Originally Posted by
swissycle
When reading about bigger rides or amateur races, I’ve been noticing something of a pattern: singlespeeders will say something to the effect of "I geared down to 42/18 to make the hills manageable,” whereas a geared rider (perhaps on a vintage bike) might observe “with a lowest gear of only 42/28, the hills were a bit challenging…”
What gives? Are geared riders climbing Mont Ventoux while we singlespeeders are climbing speed bumps in a parking lot? Are we cavalier about our knees? Do we just have bigger thighs?
It sometimes seems like singlespeeding (to say nothing of fixed riding) is quite a different discipline from “normal” cycling.
There are SS riders that conquer
Mont Ventoux
In general SS / FG riders are better mashers with big gears ...
Climbing Mont Ventoux on a fixed gear (single-speed) bike is a challenging but achievable feat for experienced cyclists. It requires significant physical and mental preparation, as the climb is long, steep, and relentless. The average gradient is around 7.5%, and the total elevation gain is over 1,590 meters (about 5,305 feet). The climb can take anywhere from 1 hour 30 minutes for seasoned cyclists to 2 hours 30 minutes for intermediate riders