Fixed gear commuting

cmyk

Cycled from home today 24km, (usually cycle from girlfriends) wasn't expecting such a strong headwind and legs are like jelly now, not looking forward to the jaunt back!

Just wondering what sort of distances other fixed riders are doing and how regularly?

Morgan

cmyk wrote: »

Cycled from home today 24km, (usually cycle from girlfriends) wasn't expecting such a strong headwind and legs are like jelly now, not looking forward to the jaunt back!

Just wondering what sort of distances other fixed riders are doing and how regularly?

Strong headwind on the way in = strong tailwind on the way home*.

I'd be looking forward to it.



* unless the fecker changes direction...

petethedrummer

cmyk wrote: »

Cycled from home today 24km, (usually cycle from girlfriends) wasn't expecting such a strong headwind and legs are like jelly now, not looking forward to the jaunt back!

Today and yesterday the wind has switched from normal. It's coming from the east or north-east. The return journey should be fine.

seamus

Yep, unusual run of easterly winds this week, enjoy it while you can...

cmyk

I have my fingers crossed alright! It was quite windy last night too. So anyone care to share their commuting distances?

blorg

Drops are very handy for headwinds.

EDIT: Commute is only 6.5km each way but I generally go out for ~25km over lunch. Longest I have done is 125km over Djouce and the Wicklow Gap, and it was a LOT tougher than the same route on a geared bike.

petethedrummer

So are buses.

lukester

cmyk wrote: »

Cycled from home today 24km, (usually cycle from girlfriends) wasn't expecting such a strong headwind and legs are like jelly now, not looking forward to the jaunt back!

I'd surmise that your legs feel that way because it's a longer distance than normal, and because of the headwind. It would have very little to do with riding fixed.

Last year I did training spins on the fixed gear that I'd previously done on the standard road bike, no real difference apart from on hills (nothing really big or long). Even then, the flywheel effect of riding fixed made the hills easier than I expected.

Lumen

I've temporarily given up my 15km each way singlespeed commute due to achilles injury, using a geared bike instead.

The shame!

just as well I don't have Zipps

ROK ON

Lumen wrote: »

The shame!

The laziness more like. Are you in the 30 front ring heading thru the hill in the park.

(Says he commuting on a tricross that has 11/34 gearing:))

lukester

Lumen wrote: »

I've temporarily given up my 15km each way singlespeed commute due to achilles injury, using a geared bike instead.

The shame!

No shame if you're carrying an injury. If you were getting the bus, that would be for shame :pac:

cmyk

lukester wrote: »

I'd surmise that your legs feel that way because it's a longer distance than normal, and because of the headwind. It would have very little to do with riding fixed.

Ah yeh absolutely, that's completely it, though not having the ability to gear down in the wind didn't help. I actually sold my geared bike a few weeks ago. Just interested to see what distances people commute on a daily basis, guess maybe I should've left fixed out of it to get a bigger response.

I reckon for the casual rider (like me) about 5-6miles each way is maybe the usual limit?

lukester

cmyk wrote: »

Ah yeh absolutely, that's completely it, though not having the ability to gear down in the wind didn't help. I actually sold my geared bike a few weeks ago. Just interested to see what distances people commute on a daily basis, guess maybe I should've left fixed out of it to get a bigger response.

I reckon for the casual rider (like me) about 5-6miles each way is maybe the usual limit?

If your normal commute is 6 miles/10k and you did 24k for the first time, into a strong wind, you'd feel it. That's a decent commute though, 100k a week, a nice base to structure your training around

rottenhat

18km each way, fixed, but for work reasons I have to drive one day a week (boo, hiss).

24km is a bit of a jump from 5-6 miles but if you're doing it on an ongoing basis, you'll get used to it quickly enough.

cmyk

Well I'm actually moving closer to work at the end of the month, just wanted to do it a few times to get my fitness up. Teetering dangerously on the edge of my limits though, I'll give it a day or two in between to recover and give it another lash.

As you rottenhat, I actually have to drive one or two days a week too, so won't be doing this everyday either.

And it's 24km each way....citywest to dun laoghaire, 48k round trip, so it'd be 240km per week, def outside my ability.

Gavin

36km each way on flat roads..? Doable, or would one be exhausted by the end of the week?

Lumen

Gavin wrote: »

36km each way on flat roads..? Doable, or would one be exhausted by the end of the week?

Depends on the roads and traffic, and how hard you push. I find that just going through town (i.e. traffic light intervals) takes a lot out of me - I'm usually knackered by the time I reach the park.

Not sure I'd want to do 70km every day, rain or shine.

short circuit

24kms each way .... geared ... and this is more than enough for me ... takes an hour each way ...

Any more and I will probably be taking the car for part of the route.

On nice, warm, sunny days in summer ... longer is fine .. and I do take a longer route when I have time ...

But cold, rainy, wintry days .... even 24kms feels a bit long .. especially in the evening.

Jawgap

seamus wrote: »

Yep, unusual run of easterly winds this week, enjoy it while you can...

Speak for yourself - I come in from the NE of the city usually from Swords or Malahide and the prevailing South Westerlies suit - hills with you in the morning on the way in - wind with you on the way home.......


......although I'm off on the water this evening so the easterlies suit to get me home quicker!:)

27km each way if I take my usual long way / 10km each way if I go direct.

Got the new bike with a view to doing the whole of my commute by bike - 50km each way 2/3 times per week. At the moment, I drive most of the way and cycle the last bit.

cmyk

short circuit wrote: »

24kms each way .... geared ... and this is more than enough for me ... takes an hour each way ...

Any more and I will probably be taking the car for part of the route.

On nice, warm, sunny days in summer ... longer is fine .. and I do take a longer route when I have time ...

But cold, rainy, wintry days .... even 24kms feels a bit long .. especially in the evening.

Wow, yep that's what I'm facing today, fair play for doing that on a regular basis.

Highway_To_Hell

Gavin wrote: »

36km each way on flat roads..? Doable, or would one be exhausted by the end of the week?

I do 30km each way 3 times a week, I have done 5 straight days but it has left me a bit drained. 36km each way would be tough to maintain on an ongoing basis especially if you still want to get in decent spins on the weekend.

flickerx

If you're doing anything more than 25km each way on a bike ride, then you need to make sure that you have a perfect fit on the bike you're riding on, otherwise you'll have pains, even a slight problem will be amplified from the greater distances.

crazydingo

I do 10.5km each way to and from college on my fixie (51-17). It's handy enough, with rush hour traffic it takes about 30-40 mins depending on the wind but I've done it in under 20 minutes before

Civilian_Target

Gavin wrote: »

36km each way on flat roads..? Doable, or would one be exhausted by the end of the week?

Every day? No, not if you want a life the rest of the time. Unless it's wholly out of town, you're talking 75 mins each way, plus faffing about.

I do 26km each way (with a 200m climb), 2 or 3 days a week, and any more would be too much IMHO.

And back on topic, ****ing wind was against me all the way home

72hundred

Civilian_Target wrote: »

And back on topic, ****ing wind was against me all the way home

Wind has been curse recently!

Vélo

I try do 20km each way about 3 days a week.

rottenhat

Civilian_Target wrote: »

Every day? No, not if you want a life the rest of the time. Unless it's wholly out of town, you're talking 75 mins each way, plus faffing about.

Well, it is worth thinking about whether he'll get there any faster by other means - if it involves a couple of buses then the bike might still be a better option a few days a week. You'd have to be a horse of a man if you were to do 72km a day, 5 days a week although there are people who do.

Gavin

It's a messy route alright, so the bike all the way would probably be as quick as two buses or a train and cycle. I'll give it a go and see how I get on I guess. 3 days a week would be good.

cmyk

Well I managed the 24km back home again, but only because the wind had pretty much gone. I would not be able to do this all week. 2 or 3 days would be enough for me.

david

Gavin wrote: »

36km each way on flat roads..? Doable, or would one be exhausted by the end of the week?

Is it flat? 72km fixed gear each day would be quite demanding but it all depends on your fitness. Can you spare ~3+ hours each day plus the effort of showering and getting changed in work (I presume you'd need to!)?

72hundred

david wrote: »

Can you spare ~3+ hours each day plus the effort of showering and getting changed in work (I presume you'd need to!)?

I think the same, very long distance commuting (>20km) just takes up too much time in the day.

Having said that if the bus/train/car is the same time or longer I'd prefer to be on the bike.