Fixed Gear FAQs
by Doug Sloan

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions often heard concerning fixed gear bikes and riding. I get a lot of these from other riders and aid station workers while riding my fixed bike in endurance events. The answers are some personal experience, some opinion, plus a lot of second hand info. This info is aimed more toward those who would ride a fixed bike for training or endurance events in hilly terrain, not necessarily for urban commuting and definitely not for track racing.

1.   What is a fixed gear bike?  A fixed gear bike is normally considered to be a road racing type bike or a track ("pista" in Italian) bike set up to ride on the road (by adding a brake, normally). The defining feature is a drive system with a rear hub and gear (cog) that cannot coast, and has only one gear in back and one in the front. It cannot freewheel/coast or change gears. The rider must always pedal, using the same gear for climbing hills or descending hills. This usually means having to stand up and pedal hard to climb and then spinning madly, maybe even braking, on the descents.

2.   Are there other names for fixed gear bikes? Other names include: fixie, fixed, track bike, and pista, although the last two normally are reserved for fixed bikes with no brakes set up to race at a velodrome.

3.   How does a fixie differ from a single speed? While a fixed bike is a single speed, technically, most people differentiate the two in that a single speed is nearly identical, but has a single cog on the rear hub that can freewheel or coast. The effect of this is that the single peed can be set up with a lower gear for climbing, because it is not necessary to spin the pedals fast to keep up on the descents. Some bikes are set up for both, with a rear hub having a fixed cog on one side and a single speed freewheel on the other, enabling the rider to flip the wheel around and choose which to use.

4.   What gear should I use?  It really depends upon how fast you ride and the terrain. A typical gear ratio is in the 65-75 gear inch range. A 42x16 is about 70 inches. This will give you 100 rpms around 20-21 mph, allow you to climb most any hill, and give you about 150 rpms at 30 mph on the descents. It's one of those things where you really must experiment. Also, you'll likely change gearing the more used to the fixed bike you become, using taller gears to get up the climbs as you build strength and technique. Here is a gear chart to see the various gears and their effects on rpms and speed.

5.   Can I use a road bike for a fixie?  Yes, many people do. As long as you have a way to adjust chain tension, it can work. You can do that either with an eccentric hub (see Sheldon Brown's website linked below), or by choosing just the right gear combination that gives the right chain length. A chain tensioner used for a single speed will not work. There are websites that calculate chain lengths for you given different gear sizes and the distance between your rear hub center and crank center. Some people prefer using a road bike, because the seat tube angle is smaller, more laid back, and they come with provisions for brakes and water bottles.

6.   Are track frames suitable for fixed riding on the road?  Yes, with some modifications. Some track bike frames have no holes for the brakes on the fork or the bridge between the seat stays, and I've never seen one that comes with water bottle braze-ons. They can be added, though, with a strap on bottle mount or with Riv-Nuts. You'll likely want some bottle mounts, unless you use only a Camelbak or just do short rides. Also, I think it's crazy not to have at least one brake, best mounted on the front. While you can stop a fixed bike with pedal resistance, it takes about 10 times longer than with a single front brake -- I've tested this. In an emergency or with a flat rear tire, having a brake could mean the difference between crashing or not. Also, since the seat tube angle is probably steeper, you can run a little more saddle setback to obtain a more relaxed angle, however I've found that the steeper angle is better for spinning down hills, and I'm out of the saddle on most climbs, anyway. On the flats at lower speeds, I just slide back on the saddle a bit.

7.   What handlebars and brake lever should I use?  I really like using cowhorn/bullhorn bars, with triple wrap handlebar tape. The longer handlebars allow more positions for your hands, with a broad surface area to distribute pressure while standing on long climbs. This is far, far more comfortable than gripping brake hoods, and better for your knees than gripping the drops of typical road racing drop bars. I've found no disadvantage to using cowhorns, except maybe that they are not legal for USCF road mass start road races, and that they are not yet available in carbon fiber. I mount a reverse pull time trial type brake lever for the front brake, plus an inline additional lever for the same brake near the stem -- this allows two hand positions while riding the brake down long, steep hills. This second lever might not be necessary if you ride in flatter terrain.

8.   Are there any special techniques for climbing on a fixed gear?  Yes, technique can make a world of difference.  You are stuck with one gear that is probably way to tall for most climbs compared to what you are used to on a multi-speed bike. If the hill grades go over 10%, it may require what seems like superhuman strength to get up the hill at all. After consulting with a orthopedic surgeon and doing  some research, I found that the goal when climbing long, steep climbs at low rpms is to keep the knees as straight as possible, that is, standing tall, with the knees barely bent. To achieve this, your hand position likely needs to be high or forward, or both. The long cowhorn bars allow you to place your hands further forward than you might be able to with normal drop bars and brake hoods, and more comfortably. Stand tall, plus pull up and through the top with your pedal strokes to lessen the stress on your knees on the down strokes. Doing this, I have been able to ride endurance events with lots of 10-20% climbs, sometimes requiring standing for over 1 1/2 hours continuously, with no knee pain. If in doubt, I'd suggest getting your knees checked by an orthopedic doctor, getting x-rays, even if you have no pain to establish a base line in case you later experience pain. Also, start easy on yourself. Start with smaller hills and lower gears, then work up to longer, steeper hills and taller gears as your legs, whole body actually, get stronger and used to the harsh mashing required. At first, I could only handle about 1,000 feet of climbing on the fixed bike in a lower gear, but after several months worked up to 5,000 foot climbs in taller gears. It's amazing how your body can adapt if you progress slowly and carefully.

9.   Should I use 3/32" or 1/8" chain and gears? Track bikes typically come with 1/8" drive train. The extra width is ok because there is no need to cram a bunch of gears together on the hub nor any need to provide for smooth shifting between cogs or chainrings. The 1/8" drive train is probably more durable and stronger, but the downside is weight and less availability of chainrings, especially smaller size rings. I use 1/8" after destroying a 3/32" cog, my theory being that more metal is stronger. There are some 1/8" inch chains (I use an "Izumi V") that look strong enough to drive a motorcycle, too, which might be some insurance for those times when mashing full power at 20 rpms up 18% grades is required. However, lots of people use 3/32" with no problems. Some people might use the narrower cog and/or ring with the wider chain, never the reverse, but I found this to be noisier.

10.  Can I use quick release hubs instead of bolt on track type hubs?  Velodromes typically require only bolt on (a/k/a track nuts) hubs, as there is no reason to need quick releases for track use -- it's not like you stop and change a flat tire quickly in a track event and tools are readily available.  I like to use a quick release front hub, as there is no reason to require a front bolt on hub for road use. For the rear, most all fixed hubs come with bolt on axles, although it would be possible to convert one to quick release by replacing the axle. Most agree that you can get a rear hub more secure with a nut than a quick release, which is necessary because the frame allows movement of the axle to adjust chain tension, and the axle could slip if not absolutely secure (especially with hard mashing). This would not be nearly as much of a problem with a vertical drop out road frame. However, using chain tugs with track rear opening drop-outs, devices that pull the axle back and hold it securely, slipping is eliminated. Just remember to carry the correct wrench if you have bolt on hubs -- typically a 15 mm nut or a larger hex wrench for some, in case you get a flat tire. I modified a flat 15 mm double ended cone wrench to carry along by hacking off the other end, then wrapping the cut end with fabric tape for comfort. It's very small and light, but works fine.

11.   What are some other sources of information on fixed gear bikes? The ultimate source of all cycling info is Sheldon Brown's website, which includes nearly everything needed to know about fixed bikes. For further explanations or to purchase some of the hardware mentioned here, I'd start by reading everything at Sheldon's site.  Here are some additional fixed gear links on this site's links page.

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