What is the point of fixed or single speed ?

[vernon]

Fixed wheel in particular is a delight on really quiet country roads as you ride around in more or less silence.

Sounds like by belt driven rohlhoff hubbed bike.

 

[leemo]

I didn't get the point of one gear initially but now ride SS. After many years of commuting I realised that a SS is a good choice if you have a fairly flat commute.

Simpler, lighter. easier to maintain and clean so really saves time. For the same money a SS bike will have a better frame and components as you will not be buying deraileurs shifters etc.

Ironically I can go up hills much faster now as I developed the muscles by riding SS!

 

[zigzag]

the reasons i like riding ss is that i can go up hills faster (except the steep ones) than geared bikes, no faff with shifting gears, easier to clean, and can drop any fixie rider going downhill. ss bike also improves elasticity of the "engine", i.e. ability to pull at wider range of revs.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

the reasons i like riding ss is that i can go up hills faster (except the steep ones) than geared bikes, no faff with shifting gears, easier to clean, and can drop any fixie rider going downhill. ss bike also improves elasticity of the "engine", i.e. ability to pull at wider range of revs.

How come?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Fit.

So nowt to do with the bike then?

I certainly found on club runs riding fixed I dropped a lot of folks on the climbs, in fact the click of them shifting into easier gears was usually a cue to call "coming through!" which seemed to suggest a lot of people climb slower than they are capable of.

But on the same hill with me as the engine my ss is no faster than my 30 speed, and sometimes, on some hills, slower.

 

[zigzag]

How come?

i guess due to more efficient drivetrain. i've tested this both by gps metrics and during chaingangs, where i would struggle up the hill to keep up on a geared bike and have a lot left in reserve when riding ss.

 

[jazzkat]

i guess due to more efficient drivetrain. i've tested this both by gps metrics and during chaingangs, where i would struggle up the hill to keep up on a geared bike and have a lot left in reserve when riding ss.

I'm the same always faster on my fixed than on my geared bike. I think it's purely down to having the option to click down and go easier, whereas on fixed/ss it's "dig in or get off and walk". I'm climbing much faster on my geared bike than I ever did, I'm lighter and fitter than I've ever been (mostly down to 2:1 and riding fixed), but I'm still quicker on my fixed.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm the same always faster on my fixed than on my geared bike. I think it's purely down to having the option to click down and go easier, whereas on fixed/ss it's "dig in or get off and walk". I'm climbing much faster on my geared bike than I ever did, I'm lighter and fitter than I've ever been (mostly down to 2:1 and riding fixed), but I'm still quicker on my fixed.

I get it with fixed, just suprised with ss.

I find I don't change gear down on climbs on my geared bikes as much as I used to cos I'm thinking "I know I can get up this in nn inches on the ss"

 

[jazzkat]

I get it with fixed, just suprised with ss.

I find I don't change gear down on climbs on my geared bikes as much as I used to cos I'm thinking "I know I can get up this in nn inches on the ss"

I'm the same now. I've got up a few big hills recently without resorting to my smallest chainring on my triple.
Surely going uphill ss is the same as fixed, it's only downhill that the ss rider can wimpout freewheel.

 

[Mike Rudkin]

I'm 76yrs old,and used to Time Trial on fixed in the '50s Over the yrs I've had road bikes,mountain bikes and,a couple of yrs ago my wife and I got electric bikes to carry on our Motorhome.
In Feb of this yr we moved from the South Wales valleys to Weston-Super-Mare and I bought an Urban Fixie what fun!!-I recently took it to France on a 6 week Motorhome trip and was able to keep up with and often 'drop' my wife on her e-bike.
I was climbing quite steep hills with not much trouble,I was actually surprised at what I could do.
I feel that a fixie is like a flywheel-once you get it going it's easy to keep going. And,it's just so much FUN.
It's also fun watching friends who have never ridden fixed trying to ride it

Mike

 

[zigzag]

I get it with fixed, just suprised with ss.

I find I don't change gear down on climbs on my geared bikes as much as I used to cos I'm thinking "I know I can get up this in nn inches on the ss"

ss and fixed are very similar in terms of efficiency when going uphill, however going downhill ss bike is far superior.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Surely going uphill ss is the same as fixed, it's only downhill that the ss rider can wimpout freewheel.

ss and fixed are very similar in terms of efficiency when going uphill, however going downhill ss bike is far superior.

With a freewheel you have dead spots when the pedals are at 12 and 6, with fixed the back wheel acts as a flywheel and driver the pedals past the dead spot, ime/imo making it easier to climb in fixed for the same gear inches that it is in ss.

Going downhill on fixed I can't spin my legs much faster than 35 mph or thereabouts, with ss, I can spin up to that speed and then tuck and let gravity do the rest.

 

[zigzag]

With a freewheel you have dead spots when the pedals are at 12 and 6, with fixed the back wheel acts as a flywheel and driver the pedals past the dead spot, ime/imo making it easier to climb in fixed for the same gear inches that it is in ss.

Going downhill on fixed I can't spin my legs much faster than 35 mph or thereabouts, with ss, I can spin up to that speed and then tuck and let gravity do the rest.

regarding dead spots - it depends on the pedaling technique. i always try to pedal in circles to minimise "dead spots". i couldn't notice flywheel effect on fixed unless i tried to freewheel
i agree about the descending - that's exactly how i do it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

regarding dead spots - it depends on the pedaling technique. i always try to pedal in circles to minimise "dead spots". i couldn't notice flywheel effect on fixed unless i tried to freewheel
i agree about the descending - that's exactly how i do it.

Even when honking up something horridly steep?

 

[zigzag]

horridly steep hills i try to tack if there's room if not, just get off and walk (had to do it once so far). with my current gearing 18% is about the limit where i can stay upright and not stall.