Are fixies comfortable to cycle on?

[ColinJ]

I was descending at speed on 63" fixed on Wednesday, clocked 56km/hr. An online calculator gives me something over 180rpm cadence. I'm quite pleased with that.

It is probably 'easier' doing a high cadence on fixed? On my (72") singlespeed bike on the flat I find it starts to 'get away from me' beyond about 100 rpm. If there is a slight uphill gradient, that provides enough resistance to pedal against but I'm not fit enough to do 34 km/hr up even a 1% slope for long!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

It's not irrational at all. But, on the other hand, everyone has to start somewhere. I'm sure there was a time when I didn't know what a fixed-wheel was, though that was long before trendy 'fixies' existed.

You're like me, when I first rode fixed, sometime in the 1980's, the term fixie hadn't been thought of and people riding fixed were rare.

 

[biggs682]

The hardest thing I find is farting. Seriously, you don’t have the ability to pause and ’let one go’.

I never "fart" I just let rip

 

[CXRAndy]

You can't really use a fixed drive around tight and twisty roads at full chat. There is a real risk to bottoming a pedal, you cant stop the rotation for steep lean angles

Best compromise is a freewheel. Same fixed gearing with benefits

 

[rogerzilla]

You need a frame with at least a 10 3/4" BB height and 165mm cranks for a happy fixed life.

 

[Ian H]

I tried 165s for a while, years ago, but didn't really get on with them. I've only once grounded a pedal, fortunately with room to straighten up a little, so no drama.
I wouldn't regard a freewheel as an acceptable 'compromise'—it's a completely different thing.

 

[ColinJ]

You can't really use a fixed drive around tight and twisty roads at full chat. There is a real risk to bottoming a pedal, you cant stop the rotation for steep lean angles

I was riding the Manchester 100 sportive one year and got chatting to a rider who was doing it on fixed. I was impressed by how quickly he could corner without that problem!

You need a frame with at least a 10 3/4" BB height and 165mm cranks for a happy fixed life.

Maybe that was what he had?

Best compromise is a freewheel. Same fixed gearing with benefits

I struggle to ride my 72" singlespeed up hills > 10% because it is so damn hard to get the cranks over the top of the pedal stroke. On fixed, the chain would be helping them through the dead spots.

I wouldn't regard a freewheel as an acceptable 'compromise'—it's a completely different thing.

I have seen riders conquer 20% climbs on fixed - very impressive! I bet they would struggle a lot more with the same gear and a freewheel/freehub.

 

[Teamfixed]

Riding fixed is brilliant. Plus you don't need to lock them because anyone trying to nick it will fall off almost immediately.
48x19 is where I've ended up.

 

[Ian H]

I have seen riders conquer 20% climbs on fixed - very impressive! I bet they would struggle a lot more with the same gear and a freewheel/freehub.

I used to able to do that on 67". But now that my age matches that gearing...(which I still have on the other side).

The usual advice is to gear lower on a freewheel on the grounds that you don't have to pedal downhill.

 

[ColinJ]

The usual advice is to gear lower on a freewheel on the grounds that you don't have to pedal downhill.

I chose my 72" gear for riding along the valley bottoms round here; a nice gear for 25-30 km/hr. I found that I can get up moderate hills on it though anything more than a couple of hundred metres at 8-10% or any stretches at > 12-13% feels too hard for me. I just pedal to 35 km/hr downhill and then let gravity do its thing.

 

[rogerzilla]

The usual advice is to gear lower on a freewheel on the grounds that you don't have to pedal downhill.

Yes, I use 70" on fixed (67" in winter) and 60" on singlespeed.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

In my 44th year of commuting (school and work) I bought my first Fixed Wheel bike six years ago, and now, unless doing the full 48 mile hilly ride to work, always use this bike, absolutely love it. I'm sure my half a dozen geared road bikes moan at it in the bike shed at night.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I see quite a lot of them when cycling about, therefore I wondered how comfortable they are to ride as I can't imagine going up hill without changing gears.

Are you settling on your most comfortable bike yet?
Fixie or "Aero"? What are you going for? 😊

 

[Anonymous1502]

Are you settling on your most comfortable bike yet?
Fixie or "Aero"? What are you going for? 😊

I am not buying any bike and definitely not a fixie. I am just interested how the cycling experience differs on different types of bikes.

 

[silva]

The only uncomfortable moment is when a bee buzzes in your pants.