Fixed Gear Bike, Your Thoughts

jon208

Ahhh, Bianchi Pista - I want one of those just to hang on the wall. Best looking bike in the world. Fact.

GyatsoLa

Don't know what it does about cadence, but it sure does build up your upper legs.
They are very hard work, but at the same time, its oddly satisfying work. I have an On One Il Pompino and I absolutely love riding it for reasons I can't put into words. Its just plain fun.

Infamous

djbarren wrote:

What is everyones general thoughts on a fixie? Thinking of getting one.

Riding fixed is generally considered to encourage a more effective pedaling style, which translates into greater efficiency and power when used on a bicycle fitted with a freewheel, how true is this statement?

Here is the one I am considering at the moment.

I either ride fixed or SS, got no gears. tbh, it's effects are exagerated. The claims that it smooths your pedal stroke is rubbish, when I went from fixed back to freewheel my pedal stroke was very choppy.

TTers will often train on gears and race fixed, so the statement...
"Riding fixed is generally considered to encourage a more effective pedaling style, which translates into greater efficiency and power when used on a bicycle fitted with a freewheel"
...is the wrong way round.

You get used to riding fixed in the first couple of rides....the hardest part is getting the right gearing, you have to be careful what hill you decide to ascend but even worse is undergearing on the flat which will make you struggle to keep a high speed in a tailwind. It will make you stand a lot more, which is a good thing imo, makes you stronger at standing (and sprinting probably). Go out on your road bike and leave it in the same gear for an entire ride to see what gear you will need.

The Bianchi Pista is fine, but you are paying for the looks. There are lots of bikes at that price and they are all pretty much the same quality, just get one that fits/looks the best.

scapaslow

I've got a geared bike, a fixed wheel and a singlespeed. I agree with the above poster that riding fixed has dubious fitness benefits over riding any other type of bike. They are just different.

Recently, i've gone off the fixie because i hate going downhill on it and often feel as if i'm going to lose control and have to apply the brakes. I use the single speed much more now and enjoy the downhills.

The gearing is hard to get right especially if you live in a hilly area like me although i've been amazed at some of the steep hills i've managed to get up on the fixed - albeit at a grindingly slow cadence and just forcing the pedals round.

So i'd say it's an enjoyable challenge but a singlespeed might suit better. Get one with a flip/flop hub where one side is fixed and the other has a freewheel - then you've got the best of both worlds.

LardLover

Mmmmm, Bianchi Pista........................................takes me back to our hols last year, San Francisco, where it seemed everyother cycle courier had one :shock:

Must admit they do look the bollox, although I'd go for one with some Campag Pista wheels on.

Now your talking..........

ride_whenever

I like my ss pompino, and keep thinking about getting round to fixing it.

I agree that the conventional wisdom about it smoothing out your stroke is not overly true, if you want it for that then you're better of getting powercranks (i think) which are cranks that are not linked together so pushing the non-drive side down doesn't raise the driveside crank but still provides power. Results in a very smooth action

Frank the tank

I'm having a fixed with a flip flop hub (through the c2w scheme) I still don't know if I'm doing the right thing either as it fills me with a fair amount of trepidation riding fixed as I've never done it, never mind on the road.

Infamous

It's easy once you get the bike moving (I think I pedaled backwards the first time) and remember not to coast.

nielsamd

+1
Also you have to pedal through unavoidable potholes and speedbumps etc. rather than bunnyhopping and/or using your knees as suspension as well as cornering at speed.
Flip flops are good... you can then always choose ss if the route/road conditions really aren't really suitable for your mood.

Simon Notley

I built a fixed gear last year and rode it a bit on the road, but now I mostly use it to train on the track. Something to bear in mind is that to be road legal (and to be safe, IMO) you will need a front brake, which the bianchi doesn't have. Stopping just using the pedals is ok at low speeds, but not much use for hills or emergencies.

If you want a fixed, go ahead and get one, they're fun and a bit different and can be good to train on as they help you focus on your riding without the temptations of coasting or changing gear, but don't expect miracles.

cougie

I love my fixed - it has a flip flop on it, but I've never bothered swapping it over.
I think it is better for training than a geared bike as it makes you ride harder - theres no place that you can freewheel - so for the same route - the fixed bike gives you a better workout.

You can get up very steep hills on it in a much higher gear than you'd normally expect. OK - coming down - I do drag the brakes - but its worth it.

I'd go with a bike with both brakes, and I also go full guards too - a fixie is the perfect winter bike.

Enjoy.

Blonde

I think riding fixed may have helped with overall cardiovascular fitness as there is no changing down on hills to take it easy, so you just have to go as fast as you can up hills, in order to keep the cadence feeling comfortable for your legs. My lungs struggled to keep up with my legs at first, but it doesn't take long to see some improvement, particularly if you ride every day. I ride a fixed Pompino on my 26 mile round trip to/from work most days. I've also used it for weekend rides up to 210km. It appears though that track cycling has done more than fixed road cycling to improve my speed and power up hills, but that's perhaps because you can never ride as fast on busy roads as you can on the track.

Riding in one gear (single speed) is not like riding fixed. You can manage a slightly larger gear more easily on fixed than you can on single speed, because the rear wheel and chain force the pedal round once the bike is in motion, so getting up hills is easier. You'll see what I mean as soon as you try it. Simply use your legs (hamstrings) to force against the pedals slightly and stop them going too fast on down hills - the same goes for stopping (and if you are road legal you will also have at least one brake to help with this). The only tip I would give is to make sure you are well clipped in using clipless pedals or, if you must, cages/ clips and straps. Trying to ride fixed on flats is defintely harder.

DomPro

I've never understood the fascination with fixed gear bikes. I must try one and find out!

cougie

I think you do need to try it out. Its so unlike other bikes - you can only get it after riding one.

Infamous

cougie wrote:

....Its so unlike other bikes....

It's very similar to other bikes imo.

+1 to having a brake, in fact if you intend to have a mid to high gear on it you should have 2 brakes.

cougie

Oh nooo its noooooot ! ;-)

Frank the tank

If I manage to "master" the art of riding fixed would you say about an hour on the road would give a reasonable workout.

My mid-week rides are usually about 2-3 hours.

I suppose it's all down to the gear is it?

biondino

It's petrifying the first time (especially if you do it crossing London in the rush hour) but pretty satisfying once you get (semi-)used to it. The fact remains though that the single biggest reason people ride fixed is because it's trendy. There simply isn't enough that's different/better to a geared bike (though it can be argued they look nicer - personally I think a rear derailleur is a thing of beauty) to more than compensate for the negatives.

billy whippet

I made a complete conversion last year, and now only ride single speed. I live in a really really hilly area and train alot on narrow lanes which often seem to have landrovers flying round the corner the other way so don't ride fixed as a) made flying downhill slow and also needing to react and stop suddenly on tiny lanes difficult. I'm definitely much fitter, but also do far less bike maintenance and replace far fewer components. I really like the simplicity and frankly find gears a bit unnecessary now. I have a 74 inch geared single speed for when i'm feeling strong, a 69 inch gear kitted out with mudguards for winter and recovery days and a 60 inch for my very hilly and semi off road commute.

Infamous

Frank the tank wrote:

If I manage to "master" the art of riding fixed would you say about an hour on the road would give a reasonable workout.

My mid-week rides are usually about 2-3 hours.

I suppose it's all down to the gear is it?

An hour fixed will give the same workout as an hour geared. Just cos you can't coast, doesn't mean you can't take it easy.

It is all about gear size really. I've got options of a 80" SS for climbing, a 90" fixed and 97" fixed for flatter rides. If I want to go into the mountains I pick the SS, if I want to ride flat out on the flat I use the big gear.

billy whippet

golly, I must be doing something wrong (seeing infamous gear ratios) - i've been riding competitively for 20 years, and am generally among the fastest and fittest of the group I ride with and i've never ridden more than a 74 inch gear... not quite sure where I would, or could, ever use a 97 inch gear, let alone an 80 inch for climbing...,

Infamous

Only just put the 97" on this morning (48x13) and found it quite nice, actually broke my 4km PB, but most of that was the wind I think. Speed wise I find the smaller gears hold me back more, especially in TT position.

If I put small gears on, i'd be much slower, I really struggle to hold high RPMs.

billy whippet

It's incredibly hilly round here... so 74 seems a good 'all round' gear - I never have long flat rides with the wind behind me.. even when I do ride geared I hardly use the 12/13/14... I quite like spinning anyway, and generally ride at about 120 rpm...

cougie

biondino wrote:

It's petrifying the first time (especially if you do it crossing London in the rush hour) but pretty satisfying once you get (semi-)used to it. The fact remains though that the single biggest reason people ride fixed is because it's trendy..

Thats not the case for me - I've had a winter fixed for 8 years or so now and love riding it - the feeling of being connected directly to the wheels is great - and its a great winter bike.

The other option of having a bike thats pretty similar to my best bike didnt really make sense. I'd just begrudge being on it. The Fixie is different.

I do think its a harder workout fixed than geared though - not by a large factor - but it is there. If you do a clubrun - you'll be surprised at how often you freewheel.

incog24

Fixies on club runs are incredibly frustrating when they're mixed in with geared bikes. You might enjoy going down hills at 25mph but I certainly don't...

cougie

You wanna see some of the guys in my club on fixed - their pedalling style is so fluent that you dont notice they are fixed.
Not a problem for them on descents either - mind you they would probably drop most on the climb before the descent anyway !

Infamous

incog24 wrote:

Fixies on club runs are incredibly frustrating when they're mixed in with geared bikes. You might enjoy going down hills at 25mph but I certainly don't...

why not?

Frank the tank

Infamous wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

If I manage to "master" the art of riding fixed would you say about an hour on the road would give a reasonable workout.

My mid-week rides are usually about 2-3 hours.

I suppose it's all down to the gear is it?

An hour fixed will give the same workout as an hour geared. Just cos you can't coast, doesn't mean you can't take it easy.

It is all about gear size really. I've got options of a 80" SS for climbing, a 90" fixed and 97" fixed for flatter rides. If I want to go into the mountains I pick the SS, if I want to ride flat out on the flat I use the big gear.

Surely the "more effort" bit must come into play when the road starts inclining and switching to a lower gear isn't an option :?:

Infamous

I suppose you're right yeah, you do have to stand more. But the biggest factor is how hard you push yourself. You can still ride as slowly as you want to when fixed.