Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - What am I in for?

I've been of the bike with NO exercise at all for 7 weeks, will be 8 weeks next week. (Edit, longer, but it was fractured, and then was re broken.. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=277380&highlight=broken+wrist)
After I get my cast off, I plan to get back into the swing of things. I've noticed that I've lost a lot of wieght, leg size (very dramatic, actually), and I can't imagine what else. I run a large gear (48x15 and 49x15) on a long ride (30 miles daily).. and am getting all the internet rumour worries about knees, etc. Also, my brake hand is the one that has been in a cast (broken wrist)..

I've begun stretching again.. which has been painful.

Any insightful fixie folks got ideas or helpful hints on how to get back into action?

I can't speak to your exact situation, but I recently (a month ago) started training for a trail running race after not running for almost three years. I'm finding that it's not doing less distance that makes the difference, it's going slower. Going out for less time frustrates me, but for some reason, if I do the same distance at half the speed, that's ok with my brain. My recommendation would be to ride your 30 miles, but understand you might be slower.

stationary trainer helped me thru knee surgery.

Just get out there and see what happens. Set your expectations really low, then be pleasantly surprised.

stationary trainer helped me thru knee surgery.
I was not/am not allowed to exercise in the cast.

geez, you dont need hands for the stationary.

88"!!!!!

drop down around 70" unless you were a monster you will be a better rider for it in the long run anyway.

switch your brake or put a second one on too.

If you're only running 1 brake, I would move it to the unbroken side until you've built up your broken arm back. After I fractured my wrist, my forearm muscles atrohpied enough where it was difficult to squeeze anything for a while... and if you're only running one brake for emergencies, I wouldn't want a handicap or pain on the brake hand. Get a squishy ball to work it out a while before switching back.

geez, you dont need hands for the stationary.

Doctor said NO exercize. Period. I kind of have to do what they say.

If you're only running 1 brake, I would move it to the unbroken side until you've built up your broken arm back. After I fractured my wrist, my forearm muscles atrohpied enough where it was difficult to squeeze anything for a while... and if you're only running one brake for emergencies, I wouldn't want a handicap or pain on the brake hand. Get a squishy ball to work it out a while before switching back.


Thanks, I bought one the other night, at least I'm thinking on the right track.

How long did it take you to get back and comfortable?

How much pain did it cause you to simply rest on the bar?

What did you fracture?

88"!!!!!

drop down around 70" unless you were a monster you will be a better rider for it in the long run anyway.

switch your brake or put a second one on too.


I'm not much one to understand the whole gear inch thing. Not to down play your advice, but I just don't get the whole conversion to inches and then back to gears.

Besides, I'm stuck with 48x15. The 46x16 was 3/32 and the new stuff is 1/8th. The old rear cog was destroyed during removal.. and I don't have the money/heart to kick in for new **** right now.

But, now I'm more concerned... Hmmph.

What speed do you usually ride at with your bike at 48x15? Or do you not have a computer?

What speed do you usually ride at with your bike at 48x15? Or do you not have a computer?

Fast as I can go until I get there, or slower.

Thanks, I bought one the other night, at least I'm thinking on the right track.

How long did it take you to get back and comfortable?

How much pain did it cause you to simply rest on the bar?

What did you fracture?

I was younger, and had issues for a couple months... it was a compound fracture. I didn't ride as much then so I can't say how long that took. If it happened to me now, I imagine it would take a while longer. Occasional pain (nothing worth medicating... just my arm telling me to quit pushing it) for about a month AFTER the cast came off doing anything from wiping my ass to holding a pencil. I didn't exercise it a lot and it took maybe two months to get anywhere near normal strength-wise. But my fracture was pretty bad... so I'm sure yours will be different. If you're thinking of doing anything your doctor says not to, I wouldn't do it, but if you had to I'd get one of those wrist braces just in case... immobilize it... while doing contraband activities. Otherwise, if you hit a pothole, even just resting on the bars and BAM, you're back to square one.

i rode home yesterday for the first time in like four months yesterday while it was almost 80 degrees. it was the most miserable ride ive ever had.

you will feel horrible

then you will feel a little better

then you will feel great

keep at it

yeah my hand acts up everynow and then. i fractured the karate chop part of my left hand. it sucks to ride on the flat of the bars. i couldn't really ride for a little over a month.

just try to take the most un-hilly route possible. you'll be fine going on modest terrain but it's gonna suck how much it hurts to pull up on the bars mashing a hill.

oh, ps, stationary bike def helped me. i'd set it on hills and a high level and mash the **** out of it. it won't help your hand but it'll at least get your legs back in order.

I would say a good portion of the regulars on this forum have busted something major and had to rehab. We ride bikes, it's not like playing golf. Bones are going to brake (intentional misspell).

Go SLOW. You should stretch anyway. Dropping your gearing will help tremendously. You should first try to get your aerobic back (spin fast, don't push gears). After a month or so, then, up the gearing.

Doctors are full of **** and have to coaver their asses. Do what feels right.

Not to second guess your doc, but it may not have occured to him/her that you can use a recumbent trainer and not put any pressure on the wrist or hand. Scaphoid fractures are notoriously twitchy and difficult to heal because the bone's main artery supply runs through the neck of the bone itself. It's understandable that if you asked about using an exercise bike they envisioned you sitting on an upright and leaning on the wrist and they said no. Check in with them about using a recumbent and if you have access to one, try that to help get yourself going and if it will be any use at this point.

I'm not sure if it's an option, but you might consider running aerobars so your elbows take most of the load even if it's just for resting. At least its an option if you're in the middle of your 30 mile ride and you are too uncomfortable to continue otherwise. Check to make sure your wrist can be properly positioned to use one before you fork out $.

Do you have recent x-rays to assess the healing progression?

hey man- if i remember right, you're in SD. i'm in SD as well. one of the best things you can do is to use your good hand to brake with. seriously, as one who's been there (rebuilt ankle and foot), you do not wanna f**k up the recovery of that wrist. if you're riding and really have to get on the brake, it'll be a lot of strain on that wrist, which could damage it permanently.
i have a left brake you can use indefinitely. it's just sitting in a box. PM if you wanna use it, and i can get it to you.

Not to second guess your doc, but it may not have occured to him/her that you can use a recumbent trainer and not put any pressure on the wrist or hand. Scaphoid fractures are notoriously twitchy and difficult to heal because the bone's main artery supply runs through the neck of the bone itself. It's understandable that if you asked about using an exercise bike they envisioned you sitting on an upright and leaning on the wrist and they said no. Check in with them about using a recumbent and if you have access to one, try that to help get yourself going and if it will be any use at this point.

I'm not sure if it's an option, but you might consider running aerobars so your elbows take most of the load even if it's just for resting. At least its an option if you're in the middle of your 30 mile ride and you are too uncomfortable to continue otherwise. Check to make sure your wrist can be properly positioned to use one before you fork out $.

Do you have recent x-rays to assess the healing progression?

the reason for no exercise is that they dont want sweat and moisture in the cast itself. It causes mold and possible skin infection. So no exercise.

when I broke my scaphoid, I had a pin put in it (by the same doctor that treated Travis Pastrana) due to the dubious likelihood of it actually healing in the 8 week period. I got a plaster cast for a week, then after the swelling from surgery went down, they fitted me for a plastic removable brace, and I used coolmax "socks" under it so I could still go running.

I broke my wrist on memorial day of 2005, got back on the bike by august. Looking back, it was probably the most expensive way to have a wrist treated, however, I was still covered by my mom's health insurance...so it was basically free.

I'm not much one to understand the whole gear inch thing. Not to down play your advice, but I just don't get the whole conversion to inches and then back to gears.

Besides, I'm stuck with 48x15. The 46x16 was 3/32 and the new stuff is 1/8th. The old rear cog was destroyed during removal.. and I don't have the money/heart to kick in for new **** right now.

But, now I'm more concerned... Hmmph.


You can still keep the 1/8" drivetrain and go to a lower gearing, by replacing the 15T sprocket, with a 22T. That will force you to pedal more and build up a bit of stamina, which is all very good - while having less stress on your joints.

A good quality 22T sprocket could cost you anything between US $15 and $35. But how valuable is your health to you? I learned that health is the most valuable thing in life (after my loved ones). Wouldn't you agree?

hey man- if i remember right, you're in SD. i'm in SD as well. one of the best things you can do is to use your good hand to brake with. seriously, as one who's been there (rebuilt ankle and foot), you do not wanna f**k up the recovery of that wrist. if you're riding and really have to get on the brake, it'll be a lot of strain on that wrist, which could damage it permanently.
i have a left brake you can use indefinitely. it's just sitting in a box. PM if you wanna use it, and i can get it to you.


Thanks: both my fixies are left hand set up: and I broke my left trapezium. I've got spare levers for one bike and can flip the other (it's an inline). I guess my worry now is not the brake, but pulling up. I ride Imperial or Markette. Imperial has some decent climbs (the at the edge of the 15 by the cemetary) is one I pull up on the bars often. Looks like I am going to HAVE to kick down the gearing if I like it or not..

Tell your sob story to someone who can loan you a geared bike and flip the brakes.

Sometimes gears are best option and if you really have a 30miles a day to ride, over doing at first is a serious risk.

WK - get gears.

dutret has a very good point about "over-doing" it. And at your age WK, just doing it is difficult enough.

WK is how old? im 41 on tuesday and im still slinging packages, heck im still getting stronger riding, its the falling part that hurts more than it did when I was 20 sumthin and made of rubber

I had a distal radius fracture, the fix involved a plate, 4 screws, 5 weeks off the bike, and another year before it was all good again. Breaking bones at joints is long time healing. Didnt take long to get the fitness back after 5 weeks off, but I would really rather not go thru that kind of time off very often, it does suck. The first few days back remind you of your mortality thats for sure.

WK is how old? im 41 on tuesday and im still slinging packages, heck im still getting stronger riding, its the falling part that hurts more than it did when I was 20 sumthin and made of rubber
...
Breaking bones at joints is long time healing. Didnt take long to get the fitness back after 5 weeks off, but I would really rather not go thru that kind of time off very often, it does suck. The first few days back remind you of your mortality thats for sure.

+ten million. and it gets worse as you age. At 48 I am a beter rider than I ever was, still a shoulder f**ed up skiing keeps me out of dojo for way too long and hurts as hell when I have to really use it.

hi wk!

i have a 1/8" 18t EAI cog you can have if you want it. . . . i'll install it for ya too:) its gonna be spin city for you though. . . .

also, i'd recommend getting cushy bar tape and maybe raise your stem to put less weight/pressure on your wrists and more on your butt.

hi wk!

i have a 1/8" 18t EAI cog you can have if you want it. . . . i'll install it for ya too:) its gonna be spin city for you though. . . .

also, i'd recommend getting cushy bar tape and maybe raise your stem to put less weight/pressure on your wrists and more on your butt.

I'll try the stem thing. Mainly, it looks like I'll be watching my climbs.

{typicall A hole william mode off**
I would like to humbly thank everyone here for advice and insight. I very much appreciate it.
{we will now return to normal curmudgeon william**

You can also see how stupidly big my cast is:
http://sdfixed.blogspot.com/2007/04/life-can-be-hard.html

Don't laugh at the picture.

With a low gear and your bars in the right place it's possible to do almost any hill seated and without significant pulling on the bars. I picked up this technique after a back injury made it impossible to climb standing---necessity is the mother of invention. Now though I do stand sometimes for the powah, I still haven't found a hill I can't do seated all the way up in my 69", oops 47*18 gear. and i climb some big hills.

Now though I do stand sometimes for the powah, I still haven't found a hill I can't do seated all the way up in my 69", oops 47*18 gear. and i climb some big hills.

And how long do those climbs last, Mr. powah?

I'm back on the bike after being off for eight weeks (see picture in sig for the gory details).

I'm really, really glad I have a geared bike right now. Some of the hills I could power up on the fixed are kicking my ass on the lowest possible gear.

I'm 38, so a similar vintage.

And how long do those climbs last, Mr. powah?

Seriously? Lets not start measuring each others dicks ok? I'm not kidding though, because my injury stuck around for awhile I have tested this theory a fair bit. You really don't need to stand and pull on the bars to get up a hill.

Seriously? Lets not start measuring each others dicks ok? I'm not kidding though, because my injury stuck around for awhile I have tested this theory a fair bit. You really don't need to stand and pull on the bars to get up a hill.

OK, I was missunderstood: I do believe you can climb without having to stand up and pull on the bars, because I tested that technique myself (well, out of necessity, to be honest).

What I am having an issue with, is someone saying that with ~70 gear inches they can climb "some big hills". Maybe our concept of "big hill" differs, so I wanted to know yours.

WK - on the gear inches thing. You are riding 88 inches which is a really high gear for the road, in fact it is a pretty typical track gear. This means that you are probably mashing quite a lot (low pedal rpms with lots of power). This is not usually the most efficient pedalling style and will mean that the drop off in muscle in your legs will have a noticeable impact on your riding.

A lower gear (49/19 is about 70 inches) means your legs spin much more, with less leg strength necessary. This is usually more efficient and will be better for your legs at the moment.

OK, I was missunderstood: I do believe you can climb without having to stand up and pull on the bars, because I tested that technique myself (well, out of necessity, to be honest).

What I am having an issue with, is someone saying that with ~70 gear inches they can climb "some big hills". Maybe our concept of "big hill" differs, so I wanted to know yours.

Oh ok, the internet tends to make everyone sound more sarcastic and snarky. Climbs are sort of my thing. As long as you can turn the cranks at sufficient rpms without going anaerobic (basically you ought to be able to talk without huffing or puffing) you can sustain a climb for an hour or more. A pal and I do weekly rides up to Seymour and Cypress, these two ski hills in North Van BC; both are 11 km 7% grades that go up about 1000 metres. Last week for the first time we did both in the same day.
We arent super athletes, our ~ 50 minute times would generally put us at DFL for the cat 5 hillclimbs up those grades. But we do em fixed, on bikes geared to ride back down :)

You can also see how stupidly big my cast is:
http://sdfixed.blogspot.com/2007/04/life-can-be-hard.html

Don't laugh at the picture.

its not so bad!!!
but that pbr should be replaced with a Stella BEER!!!
Or even a Warstiener beer
FO SHO:D :D

But we do em fixed, on bikes geared to ride back down

What to you use for the downs??

Fixed(gearing?)/ Free / flip/flops / Brakes???

Fixed and spinning in the same gear we go up in. If youre lucky you get a huge headwind that spares you from having to brake and resist a lot. A guy I know came out with us up and down Mount Seymour on a frigging brakeless track bike with keirin bars, geared 72". It was a bad choice going up and coming down. But he is a bmxer with great bike handling skills and just the guy to pull off ill advised bike stunts like that.

Oh ok, the internet tends to make everyone sound more sarcastic and snarky. Climbs are sort of my thing. As long as you can turn the cranks at sufficient rpms without going anaerobic (basically you ought to be able to talk without huffing or puffing) you can sustain a climb for an hour or more. A pal and I do weekly rides up to Seymour and Cypress, these two ski hills in North Van BC; both are 11 km 7% grades that go up about 1000 metres. Last week for the first time we did both in the same day.
We arent super athletes, our ~ 50 minute times would generally put us at DFL for the cat 5 hillclimbs up those grades. But we do em fixed, on bikes geared to ride back down :)

ok ok ok ..... now everything makes sense: 7% climb! No wonder you can do that with 70 gear inches. Not that it's not an effort, because it is, for 11 Km, but it mostly needs stamina. The kind of hills I have in mind is 20-30%, which I thought one couldn't possibly traverse with such gearing (for any respectable distance).

And for the record, I do not claim I'd have your stamina for 11 Km 7% climb. Mad props to you. But one day, one day...!!

haha 20-30%= no way. If i saw a hill like that i would crap my pants. I can get up the 14% grade, 90 metres vertical hill outside my place, but that's right on the edge of death. And seriously it didn't take much fitness training to start doing these climbs. We *are* getting stomped by cat 5s after all. When I started climbing last year with thise hills in mind, I was planning to do all this elaborate Rocky-like training with raw eggs and stuff before attempting the big climbs, but then i just started going out and doing it. As long as you stay aerobic and well out of the blowup zone you can climb all day, just like anything else on a bike.

Over doing it is probably your biggest problem. I broke my foot and after my 12 weeks off the bike were up, I went back to commuting just like usual and somewhere in the first week managed to rebreak my foot.

Thanks every, for the advice. Things have come along.. pretty nicely. I've watched the pulling, and for the most part, have been low on the pain. The legs sprung back quickly, I'm no longer a slug, and mostly a turtle. Though I did climb the presidio the other night.