Performance of single speed X fixed gear
 

sorry if this was asked before (could't find anything).

So, I just got one bike, fixed gear. Been using it for some time, and love the feel of a single gear. But, I also got a freewheel wich came with the bike, and it got me thinking...

There is any loss of performance in ss comparing to fg? Specially in hill climbing? 'm asking with rides like 80, 90 km, with 1000m or more of ascension (what I usually do on the weekends) in mind. I suppose fg would be more efficient in climbing (to me, it seens easier on hard climbs because of the moving cranks, wich make me suppose one do a bit less force to overcome the dead spots on pedal movement), but it never hurts to ask to people with way more mileage than me ;) Using road shoes, if it changes anything.

so, can you guys feel a performance difference in the switch? I know I can just coast on the downhills and get a bit of refreshment for the next climb, so maybe I can climb fresher and overcome any advantages of FG?

thanks in advance

The difference is insignificant. Either way you have to apply force to the pedals and keep your legs turning.

no. its simple physics. you are doing the same amount of work either way. The only difference in efficiency would be if the freewheel was less mechanically efficient than the cog, by say having more friction between it and the chain. Which it doesn't. and anything like that would be negligible and probably not measurable.

unless its powered by something other than you, a bike will never push you.

For what its worth, single speed is more efficient going downhill, which presumably you also have to do.

Jesus ****ing christ just ride the goddamn bike.

This is pretty much the answer to about 95% of the questions asked anywhere on this message board, doesn't matter what subforum you're in.

fixed.

^^

on some hills-a lot faster and easier to keep up with other riders on the downhill if that matters. If I ride fixed a lot when I get on a geared bike my spin in the saddle is good, but I have a dead spot while standing on hills. After I climb several hills and concentrate on pulling up I get rid of the dead spot, but I have to work at it. Don't know if that goes into the easier or harder of just different category.

It just means the fixed gear masked the dead spot in your pedaling and the geared bike revealed it.

Has your saddle been stuck up your ass lately?

Don't worry about it.

The OP has described ~50 mile, ~55 feet/mile elevation gain rides. This is smack dab in the middle between "flat" and "seriously hilly" riding. Will either FG or SS make a difference, really? Likely not. But selection of gearing might matter, depending on how strong a climber he is. Higher GI and more manageable descents in FG. Dunno...

I can massage it out for you. I have some mighty hands.

Has your saddle been stuck up your ass lately?

Nah that's ok. I think I got it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/272342196

this is my "benchmark" training. It shows a lot more ascension, but it's a mobile Strava thing. Running 46X16 in this ride.

So not huge steep hills, but a lot of smaller ones.

T13, take a virtual hug, man. You look nervous :D

I think most of the time, some of you guys take me as I'm being way more serious than I really am.

If you allow the flywheel effect of the fixed gear to push your pedals through the dead spots, then it's stealing that power from forward momentum of the bike. This is something that cannot happen with a freewheel.

The bike is moving forward regardless fixed vs freewheel,tThere is no power input unless you're pedaling. Or are you saying fixed gears are perpetual motion devices? I would like that very much though ;)

My experience is that when I am riding fixed and I can hit the bottom of a hill with speed (esp in rolling hills) I have so much more invested in my energy and muscular resources that I pedal much harder while my RPMs are high than I ever do with a freewheel. As a result, I often climb hills much faster fixed. I pay for that later. I estimate fix gear rides are roughly 25-335 harder than geared and a real amount harder than SS for mostly that reason.

I do have to confess I haven't done a side by side comparison of FG vs SS for 39 years. I only did it once and it wasn't a good test as I never pushed it on the fix gear. That was my first fix gear ride. Never rode SS again. I was sold.

Ben

The flywheel effect is the cleansing of lactic acid and everything else on the near 200 RPM descents. Like the battery on my Prius. I hit the bottom of the next hill and I am ready to go!

Ben

I ride much faster in lycra than I do in cargo shorts and a teeshirt. Physics, man !

well, sunday I will ride the same ride posted, in single speed mode, and will report results. Let's see what happens :)

You should publish this in a scientific journal