Today's Workout Thread

[carlmaloschneider]

That's what this has got, i can set it up with a freewheel if I want, I just turn the wheel around. I was curious to try fixed so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. It is certainly a strange feeling at first and you need some sort of foot retention system, i am doing really short rides in comparison 5k last night, but it is a bit hilly and you are working on the downhills too (to prevent the pedals spinning too fast). I plan to do 10k or more on Wednesday as I will be cycling in the daytime rather than at dusk.

What gearing are you running? Mine's 46/18. I find you have to work hard on hills with even a gradual gradient. I spend a good deal of time standing up on the peddles, even on flatish ground to keep my speed. I have the old fashioned type racing handlebars and I find gripping them at the lower end while I stand up is a good position...

[edhewitt]

What gearing are you running? Mine's 46/18. I find you have to work hard on hills with even a gradual gradient. I spend a good deal of time standing up on the peddles, even on flatish ground to keep my speed. I have the old fashioned type racing handlebars and I find gripping them at the lower end while I stand up is a good position...

No idea to be honest carl, i will check tonight. As it was a kmart $100 special originally it probably has something fairly middle of the road. I haven't been going terribly fast at the moment because my legs are also the back brakes

[edhewitt]

OK, the bike has a 40 tooth front chainring and 18 tooth rear sprocket, i would say that it is fairly tame.

Today I walked to dampier for a coffee then walked back, it is about 8 km.

Sorry about the upside downness of the piccie, we are in australia don't you know

[32t]

Getting back into biking so I fixed up a freebie at campAttachment 179788
Single speed fixed wheel.

My son likes fixed wheel. I don't understand the advantage if any. WHY????

[edhewitt]

My son likes fixed wheel. I don't understand the advantage if any. WHY????

Dude its the zen man, you and your bike become one unit.

To be honest there isn't a great benefit. It is better exercise as your legs work 100% of the time, it is also really very quiet when you get rid of the clatter of deralieurs and free wheels. If you are good you can do pretty funky tricks like riding backwards and stuff.
There is also a lot less going on on the bike too so there is almost nothing to break, and if you ride brake less it doesn't matter if you buckle a rim.
I should also point out that this is a bike that gets left at work, i have my 24 speed road tourer at home, not that I have had many outings on it lately.

[32t]

I do have a Velodrome in the area but other than that....

If a car pulls out in front of you????

[edhewitt]

I do have a Velodrome in the area but other than that....

If a car pulls out in front of you????

That's where the zen and oneness comes in. I have a front brake and can't go very fast anyway.

[carlmaloschneider]

I haven't flipped mine yet to make a fixie but even as a single speed there's something there a bike with gears doesn't have. Apparently a fixie is good for teaching cadence and I could see why. When you remove the gears there is a focus on pacing; and also body positioning. You end up standing up on the peddles where a rider of a bike with gears would have remained in the same seated position; pulling with the arms maybe more than if you were seated...

32t it'd be cool to have a velodrome nearby; I'd get a single speed just for that...

[carlmaloschneider]

My longest bike ride so far, all the way from Mt Torrens to the Balhannah Mitre 10 store and back. I certainly slowed down on the way back after Woodside; and taking a detour off the bike track up Springhead Rd was a mistake, there's some quite steep hills on that road for an old guy riding a single speed!

Yesterday I did some bouldering outside at at place named Norton Summit and then a good solid two hours bouldering inside at Vertical Reality.

[mainaman]

1 hour Krav Maga, then 30 min no break combat conditioning.