Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - do you ever miss your high speed decents?

a few days ago i was bombing down this mile long hill in new jersey on my road bike. it's pretty steep, about 7-8% grade, so it can be a pretty fast decent. not too steep to be super scary but steep enough to get the heart racing.

anyway, even at 42mph in a full tuck with wind tearing at your face you think of the strangest things. i thought of all you guys, and how you wouldn't have been able to join me this day and experience the awesome pleasure of the 'free fall' decent.

you guys ever miss that being on fixies all day? i think this is the one reason i could never exclusively ride fixed. the fast decent is just way too good.

a few days ago i was bombing down this mile long hill in new jersey on my road bike. it's pretty steep, about 7-8% grade, so it can be a pretty fast decent. not too steep to be super scary but steep enough to get the heart racing.

anyway, even at 42mph in a full tuck with wind tearing at your face you think of the strangest things. i thought of all you guys, and how you wouldn't have been able to join me this day and experience the awesome pleasure of the 'free fall' decent.

you guys ever miss that being on fixies all day? i think this is the one reason i could never exclusively ride fixed. the fast decent is just way too good.

Thats why I ski.

that's why i have a geared bike.

no - sure don't. I get pretty psyched hitting banked turns in excess of 30-35mph!

I still have fun on decents, except now I have more fun trying to figure out where to go if the light at the bottom of the hill turns red! The looks you get when your, say, going down Gough Street and keeping up with the cars, and they look over and realize you ain't got no brakes!!! I ludatsheet....

sure do... on long Straight hills i unclip my legs and let the pedals spin... but it just aint the same.

my next bike--whenever ill have one--will be a geared campy machine

a few days ago i was bombing down this mile long hill in new jersey on my road bike. it's pretty steep, about 7-8% grade, so it can be a pretty fast decent. not too steep to be super scary but steep enough to get the heart racing.

anyway, even at 42mph in a full tuck with wind tearing at your face you think of the strangest things. i thought of all you guys, and how you wouldn't have been able to join me this day and experience the awesome pleasure of the 'free fall' decent.

you guys ever miss that being on fixies all day? i think this is the one reason i could never exclusively ride fixed. the fast decent is just way too good.

Spoken like a true roadie. Apparently, nothing gives you guys more pleasure than blowing by the fixies on the downhill. Of course, with few exceptions, you get your noses rubbed in it on the hills (reaching, reaching, reaching, NO MORE GEAR). Then you huff and puff and show us who's boss on the descent, again. It's a vicious cycle.

Spoken like a true roadie. Apparently, nothing gives you guys more pleasure than blowing by the fixies on the downhill. Of course, with few exceptions, you get your noses rubbed in it on the hills (reaching, reaching, reaching, NO MORE GEAR). Then you huff and puff and show us who's boss on the descent, again. It's a vicious cycle.

Anyone who's ridden a freewheeling bike downhill knows how great it is. Anything else is rhetoric.

Well...
If you have a brake you can do that stuff with no problem. When I used to have one I'd race cars down Divisidero. I'd pass roadies all the time and its great cause they look at you like you're nuts when they see you spinning full speed down a hill.

I really love fast, high-spinning descents. I used to ski and snowboard, and descending a rough-pavement road on a 72" gear fixie (with brakes, thank you) reminds me of fast downhill skiing...but just a little more exciting!

Maybe the thrill will wear off eventually and I'll want to coast down hills again. For now it's one of the many things I love about fixed gear riding.

(and now that i think of it, coasting down hills was never a big favorite of mine anyway. i always pedalled! duh!)

Anyone who's ridden a freewheeling bike downhill knows how great it is. Anything else is rhetoric.

I've actually become QUOTABLE.......

Go figure.

yeah, the only issue i have with spinning on a decent is that (for me) it's not as smooth as being in a nice aerodynamic tuck. knees in, head down, in the drops with elbows slightly bent, back straight and just effortlessly letting the earth pull you down down down. 20mph, 25, 30, 35, 40....holy crap this fast!...45, etc...

a good decent can be beautiful and at the same time a terrifying thing. i thoughly enjoy a fixie for any other type of riding, but man it just can't hold a candle to my freewheel on those declines. but that's just me.

oh man....now i want a road bike....i love coasting down hill....i do miss it....bah

untili built this bike i was planing on getting a midlevel road bike...now i barely have cash to eat

oh man....now i want a road bike....i love coasting down hill....i do miss it....bah

untili built this bike i was planing on getting a midlevel road bike...now i barely have cash to eat

screw a freewheel onto your flip of your flop! climb up a big hill, flip your wheel over, and whiz down. Like sledding!

i LOVE my road bike.

screw a freewheel onto your flip of your flop! climb up a big hill, flip your wheel over, and whiz down. Like sledding!

You! Stop being practical THIS INSTANT! Are you even listening?!

Jim, I've waited so long for this moment... :love:

I miss it, but there's a lot more to roadbiking that I don't miss. Still, I feel guilty every time I look at my poor roadbike, all lonely in the corner. This thread just makes me feel even worse. Maybe I'll subject it to my fabulous cleaning process this weekend.

Whoot-Whoot!
Spelling Police

DECENT: socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous; "from a decent family"

DESCENT: a movement downward; "the descent down the hill"

I now own at least one bike for any givin terraine. There is a hill in my parts you can hit 60mph on. It's got fresh pavement and the turns are wide open. I do want to try the flip flop method on these hills one of these days.

I miss it, but there's a lot more to roadbiking that I don't miss. Still, I feel guilty every time I look at my poor roadbike, all lonely in the corner. This thread just makes me feel even worse. Maybe I'll subject it to my fabulous cleaning process this weekend.

that's right, J. clean it up real good then sell it;)

I've done the gravity/downhill/speed thing and scared myself at least once.
Otherwise, I don't miss it.
What would I miss?

I doubt if I will ever get on a geared bike again, unless the snow gets so deep I have to get on my old commuter with studded tires.
I like the exquisite control and purity of my fixed gear bike.
Besides, at 81" I can go faster than I want to fall and faster than the average roadie most of the time.

For the Portlanders: back in '74 I passed cars in the fast lane going downhill on Canyon Drive, my tires eventually becoming more airborne than in contact, floating over the texture of the road totally out of control, and I had some idea how Chuck Yeager felt breaking the sound barrier.
Like I said, what would I miss?

Kinda reminds me of a fire I fought.
I had the job of water-bucketing the advancing edge of a forest fire using a helicopter.
From a nearby lake I would pick up water in a bucket slung underneath my helicopter, and then I would fly through the smoke and parallel to the fire until I got close to the hot spot I needed to bucket.
As I got close enough I would turn the helicopter into the fire in order to swing my bucket away from the fire and then I would turn the helicopter away from the fire in order to make the bucket really swing towards the fire, and then I'd let the water go.
It felt a lot like floating over the surface of the road on Canyon Drive, just out of contact and just barely out of control.
Yes, a guy can really get into this.
It reminds me a lot of war except without the bullets and the dead people.
Anyway, as I did this a couple of times I could hear some screaming in the cockpit, which disturbed and puzzled me, since I flew alone on these water drops.
Hm.
Who do you suppose I heard screaming?

Whoot-Whoot!
Spelling Police

DECENT: socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous; "from a decent family"

DESCENT: a movement downward; "the descent down the hill"

damn, you're right. i hate when people are right.

i was just thinking about this. i starting missing the fast descents after watching the tour
and seeing those guys haul down hills and corner sharply. would i give up a higher probablity for dating potential for my derailleur?


nah.

Spoken like a true roadie. Apparently, nothing gives you guys more pleasure than blowing by the fixies on the downhill. Of course, with few exceptions, you get your noses rubbed in it on the hills (reaching, reaching, reaching, NO MORE GEAR). Then you huff and puff and show us who's boss on the descent, again. It's a vicious cycle.

I've never ridden with a roadie that didn't look at me in complete shock and comment about how I'm f-in crazy when they pass me spinning 150 down a hill.

I do love a long flying downhill, but I've never had the balls to try the following technique...

On a cool morning, September 13th, 1948, Rollie Free set out to make history. He was a daredevil speed demon, and was dedicated to breaking speed records wherever he could.

Having previously set a few landspeed records, he was stymied because his leather suits kept ripping off his body at over 140mph, causing unacceptable drag.

This morning would be different.

Donning nothing more than a Speedo swimsuit, a shower cap, and a pair of sneakers, he hopped astride his legendary British made Vincent Black Shadow, and made a record attempt on the Bonneville Salt Flats. As he got the bike up to speed, he moved to the most aerodynamic position he could think of. A pace car, vainly attempting to pace him, took the most famous photograph in motorcycle history:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/101502rolliefreesmall.jpg

He was successful, and set a new world record at 150.3mph. In the 57 years since his record setting, improving technology has broken that record time and again, but never with the bravado and bravery of Rollie Free.

Kind of makes that 40mph descent sound a little slow, doesn't it? Why not strap on that lycra, unclip those pedals, and stretch yourself out on that next big bomber hill, and show the world what you are made of?

peace,
sam

Kind of makes that 40mph descent sound a little slow, doesn't it? Why not strap on that lycra, unclip those pedals, and stretch yourself out on that next big bomber hill, and show the world what you are made of?

peace,
sam

nah, if i ever learned anything from trainspotting it is this: choose life. i'll keep my helmet fastened tightly, my pedals clipped in nice and tight and my azz on the saddle. that guy really had just a shower cap on??

For the Portlanders: back in '74 I passed cars in the fast lane going downhill on Canyon Drive, my tires eventually becoming more airborne than in contact, floating over the texture of the road totally out of control, and I had some idea how Chuck Yeager felt breaking the sound barrier.
Like I said, what would I miss?

Awesome. I've done this on a sled, but never a bike. I suspect the takeoff velocity for a flat-bottomed sled is quite a bit lower than a little thin road bike.


Anyway, as I did this a couple of times I could hear some screaming in the cockpit, which disturbed and puzzled me, since I flew alone on these water drops.
Hm.
Who do you suppose I heard screaming?

I've had that experience too, and it's the strangest thing.

nah, if i ever learned anything from trainspotting it is this: choose life. i'll keep my helmet fastened tightly, my pedals clipped in nice and tight and my azz on the saddle. that guy really had just a shower cap on??

Thats probably the wisest solution, but you can't expect that sort of sober advice from us. Ronnie Free was clearly insane, but hey, you gotta toss him some respect. And yes, he really was wearing a shower cap. :)

peace,
sam

Whoot-Whoot!
Spelling Police

DECENT: socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous; "from a decent family"

DESCENT: a movement downward; "the descent down the hill"

U R a very descent persun 4 trying too help us with owr mystakes.

well yeah i like the long coasting, that's why i put a freewheel on the flip side so i can flop it when i want to cruize.

thing is, i haven't flipped my flop yet. guess i'm more into the feeling of just cruising around fixed than cruising down big hills.

only time I miss coasting is when I'm off my bike and see someone glide past. That's when I remember the beauty of coasting, and I'm all for it. But on my bike, legs spinning like a mofo, I'm just having way too much fun to even think about coasting. Downhill on a fixed is even more fun then coasting, just let go and let your legs revolve. On a fixed you and gravity are in it together, synced tight, muscles, blood, nerves and a tight grip on those bars. Elegant as coasting maybe, its also a disconnect, your body is just along for the ride, you feel some of the power, but you aren't really part of it, just a parasite piggybacking a well designed machine...

only time I miss coasting is when I'm off my bike and see someone glide past. That's when I remember the beauty of coasting, and I'm all for it. But on my bike, legs spinning like a mofo, I'm just having way too much fun to even think about coasting. Downhill on a fixed is even more fun then coasting, just let go and let your legs revolve. On a fixed you and gravity are in it together, synced tight, muscles, blood, nerves and a tight grip on those bars. Elegant as coasting maybe, its also a disconnect, your body is just along for the ride, you feel some of the power, but you aren't really part of it, just a parasite piggybacking a well designed machine...


Well put man

Well...
If you have a brake you can do that stuff with no problem. When I used to have one I'd race cars down Divisidero. I'd pass roadies all the time and its great cause they look at you like you're nuts when they see you spinning full speed down a hill.

What kind of gearing do you have to spin past the roadies down hill? Overtaking cars coming down Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (20 km of average 12% climb going from the direction of Bruck) at 69km/h I was not as fast as some other riders, let alone climbing slow in 42x30, which was not low enough for the efficient climb. Enjoy the attachments despite cr@ppy resizing :)

I started out on singlespeeds and fixies and JUST got into road biking...I'd never owned a geared bike in my life until this year and I'm totally hooked on it. I guess a lot of people in this group did it the other way around, came from the geared world and think they're somehow better people now because they 'can do everything just as good or better' with only 1 speed. It's just kinda confusing and ridiculous to me.

What kind of gearing do you have to spin past the roadies down hill? Overtaking cars coming down Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (20 km of average 12% climb going from the direction of Bruck) at 69km/h I was not as fast as some other riders, let alone climbing slow in 42x30, which was not low enough for the efficient climb. Enjoy the attachments despite cr@ppy resizing :)

nice garmin unit.. is that a vista? incredible descent

nice garmin unit.. is that a vista? incredible descent
Yes, vista C and yes, incredible descent and climb ;) , around 1500m ~= 5000 feet of elevation - slightly less on the 12.5km ticketed part. Nice touch is that the bikers are allowed free while cagers have to pay 32 euro per car :rolleyes:

Of course, with few exceptions, you get your noses rubbed in it on the hills (reaching, reaching, reaching, NO MORE GEAR).

Huh?

Overtaking cars coming down Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (20 km of average 12% climb going from the direction of Bruck) at 69km/h I was not as fast as some other riders, let alone climbing slow in 42x30, which was not low enough for the efficient climb. Enjoy the attachments despite cr@ppy resizing :)

Where exactly might that be? Cool pics.

What kind of gearing do you have to spin past the roadies down hill? Overtaking cars coming down Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (20 km of average 12% climb going from the direction of Bruck) at 69km/h I was not as fast as some other riders, let alone climbing slow in 42x30, which was not low enough for the efficient climb. Enjoy the attachments despite cr@ppy resizing :)

that's very cool! You have a camera embedded in your chest! How convenient!

I love the 2nd photo.

TOO FAST! OMG!!!!!1111

Watch that corner.

Anyway, as I did this a couple of times I could hear some screaming in the cockpit, which disturbed and puzzled me, since I flew alone on these water drops.
Hm.
Who do you suppose I heard screaming?

you sure you didn't scoop up some swimmers to put out that fire ;)

Where exactly might that be? Cool pics.
This is in SW part of Austria - on the way through Alps towards Italy. Gross Glockner reaches to over 3500m, the highest part of the road is at 2500m.
[QUOTE=Cool pics.[/QUOTE]
Thanks :)

isnt there a hub that shifts internally from fixed to freewheel ?

that's very cool! You have a camera embedded in your chest! How convenient!

It looked even more stupid than it sounds: This was a huge DSLR with a flash, strapped to my chest at the flash base with a backpack breast strap. My wife (the rider in red in pics) used my parka and I have left in a pocket a remote release cable I intended to use. Instead, I used 2 sec self timer - so I have to ride singlehanded to press the shutter :)
So there was me riding down single handed trying to catch up with my wife and firing flashes of light every now and then :rolleyes:

http://www.pbase.com/image/46887324

It looked even more stupid than it sounds: This was a huge DSLR with a flash, strapped to my chest at the flash base with a backpack breast strap. My wife (the rider in red in pics) used my parka and I have left in a pocket a remote release cable I intended to use. Instead, I used 2 sec self timer - so I have to ride singlehanded to press the shutter :)
So there was me riding down single handed trying to catch up with my wife and firing flashes of light every now and then :rolleyes:

http://www.pbase.com/image/46887324

very cool pics! kudos for figuring out a way to capture the intensity of the ride.

I don't really have a problem spinning downhill with 80" gearing. Pony up the inches if you want the downhill speed or just cop out and go freewheel.

It looked even more stupid than it sounds: This was a huge DSLR with a flash, strapped to my chest at the flash base with a backpack breast strap. My wife (the rider in red in pics) used my parka and I have left in a pocket a remote release cable I intended to use. Instead, I used 2 sec self timer - so I have to ride singlehanded to press the shutter :)
So there was me riding down single handed trying to catch up with my wife and firing flashes of light every now and then :rolleyes:

http://www.pbase.com/image/46887324

This deserves some kind of insane-bicyclist award. Nice work!

What kind of gearing do you have to spin past the roadies down hill? Overtaking cars coming down Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (20 km of average 12% climb going from the direction of Bruck) at 69km/h I was not as fast as some other riders, let alone climbing slow in 42x30, which was not low enough for the efficient climb. Enjoy the attachments despite cr@ppy resizing :)

Well the whole beauty part of a fixed gear is that it forces you to get your spin nice and smooth...spin to win, right?

BTW I ride 42/15 and have no problem taking steep San Francisco descents at full speed.

Well the whole beauty part of a fixed gear is that it forces you to get your spin nice and smooth...spin to win, right?

BTW I ride 42/15 and have no problem taking steep San Francisco descents at full speed.

Right, spin to win, yet at these climb rates it is not that easy. You have tu start up somehow - even long chainstay of my beater didn't help much - My front wheel lost contact with the pavement several times when I pushed stronger to speed up or to start up and get into clips.

BTW. I needed 42/30 to get up there. I can not spin it at 370 RPM even with the help of gravity to get up to 69 km/h :D