Biting the dust on hills
04-16-09, 08:03 PM
#51
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When I get to the top I'm physically beat and slow down quite a bit whereas on my geared bike I would have plenty of energy to get my speed back up.
And I'm not going by my personal times I record rather than who I pass, hills are the only places where I go faster on my fixed.
04-16-09, 08:16 PM
#52
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I also climb hills faster on my fixed, and some hills i even find easier with it.
04-16-09, 08:55 PM
#53
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Wasn't any easier, but the climb up Novelty Hill (2.25 miles, 6% or greater to the top) was much faster on the singlespeed today. Usually I can keep up 7mph on my geared bike. I was holding 9mph or better on the singlespeed.
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04-16-09, 09:41 PM
#54
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My industrial cruiser bike is geared 42:21, so 52 gear-inches with 26" tires. That helps on the hills, but they are still a challenge for me (and around here, the average hill tends to be maybe 100' high). I've been riding that bike a year and a half now, and I'm still improving, so it is a slow process. I'm glad I can coast, too, that would be rough otherwise.
I think part of the secret is being young and light, part is having a light bike.
As to passing roadies on the hills- I can identify with that, although it's not quite what it sounds like. Going up a moderate hill on a single-speed, there's not much advantage to slowing down, so if it's not too long, I can just increase the power output and zip on up. On the geared bikes, I think they tend to downshift, and keep a more constant power output, then on the downhill side, upshift and keep pedaling going down. So I may pass a roadie on an uphill, but it doesn't mean much, either. And "roadie" in this case means "person on a road bike", not necessarily an accomplished rider.
I think part of the secret is being young and light, part is having a light bike.
As to passing roadies on the hills- I can identify with that, although it's not quite what it sounds like. Going up a moderate hill on a single-speed, there's not much advantage to slowing down, so if it's not too long, I can just increase the power output and zip on up. On the geared bikes, I think they tend to downshift, and keep a more constant power output, then on the downhill side, upshift and keep pedaling going down. So I may pass a roadie on an uphill, but it doesn't mean much, either. And "roadie" in this case means "person on a road bike", not necessarily an accomplished rider.
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04-16-09, 10:30 PM
#55
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Fixed gear bikes do better on certain hills because the rider doesn't want to drop below the most efficient cadence, and, if the rider does the hill a lot, he will do it in a higher gear (his only gear) than will a geared bike rider.
Now, make that a very long hill that the fixed gear rider hasn't ridden before, and it might just give the advantage back to the geared bike rider.
On the flats and downhill, the geared bike riders just blow past me.
Now, make that a very long hill that the fixed gear rider hasn't ridden before, and it might just give the advantage back to the geared bike rider.
On the flats and downhill, the geared bike riders just blow past me.
