add a brake to make it safer for them.
Cons: they might see someone riding an old school unicycle and call them reckless macho clowns.
Last edited by Happy Feet; 10-16-20 at 11:31 AM.
#54
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,510 Posts
I met a guy with gears and a brake on his unicycle. (Coming up with a first for bicycles of any number of wheels is tough. Brightest minds on this planet were focusing on the "velo" when there were no computers, flight hadn't happened yet, nor cars, nor computers.) He had a lot of other stuff too. Not a sa gimmick. He rode unicyces seriously. Gears for hills, both up and down. Brake for going down; He also had handlebars and "cockpit".
#55
Senior Member
#56
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,951
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,517 Times
in
1,031 Posts
I think the main advantages of riding a fixed gear are improvements in riding style and habits. Coasting is a nasty habit, at least it is if you are trying to become a faster, more efficient rider.
There is some danger, but that danger provides the motivation to keep those pedals turning, no matter what.
There is some danger, but that danger provides the motivation to keep those pedals turning, no matter what.
Likes For I-Like-To-Bike:
#57
Sophomore Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,690
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times
in
631 Posts
One benefit I got in my racing days (and still) is the ability to recover while pedaling. I found doing long rides fixed forced my body to be able to recover (from the last hill, downhill, effort or upwind) while spinning whatever RPM I happened to be at. This translated to being able to recover at peloton speeds and I could do this training without partners or motorpace. A workout I used to do - if it was long ride day and the weather was bad (Boston) ('d check the weather and pick a town 50 miles upwind. Ride there for lunch. Spin home with a hammered body at RPM far too high to be fun. Real gains from those rides! Not speed. not impressive numbers but stamina at the end of long and hard rides and races.
It's a great cross-training tool to improve your performance once you get back on your regular bike. It's not an end to itself, it's just a tool for becoming a better, more skilled, and more fit rider.
#58
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Posts: 8,721
Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4227 Post(s)
Liked 2,488 Times
in
1,286 Posts
Foot retention makes riding fixed gear a lot safer, however it's not a necessity...I personally use MTB platform pedals with pins, I know it's more dangerous but it also keeps me extra alert.
Likes For wolfchild:
#59
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,269 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Fixed is fun, but it’s a different kind of fun than ripping down a hill at 40 mph, tucked in tight. I rode exclusively fixed for six years, but I’m over it. Singlespeed lets you let loose.
#60
jj
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 331
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 110 Times
in
78 Posts
Macho? You guys are ridiculous.
any one reading this should read it with a regular, earnest tone of voice: I find commuting my 15 mile, mostly flat, city route mentally easier on 52-14 fixed than on/in anything else. It is the gear I used to find myself in most often on my 10 speed bikes BITD. I spin a low cadence and can roll through or whip around our very frequent pot holes and large debris with great ease. I use SPD only and the few small hills I have to climb or lights I want to sprint from have me out of the saddle and putting in about the same effort as 75lbs 12yo me did doing the same on a 30lbs bmx. Tight turns on a converted road bike with long cranks do call for a thoughtfully erratic lean to clear the inside pedal, but it still takes less than a tenth of the strain as does a good game of chess.
My knees only hurt when I pull out the geared bike and try flittling my legs around with some lower gears for an extended period searching for this storied aerobically efficient gear. My knees hate that.
I’m of the mentality that the only macho, badass people around are the ones who have a summer Bentley, a Porsche road car, a Porsche track car, and a winter Bentley, and none of them are ever more than ten months old. The only time they are on a bicycle is at MOAB or in Southern Europe and the only destination is a story.
There never was a fixed scene here, not much of a bike scene at all here, really. I’m not impressing anyone except for the occasional triathlete.
I’m just some jagoff on a friggin bike who rides it year-round deep in the snow belt.
any one reading this should read it with a regular, earnest tone of voice: I find commuting my 15 mile, mostly flat, city route mentally easier on 52-14 fixed than on/in anything else. It is the gear I used to find myself in most often on my 10 speed bikes BITD. I spin a low cadence and can roll through or whip around our very frequent pot holes and large debris with great ease. I use SPD only and the few small hills I have to climb or lights I want to sprint from have me out of the saddle and putting in about the same effort as 75lbs 12yo me did doing the same on a 30lbs bmx. Tight turns on a converted road bike with long cranks do call for a thoughtfully erratic lean to clear the inside pedal, but it still takes less than a tenth of the strain as does a good game of chess.
My knees only hurt when I pull out the geared bike and try flittling my legs around with some lower gears for an extended period searching for this storied aerobically efficient gear. My knees hate that.
I’m of the mentality that the only macho, badass people around are the ones who have a summer Bentley, a Porsche road car, a Porsche track car, and a winter Bentley, and none of them are ever more than ten months old. The only time they are on a bicycle is at MOAB or in Southern Europe and the only destination is a story.
There never was a fixed scene here, not much of a bike scene at all here, really. I’m not impressing anyone except for the occasional triathlete.
I’m just some jagoff on a friggin bike who rides it year-round deep in the snow belt.
Last edited by hsuBM; 10-17-20 at 02:21 AM.
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Hotel CA / DFW
Posts: 1,722
Bikes: 83 Colnago Super, 87 50th Daccordi, 79 & 87 Guerciotti's, 90s DB/GT Mtn Bikes, 90s Colnago Master and Titanio, 96 Serotta Colorado TG, 95/05 Colnago C40/C50, 06 DbyLS TI, 08 Lemond Filmore FG SS, 12 Cervelo R3, 20/15 Surly Stragler & Steamroller
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 597 Post(s)
Liked 768 Times
in
491 Posts
Macho? You guys are ridiculous.
any one reading this should read it with a regular, earnest tone of voice: I find commuting my 15 mile, mostly flat, city route mentally easier on 52-14 fixed than on/in anything else. It is the gear I used to find myself in most often on my 10 speed bikes BITD. I spin a low cadence and can roll through or whip around our very frequent pot holes and large debris with great ease. I use SPD only and the few small hills I have to climb or lights I want to sprint from have me out of the saddle and putting in about the same effort as 75lbs 12yo me did doing the same on a 30lbs bmx. Tight turns on a converted road bike with long cranks do call for a thoughtfully erratic lean to clear the inside pedal, but it still takes less than a tenth of the strain as does a good game of chess.
My knees only hurt when I pull out the geared bike and try flittling my legs around with some lower gears for an extended period searching for this storied aerobically efficient gear. My knees hate that.
I’m of the mentality that the only macho, badass people around are the ones who have a summer Bentley, a Porsche road car, a Porsche track car, and a winter Bentley, and none of them are ever more than ten months old. The only time they are on a bicycle is at MOAB or in Southern Europe and the only destination is a story.
There never was a fixed scene here, not much of a bike scene at all here, really. I’m not impressing anyone except for the occasional triathlete.
I’m just some jagoff on a friggin bike who rides it year-round deep in the snow belt.
any one reading this should read it with a regular, earnest tone of voice: I find commuting my 15 mile, mostly flat, city route mentally easier on 52-14 fixed than on/in anything else. It is the gear I used to find myself in most often on my 10 speed bikes BITD. I spin a low cadence and can roll through or whip around our very frequent pot holes and large debris with great ease. I use SPD only and the few small hills I have to climb or lights I want to sprint from have me out of the saddle and putting in about the same effort as 75lbs 12yo me did doing the same on a 30lbs bmx. Tight turns on a converted road bike with long cranks do call for a thoughtfully erratic lean to clear the inside pedal, but it still takes less than a tenth of the strain as does a good game of chess.
My knees only hurt when I pull out the geared bike and try flittling my legs around with some lower gears for an extended period searching for this storied aerobically efficient gear. My knees hate that.
I’m of the mentality that the only macho, badass people around are the ones who have a summer Bentley, a Porsche road car, a Porsche track car, and a winter Bentley, and none of them are ever more than ten months old. The only time they are on a bicycle is at MOAB or in Southern Europe and the only destination is a story.
There never was a fixed scene here, not much of a bike scene at all here, really. I’m not impressing anyone except for the occasional triathlete.
I’m just some jagoff on a friggin bike who rides it year-round deep in the snow belt.
Now there is a culture of city FG riders that never stop and ride at full speed thru all the busy intersections.
NYC is one of the hot spots for this culture and there are many youtube vids with different sets of riders.
Here is an example, watch and you may be surprised.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOYimpAgMlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbHTWve3Eec
Last edited by joesch; 10-17-20 at 07:18 AM. Reason: add link
#62
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,280
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4253 Post(s)
Liked 3,866 Times
in
2,579 Posts
I prefer a fixed gear bike. I do have a single speed with a flip-flop hub that actually has both a WI freewheel and a fixed cog (Sugino Super Gigas I believe that or Dura Ace) and I did ride that fixed for a long time but wanted to switch it up and mostly ride off road or shorter casual stuff with non-cycling pals so fixed didn't make sense but my main bike the Langster is fixed and no freewheel installed and it is a ton of fun.
I will say I do use actual brakes but I just love the ride. It trains you to be a better cyclist and has improved my pedaling a little bit. Coasting is cool but I can do that on any one of my geared bikes.
I will say I do use actual brakes but I just love the ride. It trains you to be a better cyclist and has improved my pedaling a little bit. Coasting is cool but I can do that on any one of my geared bikes.
#63
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,951
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,517 Times
in
1,031 Posts
Part of the reason for the macho and badass association to FG riding is a carry over from the city messengers.
Now there is a culture of city FG riders that never stop and ride at full speed thru all the busy intersections.
NYC is one of the hot spots for this culture and there are many youtube vids with different sets of riders.
Here is an example, watch and you may be surprised.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOYimpAgMlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbHTWve3Eec
Now there is a culture of city FG riders that never stop and ride at full speed thru all the busy intersections.
NYC is one of the hot spots for this culture and there are many youtube vids with different sets of riders.
Here is an example, watch and you may be surprised.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOYimpAgMlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbHTWve3Eec
Likes For I-Like-To-Bike:
Likes For Happy Feet:
#65
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Hotel CA / DFW
Posts: 1,722
Bikes: 83 Colnago Super, 87 50th Daccordi, 79 & 87 Guerciotti's, 90s DB/GT Mtn Bikes, 90s Colnago Master and Titanio, 96 Serotta Colorado TG, 95/05 Colnago C40/C50, 06 DbyLS TI, 08 Lemond Filmore FG SS, 12 Cervelo R3, 20/15 Surly Stragler & Steamroller
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 597 Post(s)
Liked 768 Times
in
491 Posts
What the YouTube video and similar videos bring to mind is an association between dumasses and reckless urban riding. That some YouTube dumasses ride fixed gear bikes is irrelevant to their dumassery, and is neither a plus nor negative feature of fixed gear bikes.
Its an extenision of the reckless riding that the message curriers used to get around city traffic and deliver packages as fast as possible. Those riders while reckless and as you label "dumasses" are actually crazy skilled in FG riding.
#66
Newbie
I like multispeed bikes wherever I am and no matter what the terrain is because having more gears is better for my body. If I want to go slow and use my granny gears with no hills I can.
Likes For marchman321:
#67
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Thornhill, Canada
Posts: 747
Bikes: United Motocross BMX, Specialized Langster, Giant OCR, Marin Muirwoods, Globe Roll2, VROD:)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 236 Post(s)
Liked 400 Times
in
242 Posts
There are a lot of comments that fixed gear will make you a better cyclists. I wish I had the guts to ride Fixed but at 60 I think it's too late for this old fart.
The last Fixed I rode was my Big Wheel and that was over half a century ago. Although I have a few geared bikes my SS Langster is my favourite for solo rides.
Re Fixed making "you" a better rider.....I wonder how many Pros ride them for this reason.
The last Fixed I rode was my Big Wheel and that was over half a century ago. Although I have a few geared bikes my SS Langster is my favourite for solo rides.
Re Fixed making "you" a better rider.....I wonder how many Pros ride them for this reason.
Likes For Flip Flop Rider:
#69
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,510 Posts
That bike simply doesn't fit. Seat's higher that that critter is long. You wouldn't do any better on a 90" frame. Get that guy fit and get him a bike that works. (I'm predicting a small bike with very short cranks but a long top tube.)
Likes For 79pmooney:
#70
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 5,339
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2429 Post(s)
Liked 2,889 Times
in
1,646 Posts
As late as the 1980s (and possibly later for some), many, if not most, European pros rode fixed-gear bikes (usually with fenders and a fairly low gear) for much of their early season training. As I understand it, the idea was to develop strength on (moderate) climbs and smoothness on level roads and descents. Power-meter-based training has doubtless put an end to that approach.
#71
Cheerfully low end
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,965
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 642 Post(s)
Liked 1,040 Times
in
663 Posts
Otto
#72
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,951
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,517 Times
in
1,031 Posts
Im only pointing out a reason for the macho and bad@@s association to FG.
Its an extenision of the reckless riding that the message curriers used to get around city traffic and deliver packages as fast as possible. Those riders while reckless and as you label "dumasses" are actually crazy skilled in FG riding.
Its an extenision of the reckless riding that the message curriers used to get around city traffic and deliver packages as fast as possible. Those riders while reckless and as you label "dumasses" are actually crazy skilled in FG riding.
Last edited by I-Like-To-Bike; 10-17-20 at 08:20 PM.
Likes For I-Like-To-Bike:
#73
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Posts: 8,721
Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4227 Post(s)
Liked 2,488 Times
in
1,286 Posts
I ride my fixed gear for the purpose of commuting and recreational riding. I've never done any reckless stunts and posted them on social media. People who equate fixed gear riding with recklessness, badassery and macho behaviour are narrow minded.
Likes For wolfchild:
#74
Senior Member
I have a single speed in amongst my herd of bikes. It has a flip-flop hub, but I've never tried riding the fixed side. Why? When I leave my house for a ride I have hills to deal with in any direction that I don't think I could handle on a fixed gear. Just coasting down these hills not even in a tuck would mean hitting 40+mph. I'm sure I couldn't spin that fast on a fixie so I'd have to brake to get down the hill, which seems so illogical
#75
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Posts: 8,721
Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4227 Post(s)
Liked 2,488 Times
in
1,286 Posts
Braking while going downhill isn't illogical, it's common sense...To give you an example: I just finished and very early morning training ride on my singlespeed. There was one road which has a long downhill where I pumped my brakes to avoid going too fast. The reason why I did that was because it was dark and the area is frequented by a lot of deer and other wildlife, I have no desire to hit a deer or some other critter while going 30-40 MPH.
Likes For wolfchild: