Fixed gear in a hilly area.
- Thread starter fossala
- Start date
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CopperCyclist
Veteran
@totallyfixed
Rutland isn't exactly flat and totallyfixed manages just fine! If you have the legs, engine and willpower go for it - you'll only make yourself a better rider
And if it all goes wrong, there's always n+1...
Rutland isn't exactly flat and totallyfixed manages just fine! If you have the legs, engine and willpower go for it - you'll only make yourself a better rider
And if it all goes wrong, there's always n+1...
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Anyone who's met me will tell you I'm not hill climber, but I've been using a fixed gear around the edge of the Lake District for a few months. Learning how to ride down hills is probably more scary than riding up them. I would recommend two good working brakes.
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
... + use the freewheel side?
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Strangely spinning at 170rpm is quite fun. Breaking your arm striking a pedal on a bend less so.
I'm going back to the freewheel side on mine after my crash, but in principal there's nothing wrong with riding fixed, and on my commute there didn't seem to be any difference in times.
I'm going back to the freewheel side on mine after my crash, but in principal there's nothing wrong with riding fixed, and on my commute there didn't seem to be any difference in times.
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
As @CopperCyclist says I [we] ride fixed in a fairly hilly area and I push a big gear, however there are limits and mine is 17%, maybe 18% if it is short enough. Cornwall is something else, inland not so much of a problem but inevitably you have to do the coastal roads and many of those are over 20% and quite a few 25% +. It is one of the few places where I might consider a 3 gear fixed.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Is a 3 gear fixed what it sounds like? Presumably a 'steep climbing' gear, a 'steep descending' gear, and an 'everything else' gear? If so, how does the bike cope with an imperfect chainline on 2 of the gears?
(I know what Ian H's 24" gear is, having been fooled by that description before. For those who don't know ... 24" = 2 feet = walking!
)
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
I think it's a hub gear with a fixed sprocket so the chainline should be fine.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That's an interesting idea, but I thought the attraction of fixed was about the transmission being simple, lightweight, and efficient, all of which would be compromised by using a hub gear?
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
It is, but hub gears allow fixed riding without being stuck with one gear ratio. One of the forumites over on YACF has had this set up for a while
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Not for the purists I admit, but if you like riding fixed and don't like walking this would be the solution.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
(I know what Ian H's 24" gear is, having been fooled by that description before. For those who don't know ... 24" = 2 feet = walking!
Spoilsport!
I have a double-sided hub with a 17 one side and an 18 on the other. I'm using the 17 at the moment for two reasons: 1) I'm feeling fit, and 2) I stripped the other side and have yet to replace the hub.
clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
I use a three speed on one of my fixed bikes - my commuter. It means I can set off smoothly from the lights,and change up to the 90" top, to get a good speed up without spinning my legs off. It helps descending too. The lower gear is useful for climbing. Doesn't match my tourer, of course, but it helps with the ups. I've ridden the S3X off road, and taken it cycle camping (London-South Downs).
It's a wee bit different from riding normal fixed, as there is inevitably a bit of 'lash', which feels wrong at first, as if your chain is slack, but it gives you a good window for changing smoothly. Because of this, I don't tend to use backpedal braking, and have a rear brake fitted.
It does make the bike heavier, though that's not an issue for my commuter (I could still leave most MAMILs standing). It certainly helps in hillier areas.
It's a wee bit different from riding normal fixed, as there is inevitably a bit of 'lash', which feels wrong at first, as if your chain is slack, but it gives you a good window for changing smoothly. Because of this, I don't tend to use backpedal braking, and have a rear brake fitted.
It does make the bike heavier, though that's not an issue for my commuter (I could still leave most MAMILs standing). It certainly helps in hillier areas.
