I have been a roadie for many years and decided to try riding on the track. I went out and bought myself a fixie with drop bars geared 46 x 15. I do have one brake since I ride in suburban areas. I have had it for a few weeks and have been riding it daily to get used to it before my first track experience.

Amazingly, my average speed has gone up considerably since I have been riding it. My speeds have been climbing every day on my ~30 mile route. Yesterday I did a 29 mile ride and averaged 20.57 mph. I have never averaged that high on my road bikes, which for years have been around 17.5 mph riding 30 miles by myself.

I have three questions.

1) Is it normal for people to build much greater speed on fixies over geared bikes.
2) Is this actually going to hurt my training for two centuries coming up in the next month?
3) Has anyone ever rode their Fixie on a Century?

This is fast becoming my favorite bike. I have full carbon road bikes and when I think of riding, I now want to take my $200 aluminum fixie.

I guess I am a convert.

1.) You shouldn't factor an average speed change from just one ride. Especially when your previous number consisted of data gleaned from several years of riding. So, not really.

2.) It shouldn't, it's extremely difficult to use a fixed gear to follow a structured training plan but if you're just riding a lot and trying to push yourself without being technical you should be fine.

3.) Yes, it was fun, my butt hurt. This link has some good information if you're curious: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...d-Gear-Century

1- Yes
2- No, it should help you. Riding fixed helped my form and improved my cadence
3- People have

Thing is when roadies train on a fixed, they typically will run a low gear, to practice spinning. 46x15 is a medium I guess, I wouldn't run it on the street, I run 49x18 on the street (72gi) and 49x16/49x15 on the track.

I am not basing it on one ride. My speed has been steadily climbing over the last 2 weeks. 7 days earlier, I rode at 18.8 MPH the same ride.

My training plan has been ride as hard as I can for 1 mile, then 2 miles of normal pace. Repeat throughout the ride. On my road bike I would shift to very high cadence on the 2 miles. On the fixie, I am just working on keeping my cadence as fast as I can. I live in Houston which is as flat as a pizza, and I am riding my first mountain based ride in 3 weeks. The Tour de Tahoe, so I am training as hard as I can on both strength and cadence. I will NOT take my fixie for that ride.


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Looking at the profile I think you'll be fine. Might want to throw some hill repeats (if you can find anywhere to do them) in there as well since there's a bit of climbing and training in the flats makes it hard to prepare for any extended elevation changes.

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/3000014

I have found a place to practice climbs. The parking garages at night in Houston. There are a few that enable 12 story climbs, which I think equate to 120 foot vertical climbs. I ride those 10 times up and down. There is also a sea side route I have taken that takes me over 8 bridges that are big enough for oil tankers to go under them. I am confident I will finish that ride, I just would like to finish it in a reasonable time.
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https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...on-a-road-bike

https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-456653.html

You need to head over to the road forum where they can tear your workout apart and tell you what you need to do to mix up that interval work and make it better.

Man, these threads have been increasing in number. Roadie here who also rides fixed a bunch.

1. Yes, sometimes. Your 'normal' interval-style training on your roadbike gave you slower average speeds because intervals are not meant to net high average speeds. You burn yourself for a minute then chill for a while. On a fixed gear, the incentive to 'stop and go' is lower since the energy cost of spin-up is greater (no gear-assistance). Over a 30mi ride, if you set a speed limit of 20mph constantly, you will get a near 20mph avg. Whereas if you are sprinting hard at 25-30mph for a minute, then back down to 15mph for a few minutes (rinse/repeat) you're average would be more in line with the 17mph you quoted. It also takes way more effort to do intervals than spinning at a constant 20mph. TL;DR You are comparing apples to oranges.

2. It won't hurt your training. If anything, it will help in some aspects. If you are working on strength and cadence, find some hills with your fixie. You will always be in the 'wrong' gear. Going up you will be in a tall gear - working on strength. Going down you will be in too low of a gear, forcing you to work on high-cadence spinning. Besides the forced pedaling going downhill, you can simulate this on a road bike by just shifting to the 'appropriate' gear. That shouldn't be the only part of your training with a fg, though. Most road racers also incorporate a very low gearing in their fixed training - focusing on high cadence efficiency. That will net more of an improvement on your overall fitness than anything.

3. Yes, they are super fun/no different from a normal century. Make sure your bike is fit properly (drop bars will be HORRIBLE - get road drops with hoods, even if one is a dummy hood) and you eat properly. You'll be fine.

I can't add much to the above responses except a +1 -- fixed-gear riding has made me a much stronger rider in general and has helped to break some bad habits. In theory, I could have accomplished that on my road bikes, but a FG forces you to work harder on the uphills and to stop coasting so much.

I haven't done a fixed-gear century yet, but I've done several FG metrics, and the itch is there...

i experienced the same thing- fixed, i had a higher avg speed. Even 60+mile rides.
Of course the terrain was fairly flat...

I notice that my cadence has been higher on my roadie now, but with same average speeds.

So, FG riding has taught me to spin lower gears. It is infinitely more efficient.

Did my first ever century and it was fixed. It seemed to be pretty much the same effort for the couple of guys on road bikes. Midnight century to the Griffith Observatory!

I have noticed the same about higher cadence on the road bike as well. The fixie has also taught me to grab my water bottle and drink while still peddling. This has always hurt me during pace lines in the past. WebRep

Heck, my road bike is a fixed gear.

absolutely.

i have a lot of miles and maybe a dozen centuries (one w/8k climb) on my 46x16 steel fixed gear, not a mile on a velodrome, and i'm not much for training specifics. but i can say that if you ride one a bunch, i promise you will be much better for it.

physical benefits for me were increased power (esp. seated climbing) and fluidity...strong and smooth. style changes too though, even geared...no coasting, spin more (momentum rules! attack the hills!) i now have no patience for my group ride roadies who coast into the hills and immediately drop chainrings. only thing i miss about coasting on a long ride is the ability to really stretch the legs.

Now you're ready to start calling it a Fixed Gear instead of 'fixie'
I'll start commuting fixed this week instead of SS. GI is 74 and I have some hills so I'll see if I want to drop it back to 70 GI or not

Unless they are some serious hills, 72-74gi is perfect for most commutes. My commute is 40mi, 1kft of climbing. I've done it on 72, 78, and 81gi. 74, I think would be awesome.

You're good to go!