Time crunched training + 10km commute = fixie?

[Janosh]

This year I have very little time to spend on the bike so I'm keen to get the most from my time in the saddle.

I can only occasionally do longer rides so I'm considering a fixie for my commute. I live in Farnham so my commute is a fairly steady 20mph ride with minor gradient changes and just a few stops.

Less maintenance and ongoing cost also appeals.

Will a fixie (looking at Charge Plug 2 or Spec Langster) benefit my training or just another excuse for n+1?!

[S10GTA]

I ride single speed most of the winter and upped the gearing this year. I'm now noticing a difference. It's not made me any fitter but I'm definitely stronger. I can stay seated when climbing (on a standard double) for much longer now.

[TonyHetherington]

Article recently in a mag said the best way to utilise commutes is intervals (go nuts for 2 mins, rest for 30secs etc)

[Janosh]

Thanks for the replies thus far...

TonyHetherington said:

Article recently in a mag said the best way to utilise commutes is intervals (go nuts for 2 mins, rest for 30secs etc)

Sure - but that's about the effort that I'm going to put in... how about if I do similar hard efforts on a fixie vs my current geared bike?

Being forced to pedal 100% of the 10km should be good for both power and technique?

[okgo]

In short. No, I don't think it will make any difference. On flat route you'll already be pedalling over 90% of the time anyway. Forcing a big gear uphill my feel like it's 'doing' something but really it likely isn't. Forces are small in cycling, grinding a single speed away is not going to be even as much of a leg workout as squatting your own body weight over and over. Or walking up stairs. Not that any of that would make any difference anyway.

As said above I would guess your best bet is interval style. Train your lungs not your legs, the former is why you're not on Eurosport, unlikely the latter (in layman a terms)

But if you want a new bike, then buy anyway but don't expect it to make any odds IMO. And I do have a SS too.

[Janosh]

Thanks okgo - at least I am now clear why I'm buying a new bike

[okgo]

Janosh said:

Thanks okgo - at least I am now clear why I'm buying a new bike

Haha. I only bought mine as so low maintenance. But they're annoying when there is a strong headwind tailwind situation!

[Daveyraveygravey]

I would guess a 10km commute isn't going to do much good is it? Won't it take a long time/lots of repeats before you see any benefit? I understand if you can't get the time for longer rides, and it is all you can do so it must be tricky.
Can you get to a gym? I was off the bike for 5 weeks earlier this year with a broken wrist, and used the exercise bikes in the gym. The saddle would have looked right at home on my mum's Shopper in the 80's, so I struggled to do 30 minutes on it at first, but I did find one of the programs had enough variety of resistance to make it fell quite like a ride on the road. Or maybe running?

[Janosh]

RE: Daveyraveygravey - I understand that the 10km commute won't give me great endurance but I'm finding that doing just 20km a day is keeping my weight in check and keeping my legs in reasonable shape. I went out on my first club run of the year on Sunday (100km) and I kept up ok albeit flaked at the end, so I'm just trying to get the most from the commuting miles (and justify another bike )

[uncinquesei]

I commute every day, 13km each way on a fixed gear. I don't know about any objective fitness / strength benefits but I feel better for it and, more than anything, I love riding it. It makes you think about everything - you only have to "stop" pedalling once or twice and your concentration levels are through the roof I take the point about pedalling 90% of the time on the flat anyway but I'm pedalling 100% of the time downhill too...
The Ebay flyer (homemade bitser but I love it):

[AyBee]

I love mine, 16 miles/day. I mainly use it for my commute because of the maintenance benefit, but I also think it's helped me because it forces me to put in effort on days where I'd be tempted to ease off and when pulling away from lights. I use a fairly big gear so head winds are painful. My commute is also very flat.