Originally Posted by
AristoNYC
I disagree with that statement. I think constant pedaling, especially when going up and down hills is a big impact on fitness levels. Being confined to one gear limits temptation to change gearing to suit your incline, etc.
But yes, in theory you could do the same by keeping a road bike in one constant gear, but whats the fun in that?
My point is simply that riding a fixed gear for the same amount of time as a road bike with roughly the same power output, will not provide a significant difference in fitness level. Hey, I ride both quite a bit and certainly appreciate the benefits of fixed (pedal stroke, other muscles, overall zen factor, etc.), but from a fitness perspective it's certainly not a superior activity, just different.