What is the point of fixed or single speed ?
- Thread starter Cuchilo
- Start date
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marzjennings
Legendary Member
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
Fun and a challenge, plus, for me, a great training aid. Having only one gear forces the development of a smooth and powerful pedaling motion. Downhill to maintain a good speed I have to spin up to go fast which means being able to spin at +140rpm. Uphill I have to really push that one gear as I have no option to change gear. Yes you can develop a high cadence and a powerful stroke on a geared bike, but only having that one gear means you can't chicken out.
I rode a 180 mile hilly charity earlier this year on the single speed. It would have been quicker and easier on the geared bike, but I felt great to have finished on the single, Plus the kudos from fellow cyclists is never a bad thing.
I rode a 180 mile hilly charity earlier this year on the single speed. It would have been quicker and easier on the geared bike, but I felt great to have finished on the single, Plus the kudos from fellow cyclists is never a bad thing.
derrick
The Glue that binds us together.
- Location
- On the edge of London
Best way to commute, low maintenance. not much to go wrong. It's a man thing.
You can get off and walk. I done it once.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
I rode a 103 mile hilly DIY charity ride on a singlespeed weekend before last. Uphill it was great but harder than last year on fixed, downhill it was so much more fun than last year cos I could go weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! all the way to the bottom without thinking my knee caps might come off.
On the "flat" though? Tee-DEE-uss.
Didn't get much kudos. Just some blokes lookin' at me funny. But it was fun scalpin' one or two on the climbs.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
The point is... it makes you empty your mind.
It's a zen thing.
It's a zen thing.
marzjennings
Legendary Member
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
jazzkat
Fixed wheel fanatic.
- Location
- The Cumbrian Riviera
I got into fixed because of all the stuff they say about improving your pedalling, yada yada.
What I've found is it's generally made me a much stronger rider. When I now 'slum it' with mates on my geared bike I find I climb faster and stay with the fast young things easier than I ever used to. It's just down to me being stronger than I was because of digging-in up the hills.
You don't free-wheel so much so you actually ride all your route on a fixed instead of free-wheeling around large chunks of it.
I love riding fixed now, it's quieter, easier to clean, you are not faffing with gears all the time and people treat me like an eccentric
What I've found is it's generally made me a much stronger rider. When I now 'slum it' with mates on my geared bike I find I climb faster and stay with the fast young things easier than I ever used to. It's just down to me being stronger than I was because of digging-in up the hills.
You don't free-wheel so much so you actually ride all your route on a fixed instead of free-wheeling around large chunks of it.
I love riding fixed now, it's quieter, easier to clean, you are not faffing with gears all the time and people treat me like an eccentric
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I enjoyed riding a singlespeed bike in the area round Coventry where hills are not a major factor but I really would not fancy only having one gear round here because I would be severely overgeared on the local steep climbs and then have to freewheel on all of the downhills. As for fixed ... 
Having said that, I have ridden with quite a few local riders who are happy to use fixed on almost anything that Yorkshire can throw at them. It is impressive to watch, but I still can't help thinking that it is an odd thing to want to do!
Having said that, I have ridden with quite a few local riders who are happy to use fixed on almost anything that Yorkshire can throw at them. It is impressive to watch, but I still can't help thinking that it is an odd thing to want to do!
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
Its fun, it always puts a smile on my face.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
I misread the 3 as an 8. Sorry.
Because it's fun - no other reason needed.
Fixed wheel in particular is a delight on really quiet country roads as you ride around in more or less silence. No clunky rattly derailleurs, no clicking freewheels pawls, no Sturmey tick, tick, tick. Want to go faster - pedal faster, want to go slower - pedal slower -cycle riding at it's most basic and intuitive.
Saying that, I am probably going to stick a Sturmey in my winter bike as it's probably my most suitable touring frame and I have a few rides planned where a low gear may be desireable
Fixed wheel in particular is a delight on really quiet country roads as you ride around in more or less silence. No clunky rattly derailleurs, no clicking freewheels pawls, no Sturmey tick, tick, tick. Want to go faster - pedal faster, want to go slower - pedal slower -cycle riding at it's most basic and intuitive.
Saying that, I am probably going to stick a Sturmey in my winter bike as it's probably my most suitable touring frame and I have a few rides planned where a low gear may be desireable
