# Are Fixed Wheel Bikes Faster



## Oldie But Goodie (6 Jan 2011)

Look, it may be my total imagination and even a stupid question but could someone tell me if fixed gear bikes are faster than single speed?
The reason am asking because when riding my fixed speed bike it just feels part of me and faster than anything else Ive ever ridden, its difficult to explain but its just as though I have 2 wheels attached to my body, a sort of a spiritual experience whilst riding.
So, are fixies supposed to move faster and have I just had the spiritual experience of riding bikes?
Or am I just being bloody daft here?


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## raindog (7 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> The reason am asking because when riding my fixed speed bike it just feels part of me and faster than anything else Ive ever ridden, its difficult to explain but its just as though I have 2 wheels attached to my body, a sort of a spiritual experience whilst riding.


Got to agree with that. I was talking to someone about this the other day, and I was saying that when riding fixed, the bike really does feel like an extension of the body, even more so than with a good multi geared racing bike. You can't tell where your legs, arse and hands end and the bike begins, and sometimes it almost feels as if the bike is riding you, and not you riding the bike. But faster? On what length of journey and on what type of terrain? You'd be pushed to even get round some of my rides round here on a fixed.

I rode fixed for years when I was young, and will soon be riding one again if everything goes to plan, so I'll be having a look in here more often. I think this is the first time I've posted in the fixie section.


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## GrumpyGregry (7 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> Or am I just being bloody daft here?



Mainly it's a zen thing.

I push myself harder on my fixed, and on my new hub geared two speed, than I do on my 27 speed weekend bike. Partly a case of having to. It is fascinating to go on a social type of club ride on fixed with other people on geared bikes. Most hills, except the really steep ones, you have to blast past them to keep your cadence up but on the steep stuff, well, they get their own back.


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## colinr (7 Jan 2011)

Fixed doesn't let me get lazy and change gears, so on a normal ride I ride at least as fast as, if not faster than my geared bike.

But if I'm not being lazy and sitting in the big ring where I should be, ratios win out.


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## Norry1 (7 Jan 2011)

I hope to find out later. I enjoyed riding singlespeed and so I got it coverted to fixed. I picked it up yesterday and weather permitting, will do an hour on it later today.

Martin


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## tyred (7 Jan 2011)

It's uncanny just how high your average speed can be on a fixed gear bike. You won't have the high speed descents you would have with a geared bike (at least I don't, I always bottle it and feather the brakes) but my average speed over an undulating thirty mile loop on my fixed (69" gear) is more or less the same as my geared road bike. Logically, it shouldn't be the case but it seems to be for me.


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## monkeypony (7 Jan 2011)

On a flat sprint possibly, although they'll be slower to accelerate than a geared bike. For the rest of the time no, they're slower


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## GrumpyGregry (7 Jan 2011)

monkeypony said:


> On a flat sprint possibly, although they'll be slower to accelerate than a geared bike. For the rest of the time no, they're slower



tell that to Beryl Burton (or Eileen Sheridan)







EDIT: Apologies that is in fact Eileen Sheridan in 1950 on her Mercian


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## raindog (7 Jan 2011)

Can't remember ever seeing that actual photo of Beryl before - what year is it? Obviously early in her career.

Off topic a bit, but do any of you guys know whether anyone still rides fixed at the top level of UK time-trialling?


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## GrasB (7 Jan 2011)

2 things limit your speed on a fixed bike, imbalances when pedaling/pedal strike & maximum cadence. So until you get into a hard corner or a long descent over your maximum cadence you'll be ever so slightly quicker on fixed compared to an SS.




monkeypony said:


> On a flat sprint possibly, although they'll be slower to accelerate than a geared bike. For the rest of the time no, they're slower


Actually up a slight incline & find a fixed bike is faster than anything with a freewheel for the same HR. Also the OP compared a fixed to a single speed not geared.


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## montage (7 Jan 2011)

A lot of the top hill climbers use fixed


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## palinurus (7 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> ...just as though I have 2 wheels attached to my body, a sort of a spiritual experience whilst riding.



You got there quick. It took me a few months before I started to get that feeling.


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## totallyfixed (7 Jan 2011)

raindog said:


> Can't remember ever seeing that actual photo of Beryl before - what year is it? Obviously early in her career.
> 
> Off topic a bit, but do any of you guys know whether anyone still rides fixed at the top level of UK time-trialling?



Plenty of fixed TT'ers in the UK, would do so myself but already have an expensive geared tt bike. FWIW on a flatish course a fixed tt bike is quicker than geared. Not rocket science and am surprised the question needs to be asked about SS v Fixed, it's called momentum. On a fast club run I have an easier ride on flat sections and slight uphill gradients, but suffer a bit on long descents followed immediately by a climb [ok, I suffer a lot]. Brilliant training though.


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## dan_bo (7 Jan 2011)

GregCollins said:


> tell that to Beryl Burton


And what's that scottish chap called? it's on the tip of my tongue.....


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## GrumpyGregry (7 Jan 2011)

raindog said:


> Can't remember ever seeing that actual photo of Beryl before - what year is it? Obviously early in her career.
> 
> Off topic a bit, but do any of you guys know whether anyone still rides fixed at the top level of UK time-trialling?



See my edit above.

This is the photo I was after






La Grande Dame Beryl Burton on fixed mercian c 1959

Am I right in thinking one of the TT records for women she set (on fixed) still stands?


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## fossyant (7 Jan 2011)

The OP said Fixed Vs SS.

Fixed is much more fluid and TBH I can't ever see any reason going SS over Fixed. I jumped into Fixed almost 2 years ago, and prefer it for commuting - blooming good training, but to ride SS..nope. SS Is like being stuck in one gear on a geared bike = no advantage, no extra training !

Fixed teaches you to pedal much more efficiently over a range of RPM, and more importantly, teaches you to use higher RPM on the geared bikes. My averages on geared bikes are over 10 rpm higher than before these days.

Fixed Vs gears, not the same playing field.


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## Oldie But Goodie (7 Jan 2011)

Norry1 said:


> I hope to find out later. I enjoyed riding singlespeed and so I got it coverted to fixed. I picked it up yesterday and weather permitting, will do an hour on it later today.
> 
> Martin


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## Oldie But Goodie (7 Jan 2011)

Well Martin please dont do what I bloody did today and ended up flat on my ass!
I forgot I was riding fixed and tried to hop over a pavement and came off and hit the curb
I have to say though thats the only problem I have had and was lucky today with no damage to the bike, me or my riding gear


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## Oldie But Goodie (7 Jan 2011)

palinurus said:


> You got there quick. It took me a few months before I started to get that feeling.


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## Oldie But Goodie (7 Jan 2011)

Thanks Palinurus thought I was going mad!


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## Oldie But Goodie (8 Jan 2011)

raindog said:


> Got to agree with that. I was talking to someone about this the other day, and I was saying that when riding fixed, the bike really does feel like an extension of the body, even more so than with a good multi geared racing bike. You can't tell where your legs, arse and hands end and the bike begins, and sometimes it almost feels as if the bike is riding you, and not you riding the bike. But faster? On what length of journey and on what type of terrain? You'd be pushed to even get round some of my rides round here on a fixed.
> 
> I rode fixed for years when I was young, and will soon be riding one again if everything goes to plan, so I'll be having a look in here more often. I think this is the first time I've posted in the fixie section.


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## Oldie But Goodie (8 Jan 2011)

Thanks Raindog thought I was being a bit over dramatic with my comments but good to hear that others have this experience as well


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## Theseus (8 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> Thanks Raindog thought I was being a bit over dramatic with my comments but good to hear that others have this experience as well



OBG, FYI, when you reply to a post, you are allowed to put your comments in the same post as the quoted text.


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## montage (8 Jan 2011)

After my recent flight over my handlebars I have come to a new conclusion about fixed wheels bikes.
They are for cavemen....evolution occurred for a reason! No freewheel is so 2000 BC.


On a serious note, if you ride fixed, make sure your cleats have enough tension so that your feet don't come out halfway down a hill, as this can result in a fair bit of tarmac munching. I can see why people prefer fixed wheel, and it is good fun, but for somebody with dodgy knees like myself the downhills can just be too silly - my latest crash was the last straw with the fixie craze for me. Speed wise, fixed is ok on the flat and gentle rises, but I found when in a group I couldn't keep up on the longer downhills. I wouldn't hesitate using a fixed wheel TT bike on a pan flat course though, or if I had one light enough, for a hill climb


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## GrumpyGregry (8 Jan 2011)

fossyant said:


> The OP said Fixed Vs SS.
> 
> Fixed is much more fluid and TBH I can't ever see any reason going SS over Fixed.



off road. Fixed MTB's are damn nigh lethal ime. A stupid stupid idea and experience which I never ever want to repeat. SS MTB's, on the otherhand, are a joy forever.

on road? SS give's you simplicity, light weight, low maintenance, along with much of the grin and bear it three speed (sitting standing pushing) nature of fixed riding without having to learn an entirely new way of riding which does not come naturally to many people. My current build is a two speed freewheel kick back hub gear. A single speed that isn't.

and I'll confess to flip flopping my rear wheel on my fixed to freewheel on the return leg of a long ride to get the benefit of a lower gear uphill and not having to pedal down (but I was in Wales)


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## Norry1 (8 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> Well Martin please dont do what I bloody did today and ended up flat on my ass!
> I forgot I was riding fixed and tried to hop over a pavement and came off and hit the curb
> I have to say though thats the only problem I have had and was lucky today with no damage to the bike, me or my riding gear



Well that's my first fixed ride completed. The first 10 minutes felt absolutely weird  and I wondered if I was going to make it round without a major binnning. After a while though it became a bit more natural.

I noticed 3 main things:

1. Stopping was strange - normally I freewheel the last few yards which obviously I couldn't do.

2. When something comes up normally, like a big bump, or a slippery patch etc, normally I must stop pedalling whilst my brain decides what to do. You can't do that on a fixed! 

3. It is harder work because you never stop pedalling.

Overall I enjoyed it, but it'll take a while before it comes naturally.

Unfortunately, I had no Zen experience, perhaps I need cleansing  

Martin


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## GrumpyGregry (8 Jan 2011)

Norry1 said:


> Unfortunately, I had no Zen experience, perhaps I need cleansing
> 
> Martin



Nah it just means you didn't ride far enough. You and the bike are not yet one.


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## Oldie But Goodie (8 Jan 2011)

Norry1 said:


> Well that's my first fixed ride completed. The first 10 minutes felt absolutely weird  and I wondered if I was going to make it round without a major binnning. After a while though it became a bit more natural.
> 
> I noticed 3 main things:
> 
> ...



Sounds like you had a great time Martin, my overhaul fitness has improved so much in the month which Ive had the bike.
Keep peddling and you will enjoy that spiritual experience


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## Oldie But Goodie (8 Jan 2011)

Touche said:


> OBG, FYI, when you reply to a post, you are allowed to put your comments in the same post as the quoted text.



Thanks very much Touche, Im still getting use to the forum.
I was wondering how to just include the line or sentence that I am replying about to an individual?


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## Norry1 (8 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> I was wondering how to just include the line or sentence that I am replying about to an individual?



Just edit the text that appears when you use "Quote"

Martin


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## Norry1 (8 Jan 2011)

Oldie But Goodie said:


> I was wondering how to avoid saying what a good bloke that Norry1 was?



But sometimes people abuse the ability to edit.

Martin


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## Oldie But Goodie (8 Jan 2011)

Norry1 said:


> But sometimes people abuse the ability to edit.
> 
> Martin



Excellent thanks mate


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## dave r (9 Jan 2011)

Norry1 said:


> Well that's my first fixed ride completed. The first 10 minutes felt absolutely weird  and I wondered if I was going to make it round without a major binnning. After a while though it became a bit more natural.
> 
> I noticed 3 main things:
> 
> ...



Sounds like you had fun, keep at it it will soon become natural. I did a 52 mile club ride this morning, like your ride it was enjoyable. On the subject of speed I can't compare with ss, I've not ridden one since I was a small boy, but I find my average speed on the fixed is about 15mph, which is about the same as I manage on gears.


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## Norry1 (10 Jan 2011)

Hardly video of the year, but this is a link to the start of my first ride. I'm sure Wendy half expected me to fall off in the first 20 seconds 


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f67UDPKoiVY


Martin


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## RedBike (10 Jan 2011)

I was always slightly quicker up the hills fixed wheel than single speed. Downhill or on rough roads I was always MUCH quicker single speed. 

On the flat there was never really felt much of a difference between fixed/SS. However, I was strangely always slightly quicker fixed. I think that riding fixed encouraged me to maintain a slightly higher cadence. 


On a group ride with geared riders while riding fixed I would always get dropped on any quick or twisty descent. However, whenever there was a short rise I was always noticably quicker. The geared riders would all momentarily stop pedalling to change down gears and therefore loose speed/ momentum whereas the fixie somehow seemed to maintain it's speed up the first part of the climb much better.


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## totallyfixed (10 Jan 2011)

Norry1 said:


> Hardly video of the year, but this is a link to the start of my first ride. I'm sure Wendy half expected me to fall off in the first 20 seconds
> 
> http://www.youtube.c...h?v=f67UDPKoiVY
> 
> Martin



Congratulations, now all you need is a set of mudguards and cleaning your bike after a wet ride becomes so easy. Riding fixed is like marmite, but I am convinced that those that give up on it don't persevere long enough.


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jan 2011)

Anything that basically uses skidding as a method of slowing down is going to be a nightmare on ice (which is what I have to deal with 4 months of the year). ss is a lot safer. Call me a pussy if you like. 

I also don't quite get the 'it's no extra training' argument. I've ridden ss for training purposes and I've ridden fixed. The only thing that's really different in terms of training is that you have the option of being lazy and freewheeling on an ss. But that's an option. The cadences you get from spinning are related to the size of the cog you are using and if you are disciplined and don't freewheel, then you will get just as much 'training' benefit from an ss. 

I'd agree that riding fixed is something special though. It does _feel _different from anything else. I'll just leave it until the springtime...


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## GrasB (15 Jan 2011)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Anything that basically uses *skidding as a method of slowing down* is going to be a nightmare on ice (which is what I have to deal with 4 months of the year). ss is a lot safer. Call me a pussy if you like.







... sorry what? I ride fixed & rarely skid the back wheel. I skid or lock up the rear wheel to fix my pedal position for some reason &/or when negotiating very tight turns.


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jan 2011)

GrasB said:


> ... sorry what? I ride fixed & rarely skid the back wheel. I skid or lock up the rear wheel to fix my pedal position for some reason &/or when negotiating very tight turns.



What I meant was having a free wheel means I can ride more safely on ice at my level of ability. I'm don't pretend to be the best fixed wheel rider in the world, so I don't trust myself riding fixed on ice - things are too unpredictable. Maybe one day, but not now.


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## GrasB (15 Jan 2011)

I'm still not getting the skidding for braking thing, just use the rear brake with care. My problem with riding fixed on ice is if the rear lets going when I'm putting power down I stop pedalling, which with almost 0 resistance to slowing down means the rear wheel stops with my feet.


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## dave r (15 Jan 2011)

Flying_Monkey said:


> *Anything that basically uses skidding as a method of slowing down is going to be a nightmare on ice (which is what I have to deal with 4 months of the year). ss is a lot safer. Call me a pussy if you like.
> *
> I also don't quite get the 'it's no extra training' argument. I've ridden ss for training purposes and I've ridden fixed. The only thing that's really different in terms of training is that you have the option of being lazy and freewheeling on an ss. But that's an option. The cadences you get from spinning are related to the size of the cog you are using and if you are disciplined and don't freewheel, then you will get just as much 'training' benefit from an ss.
> 
> I'd agree that riding fixed is something special though. It does _feel _different from anything else. I'll just leave it until the springtime...




I ride fixed in the snow and ice, have done for several years, I've always found fixed to be better in slippery conditions. I ride with both front and rear brakes and combine leg braking with a touch of back brake when its slippery.


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jan 2011)

dave r said:


> I ride fixed in the snow and ice, have done for several years, I've always found fixed to be better in slippery conditions. I ride with both front and rear brakes and combine leg braking with a touch of back brake when its slippery.



Doesn't having brakes reduce the purity of riding fixed though? If that's what part of it's about. I've certainly seen a lot of criticism of people on fixie sites who put up pictures of their fixies with brakes...


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## mangid (15 Jan 2011)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Doesn't having brakes reduce the purity of riding fixed though? If that's what part of it's about. I've certainly seen a lot of criticism of people on fixie sites who put up pictures of their fixies with brakes...




I guess there are many takes on riding fixed. Mine is that riding fixed is just pure joy. I do about 6K a year on the fixed, and maybe another 1.5K on the shopper and road bike. Fixed is just better, always ridden with a front brake, never a back. As Sheldon says, when you're doing an emergency stop, the rear wheel plays no part in stopping. 


--
Dan


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## dave r (15 Jan 2011)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Doesn't having brakes reduce the purity of riding fixed though? If that's what part of it's about. I've certainly seen a lot of criticism of people on fixie sites who put up pictures of their fixies with brakes...



In the UK its illegal to ride brakeless. You must have at least a front brake on a fixed in this country to be legal, back and front brake for a bike with a freewheel. I'm more interested in the practicalities than the purity. My fixed is my transport, I only have gears on my best bike and that normally only gets used on Summer Sundays, I ride in all weathers and because of that I want two brakes. Using a front brake when its slippery puts you at risk of a face plant, I may catch the back when it steps out but I'm unlikely to catch the front, and if I don't I'd rather land on my arse than my face.


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## GrasB (16 Jan 2011)

The 'Purity' of fixed can go forth & multiply. When you're doing 25mph & up I'm certainly not wanting to rely on leg braking when a an animal runs into the road, a car pulls out without looking, etc. No I want decent brakes that allow me to stop on 6 pence. In addition to this using the brakes in a corner changes the attitude of the bike slightly with less lean & a limited ability to transfer weight around the bike this little extra change can help you corner more smoothly. In short IMHO a rider who rides a fixie without at least a front brake is a twat.


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## Flying_Monkey (16 Jan 2011)

Oh, I agree, I was just interested in what the attitudes to that kind of holier-than-thou tendency were. It's quite common over here in North America, though not so much in Canada in particular, which doesn't seem to have bee affected by the trend toward single-speed riding.


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## colinr (17 Jan 2011)

A couple of kids turned to one of our evening rides, both on fixed with no lights, no brakes and no foot retention. Fashion is a bitch.


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## Rob3rt (17 Jan 2011)

The fixed "scene" has a lot of quirks it would seem. Riding brakeless is one of the silliest of these quirks.

Brakeless bikes belong on the track. I rode my fixed without brakes for a while, it was idiotic. Thus as an idiot, I'm probly not qualified to say this but, you are irresponsible if you ride brakeless on the roads. Many people say riding brakeless gives you a better connection with the bike and improves you handling and perceptive abilities, it probly does, but if you really desire this sort of development, ride the track in a group, that should provide very well for increasing your cycling skills. 

At least most of these people riding brakeless, skidding every 10 metres, run silly gear ratio's such that they can barely get over 12mph.


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