# fixie track vs road riding



## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

Just wondering how the two are different in terms of difficulty. Because a fixed forces you to keep pedaling, does this make it a more difficult workout? 

If so, I bet the trade-off is in the lack of climbs. Yeah, you can climb the banked portions of the track, but that's not much.....well maybe it does add up lap after lap :idea: 

For now, I don't have a road bike, but sometimes I wonder if long-distance fixie rides on the track will eventually translate to decent long-distance road rides when I eventually go on a group road ride (all other things being equal.)


----------



## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

Long distance on the track? Like a 6 day race?

Seriously- are you really interested in riding comparable "long distances" on the track--- like 100+ miles?


----------



## brianmcg (Oct 12, 2002)

Ride the fixie on the road.


----------



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Christine said:


> Just wondering how the two are different in terms of difficulty. Because a fixed forces you to keep pedaling, does this make it a more difficult workout?
> 
> If so, I bet the trade-off is in the lack of climbs. Yeah, you can climb the banked portions of the track, but that's not much.....well maybe it does add up lap after lap :idea:
> 
> For now, I don't have a road bike, but sometimes I wonder if long-distance fixie rides on the track will eventually translate to decent long-distance road rides when I eventually go on a group road ride (all other things being equal.)


Generally it is much harder to get fast than it is to train for long distances so fast riders are able to more quickly adapt to long distances than marathon cyclists are able to adapt to high speeds. Note that the first word of the last sentence was "Generally".

Still there are some things about riding long distances that you have to ride long distances to learn. Like when to eat and drink as well as the ability to ride while full and ride while hungry or ride through the "bonk" or to just plain avoid the "bonk". Plus having the right combination of saddle and shorts to get you through long rides.

The other question would be, "what do you consider long distance?" For ultra marathon cyclists 100 miles is just a nice short ride (for instance the wife and I do around 100 100 mile or longer rides a year). For a lot of other cyclists a 100 mile ride is a big deal that might be done once a year if at all. 

The more you practice what you are going to do the less it hurts and the easier it is to do.


----------



## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

100 centuries/year?   :blush2: Wow, how on earth........?!

Anyway, I've been riding at the track for not quite 2hrs at a time, as fast as I can stand. Pretty steady 100 laps (25 miles) with one or two quick breaks for water/cramps/adjustments. Have yet to time myself properly.

I just wonder if these track laps will help me keep up if I ever decide to go on a group road ride.....should I ever get my hands on a road bike (and no, this fixie isn't a good idea for road rides in its current brakeless state!)

I'm no stranger to long-distance rides, but they're usually occasional mtb races, 35-50 miles at a time. I ride my mtb on the road for 1-1/2 or 2hrs at a time, or on the dirt for a little longer, though that's not much distance-wise (rolling resistance!)

Guess I've been thinking of the track as a safe place to practice distance while going fast. Didn't occur to me that track = speed and road = distance; never made that distinction. Duh.


----------



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Christine said:


> .....Anyway, I've been riding at the track for not quite 2hrs at a time, as fast as I can stand. Pretty steady 100 laps (25 miles) with one or two quick breaks for water/cramps/adjustments. Have yet to time myself properly.......


25 miles in 2 hours on the track is really slow so if you are going hard and using track gearing you may actually be going a lot further than you think.

Time yourself properly and report back.Plus.....how far are you thinking about riding as a "long" ride? If it is only a third longer than what you have been riding it should be quite doable.


----------



## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Track riders generally have trouble trying to become equally successful road riders, if that adds anything for us non-pros. 

I think that MB1 is onto something with regards to the fact that a track is a far more controlled environment while the road forces you to adapt to different factors such as wind, rolling terrain, and differnet surfaces, to name just a few.


----------



## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

Okay, it's more like 45min per 50 laps, soooo whatever that is.....still not fast compared to the racers I saw training, pedaling so furiously they were almost rising above the asphalt, and breathing louder than an entire Lamaze class. Total insanity.

But for me, it's a steady pace, with the occasional "sprint" thrown in for good measure. I find I'm pushing myself, but that I do have energy to spare and have been adding extra laps here and there. This time and last time did an extra 10 and change; will eventually build on that if I don't die from boredom first!

Have done about 125 miles since Sunday, and I don't feel as beat up as I would be from the mountain bikes. Maybe next week I'll do the road ride on the hardtail and see if the track riding helps with my mtb time. The best mtb'ers that I know are also road riding.


----------



## ukiahb (Jan 26, 2003)

the steepness of the banking makes all the difference in my (limited) experience on two tracks, laps are relatively easy at Hellyer Park (23 degrees), but really tough after the first few at Alpenrose (43 degrees)...but as was said, ride the fixie on the road (with a front brake), it will definitely make you stronger with a few hills and headwinds....I have a nice geared roadbike but rarely ride it anymore, much prefer riding fixed on the road


----------



## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

I guess with the front brake anything's possible on the fixie. Do you have road tires on it I'm guessing? So far I'm enjoying its "regulation" setup.


----------



## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

If you're on a pure track bike, it may not be worthwhile to take it out on the road. No one says you have to be a road cyclist. Getting fast on the track is certainly a good first step, and if you can get fast, most of that will transfer over to the road (as MB1 said earlier).

If your desire is to do group rides...find some other beginner trackies and do points races.


----------



## ukiahb (Jan 26, 2003)

Christine said:


> I guess with the front brake anything's possible on the fixie. Do you have road tires on it I'm guessing? So far I'm enjoying its "regulation" setup.


I do have road tires on my track bike, when I've ridden the track I just swapped the bars, removed the front brake, and flipped the rear wheel (fixed/fixed hub) around for a track gear. Anyway, did a club ride today, another rider told that a fellow club member saw his average geared road bike speed increase by 3 mph after a lot of fixed gear road riding...this jibes with my experience, feel much faster on my geared bike if I have a lot of fixed miles in...


----------

