today i was talking to a guy
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 97
Bikes: Bianchi Pista 08. Felt f80.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
today i was talking to a guy
who was convinced that riding a fixed gear makes you have a smoother pedal stroke.
i believe it doesn't, because you don't have to pull the pedal back up, it does it automatically., therefore making your stroke less smooth on a freewheel.
fixed gear helps other things, but not so much this. am i right?
i believe it doesn't, because you don't have to pull the pedal back up, it does it automatically., therefore making your stroke less smooth on a freewheel.
fixed gear helps other things, but not so much this. am i right?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Eugene, Or
Posts: 337
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Fixed gear gives you a way better spin so the guy is right. That's the only reason you really see or hear of roadies getting track bikes is to improve their spin.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Coventry RI
Posts: 293
Bikes: 1958 raleigh fixed , specialized P2, standard S250, giant cross country bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
ya fixed gears helped my spin 300 hundred percent! after my first year on one it was like nite and day !
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Posts: 85
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You do get the slack point just as the pedal's point to 12-6 o'clock on a freewheel, which I really only noticed after having a fixer. Higher cadence too, although depends on the gearing ratio e.g. I'm on 80 gear inches at the mo, and find I don't get to spin up too much apart from longer rides!
Overall, I think it's nice to have both!
Overall, I think it's nice to have both!
#6
cab horn
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353
Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 26 Times
in
19 Posts
The only thing it really does is make you pedal all the time. Whether you want to or not. This makes you lazy on the deadspots on each crank rotation. Depending on the gearing it may or may not force you to spin faster than you normally would for the terrain. You DO get better riding a wider range of cadences than you normally would.
#7
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
You're both right and you're both wrong. Fixed does indeed force your feet to follow the pedals, but once the cadence gets up, you MUST pedal well or you'll find yourself bouncing on the saddle. To be honest, I find freewheels a recipe for lazy riding ... but only because they never force you to do it properly, it's all your choice. Point your fixed gear bike down any sort of incline and sooner or later, you will be forced to pedal properly.
Richard
Richard
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: four 1 OHHH , Maryland
Posts: 2,849
Bikes: nagasawa, fuji track pro
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
like everyone has already said. track bikes have the effect that when i hop on my road bike i am always pedaling although it IS nice to coast through sharp bends esp with a lower bb and longer crank arm length.
if you want to improve* stroke, ride rollers
if you want to improve* stroke, ride rollers
#10
Gentlemen.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Chico, CA
Posts: 1,516
Bikes: S-Works e5 Aerotech with 2009 Veloce and a Fulcrum 5s
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It won't give you better cadence, but if you pay attention and try to make sure everything is smooth you can certainly work on it.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 386
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i made my conversion in order to work on cadence. i went from barely able to spin 120 to being able to do short sprints at near 150. i geared my bike LOW (42x17). spin is great, i hardly ever bounce unless im just exhausted. i can maintain 140 for about a minute, then i have to slow down.
going back to road bike, its much easier to spin at 100-120 for long distances. i used to be in the 80-90 rpm range. all this change in 6 months- not too bad.
im currently looking at gearing up my conversion to a 47x17 to work on power and longer rides. it gets boring spinning out before 30 mph.
going back to road bike, its much easier to spin at 100-120 for long distances. i used to be in the 80-90 rpm range. all this change in 6 months- not too bad.
im currently looking at gearing up my conversion to a 47x17 to work on power and longer rides. it gets boring spinning out before 30 mph.
#14
blah
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 5,573
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
3 Posts
fixed on rollers is a great way to develop a smoother cadence. sometimes when riding fixed out in the world ill unclip one foot and pedal for a while with just my right, then just my left, then put them together.
#16
Gone Tarcking. Back Later
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 502
Bikes: Iron Horse Warrior Team (tricked to high heaven), Jamis Coda Sport (frame and fork, built into CX commuter), Gary Fisher Opie Dirt Jumper,SE Lager tarck bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#17
Permanent Beater Rider
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 466
Bikes: Windsor Hour
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I run about 130rpm on the spinners at the gym. I dont have a cyclo computer so i dont know how fast i can spin on the road.
#18
.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,860
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
after riding fixed
on a road bike
you'll find yourself pedaling constantly
lifting the rear wheel at intersections to reorient the pedals
removing important parts of the bicycle
and showing up to the sunday group ride in daisy dukes
on a road bike
you'll find yourself pedaling constantly
lifting the rear wheel at intersections to reorient the pedals
removing important parts of the bicycle
and showing up to the sunday group ride in daisy dukes
__________________
https://blicksbags.com/
https://blicksbags.com/
#19
hello
You may learn to 'spin' better, but riding nothing but fixed can also make you a lazy peddler. You might evidence this if you get on a freewheeling bike after riding nothing but fixed for some time.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Eugene, Or
Posts: 337
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
No he's not right.
The only thing it really does is make you pedal all the time. Whether you want to or not. This makes you lazy on the deadspots on each crank rotation. Depending on the gearing it may or may not force you to spin faster than you normally would for the terrain. You DO get better riding a wider range of cadences than you normally would.
The only thing it really does is make you pedal all the time. Whether you want to or not. This makes you lazy on the deadspots on each crank rotation. Depending on the gearing it may or may not force you to spin faster than you normally would for the terrain. You DO get better riding a wider range of cadences than you normally would.
#21
Gone Tarcking. Back Later
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 502
Bikes: Iron Horse Warrior Team (tricked to high heaven), Jamis Coda Sport (frame and fork, built into CX commuter), Gary Fisher Opie Dirt Jumper,SE Lager tarck bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Having a FG and a dirt jumper in my dorm room provides that delicate balance of laziness and spinning. That said, I often FORGET that I can coast on my dirt jumper.
#22
onitsuka tiger
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: southern california
Posts: 201
Bikes: 60's mercian track
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i don't see how getting better at different cadences = no he's not right, you're pedal stroke does not improve.
its like saying, YOURE WRONG....EXCEPT WHEN I MAKE YOUR POINT FOR YOU.
if you can explain to me how to get better at different cadences without improving your pedal stroke, you win the internet.
and i think the guy OP was talking to is right. fixed gear at low speeds means nothing compared to a freewheel. but when you push yourself to your highest cadence ability on a freewheel, theres very little feedback when you have imperfections in pedaling form (if you're going faster than you can pedal, you can switch gears or coast). a descent on a freewheel bike is not impeded by pedalstroke either, your top speed = how fast you can pedal + coasting and letting gravity take over. with a fixed gear, your feet are forced to keep up with the spin of the bike (at high cadences/descents/speed changes) or you suffer a bouncy ride. this also means there's a self imposed limit on top speed, which is how fast you can spin with the bike. improving your spin, you'll see a higher top speed. you can't easily see that change with a freewheel. when you learn to manage all the issues in your form, you have better power output throughout the range of your stroke and throughout any cadences/changes in cadence you'll likely encounter. higher top pedaling speed too. its not like you cannot learn these things on a roadbike, but the feedback from a fixed gear is helpful for a lot of people.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 128
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#24
Out fishing with Annie on his lap, a cigar in one hand and a ginger ale in the other, watching the sunset.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 16,056
Bikes: Techna Wheelchair and a Sun EZ 3 Recumbent Trike
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times
in
17 Posts
On longish road bike rides, the folk I'm riding with also literally marvel at how little I actually coast (read, almost never).
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant