Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Working up to a century

I have all winter to prepare for a century ride. I want to do it on my fixed gear. I am a Big Guy(tm). 325lbs currently. I have ridden 20 mile rides but want to do much, MUCH more.

What's the best way to work up to this?

Thanks for any tips :)

Start riding progressively longer distances. Try doing your long ride on Saturday or Sunday with shorter, but faster, rides 3 to 4 times a week. Lay off the cheeseburgers, fries and regular soda in between to drop some weight.

Now for the big question: Why do this on a fixie? Do you have a geared bike? I've ridden in the Reno area and there are a few little hills around there. Unless you plan to avoid them on your century, you are really going to suffer on a fixie. A better plan for your first century might be to use a geared bike. You'll likely be able to ride further while training, and you'll save you knees on the hills.

But, if you insist on the fixed gear, the process is the same. Keep doing longer miles until you can comfortably do about 75 miles.

Good luck.

You can train for a century on two rides a week; a local USA Cycling coach does just that: http://www.midlifecycling.com/midlife/index.htm --one of the keys is your long weekend rides must get progressively longer, increase by 10% each week. Also ride similar terrain as your chosen century route, that way there will be no surprises. Best of luck, keep us posted!

Hey Supcom. I'm already dieting, losing weight. I'm down from 345 last year.

Why a fixie? Well, because I have one. And yes, its my only bike. Its my commuter, everything. I have other bikes in various stages of disassembly, but none of them fit me. This one is great. I'm pretty comfy on it, and, I really hate derailers. I've convinced myself that the only way I'll ever go geared again is with a rohloff hub.

I have a fixed/fixed flip flop hub (IRO) and I have a 17 and 19 tooth cog. I figure that'll get me just about everywhere. Bigger hills can be walked.

Reno/Sparks is in a valley, so for any distance you have to go out of town. And, there are hills. I've done a couple of them, they aren't too bad. I plan on heading out toward Pyramid Lake. Out and back is a metric century.

For some tips, have a look over my article on riding a century :) :

http://www.machka.net/century.htm

Hey Supcom. I'm already dieting, losing weight. I'm down from 345 last year.

Why a fixie? Well, because I have one. And yes, its my only bike. Its my commuter, everything. I have other bikes in various stages of disassembly, but none of them fit me. This one is great. I'm pretty comfy on it, and, I really hate derailers. I've convinced myself that the only way I'll ever go geared again is with a rohloff hub.

I have a fixed/fixed flip flop hub (IRO) and I have a 17 and 19 tooth cog. I figure that'll get me just about everywhere. Bigger hills can be walked.

Reno/Sparks is in a valley, so for any distance you have to go out of town. And, there are hills. I've done a couple of them, they aren't too bad. I plan on heading out toward Pyramid Lake. Out and back is a metric century.

Your area has some great riding. Someday I'd like to be out there with a couple days free. I have a bad itch to subject myself to the Mt. Rose Hwy up to Incline Village.

I have a flip/flop hub on my fixie. I had a larger freewheel on ine side, but never used it so I took it off. IMHO, the hassle unbolting the rear axle and flipping it around isn't worth the trouble just to get a couple teeth lower gear. But I live in Texas, and don't have any real climbs :D

Good luck on your training. I'd not try that 60 miler just yet. Wait until you can do 40 or so with the hills first. Overdoing it on a fixie can really hurt the knees.

No reason not to ride long on fixed gear, if that's what you want to do. Obviously, there will be times when being over or under geared will be challenging. I ride fairly long (but not ultra long) on fixed very regularly and I enjoy it. Its not "practical" but who cares. Just work up to it so you know what you're getting into. Same as anything else, really.

I rode a 100 mile charity ride last weekend, and for 40 miles the headwind was truly brutal, being fixed. Ah, but life is good. And as somebody said, "it ain't about the bike".

Hey everyone, thanks for the help! Machka, I will bookmark your page. Its very good! I should add that I commute about 12 miles per day on my fixed gear. I've been riding fixed for over a year and really enjoy it. I'm not super fast, but its lots of fun.

Lemurhouse and Supcom- Thanks too. I appreciate the info about riding it fixed. I'd been planning on building a recumbent before I try a century. Then I read about the Furnace Creek 508 (http://www.the508.com) and the fixed gear riders there. Wow. Obviously I'm not them. But it *can* be done.

I have all winter to prepare for a century ride. I want to do it on my fixed gear. I am a Big Guy(tm). 325lbs currently. I have ridden 20 mile rides but want to do much, MUCH more.

What's the best way to work up to this?

Thanks for any tips :)

Don't do many century road rides as I am a Mountain biker. I find that to get fit for the summer- I start doing longer and longer rides- NON stop. Start with about a 2 hour ride- and by the time I get to a 5 hour ride- Offroad still- I am ready for anything- Including the 100 mile offroad that takes 12 hours.
I think it is pointless doing 100 mile training rides to do a 100 mile ride.

Then on top of that- You have to get out frequently- from now on. If you cannot get out on the bike in the week- think about a Gym. 1 hour cardio vasculat followed by 1 hour weight training will keep you in trim over the winter untill you can get in 2 or 3 evening rides and a long ride at the weekend.

As to the bike- You must be as mad as me- Doing it on a fixie is as bad as mountain biking on a tandem.