How much is a fixed gear "worth" when climbing?

[42x16ss]

Absolutely nothing wrong with using a short gear. I've always felt that long term, a shorter gear is more beneficial, especially if you are using the fixed wheel to supplement your training for racing on the road/MTB.

 

[King Boonen]

Yeah, I've no intention of moving up much more than 70". I've been out on a few club runs and can stick with the 16mph average group fine on that but could maybe do with going to a 72" for the downhill sections. Guy who runs the fast group at a different club I ride with uses a 72" gear over winter for club runs so if I can ride that I'll be fine I reckon.


Still really enjoying riding it, constant pedalling feels extremely natural now to the point where I was testing if I could use STI hoods (I can't yet) and freewheeling felt really weird. I'm doing a sportive on it this weekend so that opinion might change...

 

[King Boonen]

Just ordered a 16T to go up to 74" for commuting as it's pretty flat. I may take it out on club runs on that gear, but only ones where I know the route and will be fine.

 

[42x16ss]

You should get yourself a track bike

Points racing is an absolute blast.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

You should get yourself a track bike

Points racing is an absolute blast.

It's a 10 minute pedal to the Chris Hoy Velodrome... And they hire bikes... Might have to think about it!


It's very busy though and I'm not much a fan of racing, I'm more a randonneur/audax/traditional summer club run rider.

 

[King Boonen]

Sprocket has arrived! It's the only time I'm ever going to be able to afford new Dura Ace bits!

Will push the gear up to a 74" for commuting. I have a few little steep hills so it'll be good to see how I get on and if my legs become comfortable pushing it. I'll also take it out and see what it's like climbing. If it goes well for commuting my aim is to keep stepping up every now and then to get stronger, I don't want to go over 74" for club runs though.

 

[King Boonen]

Update:

Now on an 81" for commuting. I've been riding the 74" as a long ride/climbing gear and it's been great. Only occasionally do I feel over-geared, about the same amount I feel under-geared, and it's got me over pretty much anything I've needed to get over. I'm considering going up to a 76" for general riding, purely as it would mean changing less bits on the bike, but I'll probably stick with the 74".

I also have a 54T chainring to try a 91" gear for some flat time trialling. That's going to be fun!

 

[sciguy]

One of the great things about riding a fixed gear is that it really trains one not to be a "cadence princess". On the other hand riding hours and hours of erg mode on the trainer will do just the opposite.

Glad you're enjoying the fixie.

Hugh

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Update:

Now on an 81" for commuting. I've been riding the 74" as a long ride/climbing gear and it's been great. Only occasionally do I feel over-geared, about the same amount I feel under-geared, and it's got me over pretty much anything I've needed to get over. I'm considering going up to a 76" for general riding, purely as it would mean changing less bits on the bike, but I'll probably stick with the 74".

I also have a 54T chainring to try a 91" gear for some flat time trialling. That's going to be fun!

I'm curious, do you have a flip-flop rear hub? When I was riding a single speed a lot I used to have two different sizes on the rear. A 16 tooth on the fixed side for rolling around on the flats and a 19 tooth on the freewheel side for the big hills (2kms +) or when I overextended myself .

Taking the rear wheel out to change gears is a PITA but it can give you a lot more options in terms of terrain.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

I'm curious, do you have a flip-flop rear hub? When I was riding a single speed a lot I used to have two different sizes on the rear. A 16 tooth on the fixed side for rolling around on the flats and a 19 tooth on the freewheel side for the big hills (2kms +) or when I overextended myself .

Taking the rear wheel out to change gears is a PITA but it can give you a lot more options in terms of terrain.

I've got an 18T freewheel on the other side, not sure I'd get the chain on it at the moment as the length was set to the middle of the drops for the 16T, but it's there to use with a 44T up from for some off road stuff.

As long as the gear is right I climb as well on the fixed as I do on the geared bike I reckon, mainly because I'm not used to shifting anymore The biggest climb around here I've tried is 5.6km and 4% average (that's really nothing like the climb though, few sections about 10-13%, then mainly around 2-6% false flats) and the 74" is great for that. 2.3km at 6% is fine and I've been getting out and doing 90-120kms with 1200-1600m climbing all comfortably on that gear.

You're one of the people I have to thank actually, I absolutely love riding the fixed wheel and it was your posts and answers to my questions that really got me to give it a proper go!

I'm slowly building up a stock of parts, I have 39, 48 and 54T chainrings and will be getting a 44T to replace the worn out one. I've got a 16T sprocket and what to get a 14T, 15T and 17T. Then I should have a very wide variety of gears to do anything from MTB trail riding to long touring and flat, fast TTing. I fully intend to prove you can do anything other than road racing on a fixed wheel/SS bike and enjoy it just as much as the guys on gears

One of the great things about riding a fixed gear is that it really trains one not to be a "cadence princess". On the other hand riding hours and hours of erg mode on the trainer will do just the opposite.

Glad you're enjoying the fixie.

Hugh

The fixed wheel is brilliant for an all out workout, standard 90-120 on the flat (or more) slow and hard on the climbs out the saddle and then spinny and leg loosening on the downs. I ride with some people who almost refuse to ride anywhere where their gears won't let them ride at exactly 110rpm. I find that very, very boring.