Fixed Gear-- Anyone Ride One to Train

naw i ride fixed gear so i can be urban

Last year I commuted a bit on my fixie as part of my training.  But I got tired of spinning like a maniac going downhill, among other things.  It might have been good training, but this year I flipped to to single speed for my commutes.  Maybe not as good training, but I enjoy it more...

Brian

I've generally found that you will get a wide variety of opinions regarding the relative worth of using a fixie in your training plan.

Persoally, I have to echo the general comments of the previous posters. I commute on a fixie and every now and then ride the trails on my ss mtb; for a change, for the simplicity and to do something different. This variety has helped me keep my motivation.

I built up a fixed gear a few years ago to 'train' on during the winter.  After a few rides in my town that is full of hills, I decided to leave the fixie to the trackies and hipsters.  Sold it on ebay.  If I lived somewhere flat, I would still have it.

I have both a SS MTB and a fixie/SS road bike (actually a track bike with capability to add standard road brakes). It's been a while since I've ridden truly fixed... Used to race on the track also.

My opinion is that riding a fixie is just nice for something different, and anything that gets you riding is good training. I wouldn't count it as any better or worse than any other kind of T.I.T.S.

I do all of my commuting on a fixie, but almost all my training is on the tri bike. I know plenty of road racers who train regularly on their fixies as i've heard it can help increase your pedaling efficiency with higher cadences.

Dont laugh, I have 3 bmx bikes in the garage, two 24" cruisers and a 26"er. Its great exercise and lots of fun!

I train exclusively on my fixed gear bike. Love it. Plus I think it really helps your run turnover for personal (totally unsupported reasons)

I ride my single speed from November through February.  I think it helps me on using the full pedal stroke, ie. pulling through and up.

Only at the velodrome.

Yep; train on, ride to town on, ride on rollers, ride on CompuTrainer and even Sprint Distance raced on (23.99 average MPH on a rolling course, not bad...)

Like mentioned above, great way to mix things up and getting more fun saddle time. I do find that I climb a lot better when back on my geared bike post a week or two of fixie riding. Drives some riding buddies nuts when I don't shift and just bang up hills on my geared bike till I get used to shifting again.

Even converted my old Litespeed tri frame to fixie.







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NICE!

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I'd like to say that my fixie helps me fit in with the hipsters, but fenders, fat tires, commuter bag/rack, headlights and taillights, and even a brake identify me immediately as a poser....

Brian

How do you adjust the chain tension w/ vertical dropouts?

FWIW, I love my road fixie.  It has a front brake, and I remove it and the bars when I go to the velodrome (swapping to track bars takes a couple of minutes at most).  The whole thing cost me maybe $250, but I love the bike.

Don't forget about the can of bud light. 

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Yeah, the Bud Light makes it obvious you're not a hipster.  It should have been a PBR.

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You beat me to it.  PBR = hipster koolaid.