Originally Posted by
Duragrouch
I've never ridden fixed, just single speed on flat land when under 10 years old. But my perception is, you might be faster on fixed because you are forced to climb out of the saddle, rather than spin up in a lower gear. The few road bike races I've seen on TV like the TdF, they climb standing. I'm faster on multi-speed that way, typically 2 or 3 gears up when standing, it's simply a question of if I run out of wheaties and need to downshift and spin, or walk up. I've also noticed more chain and cog wear since climbing while standing.
Fixed can be faster climbing if the grade and duration are in a specific band than allows sustained out of saddle climbing at a higher level of effort than one is willing to do with gears. Fixed is speed limited descending, whereas SS is not. So I feel like technically, SS can be the fastest if the terrain is right.
That was a mouthful. Basically, fixed or SS demands out of saddle climbing just to keep moving, whereas geared you can gear down and spin. But if the grade or duration exceed physical limitation, fixed/ss you either slow to a crawl or walk. BITD, racers would crack, meaning they just flat couldn't push the gear. Massive time would be lost. With today's gearing, a pro who blows up can gear down, spin, recover, and manage the losses. Riding fixed or SS is retro like that.
Just a half-baked idea, but I think the reason fixed gear
feels good is that it's natural. Like walking/jogging/running. Speed = cadence. It feels right.