Training w/ Fixie

Caroline_ie

Hi all!

I'm probably not the only who doesn't like the september feeling ... I actually turned on the heating again last night I was freezing cold in the house.

I was training in the Pheonix park yesterday for 2 hours on the fixie as there is not time for longer spins with the early sunset

My question is: Do I burn more calories doing 2 hours on the fixie than 2 hours on my normal road bike? I am doing the same circuit around the park as I would normally do with my road bike.

I am tempted to say I'd burn x2 calories on the fixie since pedalling constantly.

Thanks

blorg

It will depend on how much you tend to coast on the geared bike but I think the main difference will be on descents. I'd see the benefits to be mostly in the developing of pedalling technique rather than outright calories burned, I'm already far more comfortable with extremely high cadences and can really pick it straight up in a sprint situation on the geared bike. There are some outrageous claims out there (1.5hrs=4hrs) that I would be skeptical about.

irishmotorist

I've never been on a fixie, but does the momentum and forward weight of the bike take some of the effort away from your legs and therefore make it slightly easier on you? Do you know, did you feel any more tired after it?

I don't see myself ever getting one, but I am curious hearing about the experiences of them.

PeadarofAodh

Ordered a Pista there yesterday, now the familiar "Why isn't it here yet, why isn't it here yet?!" wait for the delivery!

I'm looking to do some flattish spins for low heart-rate training sessions over the winter (Well, it'll be winter until I head off to South Africa!). Would anyone have any nice ones they could recommend for weekday spins? A Blorg-style GPS map of one would be even nicer!

tunney

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Hi all!

I'm probably not the only who doesn't like the september feeling ... I actually turned on the heating again last night I was freezing cold in the house.

I was training in the Pheonix park yesterday for 2 hours on the fixie as there is not time for longer spins with the early sunset

My question is: Do I burn more calories doing 2 hours on the fixie than 2 hours on my normal road bike? I am doing the same circuit around the park as I would normally do with my road bike.

I am tempted to say I'd burn x2 calories on the fixie since pedalling constantly.

Thanks

Negligble difference I'd say. A slight increase in your wattage at best resulting in a slight calorie difference. it could however also result in less calories as you might not be able to keep HR/wattage up due to gearing issues.

penexpers

PeadarofAodh wrote: »

Ordered a Pista there yesterday, now the familiar "Why isn't it here yet, why isn't it here yet?!" wait for the delivery!

I'm looking to do some flattish spins for low heart-rate training sessions over the winter (Well, it'll be winter until I head off to South Africa!). Would anyone have any nice ones they could recommend for weekday spins? A Blorg-style GPS map of one would be even nicer!

Please don't forget to put a brake on it

PeadarofAodh

penexpers wrote: »

Please don't forget to put a brake on it

Lol, don't quite have the balls to head out on a bike without brakes just yet. Give it time, however...:D

fish-head

I see myself spending alot more time on my fix this winter, they make great winter bikes because of the low maintainance aspect and you gotta keep pedalling all the time so your legs don't get as cold!

Wez

I reckon the whole momentum thing is pretty much as valid on a freewheeling bike as to a fixie, neither put up much resistance once you're moving. I do however notice how when my legs are tiring, the pedals come up to meet you, whereas you have to push it through the deadspot on a freewheeler.

On a side note, something I was just thinking there, for anyone who wants to train, the best idea would be to have a heavier bike, maybe even with knobblies. I mean to whole idea of training is to get up your fitness and make it easier when it comes to racing.. Why not make the training harder than the actual race?

I know it doesn't make much sense to get a big heavy bike if you've got money for something better/lighter, but if you're looking to up your fitness levels, it'd definitely help! It'd also be a dead handy beater/winter(all year) bike that wouldn't even cost much!

Just my 2c.

christeb

I was very close to buying a Bowery there yesterday ala Blorg.

I mean, c'mon, did you see that exchange rate?? £225 + £8.50 shipping = around €285

At that rate its more expensive not to buy it. Trust me, any logic works when deciding to buy a bike. I can't justify having that and the hybrid though, so somehow I refrained....

cantalach

christeb wrote: »

I was very close to buying a Bowery there yesterday ala Blorg.

I mean, c'mon, did you see that exchange rate?? £225 + £8.50 shipping = around €285

Wow! Where's that from? The Bowery is essentially the classic (and now discontinued) alloy TCR frame with a flippable fixed/singlespeed drivetrain right?

Herself has just shed out lots of € to join a gym so I've got some credit accumulated...

DirkVoodoo

Since so many ppl seem to be getting them (fashion victims!) maybe we could do a nice, flat saturday spin on fixies. I don't mean Blorg style-144 rpms, something relaxed, possibly involving courier caps, poetry and a cup of coffee.

blorg

The Boards Team Issue Bowery comes from Pearson Cycles. Note that the £8.50 shipping is a mis-quote, it costs more to Ireland- you may however get it shipped for £20 if you say you know someone else who got it for that price Mine cost €315 delivered.

It's a great bike, I'm very happy with it. It actually goes up hills very well, reckon the ideal cycle would be up a steady but not killer gradient that did not come back down again but not sure where we might find that.

Beat a read-light jumping roadie on my lunchtime spin to/from Enniskerry today, caught up with him twice after he had jumped two sets of lights (it was not particularly dangerous RLJing in fairness to him.)

cantalach

blorg wrote: »

The Boards Team Issue Bowery comes from Pearson Cycles. Note that the £8.50 shipping is a mis-quote, it costs more to Ireland- you may however get it shipped for £20 if you say you know someone else who got it for that price Mine cost €315 delivered.

I'm extremely tempted. One or two more questions though...

Given that there's no QR, is it a complete pita to change the tube if your rear wheel punctures?

Fixies always seem to have toe straps - is it very difficult to clip in or something?

TinyExplosions

cantalach wrote: »

I'm extremely tempted. One or two more questions though...

Given that there's no QR, is it a complete pita to change the tube if your rear wheel punctures?

Fixies always seem to have toe straps - is it very difficult to clip in or something?

You can get a small wrench for a couple of quid from a bike shop that'll take the wheel off just fine.

I think toe straps are used because a lot of people ride fixies in normal shoes, because they're just heading to the shops, or work, or wherever (that's why mine has them anyway)

Kinetic^

FU Blorg, now I want one of them!!! Son of a bitch!

dub_skav

I used toe straps for a while but found them quite difficult to use. I changed to a pair of SPDs with a decent platform so I can use htem with normal shoes and I'm very happy with them

Kinetic^

Just bought one of them Bowerys. FU blorg, whore! :mad:

Planet X

Tempted myself aswell BUT..........no mudguard eyes on the back. I'd want mudguards on a winter bike. I have mudguards on my Giant SCR 3.0.

Wait till you see the rain forecasted for this weekend!!!
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

niceonetom

well done Kinetic^ 15 minutes between posts there - delayed gratification not your thing ay? and personal abuse from a mod? i shocked and appalled. SHOCKED AND APPALLED i tells you.

how many bowerys is that now?

unionman

niceonetom wrote: »

well done Kinetic^ 15 minutes between posts there - delayed gratification not your thing ay? and personal abuse from a mod? i shocked and appalled. SHOCKED AND APPALLED i tells you.

how many bowerys is that now?

Four I think.

Langsters rule:cool::cool:!!

Planet X

http://www.bikes-dolan.uk.com/media/Dolan-FXE-Alloy.gif

Might go for this at some stage. Frame n forks. Have loads of spare wheels. Odd saddle etc etc. Shouldn't be a problem .

Kinetic^

I actually love Blorg, my bank is coming for him now though!!!

Edit: sorry for dragging off topic.

Planet X

Repossession jobbie?

dub_skav

Bowerys, Langsters pfffft. You know you all wanted a nice heavy Charge Plug

Gavin

You people are capitalistic pigs, buying manufactured tripe. Stop conforming! Custom made, self-constructed single speed bicycles are individual pieces of art which allow one to express one's self in a unique manner.


I am like a [edit]yellow[/edit] snowflake.

Chips Lovell

Blorg is a trendsetter. Everyone has a Focus and now they're all getting Bowerys. I'm half expecting to show up on a Saturday morning some week and see half you guys wearing sandals.

cantalach

I was looking at this 2008 Bowery for £225 on the Pearson website and they mention the forthcoming 2009 Bowery. So I went into the Giant website to see the changes...a fatal mistake on my part. They'll have a number of Bowery models next year. The basic one now has an all-black frame with no 'Giant' written anywhere, and it also has some cool lookin' track bars. Then there's the ultra-retro Bowery '72 which is a street bike and the Bowery '84 with which has lots of chrome, track aero bars and deep section wheels!

So, to strike now and take the sweet deal or wait a few months 'til I've built up some more 'credit' and go for next year's model...

Raam

cantalach wrote: »

I was looking at this 2008 Bowery for £225 on the Pearson website and they mention the forthcoming 2009 Bowery. So I went into the Giant website to see the changes...a fatal mistake on my part. They'll have a number of Bowery models next year. The basic one now has an all-black frame with no 'Giant' written anywhere, and it also has some cool lookin' track bars. Then there's the ultra-retro Bowery '72 which is a street bike and the Bowery '84 with which has lots of chrome, track aero bars and deep section wheels!

So, to strike now and take the sweet deal or wait a few months 'til I've built up some more 'credit' and go for next year's model...

Get both, man.

blorg

They look like pretty much the same bike at base apart from the bits of bling and the paintjobs. To be honest not sure a Giant is ever going to end up being cool so I'd save your money!

There is no problem using clipless pedals on a fixie, first thing I did was to stick on SPDs. I would not personally like to use toe clips, they are far more difficult to get out of IMHO.

@Planet X- I have race blades on my Bowery and they work absolutely fine. The only thing I would want that it is lacking is a rack, which would be handy on a commuter/about town bike.

doozerie

I haven't ridden a fixie but in theory at least it should promote cycling at a higher cadence than you might otherwise find yourself using (except uphill, perhaps, depending on your gearing). This helps develop suppleness in your muscles, always a good thing, and should be a good cardiovascular workout too so your stamina should improve. I'm not sure that a fixie would allow you to work on building strength though, but you can use your geared bike for strength sessions anyway.