Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - un-fixed century...weak

Hey I just got back from doing the apple cider century in michigan. While the weather was pretty miserable (rain and wind). It was an amazing amount of fun. I saw one singlespeed, but I don't know if he did the whole 100mi. I'm thinkin' of trying for it fixed next year.

anyways

Any tips on conquering killa hills fixed?

jeff

Originally posted by stickerguy

Any tips on conquering killa hills fixed?


Sure. Pedal really hard.

so if the hills are really really big should i pedal really really hard?:)

I actually prefer the following "Hill/Pedal effort" formula:
(f)=N+1
whereas (f) equals the amount of force (represented as 'pedal (N+1) hard' needed to power a bicycle up an incline and the incline (N) is measured in adjectives. Example:
That hill is REALLY REALLY steep!
The amount of force needed would be 'REALLY REALLY REALLY'
expressed as:
"That hill is REALLY REALLY steep."
"Then you will have to pedal REALLY REALLY REALLY hard"

Make sense?

it's all about carrying speed from the downhills into the uphills, or building up speed prior to the really really steep hill. most of the time i only have to pedal really really really hard at the very end....which sucks. a lot. but you gotta get up that hill somehow, right?

Going up the hills isn't as bad as going down for me. I like the way my fixed climbs. You get up on the pedals and mash 'em.

But when you are flying down a hill with your legs spinning and you butt bouncing and you see that stop sign at the bottom of the hill, that really sucks!!

I have never done the ACC but I hear it is fun. I am doing the Blue Water (Mich to Canada) ride this weekend. I am not doing the century ( It's a social with some friends) but I thought about taken the fixed.

There are lots of flat centurys in Michigan that you can tear up on a fixed.

I did a double century on my SS about a year ago - but with a freewheel. I had to go over a mountain pass - going up wasn't too bad, but I could'nt imagin going down it fixed - I would have had to go half the speed I did, plus it would have kept my wery legs from getting any rest.

I have two centuries under my belt on a fixie (52/16). It really takes a couple days off the bike before you feel normal, and walking up and down stairs is really a pain. Both were a lot of fun, partly because the hills around aren't that great. Go out and try it, you'll either want to do it again, or go back to a freewheel your next century.

I did my double century with a 44X16 - there was a moutain pass, but the total climbing was just under 6K feet. I averaged 18.7mph or so.

Originally posted by 165-48:17
I actually prefer the following "Hill/Pedal effort" formula:
(f)=N+1
whereas (f) equals the amount of force (represented as 'pedal (N+1) hard' needed to power a bicycle up an incline and the incline (N) is measured in adjectives. Example:
That hill is REALLY REALLY steep!
The amount of force needed would be 'REALLY REALLY REALLY'
expressed as:
"That hill is REALLY REALLY steep."
"Then you will have to pedal REALLY REALLY REALLY hard"

Make sense?

I believe you mean "(f)==N+1"...

AAAHa ha ha ha ha ha ha....

AHa ha ha...

Hah...

Umm...

~crickets~

.......................Anybody?

I just did the MS150 a couple weeks ago on my fix.. 150 miles over two days... I think i was the only one there riding a fixed gear....and got much respect from everyone else... as I passed them ;) hehe...