Fixed gear bike how fast

This figure, which is reached by dividing the teeth in the chainring by those in the sprocket, tells you how many times the wheel will spin per turn of the crank as you pedal.

Based on this alone, you could expect a max speed of There are more variables. A lower wheel diameter will require a higher gear to achieve the same top speed. Shorter cranks allow you to expend less effort to accelerate and maintain your cadence. Of course, you can reach even higher speeds riding in the draft of a rider ahead of you, or when going downhill.

Riders routinely reach speeds of mph on declines. When comparing fixies and road bikes, the mechanisms that govern their speed are fundamentally the same. Yes, road bikes have multiple gears, but a fixie could have any one of those gears as well. So, if you match the gear ratios and other relevant proportions, a fixie can travel just as fast as a road bike when it is in that same gear. In fact, the fixie has an advantage in such a comparison.

They are lighter bikes thanks to having such a simplified drive train. Because of this, they can even outpace their road bike competition. But, that represents a best case scenario. That high gear is great for speed on level terrain.

A road bike can simply switch to a lower gear, allowing the rider to maintain cadence in all scenarios. This means that road bikes have a more consistent average speed over different terrain, and will be faster overall. You can choose a fixie with a more moderate gear ratio, but the fact remains that no single gear is ideal for all circumstances. If your fixie is not stymied by hills, it will underperform on straightaways.

Yet, cyclists choose fixed gear bikes when they are appropriate to the terrain. And, in such cases, fixies average the same mph as other bikes. If your daily ride is on mostly level ground, then a fixie could be your best bet.

The significant weight advantage not only gives it the edge in speed here, but makes it easier to handle in general. However, if you expect to encounter hills every day, a road bike is a better choice.

Road bikes are the more conventional choice. That adaptability is their main advantage. Many enjoy the exertion required to power a fixie up a hill, or to get a lower-geared bike up to speed on a flat stretch.

Single speed bikes will have brakes in the same way you would find on any normal geared bike. Fixies are mixed. Some do not have brakes fitted at all relying on road position, rider skill and stopping the cranks to brake. Some are fitted with a single brake, usually on the front as the back brake is the wheel itself.

It must be pointed out that riding a fixie without a front break on the road is illegal in the UK. Single speeds are ideal commuter or winter bikes as the lack of complex gearing makes them far easier to maintain. In contrast, the most common use of fixed gear bikes is on the track.

Most of the bikes you see speeding around the velodromes are fixed gears with no brakes. They have also become commonly used as city bikes, but are rarely seen out on country roads. With Donhou Bicycles ' mph bike, you can't ignore the chainring. It's so big, you could serve a large pizza on it. The Donhou bike has a purpose in mind. It's made to go fast. The strange-looking handlebars keep the rider hunched forward in an aerodynamic position.

That humungous serving plate-size chainring then goes to work to propel you forward at speeds your Huffy would never even dare to dream of. That monster of a chainring sports teeth and is 17 inches in diameter. That means every go-round of the pedal sends the bike forward way farther than your standard road or mountain bike.

According to NPR , the bike has already reached speeds of 60 mph on the open road, but creator Tom Donhou would like to get it up to mph.