Fixed gear commuting

andrewc3142

Didn't see this as a realistic option for my commute of almost 50k into London.

But last week gave it a try as a Friday kind of thing and it worked really well. Rode in, trained it back.

A bit slower than the road bike, but not by much, more relaxed and a better work-out.

iPete

Its good fun, thats a long commute one way! I happily fix it 20 miles each way.

pastryboy

Is there any other kind of commuting?

andrewc3142

Longish one way, but I doubt I'll do the ride home again until spring. Too much dark and cold - mornings are different. In any case it's good to see the kids before they sleep.

Aside from anything else, a fixed for commuting neatly eliminates a lot of the questions on here. Not least those looking for a quality bike for around the £500 mark.

rhodrich

Having overtaken a fixed gear guy who was grinding up Broomfield Hill in Richmond Park yesterday evening, I realise that it wouldn't work for me. He was having to zig zag all over the road to get up it!

iPete

Depends how good a rider you are and what gearing you opt for. Broomfield is a tough but quick mash up, think my PR is fixed or its very close.

andrewc3142

Short sharp climbs on fixed are easier than you might think, mainly because of not having the weight of the gears, shifters, etc. Broomfield is fine unless you have a silly gear.

Quite a few people still use fixed for hill climb TTs.

Coming down can be more of a challenge.

dhope

andrewc3142 wrote:

Short sharp climbs on fixed are easier than you might think, mainly because of not having the weight of the gears, shifters, etc. Broomfield is fine unless you have a silly gear.

Quite a few people still use fixed for hill climb TTs.

Coming down can be more of a challenge.

Also not having the option of gearing down forces one to man up to compensate.

Unless the hill is too long and too steep, in which case I fail (/pull over to the side to check for a potential puncture that could explain things).

littleprawn

Saw a guy on a fixie today...

What do you do if you have a fixie/ single speed and you the p ** fairy visits you? Is its easier to change the tyre and inner tube on these bikes/ for the rear wheel...do you need to break the chain?

dhope

littleprawn wrote:

Saw a guy on a fixie today...

What do you do if you have a fixie/ single speed and you the p ** fairy visits you? Is its easier to change the tyre and inner tube on these bikes/ for the rear wheel...do you need to break the chain?

Same as if you're not fixed. Loosen off the bolt, flick the chain off and take the wheel out.
Really is no different, assuming you have a spanner handy.

littleprawn

Thanks for that!

Now I know! 8)