nuke_diver
Riding Solo
I never understood the appeal of a single speed, having multiple gears seems to be so much more efficient to me. I always thought it was because they were cheap...apparently I was wrong there as well :P
The Biking Thread
- Thread starter Mark Wein
- Start date
I never understood the appeal of a single speed, having multiple gears seems to be so much more efficient to me. I always thought it was because they were cheap...apparently I was wrong there as well :P
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Some people I know ride single speed mountain bikes (light hard tails) for training purposes, gearing it so that they can get up stuff, but have to really work their cadence to get it done. Gotta grunt to get up the steeper hills, and have to maintain a high cadence to maintain any speed while pedaling. These are not "fixie" bikes. I never considered it for myself.
The "fixie" thing is different entirely. I never considered that for myself either. Not judging, but just not my deal. My commuter is an old mountain bike with a triple front ring on it. It also works for touring while carrying lots of gear, on trips such as the San Juan Islands, with lots of up and down, and always a big steep hill up from the ferry dock.
Just a bastardized old franken-bike with alternate sized wheels, but it works well. It is going back to 26 inch wheels this winter, with studded tires, so I can continue to do my little bike commute to work during winter.
Tig
Fucktangular
Instead of the bike keeping you in your comfort zone with multiple gears, a fixed gear pushes you outside of it, strengthening your legs in a head wind or hill, or smoothing your spin in a tail wind or descent. Less so with a coasting single speed.
You also have more of a direct connection to the road and elements. It's hard to put to words.
You also have more of a direct connection to the road and elements. It's hard to put to words.
Guitar Heel
Demented Trick
I’m really enjoying the single speed. Nice and light for an older bike, super basic. A bit of an extra workout.
I’m straight terrified of fixie.
I’m straight terrified of fixie.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Makes total sense, and would be fun to have. But I can have only so many bikes.
About the flat pedals vs. clipless, I like the vids put out by these guys. Technique tips, gear tips, and some good ol' british isles bike nerd humor.
Anyway, here is what they have on flats vs. clipless, or as they say, "clips."
For the kids who go downhill fast.
For most of the rest of us. (EDIT OOPS had the wrong vid in there. Fixed it.)
And dorky roadies. I can't think when I have ever seen roadies on flats. But it is a pretty funny video with some interesting information accumulated scientifically.
They did another vid before this one in a lab, where the flats were surprisingly close in terms of heartrate numbers and the like in the lab.
For me, I am going to use them as a learning tool to evolve my riding away from over-reliance on the clipped in feel for bunny hopping, and bike maneuvering, and for learning better techniques on flow trails. Then likely, for most of my riding, I will end up going back to clipless, but hopefully with improved skills. Not likely I will be riding speeds and terrain such as that first kid was.
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sunvalleylaw
Yep.
This is an example of the type of technique I started to learn (on flats, at a bike camp) but then backslid, as I went back to clipless and lost my technique. I want to cement the techniques with my own set of flats.
And this is another example of the type of technique I want to refine. The flats will help me learn to direct my feet, knees and hips in the direction of the turn as the instructor is doing if you watch his body position in the vid. My friend who took me out on the Baldy downhill trails was showing me this, and being able to practice this, and the bunny hopping, just in my driveway, when out on some easier flowy trails will be useful I think.
And this is another example of the type of technique I want to refine. The flats will help me learn to direct my feet, knees and hips in the direction of the turn as the instructor is doing if you watch his body position in the vid. My friend who took me out on the Baldy downhill trails was showing me this, and being able to practice this, and the bunny hopping, just in my driveway, when out on some easier flowy trails will be useful I think.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Also, this was tonight.
Guitar Heel
Demented Trick
intersting!
I’ve got another bike (Surly cross check) that’s my go-to for longer rides, and it’s clipless. I use flats on my 2 city bikes where I’m always starting and stopping.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Yah, if I had a cross-check, I would be using clipless for most things. I do on my road bike, and commuter/franken-bike above.
And as I said, once I play with all the techniques and hopefully improve my riding, and reduce my reliance on the clipless pedals for manuals and bunny hops, and improve cornering, I will likely put my clipless back on for most rides other than flow trail or maybe some downhill stuff when I ride lifts. One of the training benefits I get from cycling is a way to even out load on the backs and fronts of my upper legs, and some hamstring training. My other activities are very quad dominant. The roady guys point out that even though they climbed just about as well on the flats vs. the clipless, they felt more reliant on the quads type muscle group, even though they could pull the pedal stroke back and through, and over the top pretty well on the flats. I will want to both develop my hamstrings, and also use more than one muscle group on longer rides, and take any extra efficiency I can get there. BUT, for learning what I want to learn and improve, the flats will really help me.
nuke_diver
Riding Solo
I didn't find that clips made me faster. I did think they made climbing easier but what I noticed the most about them was that, on long rides, my legs didn't feel quite as fatigued. I suspect it was due to the fact that your feet were never moving around and where always in the optimal position. With rough roads, bumps etc you cannot say that about regular shoes. Like Guitar Heel I don't want clips for city since you are always stopping and starting. And I've been using clips for about 3 years now and I've ridden in regular shoes for about 50 so there is that.
FYI I cannot call clips clipless since you, like clip in idk
FYI I cannot call clips clipless since you, like clip in idk
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
So had another nice ride out in the same area west of Hailey for a late lunch session yesterday. Just a 40 minute ride, but a good little test of the flat pedals. I did not find, at least on that ride, that I felt substantially less efficient pedaling, and my times were similar. In fact, I had some PR's on the downhill sections. I felt pretty comfortable cornering and banking on those pedals. BUT I could not get the bike off the ground at all without losing contact with the pedals. Obviously I rely heavily on being clipped in for that. So, if I can learn to handle the bike better on the flat pedals it should help when I put the SPD's back on.
Last night, I went out in the driveway and tried to start learning to "manual" (ride the rear wheel with front wheel up, without pedaling) and failed. But after researching some more online, realized that failure is pretty normal. Doing Manuals is apparently not easy and something you just pick up in 5 minutes, after watching a some other youtube videos besides those professional GMBN guys I posted above. Will keep trying and hopefully get there. Looks like the path is first get a wheelie going, then a manual and then from there, bunny hopping the bike off the ground without relying on clips should come along. Will take some work. But the increased bike handling ability should be worth it.
Last night, I went out in the driveway and tried to start learning to "manual" (ride the rear wheel with front wheel up, without pedaling) and failed. But after researching some more online, realized that failure is pretty normal. Doing Manuals is apparently not easy and something you just pick up in 5 minutes, after watching a some other youtube videos besides those professional GMBN guys I posted above. Will keep trying and hopefully get there. Looks like the path is first get a wheelie going, then a manual and then from there, bunny hopping the bike off the ground without relying on clips should come along. Will take some work. But the increased bike handling ability should be worth it.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Had a nice Sunday ride today with some of the guys. Super fun. After my thursday regular ride fell apart, I have mostly ridden alone. I really enjoyed the company today, and the conditions and scenery was in fine form. Will have to find a more regular group of guys, hopefully weekly, next year. This group of friends just gets together catch as catch can.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Wore my new Galena wool jersey today. Second time out in it. Was a great layer and perfect for conditions. I think this layer will be great in the high 30's to high 40's, and lower with additional layering.
rickenvox
Animal Psychic
Can you guys actually ride with heavy jackets? Must be cold?
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
It was nearly 60 that day. Didn't even wear the woolie.
I will wear the woolie later into the 40's and 30's with layers, then transition into downhill and nordic skiing, hopefully. Seasons change for a reason. Hopefully.
I will wear the woolie later into the 40's and 30's with layers, then transition into downhill and nordic skiing, hopefully. Seasons change for a reason. Hopefully.
rickenvox
Animal Psychic
cool videos. When I was a teen riding BMX bikes I could bunny hop over obstacles 2-3 feet high with flat pedals. Don't really know what I did technique-wise, just learned to do it instinctively. But yes, with SPDs and also on my road bike I just pick the entire bike up. I need to try the technique in the video. Probably what I was doing as a teen.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
after posting that, I found it is harder than I thought, to "just learn that."
nuke_diver
Riding Solo
after posting that, I found it is harder than I thought, to "just learn that."
I watched that video and thought...I might not be so flexible to pull that off. Probably would have been better to learn it 50 years ago...just like I should have with the guitar :P
rickenvox
Animal Psychic
after posting that, I found it is harder than I thought, to "just learn that."
hmmm, I'm gonna try it this weekend. I think it's harder of my seat is at the proper height for climbing. That'll be my excuse anyways.