Reason to get a fixie?

[vvill]

If you already have a geared CX bike that’s reasonably light I would definitely consider getting a FG! Road tires on a CX make it a pretty worthy road bike. Although it took me quite some time to get completely comfortable on a FG, I love the ride – most days I would prefer to ride my FG over my geared road bike. You do feel (as many have reported) more connected to the bike because you’re never coasting. I also feel like I’m smoother and conserve more momentum in general on a FG, which can help you a bit when mashing up a climb, or cruising through a long endurance ride, even compared to a single speed. I have to admit I’m not convinced on the “improving pedal stroke” thing – I feel like FG actually makes it’s easier to spin since the momentum of the wheel/cranks helps to keep everything turning. When I go back to a geared bike after some FG riding my stroke sometimes feels like it has a dead spot in it. I think this is also why it’s easier for me to hit higher rpms on a FG than a freewheeling bike.

The maintenance/simplicity of a FG is a big factor for me, and there are also claims of efficiency benefits from the lack of derailleur/jockey wheels and the chainline. I do enjoy the idea that I’m experiencing a most efficient form of transportation (even if it’s not true – I suppose an aero recumbent fixed gear would be more efficient, but perhaps not since you can’t get out of the saddle). FG has also helped my low speed handling because I try to avoid clipping out, and that is a skill that’s definitely transferable to other riding. If you ride in urban environments FG will probably make you a little bit more watchful of threats too (traffic, potholes, bridge joints, etc.), although for an experienced commuter that’s probably something you’ve already developed.

@dcv 111677 wrote:

We should definitely do this fixed, say Sat 3/28? (sorry out of town this weekend)

• OneEighth
• Subby
• VVill
• jrenaut
• phatboing
• twowheelsdc
• culimerc
• dirt
• dkel
• dismal
• dread
• matt aune
• mwhatley
• jabberwocky
• Bilsko

These guys too, not sure if they’re on forum:

• P. Tyson
• B. Mattern
• Randall S.

Maybe try the Tues night FB route fixed first? It’s got less steep hills and more rollers with momentum.
The only other person I can think of is RESTONTODC though he’s not around on the forum much. I talked to him a few times at last year’s Tues night FB rides. He’s sold his SE Lager and got a nicer FG for his commutes.

[DismalScientist]

If you have a geared bike with horizontal dropouts (or buy a cheap one off CL), you may want to consider just getting a rear wheel with a fixed cog if you want the fixie experience cheap. Replace the rear wheel of the gear bike with the wheel with the fixed cog. Put a chain on the fixed cog and smaller chainring (I’m assuming a double). Do not thread the chain through the rear derailleur, but adjust the chain tension by moving the axle front to back in the horizontal dropout. If the conversion is “permanent” remove the derailleurs and shifting cables. I put mine together for less than $200.

[Phatboing]

@vvill 111705 wrote:

I have to admit I’m not convinced on the “improving pedal stroke” thing – I feel like FG actually makes it’s easier to spin since the momentum of the wheel/cranks helps to keep everything turning.

It improves your pedal stroke if your approach to pedaling is stompy mashy hammer time. At least it did for me – it made me conscious of how my legs just sit around being dead weight on the upstroke. When I switched to the geared bike after a few days of fixed, I was able to use higher gears just because I remembered to lift on the upstroke, which meant that the mashing leg had less weight to overcome.

[dkel]

@Phatboing 111711 wrote:

It improves your pedal stroke if your approach to pedaling is stompy mashy hammer time. At least it did for me – it made me conscious of how my legs just sit around being dead weight on the upstroke. When I switched to the geared bike after a few days of fixed, I was able to use higher gears just because I remembered to lift on the upstroke, which meant that the mashing leg had less weight to overcome.

This is much better if you’re clipped in, because you can actually apply power to the other parts of the stroke. Just sayin’.

[sethpo]

Ya’ll killing me. Now I really want an FG despite the high potential of it killing me and/or barely finding opportunities to ride it.

I really need to just borrow or rent one for a few weeks. I’m sure that can be arranged somehow. Maybe I can buy one from Nordstroms and return it if it doesn’t…fit.

[Subby]

Fixed gear is only okay if you like riding really short distances on flat surfaces.

[vvill]

@Phatboing 111711 wrote:

It improves your pedal stroke if your approach to pedaling is stompy mashy hammer time. At least it did for me – it made me conscious of how my legs just sit around being dead weight on the upstroke. When I switched to the geared bike after a few days of fixed, I was able to use higher gears just because I remembered to lift on the upstroke, which meant that the mashing leg had less weight to overcome.

dkel hinted at this already, but I’m not exactly sure how it feels riding FG without pedal retention, so our experiences may not be the same. But FG to me means you don’t even need to worry about much other than the “power” part of your stroke because your pedal is going to come straight back around and up unless something physically prevents it from doing so (e.g. skip stop, pump in your spokes, pedal strike on a corner). I really feel like my bike is moving by itself and I’m just giving it a little extra push every time the pedal comes around. Also, I thought the whole lifting on the upstroke thing was a myth in that it doesn’t actually lead to any pedaling/performance benefits. I do it occasionally on an effort when my other muscles are tired but for 99% of my regular riding I’m not pulling up. I do tend to do a bit more “ankling” on a FG than geared bike though but only when I’m riding a section where I’m overgeared (e.g. a hill).

I would assume riding up hills on a road bike in a low gear would be better than FG if you just want to avoid stompy mashy hammer time.

[hozn]

@vvill 111722 wrote:

Also, I thought the whole lifting on the upstroke thing was a myth in that it doesn’t actually lead to any pedaling/performance benefits. I do it occasionally on an effort when my other muscles are tired but for 99% of my regular riding I’m not pulling up. I do tend to do a bit more “ankling” on a FG than geared bike though but only when I’m riding a section where I’m overgeared (e.g. a hill).

Yeah, according to Andy Pruitt, athletes (the pros, anyway), don’t actually generate any meaningful power on upstroke. (Ostensibly debunking idea of clipless pedals enabling more efficient pedaling.) I definitely pull up on pedals when maxing out on an uphill climb on the (SS) mountain bike, but that’s about it. I suppose sometimes this happens on the road bike if I just forgot to be in the right ring for a climb

One other cautionary tail about this: a friend was racing me up a short hill once in a really tall gear; he pulled his foot off the pedal on upstroke and stepped through his front wheel, going over the bike hard and destroying the wheel. Be careful about pulling up when worn cleats — probably especially spd-style cleats (I’ve also pulled my foot out eggbeaters on a climb).

[Phatboing]

@vvill 111722 wrote:

Also, I thought the whole lifting on the upstroke thing was a myth in that it doesn’t actually lead to any pedaling/performance benefits.

The myth is that you get extra power by pulling up, but if I remember correctly, any observed benefit is because your pulling-upping-non-power leg isn’t dead weight on the pedal, so your power leg doesn’t have to fight against that weight.

Anyway. Ride bikes, enjoy, don’t die, etc.

[Phatboing]

@hozn 111726 wrote:

One other cautionary tail about this: a friend was racing me up a short hill once in a really tall gear; he pulled his foot off the pedal on upstroke and stepped through his front wheel, going over the bike hard and destroying the wheel. Be careful about pulling up when worn cleats — probably especially spd-style cleats (I’ve also pulled my foot out eggbeaters on a climb).

DISLIKE! A thousand times dislike!

[dkel]

@hozn 111726 wrote:

Yeah, according to Andy Pruitt, athletes (the pros, anyway), don’t actually generate any meaningful power on upstroke. (Ostensibly debunking idea of clipless pedals enabling more efficient pedaling.) I definitely pull up on pedals when maxing out on an uphill climb on the (SS) mountain bike, but that’s about it. I suppose sometimes this happens on the road bike if I just forgot to be in the right ring for a climb

One other cautionary tail about this: a friend was racing me up a short hill once in a really tall gear; he pulled his foot off the pedal on upstroke and stepped through his front wheel, going over the bike hard and destroying the wheel. Be careful about pulling up when worn cleats — probably especially spd-style cleats (I’ve also pulled my foot out eggbeaters on a climb).

Yeah, I’ve come unclipped by pulling up exactly once! I feel like I’m doing more of a horizontal motion than pulling up: kind of like scraping something off the bottom of your shoe.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@vvill 111722 wrote:

dkel hinted at this already, but I’m not exactly sure how it feels riding FG without pedal retention, so our experiences may not be the same. But FG to me means you don’t even need to worry about much other than the “power” part of your stroke because your pedal is going to come straight back around and up unless something physically prevents it from doing so (e.g. skip stop, pump in your spokes, pedal strike on a corner). I really feel like my bike is moving by itself and I’m just giving it a little extra push every time the pedal comes around. Also, I thought the whole lifting on the upstroke thing was a myth in that it doesn’t actually lead to any pedaling/performance benefits. I do it occasionally on an effort when my other muscles are tired but for 99% of my regular riding I’m not pulling up. I do tend to do a bit more “ankling” on a FG than geared bike though but only when I’m riding a section where I’m overgeared (e.g. a hill).

I would assume riding up hills on a road bike in a low gear would be better than FG if you just want to avoid stompy mashy hammer time.

But you tend to stay in the saddle, right? I tend to stand while climbing, so I really pull on the pedals on steep hills…like, to the point that I have make sure my shoes and pedals are pretty tight so I don’t pull out of them. I’m not sure if/how that actually translates into extra power though. But it’s definitely an active motion and not just going with the momentum of the drivetrain. If I’m sitting, however, it’s definitely more like you describe.

[Jason B]

@hozn 111670 wrote:

Except for the whole pedal strike thing …. There’s a reason to keep the inside pedal up on [significant] turns!

True, last night’s Wednesday Nights Sprint in the Crystal City garage was complete carnage. A ton of crashes, including my own. Slid out, with the below as a result (geared). Honestly, it was more a result of not maintaining my ‘B’ bike. I have to say, N+5 only holds true if you maintain the stable, otherwise it is N+ a-pile-of-bike-parts. However, I would have to say, I pedaled through most of those tight turns. Riding fixed has me more conscience of my speed, although reduced, but less effort lost or exerted.
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[OneEighth]

@dcv 111677 wrote:

We should definitely do this fixed, say Sat 3/28? (sorry out of town this weekend)

I’m your huckleberry.

[vvill]

@hozn 111726 wrote:

Yeah, according to Andy Pruitt, athletes (the pros, anyway), don’t actually generate any meaningful power on upstroke. (Ostensibly debunking idea of clipless pedals enabling more efficient pedaling.) I definitely pull up on pedals when maxing out on an uphill climb on the (SS) mountain bike, but that’s about it. I suppose sometimes this happens on the road bike if I just forgot to be in the right ring for a climb

Yeah usually it’s if I don’t want to shift because I’m close to the crest of the climb and just want to get over it.

@Phatboing 111727 wrote:

The myth is that you get extra power by pulling up, but if I remember correctly, any observed benefit is because your pulling-upping-non-power leg isn’t dead weight on the pedal, so your power leg doesn’t have to fight against that weight.

Yeah I suppose I can see how FG might give extra encouragement for your non-power leg to get around that part of the stroke faster/smoother/lighter. But yes, ride bikes!

@TwoWheelsDC 111747 wrote:

But you tend to stay in the saddle, right? I tend to stand while climbing, so I really pull on the pedals on steep hills…like, to the point that I have make sure my shoes and pedals are pretty tight so I don’t pull out of them. I’m not sure if/how that actually translates into extra power though. But it’s definitely an active motion and not just going with the momentum of the drivetrain. If I’m sitting, however, it’s definitely more like you describe.

It varies but yeah with the shorter hills around here I do tend to stay more in the saddle (FG/SS) unless I want some extra power/acceleration. I actually really like climbing out of the saddle but I feel like it’s a better cycling workout to stay seated as long as I can – I figure the more I do it the more I will be able to stay seated longer. And I’m the opposite with tight pedals on the FG – I actually use “light action” SPD-SL pedals on it because I want to be able to clip in easily while moving.

[Author]

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