Is fixed faster?

[4F]

Faster possibly, more fun yes. I am still not sure but I do know that the only time I have managed to average 20 mph on my 15 mile commute home I was on my fixed. Of course the favourable tailwind and traffic lights may have also helped . Currently riding 72 inches but set my fastest on 81.

 

[al-fresco]

I was surprised to find that over a 22 mile route on a pretty crappy road with about 1,000 feet of fairly gentle ascent my Langster is always 10-15 minutes faster than my heavier 18 speed Surly. I was even more surprised to find that there's only about 20 seconds between the Langster and a carbon fibre Willier Izoard costing four times as much.

 

[yello]

I reckon I climb faster on fixed, on certain climbs anyway. But on a flat road or descending, no way. I ride 63" and guess I would probably top out at around 35kph.

I can find climbing easier on the fixed; a combination of having to (gears are a temptation to take it easy!), and the extra push you get from fixed (or should I say less loss than gears)

 

[MrGrumpy]

I reckon I climb faster on fixed, on certain climbs anyway. But on a flat road or descending, no way. I ride 63" and guess I would probably top out at around 35kph.

I can find climbing easier on the fixed; a combination of having to (gears are a temptation to take it easy!), and the extra push you get from fixed (or should I say less loss than gears)

I`m with you on that,I can climb faster on fixed if the gearing is spot on for the hill. On my commute there is very little in it in fact I grabbed one of the sprint KOMs on strava last week and that was on my fixed, just pure leg speed!

 

[MrGrumpy]

I was surprised to find that over a 22 mile route on a pretty crappy road with about 1,000 feet of fairly gentle ascent my Langster is always 10-15 minutes faster than my heavier 18 speed Surly. I was even more surprised to find that there's only about 20 seconds between the Langster and a carbon fibre Willier Izoard costing four times as much.

Langster is quite a quick nimble beasty, love mine

 

[3narf]

Is 'fixed' being used here as a generic term for singlespeed in general? It often is.

I fail to see how fixed can offer any advantage over freewheel singlespeed. Is it just that a lot of riders go straight to fixed thinking the SS experience won't be sufficiently 'different?'

Nobody would notice the difference in weight (brake or brakes, cables, freewheel mechanism) if that's all there is.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Is 'fixed' being used here as a generic term for singlespeed in general? It often is.

I fail to see how fixed can offer any advantage over freewheel singlespeed. Is it just that a lot of riders go straight to fixed thinking the SS experience won't be sufficiently 'different?'

Nobody would notice the difference in weight (brake or brakes, cables, freewheel mechanism) if that's all there is.

Oh dear, you've never ridden fixed? It uses the momentum of the flywheel effect to get the pedals over the dead top centre. It really does help when climbing.

 

[3narf]

I have. I see no advantage in practice.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I have. I see no advantage in practice.

As per the other, your in the minority again...

 

[al-fresco]

I enjoy riding fixed but I'd have to admit that it's definitely slower than a freewheel on steeper descents.

 

[3narf]

As per the other, your in the minority again...

Hmm. Maybe I need to have another go at it, although I'm not convinced (you don't say!).

From the point of view of it being some kind of training aid, I'm even more sceptical.

 

[4F]

Is 'fixed' being used here as a generic term for singlespeed in general? It often is.

I fail to see how fixed can offer any advantage over freewheel singlespeed. Is it just that a lot of riders go straight to fixed thinking the SS experience won't be sufficiently 'different?'

Nobody would notice the difference in weight (brake or brakes, cables, freewheel mechanism) if that's all there is.

No, fixed is fixed and not a generic term. The advantage being that once up to speed it is easier to keep the momentum going.

 

[Seamab]

IIRC there are some TT and hillclimb records that were set on fixed. So it must be faster in certain situations where the gear matches the terrain. My experience is that as soon as you combine steep ascents and descents then geared wins every time.

 

[Steve Malkin]

IIRC there are some TT and hillclimb records that were set on fixed. So it must be faster in certain situations where the gear matches the terrain. My experience is that as soon as you combine steep ascents and descents then geared wins every time.

This ^^^

If fixed were generally faster than geared over mixed terrain then all the TdF riders would be using them, ......they aren't

I see fixed gear bikes as good commuter machines because they will cope better with neglect in winter road conditions and as a training aid to build up strength in your legs when you struggle to get up a hill in too high a gear, but let's not kid ourselves that they are fundamentally faster than a geared bike.

 

[3narf]

The advantage being that once up to speed it is easier to keep the momentum going.

That's what I mean about it not being a training aid. If it makes things easier it can't improve your fitness.

The only muscles you use on a fixed gear bike that you don't use on a freewheel SS are those used to slow yourself down, and it's difficult to see how building up those can improve your performance.

I agree though that a single gear bike can't offer any dynamic improvement over a geared bike, same as a supermoto can't be quicker than a supersport 600. You just end up adapting to a particular riding style that in some situations gives you a slight advantage.