[cayuga]

Ive been so into my single speed road bike that ive been riding it 4 times a week - and only riding my race bike (geared) twice a week. My power is much better this year than last with no single speed training (rolling hills and some steep but short climbs).

If i am going strictly for building up my speed.... being FAST - should i stop riding my single speed so much. I love it. I can do 30 miles and it feels like i did 50 miles geared. Maybe I am just lazier on the geared bike but I am only slightly faster on the geared bike. I think part of the reason is I still have a compact on my geared bike that Ive clearly out grown with this season's power increase.

Something tells me if i want to be fast on the geared bike - I need to ride it exclusively. Is this true? Am I limiting myself by riding so much single speed? Do pros bother with single speed training?

 

[Kram]

I like to ride my fixie fairly often. Makes me feel faster when I'm on my geraed bike. Don't know if it maks me faster/slower, but I like it. So I do it. Sorry. that's the best I can do

 

[Pablo]

Getting fast is more about the effort your body makes (the intensity and duration of the efforts over time) and allowing your body to recover and build up itself psysiologically than about the bike. Your body tends to become accustomed to and better at the sort of efforts its tends to be put through.

That said, a singlespeed bike may alter the efforts by requiring harder efforts in some situations (like uphill) and not allowing really hard efforts in others (flats or downhill). It also alters the spinning, so you might be stronger at pushing the pedals, but not necessarily fatser. So, you might be "faster" in certain respects and potentially slower in others. It all depends on what you want to do.

Lots of pros used to train in the winter on fixed gear bikes, but not so much anymore.

 

[VaughnA]

I've been doing the same for the last couple of years. I feel that I'm much stronger due to riding the fixie/singlespeed. You can't take a complete rest when riding it. And I think it helps your spin and stroke. It has also taught me to stand and climb again instead of the spinning being pushed so much. Sometimes just standing and grunting over a short climb is faster and more efficient.