Riding a fixed gear, and winter, tend to go together. So much so, that in the "old days", even after geared bikes supplanted fixes for regular cycling on the street, road riders would train during the winter on fixed gear bicycles.
But there are practical as well as traditional reasons for the fixed gear's association with winter.
For starters, the fixed drivetrain is much easier to control without "slamming on the brakes" -- a godsend on bad weather roads. Second, the fixed gear drivetrain has one cog, no shift mechanism, and no shift cables, which makes both the drivetrain and the downtube easy to clean off in the winter grime -- and less prone to fouling. Third, the use of older road frames with wider clearances than the precision-made psuedo racer bikes of today's road crop, means one can fit wider tires, such as 28 or 32c, or even 700x35c cyclecross tires. This last is what I did.
My Panasonic has been thru various forms. It started duty as a 12-speed roadbike, and has been fixed gear for a while. It's never been a "big ring" bike; I think the 46t was the largest ring I ever fitted it with, and the 42 is the most frequently fitted. Currently the bike is 44x18; similar to the 42x16 favored by first-time fixed riders or even by experienced fixers for all-round road riding [meaning some hills]. However, I have to say that with hard-to-roll on smooth blacktop knobbies like my 35c's, it helps to have an easy gear.
Riding fixed in winter is not just efficient, it is fun! With less cyclists on the road [most are stuck inside on stationary trainers when the mercury dips below 20 degrees, forget 15] the fixed rider does not have to worry about seeming out of place and can freely practice things like trackstands, spinning the rear wheel to get a good starting pedal position, etc. without drawing curious stares. The winter roads are also a good place to ride fixed because, as you never coast, you are always working, and despite what the science guys tell you, pedaling keeps you warm. Well, it makes you feel warmer, and that's what counts!
In the northeast coast of the U.S., anyone riding a bike is an unusual thing. New Jersey has the sad distinction of being one of the most densely populated states in the union; but, it seems that the census people got their words reversed, for we also have a somewhat "dense" population, who drive huge monster SUV's more suited for the genuine Outback than the Outback Steakhouse. This makes for very nervous cycling experiences until you get used to the massive boxes on wheels wizzing past at Warp 9. And it is even more unnerving when they have cell phones. Oh yes, we have a law against that now, but we also have a law about using turn signals. It seems it seldom works to acheive the desired result. The result of all this is that so many people feel used to their cars, the idea of riding a bicycle for any distance, let alone in the cold, is an alien thought. On the other hand, out of the cyclists out here, only a handful are fixed gearies. Again, not a surprise; the hills tend to discourage fixed gear cycling because even some bicyclists frown on having no choice of changing gears when the going gets steep. However, what most people don't realize is that a fixed gear can make those hills fun again.
The hills are not as bad as they seem.
For many years, my regular ride consisted of going over the hills into Madison, NJ. About 20 miles round trip. I did this more or less every day. There is a large hill with two ways over it; one a narrow winding road, the other a steep short climb. The short one I only climbed once -- on a fixed gear, of course. The winding one takes work but is actually easier even tho it is longer. I do that often. I am no Armstrong, but with a relatively easy fixed gear and a pair of decent legs anyone can do it. I say anyone, so picture this; when I rode the most, I was in college, eating junkfood, smoking cigarettes, and consuming between five and ten cups of coffee per day. I made it up the hill -- on my fixed gear. At the time, the fixed gear ran 48x18 gearing!
Since getting out of college, I have been trying to stay a little healthier, but had not been riding as much. I am slowly reversing this lapse; I try to do 80 miles or so over the weekends, and now ride most every day. Still, when I get a chance to hit the hills, I'm there. On a fixed gear.
And not just in the winter.
And that is perhaps the best thing about fixed gear riding; it carries over to the spring and summer time. A geared bike is a wonderful machine, but there is something remarkable about turning in the saddle, looking back down a steep climb, and saying to yourself "I rode up that!" on a fixed gear bicycle.
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