The Ultimate Efficiency

[dcb]

2 lbs is not huge when compared to 200 lbs of rider and bike and crap, it is 1%. Having gears so you can pedal at whatever pace is comfortable for you is huge by comparison.

The extra drag of derailleurs is not a big deal, any transmission is going to introduce some of that, and the chain derailleur is particularly efficient since you do not leave every gear meshed at once and spinning, just a couple idlers.

I always prefer my old le-tour for the tall high pressure tires seem to roll the easiest on pavement. Even in the snow, I have to plow less snow with the skinny tires, they just cut through to the pavement.

I had a suspension bike, didn't like how pedaling compressed the suspension and soaked up energy, but I did like how you didn't even have to hop to clear a curb, that's a more delicate maneuver on a le tour.

[bmwboarder]

A side note is that a very nice fixed gear can cost well under $1000, while a very nice geared road bike, will cost more than that. For me personally, a fixed gear is a good choice for max efficiency, especially when also considering the effect on my wallet.

It does seem to be a trade off, comfort comes at the cost of efficiency, maybe even more so on a bike than in a car.

[dcb]

I'm not sure how you determined it was "max efficiency", that sounds a bit misleading to me.

I have no comment on $1000+ bicycles.

Even the worlds record distance in 24hrs guys use a derailleur, if ever efficiency was a concern

[Lazarus]

I think maybe the thread title should be changed to the ultimate fun. The bike is only one part of the equation. Unless you live in a vacuum in a flat area a single speed is not the most efficient bike. Simplest but not most efficient.

Every rider will have a self regulated cadence that is their most efficient. Most competitive riders it's around 90-110 rpms. You'll pick your gearing on the SS to match you optimum cadence for normal cruising speed. Throw in winds or hills and the efficiency has gone out the window. Grinding along at 40 rpm or spinning at 130 rpm is not efficient. That why they put gears on bikes so that you can stay in you optimum rpm range for the entire ride.

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by dcb

Even the worlds record distance in 24hrs guys use a derailleur, if ever efficiency was a concern

And that's a purpose-built bike that's going to be operated indoors, on a level track, at constant speed for many hours. If there ever was an application for a single-speed, this was it.

[bmwboarder]

That is pretty interesting. The 1hr record has historically been set on a singlespeed or fixed gear: File:EddyMerckxHourRecordBike.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And earlier landspeed records used bikes like this:
land speed record bike | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
I would assume in the 24hrs the riders legs can't sustain the same power output for so long, and thus need gears. I don't think that negates the fact that derailleurs do have some drag, even if it is minimal for good ones.

Originally Posted by dcb

I'm not sure how you determined it was "max efficiency", that sounds a bit misleading to me.

A good road bike is very efficient, and a fixed/singlespeed does away with some of the few parts that do cause drag on such a bike. How is that not max efficiency? It is certainly not suitable for all situations, similar to how I wouldn't take a prius 4-wheeling, but that doesn't negate the prius's efficiency.

[dcb]

when making a human use a single speed, that human cannot maintain their most efficient rpm and load. In and of itself the derailleur ads a tiny bit of drag, but on the road the gears allow the human to remain more efficient, which probably falls off exponentially vs a constant slight drag from the idlers. That is how it is not max efficient.

Besides you are looking at a restricted class of one hour racing, on a bike from 1972. Which is only running on a track at a constant speed, yadda yadda.

[bmwboarder]

DCB, fair enough, I agree with you on that.

For me personally, my 9 mile commute to work kept me in that efficiency zone the vast majority of the time, so it worked well for me.

Anyways, if anyone reading this hasn't tried a fixed gear, see if you can find one just to try. It is fun to discover the efficiency gain, even if it is a trade-off of efficiency at other times by not having gears.

[UFO]

I ride a Rans Vivo, a full suspension recumbent with 20" wheels at 110 psi. Yes, it's more weight, but I'm not all bent out of shape when I arrive and my wrists enjoy not having to support my weight. I'm thinking about trying some summer commuting with it, in which case I am going to look into an electric hub motor and a lithium battery.

[bmwboarder]

That would be sweet! Definitely post how that goes.