MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
How beneficial is one for training on? I'm thinking more for the winter months when it's wet and crap for a quick blast for an hour or so and don't have to bother so much about cleaning it.
Ride about 6 miles on a SS most days bit more for shopping etc, has boosted my fitness on the bike at the weekend quite a lot.
Do it,
SInce getting mine i find myself looking for any excuse to pop out on the bike. Helps keep the weight off in winter and always feel fitter when getting on the mtb
Go SS, fixed is gay. It will get you fitter.
i use mine more in the winter for shorter 50-60mile rides. much prefer having the fixed rear for speed modulation and grip in the wet. you certainly get a fair workout.
i rode fixed exclusively for a while and while it did improve my cadence, leg strength and climbing ability it made me a bit lazy at the top of my pedal stroke, riding geared as well as fixed sorted that out though.
if you only have an hour to spare it's ideal as it's quicker to warm up and you don't get cold going downhill 🙂
Fitter for doing SS? Maybe. Fitter for geared riding? Maybe not so much.
Can have some benefits even for geared riding. Unlikely to give a huge benefit but if it gets you out more...
True enough -al.
I use mine everyday for commuting in London, non fixie though.
Basically it's got me fitter 'cos I'm roding every day.
Also the major added benefit is that there's **** all maintenance to do other than replace a chain once in a while and brake pads when you wear them out
Why not just not change gear?
All sounds like a sure fire way to k-nak your k-kneez up to me.
Riding your bike more will get you fitter regardless.
Fixed has made me faster because I'm now of the mindset that i'm used to pedalling constantly. The downside is that I have a n increased number of pedal strikes because I don't think about hitting rocks or pedalling through corners. While this has yet to throw me off or actually damage anything i'm sure the day is coming where i'll mash a pedal...
Fixed is for people too lazy to freewheel downhill 🙂
Phatman you need a higher bottom bracket or shorter cranks
I did a 50 mile charity road event at the weekend on the fixie. Worst bit is not being able to freewheel downhill which means braking/slowing the cranks down. My legs were goosed come the end but the worst bit was my arse ached from not being able to stand up on the downhills and relieve the pressure. Flipped the wheel back to SS again, much happier that way.
My SS has been in the shed for ages. Next week's commute will be exclusively SS just because I fancy a change. Doubt it will improve my fitness more than riding the geared bike but if it means I do more miles because I am enjoying riding something different then that has to be a good thing.
You can freewheel downhill as long as you can hold your legs up in the air for a while and don't mind playing russian roulette with the pedals at the bottom.
Riding fixed on the road teaches you to pedal properly.
Edric64 - or maybe i should stop picking such tight lines between rocks and leaning over quite so much while railing corners. Low bb is good for centre of gravity and crank length is spot on for my legs.