# How far do you ride your fixie?



## dougmint (Mar 18, 2007)

So how far are you all riding your fixies? I rode my fixie 50 miles the other day. I am set up with a 38-14 gearing, and averaged about 18.5 mph. My plan is to do one or two 50 mile rides throughout the winter each week. And a total of 1000 miles prior to next years race season starts. I have thoughts of a century on the fixie, but this will be a challenge.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Ive done a number of five hour rides on my fixed gear but will mostly do 40-50 mile rides.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

I regularly do 40 miles and did 70 once. I really want to do a century. Running a 42/16 so I can tackle some moderate climbs.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

It really depends on the amount of climbing and descending for me. A flat century really wouldn't be too bad on a fixie if there was reasonable wind.


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## Trevor Ash (May 19, 2005)

Unless you have a LOT of climbing, there's nothing terribly inefficient about fixed gear bikes. The only negative to them (imho) is the inability to easily give your butt a break. People ride fixed bikes touring around the states. If your setup is good, and you're a decent rider, you can ride anything and get it done nicely.

I'm not sure what the mystery is supposed to be concerning fixed bikes on long rides.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Trevor Ash said:


> I'm not sure what the mystery is supposed to be concerning fixed bikes on long rides.


The inability to coast.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I did 4 centuries this year and numerous 100ks..... I live in a very flat area.....it's really no different than riding geared around here


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## axlenut (Sep 28, 2010)

Hi, my normal rides on the fixed gear bike are around 50 miles. Last Sunday I did a very nice route of 62 miles with nice low traffic country roads and small rolling hills.

Bay Lake Rd loop, clockwise - fixed gear in Winter Garden, FL | Bike Map | MapMyRIDE

I find rolling hills to be more comfortable then pure flat as it gets me out of the saddle and I move my hand to the hoods.

Using parts of the route above and another I did a couple of months ago I mapped out a 89 mile route that I plan to do this winter. This same route can be extended on the trail to the south to a full century. Will do the full century when the weather is good.

Winter Garden, Van Fleet, Center Hill - fixed gear in Winter Garden, FL | Bike Map | MapMyRIDE

Some tips on mapping out rides - I pay attention to what gears I'm using when on my geared road bike and provided I don't have to drop off of the big chain ring during the ride I consider it a possible route for the fixed gear bike. By lacing sections I have done in the past on the geared bike I have come up with some very nice fixed gear routes.

BTW - you can give your butt a rest on the fixed gear by simply slowing down a bit and getting out of the saddle for a while. Really helps on the longer rides.

Later, Axlenut


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## Trevor Ash (May 19, 2005)

Pablo said:


> The inability to coast.


That's overrated. It's not a big deal except during descents (as I mentioned above).

For whatever reason I've never done a century on a geared bike that I can recall. They've all been on fixed. I'm not sure how many I've done but most have been flat. The few I did that were not were near Traverse City Michigan and that was just a matter of picking an intelligent gear.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

+1.....I'll add you can "coast" on fixed gear.... You can let the cranks turn the legs instead of visa versa....


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Trevor Ash said:


> That's overrated. It's not a big deal except during descents (as I mentioned above).


It might be overrated for you and perhaps for me as well, but not for most riders, I imagine. The majority of riders I know and see out and about are in groups on geared bikes. In a flat ride they sit in with others and are able to frrequently rest by not pedalling while coasting, be it to grab a drink or just take a few second breather. They're also able to coast and adjust by not pedalling while still moving forward easily on downhills, as you note. True coasting is more relaxing than Dave's aptly noted fixie loose legs "coasting." Moreover, the inital question was not how hard it is to pedal a fixed gear for a long ride, but why there is a percieved mystery or fixation on it. The lack of coasting is the reason, even if you have unlocked the mystery.


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## Trevor Ash (May 19, 2005)

Pablo said:


> The lack of coasting is the reason, even if you have unlocked the mystery.


Nicely stated. Come to think of it, most people do make the weird face about coasting and not having one gear.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Trevor Ash said:


> Nicely stated. Come to think of it, most people do make the weird face about coasting and not having one gear.


For what it's worth, I agree with you that riding a fixie is generally no big deal unless there are some serious hills involved.


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## emiliobadillio (Sep 26, 2010)

I got my first fixed gear this February (EighthInch Scrambler) to commute to work on daily. The commute is a little over 10 miles roundtrip with 4 short steep climbs here in Allentown, PA. The Scrambler was pretty heavy making it fatiguing to ride further than 20 miles with all the hills in my area. I crashed that bike into the front wheel of a Jeep the first of July so didn't ride fixed until last week when I got my Wabi Lightning replacement. I rode it a total of 38 miles last week since we had a lot of rain, and only took it in the rain twice. This week I rode fixed to work everyday so have about 50 miles so far. Two group rides planned for this weekend so I'm hoping to do my first distance ride on it if I don't chicken out, and bring the road bike. Hopefully, I'll do my first 40 mile ride fixed gear to see if I can handle that much of an endurance ride with the rolling terrain and moderate climbs. I'm running 46x18. I usually ride with the A group, but will probably ride with the B group just to make sure I can keep up if I get too winded.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Trevor Ash said:


> People ride fixed bikes touring around the states. If your setup is good, and you're a decent rider, you can ride anything and get it done nicely..


Before someone invented the freewheel, everyone rode fixed. They all managed just fine. Have to say though that they coasted. They took their feet off the (platform) pedals and put them back on when done coasting.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Trevor Ash said:


> The only negative to them (imho) is the inability to easily give your butt a break.


On that, I will emphatically agree. As much as coasting, the ability to "post" over rough terrain can make a "freewheeling" bike (SS or geared) a lot easier on the nether regions. I've found "saddle sensitivity" to be more profound on my fixed than my other rides. A saddle that was fine on one of my geared bikes just didn't work on the fixed. Put one of my old Flite Ti's on it and all was good.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Dave Hickey said:


> +1.....I'll add you can "coast" on fixed gear.... You can let the cranks turn the legs instead of visa versa....


This. A practiced fixed gear/ track rider can indeed "coast" after hard efforts or when on flats. Standing is pretty easy too. You just need to practice it. The challenge comes in learning how to do that efficiently and with little thought. It also comes from when you want a good gear ratio for the flats but also want to climb - you will become stronger - the bike will force you to. Going downhill is hard unless for some reason you don't plan on going back up said hill and have a giant gear on. If you can do an easy spin with a 42x18 down a hill you are either not going fast enough and need to lay off the brake or you are just good and I applaud you :thumbsup:


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