Benefit of fixed

[Bicycle]

I am not a cycling zealot and (I hope) not a faddist either.

But... I am a recent convert to fixed-gear cycling.

(No Damascene conversion for me; I had an early-90s road frame lying around and was curious what all the fuss was about).

Here's the (extraordinary - for me) thing:

I'm in no doubt at all that in 6-odd months riding fixed has made my pedalling action much, much smoother.

Also, I think I'm able to run for longer at higher candences and to use very high cadences (for me) without bouncing in the saddle.

I'm new to this fixed-gear thing, but as far as I can see it benefits technique enormously. Massively.

I rode my 69" fixed-gear bike up into the Malvern Hills today. It was all a bit difficult and I had some unusual moments when descending, but I feel I can do things now that were out of the question before riding fixed.

I still can't do a track stand, but that hasn't really been a priority for me...

Am I seeing benefits where there are none, or is there something in this?

 

[Ibbots]

I am not a cycling zealot and (I hope) not a faddist either.

But... I am a recent convert to fixed-gear cycling.

(No Damascene conversion for me; I had an early-90s road frame lying around and was curious what all the fuss was about).

Here's the (extraordinary - for me) thing:

I'm in no doubt at all that in 6-odd months riding fixed has made my pedalling action much, much smoother.

Also, I think I'm able to run for longer at higher candences and to use very high cadences (for me) without bouncing in the saddle.

I'm new to this fixed-gear thing, but as far as I can see it benefits technique enormously. Massively.

I rode my 69" fixed-gear bike up into the Malvern Hills today. It was all a bit difficult and I had some unusual moments when descending, but I feel I can do things now that were out of the question before riding fixed.

I still can't do a track stand, but that hasn't really been a priority for me...

Am I seeing benefits where there are none, or is there something in this?

Ooh, have a look at my in depth analysis over on the is fixed faster thread. Or don't bother, it's tosh really - I was a bit bored.


I came into riding single speed almost by accident (actually, as a result of an accident) a couple of years ago and after initially struggling with the climb home on my commute began to notice I was climbing better when riding geared and was able to climb for long periods out of the saddle - something I avoided before as was quite poor at it. I then started riding single speed off road, again climbing performance improved and so did my laughably poor bike handling skills. Still are quite poor, but I can get over most things on a rigid single speed bike that I could not on front sus, geared bike before. As i said on the other thread, mixing it up with riding different types of bike has led to improvements in my overall performance when it had been static for years.


Switching to fixed seemed like a natural progression, spurred on by my apparent need to mess about with bikes as well as ride them. Though only very recent, I am sure that there will be further benefits to come, particularly in strength and pedal action.


Like you, I am avoiding track stands at the moment. Found it quite easy on the single speed using the front brake to push against, but seems all wrong the few times I have tried it fixed.

 

[fossyant]

There are benefits, and it's also strengthened a hamstring on my left knee, which I injured years ago. Very good for technique.

 

[brockers]

Like you, I am avoiding track stands at the moment. Found it quite easy on the single speed using the front brake to push against, but seems all wrong the few times I have tried it fixed.

It's the microbackwards cycling bit- the rocking action - that makes trackstands so satisfying. It's the nearest I can get to that feeling I got when I jumped on my brother's bike when I was five and bombed down the road, and nobody told me that Dad had taken the stabilisers off. Wheeeeeeeee!!!

 

[fossyant]

I can track stand better on my road bikes with really tight Look pedals, than my fixed with MTB spd's - I just don't get it ?