TenSpeedV2

What is the general consensus on riders on fixed gear bikes riding in organized group rides? LBS here does a ride - 22-25 miles at about a 17-18mph pace give or take. While it is organized, it is not super strict on rules or anything like that. I rode it for the first time last week on my endurance road bike and it was fun. Would love to take my track bike (has front brake) on this ride. I know it isn't an issue because I guy I know was there and rode a track bike (front brake) that I sold him.

Ride is mostly back country roads, double pace line, nothing too racy or fast, just a fairly big group of active riders. While I am new to this specific ride, I have done other rides with no issues and understand how most of a group ride works. Holding 17-18 mph is not an issue with my gearing and it is flat here so hills are pretty much a non issue as well and the distance is just fine. 44 years old here so no, I am not a kid on a sick sw8 fixay doing whip skids and popping wheelies.

79pmooney

How long have you been riding fix gears? I ask because fix gear riders can do something geared riders cannot and to do so is pure instinct unless you train it out. That is to slow your legs when something happens in front of you. If you do this, you slow down and drop yourself back several feet before the guy behind you can get to his brakes. (Yes, he has the same instinct to slow but when he does it he just coasts.)

If you ride your fix gear with geared bikes, it is your responsibility to not slow when that unexpected whatever happens. As someone who rides both, I watch very carefully any fix gear rider who joins a ride and make it a point to stay away from him until I am convinced he really knows what he is doing. (For the very same reason, I do not like riders coming up behind me without saying anything when I am riding fixed. I love the sudden additional slow down and consider it a perk of fix gears. But that sucker behind me will be doing a very fast face plant.)

Ben

Dean V

I have done quite a bit of group riding with my fixie. Never had any complaints or issues.
Just try to keep out of the way if there is a chance of getting spun out on a downhill.

redfooj

if they keep up then your group really sucks

btw that was me, once in my life, 10 years younger and fitter, destroying the fat men on the rolling hills

kbarch

You should.

Seriously, as long as you have a front brake, can accelerate from a stop reasonably well, and don't skid or dart sideways like fixie riders often do, there shouldn't be an issue.

As for the concern @79pmooney expressed about slowing down with your legs instead of coasting, well, I think that depends on the nature of your group. The most disciplined groups I've ridden with strongly discourage coasting - keep pedaling, but if you need to modulate speed, feather your brakes. On a fixed gear, using your legs is the same. It's actually an advantage and a more reliable indicator of speed and acceleration, because there is no "neutral" or zero signal except at full stop, and there are no variations due to gearing shifts.

The one issue I had when riding fixed in a group was when we'd get to the bottom of a dip and start heading back up, especially when toward the rear of the group. As you know, the FG has and advantage in maintaining momentum - it doesn't give up so readily at the start of a hill, and it's hard to stay in line when the bikes in front of you slow down on account of a grade change and your bike isn't ready to - I mean, who wants to hit their brakes on a climb?

FlashBazbo

It depends on the skills of the person on the fixie. I've done a long, fast, hilly group ride with one guy on a fixie and I didn't notice he was on a fixie until 35 miles into the ride. He kept pace within the group perfectly. I've also done a fast, flat group ride with a guy who insisted on ratcheting forward in the group when he could -- but then became a rolling roadblock every time the road had as much as a 1.5% to 2% slope. People in the group had to scramble and scatter to keep from running into him. Every. Single. Time. Before many miles, he was encouraged to either stay on the very back of the group or leave the group entirely.


It's not just about being able to maintain the average pace of the group. It's also about being able to regulate speed within the group to avoid differences in pace when the road slopes (even slightly) up or down. NO road is perfectly flat.

deapee

If you aren't getting in people's way and are staying with the group, why would anyone care what you ride? If you're going to be a hindrance on it, then the answer is clear: ride the fixie alone or bring your geared bike to group rides.

TimothyH

I occasionally ride fixed with a roadie group. No one seems to mind and they are usually quite interested in the bike.

I might dangle off the back of a pace line gets particularly fast but that is the only real limitation.

-Tim-

redfooj

because nobody is ensured whether or not one will be a hindrance but some do hold some prejudices, e.g. the reason some groups frown on tt bikes and tt/aero bars add-ons.

our local/social group is very welcoming and friendly but explicitly exclude some equipments on the same grounds

PepeM

Solid rider on a fixed gear > crappy rider on a road bike

If you feel comfortable doing it, I think you should be fine.

merlinextraligh

I've ridden fixed gear ( w/ front brake) on group rides. It's never been an issue.

Did a century with a group once on a track bike(with front brake added). Not doing that again, just because of the inability to ever coast for 100 miles, and geometry completely unsuited for a comfortable ride.

johnny99

Our club allows fixies to join. However, hand brakes and helmets are required for all riders and most of our routes are hilly. One fixie came once and dropped out less than half way because the route (with only short hills) was too strenuous.

IamNed

I've only done a group ride once with my fixed gear, and my intentions were to hang with the slower folks but ended up with the faster group that I normally ride with. Everybody seemed to be fascinated with the concept and I was surprised how few were aware of fixed gear bikes. During the ride I simply explained to those around me that I would always be pedaling and did my best to not compromise the safety of others. Pulled a couple of times but preferred to hang off the back. It was fun, but it wasn't my intention, and I won't do it again with the faster road bikes. I was comfortable only in that I knew everybody and they knew me.

merlinextraligh

I realize this is a gross over generalization, but you're typically going to have two significant groups of fixed gear riders. One, old school racers who ride fixed for training, and a diversion in the off season, and Two, newer riders who were attracted to the fixed gear fad.


The former group should be no issue on a fast group ride, the latter may be.


But how safe a rider in a group ride is of course dependent on the rider, not the bike he or she rides.

popeye

We found them to be too much of a rubber band in a fast pace line. You want to hang off the back fine.

caloso

We've occasionally had riders on brake-equipped track bikes on the River Ride. Never been a problem, as the ride is dead flat and there's only a handful of 90 degree turns, so it's no problem for a careful rider. It's always been an experienced racer so they had the group's trust. And occasionally we've had guys on TT bikes. Again, as long as they stay off the aerobars (unless they're OTF) and know how to handle the bike, no problem.

shelbyfv

Regardless of how we feel about it, it's up to the group you plan to ride with. Aside from that, I don't really see the attraction of riding fixed in a group of geared bikes. Why potentially cause a problem? Should have plenty of opportunities to ride the fixie in a more forgiving environment.

Carbonfiberboy 

We used to have a Cat 2 who'd come out with us and did OK, off the back on descents but then catch back up. He'd drop out with exhaustion after ~30 miles. No one else ever tried. Years ago, I led a SS group ride which would occasionally have a fixie come out. Off the back on descents again, but fine in the paceline.

MikeOK

Any of the group rides I've been on they just think the more the merrier. I think they will be impressed you can ride with them on a fixed gear bike. I know I was always impressed with the fixed guys when in a race. I built a fixed gear bike once and absolutely hated it. If you can hang on it in a group ride I know I am impressed.

TenSpeedV2

Took my fixed gear tonight, but unfortunately had to take it back home and get the road bike instead. NDS crank arm is shot, long story. LBS is on my way to the ride so I figured I would stop in and see what the mysterious creaking was near the BB. Glad that I did. Also glad that I allowed myself extra time to be able to run home and swap bikes. Looks like I will more than likely be ordering a new crank so it will have to wait for the group ride.

wipekitty

I've done quite a few group rides on a fixed gear. On mostly flat rides, no problem. For rides with steep descents, I inform group members that I am using "non-standard equipment", I will hold my line to the right on descents and they should drop me, and I will catch up at the bottom. I primarily ride with no-drop groups, so I feel inclined to let them know that I can make up time lost during the steep parts and they need not wait.

I've never personally had a problem so long as I can hold my own, and would gladly welcome other responsible fixed gear riders to my groups. I would, however, be skeptical about riding fixed with a hammerfest training group on a route with steep descents.

kbarch

You're probably doing this already, but to sort of abstract from a lot of the comments above, the answer lies in the nature of the group and the nature of the ride. How friendly are you with everyone in the group, and how friendly or "serious" is the ride going to be?

TenSpeedV2

OK, so this finally happened, and I regretted it. Probably will not ride this bike again on this type of ride. Long story, but it contained a bowl of suck.

f4rrest

Curious. Tell what happened.

redfooj

Can't say we didn't tell ya