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Isn't it an accepted fact that fixed and gears do not work well together in the same group?
A group riding fixed has a different rhythm from a group on gears - the geared group will almost certainly descend faster, and although it may not be obvious, the fixed group may well climb faster where the gradients are not super steep, because it's necessary to keep up a reasonable cadence.
Are the 'other people' you mention above on fixed or gears?
clubman-
Isn't it an accepted fact that fixed and gears do not work well together in the same group?
A group riding fixed has a different rhythm from a group on gears - the geared group will almost certainly descend faster, and although it may not be obvious, the fixed group may well climb faster where the gradients are not super steep, because it's necessary to keep up a reasonable cadence.
Yes. There was a time on here when larger group rides were generally advertised as ride fw/ss with us, or bring gears if you must but be prepared to ride at our pace: no shooting off in little bunches in 53/11 or halfwheeling on the downhills, and don’t do massive slowup/downshifts on a narrow climb if you’re blocking the road for fixed riders attacking the hill. Which geared riders inevitably did, regardless. Stopped wanting to ride in large groups years ago. Hell is other people.
Skülly
I wonder if some of it is to do with riding with people verdus riding alone.
The longer rides I’ve done on my ‘boring geared bike’ have been solo so the pace has been entirely at my choosing.
Riding fixed tends to be with some other people and generally my friends like to ride faster than I do so I’ll tend to be pushing myself.