Who needs gears?

[Sharky]

I have a series of training loops, ranging from10 to 25 miles and some of these quite lumpy. For the first half of the year, have been using my geared bike with typical wide range of gears. On these loops, I achieve around 13mph avg and occasionally just pip the 14.

Well for the last few weeks, have been using my SS with a 68" freewheel and today my ride was 14.7 avg and was my top ride this year on these lumpy loops.

It seems to defy logic that a low SS can be faster than a geared bike.

But it really hurt. Out of the saddle on the climbs and freewheeling the descents.

Just proves to myself again that it doesn't matter how fast you go on the fast sections, it's how fast you go on the slower sections

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

You've had to work harder because of non-optimal gearing. I also bet your SS bike is a couple of pounds lighter than your multi-geared, and if it doesn't have any derailleur mechs then it will suffer marginally less frictional losses in the power transmission.

 

[Sharky]

You've had to work harder because of non-optimal gearing. I also bet your SS bike is a couple of pounds lighter than your multi-geared, and if it doesn't have any derailleur mechs then it will suffer marginally less frictional losses in the power transmission.

Yep all true.

 

[rogerzilla]

Fixed could well be faster. A fixie climbs like a rat up a drainpipe and you don't lose that much time on descents. I did the Dunwich Dynamo on fixed twice and those were the easiest and fastest runs of the lot.

 

[Drago]

I need gears, but when I feel like a singlespeed I simply don't change gear.

 

[Sharky]

Fixed could well be faster. A fixie climbs like a rat up a drainpipe and you don't lose that much time on descents. I did the Dunwich Dynamo on fixed twice and those were the easiest and fastest runs of the lot.

I used to think fixed was quicker than an SS and my fastest commute to work was done on a fixed. However, I did the Castle ride (100) a few years back and towards the end of the ride with no freewheeling it put a strain on my neck and shoulders, so I switched to a 68 SS and found that it was just as quick and with a little more comfort on the descents.

I still race though on a fixed, but with a much higher gear. Over several years of trying both gears and fixed, I have concluded that on a good day, it makes little difference and if little wind, the fixed is probably quicker. On a bad day when it is windy I am slower of course, but so is everybody else and I think the effort you need to get up the hills on a big fixed is good training and will make you stronger.

 

[biggs682]

I often find that any of my single speed rides are just as quick as geared ones plus they give you a better work out

 

[Drago]

I find my SS is slower in most situations. But....the mechanical simplicity, relative lack of wear and reduced maintenance needs are very appealing.

 

[Drago]

Im not converted by the mystical niceness. In my mind it's a crock, although I appreciate that others may legitimately love it. It's the maintenance benefits in the gloop that make it my go to MTB when I'm hitting the horse churned bridleway. In that regard it is beneficial.

 

[gaijintendo]

I need at least one gear.

 

[Ian H]

I need at least one gear.

You always have at least two. One of those is always 24".

 

[gavroche]

If you lived in Wales, you definitely need gears.

 

[Basil.B]

On my regular 25 mile loop, I'm often faster on my singlespeed than when I'm riding my Giant TCR.

 

[BeardyAndyM]

I think the downhill recovery is greater, the amount of times a buddy will blow past me pedalling furiously on a descent only to blow up half way up the next climb. On a SS your resigned to let gravity take control!

 

[Ian H]

If you lived in Wales, you definitely need gears.

I have ridden a couple of 400s in Wales on fixed... and I live in Devon.