What gear and Where do you ride?

[Joe24]

I don't have Joe's young legs, so after about 110 rpm on the flat I've got no gain.... on a road bike I'd shove it in a big gear and go.....

On sunday, i was going for a sprint for the cafe, side by side, just getting the edge on the guy next to me on gears, and we were doing 30something
So my legs were spinning a decent amount, and i did beat him!
In the chain gang, its great, can soon get spinning.
All about suppleness, and being fit, being confident aswell, and being relaxed. It might come to you fossy, you should find you get more confident, just push yourself abit.
Im doing the club hill climb on sunday, and Monsel hill climb aswell, just got to send off my entry. Gearing down for monsel, but for the club one, someone said to me, "id gear down to about 66 inch, but seen as its you Joe, stay in 72inch"
Then got the freewheel contest after, taking the chain off the sprocket for that.

 

[totallyfixed]

I've never measured my natural cadence but on observation alone I think I might be slightly higher pedal speed. In fact leg speed is something I've be working on a bit so it might be no bad thing.

I don't expect to be averaging any more than 13 to 14mph on it at the very most, and that would be a cadence of around 80rpm which I understand isn't all that high?

Looking at where you originate from I can well understand the average speed, but you are correct, 80rpm is a nice easy cadence I would think for most. Unless you spend a lot of time on the brakes you have to be doing far higher cadences on some of those downhills around there?

 

[bonker]

I ride a Bowery 42x17 ( I notice this gear is a bit heavier than most on this thread??) all year for the last year. I'm a triathlete so used it to toughen me up for an Ironman ( it worked) Ride my Pearson on a Sunday with my sons and for races. The fixed is great and for the very first time a couple of weeks ago I managed the steepest hill I know locally. Says 20% at the bottom but has a couple of twists which have got to be more than that.

I'm an old git so it proves a fixed will go up anywhere ( not sure my knees will thank me though)

 

[Ian H]

I've never measured my natural cadence but on observation alone I think I might be slightly higher pedal speed. In fact leg speed is something I've be working on a bit so it might be no bad thing.

I don't expect to be averaging any more than 13 to 14mph on it at the very most, and that would be a cadence of around 80rpm which I understand isn't all that high?

Doesn't answer the question though - are you a Dynamo? Meaning a member of CS Dynamo, your local club.

 

[paddy01]

Doesn't answer the question though - are you a Dynamo? Meaning a member of CS Dynamo, your local club.

Ahhhh, the mist clears.. And the answer being, no.

I do see them out and about regularly but have yet to pluck up the gumption to join them on a club run to see how I get on.

 

[andylaw79]

I ride this

around Blackpool and the Fylde coast it's pretty flat round here so 42 x 16 (65.3 according to Sheldon) does me nicely as I'm usually into a 15mph+ headwind most mornings.

 

[Ian H]

Ahhhh, the mist clears.. And the answer being, no.

I do see them out and about regularly but have yet to pluck up the gumption to join them on a club run to see how I get on.

http://www.csdynamo.org.uk/

No personal interest - I'm in Exeter Wheelers - though the local clubs do co-operate in running club events.

 

[GrahamG]

I'm in Bristol, plenty of hills but they can be optional if you ride out onto the levels or head north. Ride fixed mostly for commuting and winter riding tending to do no more than 50-80 miles a week at the moment but as the geared bike gets retired for the autumn/winter period that will increase.
Have done a few 100+ mile rides fixed and seem to have settled at a 68/69" gear for all round use - when I was heavier/less fit I'd ride a 65" for commuting/general utility use but that's just a bit too spinny.

*edit - all this has been on a shonky peugeot conversion but I'm soon to take delivery of a custom Hewitt audax frame with track ends that all the bits will be transferred over to. Also expecting imminent completion of the refurb/respray of a late 50's Bates road/path frame which will be fitted with 27" wheels but mostly new parts that shouldn't look too alien on a classic old frame.

 

[BigOrangeTwin]

i'm on 48 x 19, which according to Sheldon is 67", or 70" if you believe the manufacturer. I run fixed/fixed and have an 18 tooth sprocket (70" or 72"?) on the other side for when I'm in a hurry. Both perfect for London.

BoT

 

[totallyfixed]

Hi there BOT, I take it you live in London? I'm fascinated to know how many fixed riders ride without brakes and if so why? I know it's possible to do fancy things without brakes but for us country bumkins coming to a rapid stop from over 35mph just aint going to cut it without some serious rubber application. I've heard it said that to be "cool" you have to lose the brakes. If this is true then I would like to issue an invitation to any London fixed riders to come out to the sticks and show me how it's done. Good to hear from you, it seems most of you in the smoke are on the London fixed site, I've had a look at it but don't understand half of what is said - must be getting old!

 

[Greenbank]

I use 67" (46x18 on 25mm tyres) all the time thanks to apathy.

It's fine for my 8 mile commute (flat), good for undulating Audaxes (in Herts/Essex/Cambs), hilly 100km training rides (Surrey Hills) or long hilly Audaxes with lots of hills (Chepstow to Menai and back). I also did London-Edinburgh-London on it this year.

Only up to 185rpm so far, so still have to master my spin-fu.

Last time I used the geared bike was for an exceptionally hilly ride. 5390m climbing in 300km.

 

[BigOrangeTwin]

Hi there BOT, I take it you live in London? I'm fascinated to know how many fixed riders ride without brakes and if so why? I know it's possible to do fancy things without brakes but for us country bumkins coming to a rapid stop from over 35mph just aint going to cut it without some serious rubber application. I've heard it said that to be "cool" you have to lose the brakes. If this is true then I would like to issue an invitation to any London fixed riders to come out to the sticks and show me how it's done. Good to hear from you, it seems most of you in the smoke are on the London fixed site, I've had a look at it but don't understand half of what is said - must be getting old!

Yep, In London. It can get a bit parochial over on that site you mention so don't go there much aside from some excellent info.

From my observations, more fixed riders in London have brakes than not. Even most of the couriers that lurk around outside my office.

I think there's probably a relationship between the size of the gear and ease of leg-braking. You see lots of London fixed guys weighting up the front wheel (hence the bullhorn bars) to take some pressure off the resistance on the upstroke (make sense?) and to allow the rear to skid and in order to slow down and stop quicker. The really experienced riders hop the rear through a series of little skids which enhances control.

Either way, I'm clearly not "cool" as have retained both front and back brakes! A decision vindicated by a couple of full blown emergency stops from about 25 mph where I locked the rear. I dunno, just can't face rush hour traffic without stoppers.

BoT

 

[4F]

Either way, I'm clearly not "cool" as have retained both front and back brakes! A decision vindicated by a couple of full blown emergency stops from about 25 mph where I locked the rear. I dunno, just can't face rush hour traffic without stoppers.
BoT

Got to agree with that. I would rather be alive than cool and although I have rarely had to use the back brake I would rather it be there just in case.

 

[phil120867]

46x15 which I think is around 82'' on a 531 fixie conversion with bulls /tri bars. 38 mile commute 2wice a week form Edenbridge in Kent to Crawley, Sussex averaging about 18mph on mostly flat B roads. I did have a 42 on the front but my cadence was up round the 90 - 100 rpm which was too fast. I may go back to that 42x15 in the winter because of the wind/ rain. I use all 3 brakes (back pedal and rim x2) all the time, and I would never do anything else

 

[totallyfixed]

Well, we are covering a lot of territory in these posts and gears to go with it, really goes to show riding fixed isn't that strange after all. Anyone checking, what areas have we not had replies from??? How about most extreme, north south east and west, counts me out as I'm bang in the middle. Also where are all the fixed femmes?