Equivalent miles

EssieP

I ride a fixed (42x17) for many of my Sunday rides of about 40-60 miles. I'd swear that my legs are more tired compared to the 16 speed racer I use on other days. It feels like the ride was about 15 miles further. It's not exactly a scientific comparison I know. That set me thinking...

What would you say is the equivalent distance of a 40 mile fixed ride if you rode the same on a geared bike?
1:1 would be the same, but not in my experience,
1:1.5 if it's hilly?

What do you think?

stickman

Don't know, but with fixed, energy is constantly recycled into turning the pedals - assistance.

Peejay56

I agree - after riding a fixed it feels as if you have done more than riding your geared bike.
I think this is down to:-
1. Having to pedal all the time, no freewheel time - on a 20 mile ride for example, you pedal the lot!
2. Climbing hills - you have just got to grind it out - or get off.
3. Your thighs also get used to slow down and stop the bike - this makes the muscle work in the "wrong direction" (sorry for my lack of medical terms) to what it normally does when riding a freewheel bike - for me that's what causes the most hurt after riding a fixed when you are not familiar with one. With enough riding - the thigh pain goes.

Don't know what the "equivalent ratio" is, but I can remember reading somewhere on a "fixed vs gears" debate that on a typical ride on a geared bike you can expect to freewheel for around 20% of your pedalling time.

Pete.

rolf_f

Peejay56 wrote:

Don't know what the "equivalent ratio" is, but I can remember reading somewhere on a "fixed vs gears" debate that on a typical ride on a geared bike you can expect to freewheel for around 20% of your pedalling time.

Depends if you do freewheel a lot. If you have a cadence meter it is easy enough to check.

You also need to factor in the greater mechanical efficiency of an fixed gear bike. Not sure what that is but I recall reading that it is a fair bit.

mz__jo

I think it depends more on the frame and position than on whether or not it is fixed. I go better on my ss/fixed Gitane which is a 20+ yr old race frame in Cromor (ie reasonable entry level) than I do on my 16sp Decathlon Rseries which is Colubus Nemo, much lighter, newer, top quality etc but which doesn't give the same sensations at all (in spite of going to a lot of trouble to replicate the Gitane's position, cursed modern geometry).
FWIW fixed is a lot more efficient than gears; you can feel it. The only derailleur that I feel comes close (very close to ss) is a 1930's Super Champion (but in most other ways you can't compare it with a modern gear change).