Portland Velo Club News

If it ain’t broken, fix it.

(Why I became a fixed gear addict.)

I’m writing to share my love with riding a fixed gear bike with you. For me, a week without a fixed gear ride is a week missing some of the special joy I’ve discovered this life has to offer. I was attracted by the science of riding a fixed gear, and wound up totally seduced by the feeling of it. So let me share with you what I looked for when I got into riding fixed gear as well as the added bonuses I discovered.

Historically, fixed gear training has been around as long as there have been bicycles – simply because the first bikes were all fixed! Pro cyclists used fixed gear bicycles as a regular part of their training regime through the late 70’s. Fixed gear training lost some momentum in the 80’s and 90’s when the heart rate monitor and later, the power meter, became the focus of training plans. Now, the popularity of fixed gear training is enjoying a resurgence as coaches and athletes recognize the unique value of including fixed gear work in one’s training program to improve one’s cycling specific biomechanical efficiencies. I believe fixed gear training provides significant cycling improvements in two major areas - pedaling efficiency and momentum management.

Pedaling efficiency is a combination of the smoothness of one’s pedaling action and one’s cadence “window”, “sweet spot”, and “power ceiling”.

1. A smoother pedaling action will reduce the amount of calories one burns to maintain a given cadence/speed/effort giving one the option to use the “saved” calories to go faster and/or longer. A smoother pedaling action also reduces movement in one’s upper body which further saves calories while reducing upper body muscle soreness.
2. An increased “cadence window” (the range of rpm’s one can comfortably spin) allows one to reduce the number of times they shift during a given ride (further increasing efficiency). Since you’re already spinning (although not necessarily at maximum efficiency) at your current “sweet spot” (natural default cadence which you attempt to maintain through shifting), the breadth of your cadence window can be increased by training and increasing the maximum cadence you can spin smoothly and/or apply power (your “cadence power ceiling”). As you increase your cadence window by increasing your power ceiling, your cadence sweet spot will naturally increase as well. An increased cadence “sweet spot” improves one’s hill climbing ability and increases one’s top end and/or average speed. By improving these three cadence parameters, you’ll also increase your “snap” – the ability to quickly accelerate the bike in the current gear from the “sweet spot” to a significantly higher speed, and snap’s close cousin “jump” – the ability to quickly accelerate the bike in a “tall” gear while standing on the pedals.

Momentum management is also a major piece of the cycling efficiency puzzle. The concept is simple – a change in momentum requires energy / calories, so minimize momentum change to maximize efficiency. However, on the road, momentum management is complicated by the terrain and one’s power/pedaling efficiency capabilities. Fixed gear riding puts one directly in tune with momentum’s impact forcing one immediately into awareness and eventually into an improved management capability. One learns to more efficiently transition during changes in terrain as well as during changes in one’s position on the bike to maximize momentum’s benefits - further improving one’s cycling efficiency – again saving calories for increasing speed and/or distance. More specifically, one will learn to maximize one’s efficiency in:

1. Starting from a stationary position in an unclipped position,
2. Rounding corners,
3. Pedaling over “annoyance” type obstacles like train tracks, minor road imperfections, etc…
4. Building momentum while going downhill,
5. Carrying momentum to the top of and just as importantly, over the top of a hill,
6. Smoothly transitioning from a seated to a standing position while riding and,
7. Smoothly transitioning from a standing to a seated position,
8. Momentarily un-weighting the rear wheel to reduce saddle impact to “clear” minor road objects,
9. Managing smoother and more efficient pace lines and closing/bridging gaps,
10. Managing smoother and more efficient reductions in speed as well as stops,
11. And banishing forever that annoying pedal-pedal-coast habit “others” so often exhibit!

An improved momentum management combined with an increased cadence window also allows one to develop the ability to “float” - rest your leg muscles at the same time you’re continuing to power the bicycle (sort of like enabling your legs to take a power nap!). By combining the benefits of a an improved pedaling efficiency with improved momentum management one will feel like their geared bike has one or two more gears than it used to. The efficiency benefits are that dramatic!

I was able to realize improvements in all these areas by using a fixed geared bike in focused training efforts. By selecting a gear based on a familiar terrain and a targeted cadence/speed, I was able to obtain a specific pedaling efficiency training effect. Along with these benefits, my fixed gear training also rewarded me with the added benefits of:

1. Spending less time on a bike during those cold and rainy winter days while still getting a great workout.
2. Providing “fun” (are they ever really?) interval workouts without the mind numbing drudgery of staring at a wall / clock anchored on a resistance trainer by selecting appropriate gearing for a favorite bike route.
3. Turning those tried and true, but “a little boring after all these years” bicycle routes into something new and challenging!
4. And best of all, and the biggest surprise to me, was the increased ability to obtain and prolong The Zone. The Zone – a Zen like state of mind experienced while riding where you suddenly become aware that you’re cycling, but there doesn’t seem to be any effort to it. George Hincapie, when asked how he felt during a ride and feeling good is quoted as responding “No chain” – it was like he was spinning air. Makes me think that he’s been to the Zone too… An experience that can't be fully explained, but when you get there you'll know it and strive to reach it again. And again.

So if it ain’t broke, you may want to fix it. I’m glad I did. There was nothing wrong with my cycling at the time, but I was looking for improvement. Are you? There was nothing wrong with that good old bike with so many memories sitting unused in the garage, so I converted it into a fixed gear to minimize the cost of trying this new (old) training technique. Know of an unused bike that would fit you? In conclusion, if you’ve been toying with the idea to ride a fixed gear “for the science of it” I believe you should “go for it” as the technical benefits of fixed gear riding are real. Just don’t be surprised if you discover so much more along the way… Thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you down the road.

Single Speed / Fixed Gear – Is there a difference?

I am often asked if there’s any difference between riding a fixed gear bicycle versus a single speed. There is a world of difference! The only similarity  between a single speed and a fixed gear is that they both lock one into using a single gear for the duration of one’s ride. In this respect singles and fixies share the aspect of a more robust mechanical simplicity at the expense of giving up the option to change gears “on the fly” as afforded by today’s typical derailleur equipped multi-geared bicycles. The world of difference between singles and fixies manifests itself when the cog and the rear hub become one – fixed if you will. This is a fixed gear bike - if the real wheel is moving, - the pedals are moving, and if the pedals are not moving, neither is the rear wheel. Take it to the extreme – back pedal on a fixed gear and you’ll go backwards! Since single speed bicycles use a “freewheel” cog one can coast; the rear cog only engages the rear hub when one pedals forward faster than the rear wheel’s current forward speed. Simply put, have a typical bike and wonder what it would be like to ride a single speed? Pick a gear at the start of the ride and never shift. You’ve just enjoyed the single speed experience. Wonder what it’s like to ride a fixed gear? You’ll need to expend the extra effort to obtain a fixed gear bike. I’ve tried to capture some reasons to justify this effort. An effort that has rewarded me with a newfound love for the bike…

Gary’s Cycling / Fixed Gear Bio:

I discovered the joys of fixed gear riding pretty much by accident. And research, caution, perseverance, and an “extra” bike assisted in this discovery as well. In short, I was an “old dog” - I’d been a fast recreational road cyclist for over 20 years. I had over 100,000 combined road miles logged on 6, 7, 8, 9 and then 10 speed bikes. Cycling was a hobby I loved and it, in turn, rewarded me with spectacular views, great camaraderie, and good health. Cycling was the key to maintaining my weight and general fitness while allowing me to consume the great variety of foods and beverages (the world’s beers!) this earth has to offer. But I felt that I’d reached a plateau in my cycling and began looking for a way to “kick it up a notch.” Discussions with Portland Velo members who rode fixed gears as well as internet research led me to wanting to try riding a fixed gear road bike. I did enough research to believe I could mitigate the potential hazards and test the advantages using an older Myata touring frameset that had been my commuting bicycle while living in the Midwest and my winter ride while living in Europe. It was a frame with components three generations old but also with too many good memories to part with. I had the bike converted to a fixed gear by Bike Central, a locally owned bike store, based on their reputation with bike messengers and my own discussions with Dean, a perfectionist mechanic. I spent some 200 miles on Salvie Island fighting my old habits and in general hating “the thing”. I spent another 200 miles riding solo once a week on my traditional biking routes thinking “I just don’t get the hype about fixed gear riding”. Then, at some point before 600 miles it happened. I don’t know when. I only checked the mileage again when I suddenly realized that I hadn’t ridden the fixed gear the previous week, and I had really missed it - that I loved this thing! This old dog had learned a new trick! And it, in turn, taught me a lot more than I had even hoped. My cycling improved significantly. Additionally, my relationship with Bike Central led to becoming an announcer for their Friday night track sprint events at Alpenrose, the local velodrome, and ultimately to becoming a member of the Bike Central race team where I currently race timed track events. Talk about breaking through plateaus and learning new tricks, I discovered a whole new world – Alpenrose track cycling is awesome! Makes me want to “WHOOP!” just thinking about it! And to think that this new cycling life all started by learning to ride a fixed gear on the road with a repurposed bike…