Winter training, geared or SS?

Divide claimed mileage of others by approx 5, take into account that they're not Belgian, buy turbo, ignore turbo, get fat. Standard winter training regime..... Basically, if you ride at all, you're ahead of most of the competition regardless of which bike you ride (or claim to). Panic in Spring......

Yesterday I dug my trusty winter bike out of the shed - an RJ Quinn, single speed with rack for panniers and mudguards.

I didn't clean it before I put it away, and it was covered in accumulated grime. After a couple of hours cleaning, de-greasing and re-greasing, it was glinting in the Autumnal sunlight.

Just been for a quick test ride to the shops, it was like getting together with an old mate.

Come on winter, let's see what you've got.

"come at me sno"

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^why the gloves on such a mild day?

Great insights into peoples mind set in winter, loving Colin the Bald's.
But think an over hall of the fixed is gonna happen to make it training worthy.
Risers to drops basically..
Does any one run a back brake on fixed in winter?
Just thinking about those close encounters on country lanes / group riding here..

Skidding works really well with snow and ice. Actually stopping, not so much...

^why the gloves on such a mild day?
Just for the photo, 'cause they matched the jacket; didn't actually ride with them obvs.

Fixed for dry days
CX frame with compact road gearing, hydraulic discs and mudguards for wet days
11spd alfine fatbike for winter off-roading

I have a similar (less up market) selection to this ^

... but in reality often end up more like this v

Just sit on the sofa until March. Much easier.

I can't think why one would consider anything else but fixed - see attached picture.

Since I haven't really done any racing this year, and I'm doubtful about next year also, I can hardly talk about training. However I feel the need at least to be ticking over.
As a matter of policy I've decided that the riding that I do manage this winter will be mostly done on fixed. This is because I think it is more effective, as training, to ride fixed. So, given limited time, I believe I'm getting more benefit from the restricted mileage I am doing.

Of course, for actual racing men it's slightly different, but all the same most riders have some limit to both time and money - so one obvious advantage of riding fixed is that you are using a more robust bike which costs less to keep up to the mark than a full blown geared road bike.

It seems to me that a distinction between a racing man and an ordinary cyclist is that whereas the non racing cyclist wants the best bike for the job in hand, but if you're intending to race you won't always feel the need to be on the easiest bike for whatever ride you're about to do: a less than perfect machine has the advantage that you are working slightly harder, thereby adding to the dividend that each mile covered will repay you next season.

26th Jan 2013

Mountain bikes are a blessing for getting to work when the snow is +/- a foot deep. (in places)

These days I virtually never go out on my geared bike so ride fixed the whole year.

My only advice would be to make sure you have mudguards (two of them and preferably full length)

back on the SS now as all my geared one are knackered (headset and hub respectivley)...

Need to get a geared one sorted before the winters out though for the odd club run

This is the 1st winter I've gone for gears over fixed for winter miles. I like to ride in the hills a bit (to keep it interesting) and whilst fixed is ok for cadence and leg strength, it's useless for everything else (intervals etc for aerobic fitness).

Combined with some turbo and stretching I'm pretty confident things are going better with gears. Geared you can choose how hard you work, and when, and you can ride with normal people ;-)

Geared you can choose how hard you work, and when, and you can ride with normal people ;-)

True but I think with regards to commuting ss is probably doing me good atm as its forcing me to push where if I was still on gears I would invariably choose the easiest just to get from a-b without killing myself. Saying that being out of the saddle so often is getting a bit wearing... :-1

I thought we were talking about training.

I'll not be standing up until 2014.

strength training

...which requires you to stay seated.

my knees!

have always climbed out of the saddle so guess it might help a bit

HTFU your knees.

For strength work on your glutes. And winter is a good time to do this. Go into hills overgeared (one thing fixed has going for it), stay seated towards the back of your saddle, dip your heals a bit and keep your stroke good – keep your body relaxed and stable, not rocking (think Wiggins, not Chris Anker Sorenson!).

Joe Friel says short hills are better than long ones for this. And who am I to argue.

Combined with some turbo and stretching I'm pretty confident things are going better with gears. Geared you can choose how hard you work, and when, and you can ride with normal people ;-)

This is pretty much how I see it. Fixed is great for commuting (and short/relatively flat rides), but the gear I'd use for commuting is a bit lower than the one I'd use for 'training' - which either means compromising or fiddling around changing ratios (even with a flipflop it's not straightforward). The last couple of years I've just used a relatively cheap alu road bike all winter (and summer too) and feel much fitter/stronger when the spring arrives. Which makes sense - if your aim is to be faster on a road bike, then just ride a road bike pretty much all the time (although obviously less hard in winter). I've gotten out of practice going up hills properly when I've ridden fixed for too long, and it takes a while to get this ability back. I just have the odd fixed ride every now and then to keep things varied and fun.

This winter I've decided to buy one of those horrid full sus bike shaped objects off a friend for a few quid for the sole purpose of commuting to work in the snow & sludge.

Pics etc......

..

Need to get a geared one sorted before the winters out though for the odd club run

I thought the winter club run should be just the time and place for fixed.

Actually, it certain hasn't been in my club in recent years, but much to my surprise, and not at my suggestion tomorrow's ride should have a fixed wheel group - about half a dozen, including one former international.

I'm sure we could find room for a few more if anyone's interested. If you want to come have a look at the Hounslow and District website.

Sorry about the short notice - if the experiment is to be repeated I'll try to give more warning.

I'm sampling fixed this winter hopefully. My road bike isn't anything special but I can't be doing with having to clean it all the time. Need a beater.

This winter I've decided to buy one of those horrid full sus bike shaped objects off a friend for a few quid for the sole purpose of commuting to work in the snow & sludge.

Last year it was treacherous as fuck on both my road bike and fix. Ended up walking the bike in sections only to be overtaken by nodders on JJB specials going up and down pavements.
Hmm, but how would it be easier to ride than your other (presumably better fitting / higher quality components) bikes?

Or is it more than you would feel able to push the bso harder when the weather gets extreme?

^ Good idea, I'd actually enjoy watching one of those corrode from the road salt :-)
Really? I can't imagine you'd be able to watch that, no matter how shite the bike.

This is why I mainly ride fixed in the autumn/winter. Occasional hose down and it just keeps on trucking.

Several messengers enjoyed riding fixed thru the (harsh)winter in Copenhagen last year.

I enjoy fixed winter business too - this season I am trying out the wonder of a hub with the flop/flop freewheelin'.

TRAINING? Can the OP elaborate more about the intention of this written word?