Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Anyone ride long distance on fixed gear?

Been lurking for while and appreciate all your guys knowledge. I am just starting to want to get more into long distance riding. Currently the bike I have been riding the most (almost exclusively since bought it) is my redline 925 fixed that i bought early last summer...longest ride on it has been 72miles...but typically been doing a 50 mile ride at least weekly with total of 125-150 miles.(disclaimer: thats when in shape! havent been out much yet this year so only up to 35 mile rides). Was wondering how many people ride fixed for centuries / 200km etc? Also am thinking of getting a geared comfortable bike to ride for distance / commuting/ light touring was wondering since i do most of riding on fixed...how much "easier" is mileage on a geared bike? What about speed? What benefit do you think you see the most going from fixed to geared...increase in distance, speed, or both? Lastly...kind of tossed up between getting a cross style bike (surly crosscheck or redline conquest pro look interesting to me) or more of a classic touring bike (surly LHT or Trek 520)....any pearls of wisdom on those choices? I am kind of looking for a jack of all trades bike...mostly would use for commuting / exercise...throw in some long training rides (although honestly i do love my 925 for raw exercise!)...and am interested at some point in future in getting into some light touring. thanks alot for the input and all the great information you guys provide on here!

disclaimer; I don't ride fixed any more.

There is a guy in the UK (steve abrahams) who rides fixed all the time, about 24-28 000 miles a year. He's probably the most prolifix audax rider around.

Personally, I don't like fixed for really long rides because it is so exhausting riding into headwinds. ymmv
Steve rides on a high gear, about 84". I dunno how he does it without destroying his knees.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=416097&highlight=fixed
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=425065&highlight=fixed

Been lurking for while and appreciate all your guys knowledge. I am just starting to want to get more into long distance riding. Currently the bike I have been riding the most (almost exclusively since bought it) is my redline 925 fixed that i bought early last summer...longest ride on it has been 72miles...but typically been doing a 50 mile ride at least weekly with total of 125-150 miles.(disclaimer: thats when in shape! havent been out much yet this year so only up to 35 mile rides). Was wondering how many people ride fixed for centuries / 200km etc? Also am thinking of getting a geared comfortable bike to ride for distance / commuting/ light touring was wondering since i do most of riding on fixed...how much "easier" is mileage on a geared bike? What about speed? What benefit do you think you see the most going from fixed to geared...increase in distance, speed, or both? Lastly...kind of tossed up between getting a cross style bike (surly crosscheck or redline conquest pro look interesting to me) or more of a classic touring bike (surly LHT or Trek 520)....any pearls of wisdom on those choices? I am kind of looking for a jack of all trades bike...mostly would use for commuting / exercise...throw in some long training rides (although honestly i do love my 925 for raw exercise!)...and am interested at some point in future in getting into some light touring. thanks alot for the input and all the great information you guys provide on here!

i'm no fixed expert, but my first century was on a track bike (not on a track, thank gawd!). we were training for the two-day STP (seattle to portland), 100 mile days back to back. my bud and i were riding fixed, i was riding 14x40 i think.

we kept up fine, could paceline, etc, but the thing that got to me was skidding to stop. i had a (front) brake, but never ever wanted to use it, so after 100 miles of lots of slowing, and on the second day my knees were killin me. maybe i had my gearing too high, but i think it was from all the back pedaling.

anyway there's a rando or two that does single-speed brevets, usually the shorter/flatter ones i think. if i were to do any non-geared riding, i think single-speed would be the way to go. i missed coasting too much!

if you're in good shape, i don't think you'll see huge speed changes (ok, some) switching to a geared bike. when i made the switch, i really enjoyed three things: 1) small gears 2) big gears 3) coasting

if you decide to get a geared bike as well, i'd look into something like the salsa caseroll, surly pacer, etc. (i ride a pacer these days)

hope this helps!

Rowan, my husband, rides long distances on a fixed gear. He even did a tour in Europe with me on his fixed gear fully loaded with panniers, as well as a good portion of the 2007 PBP.

I've done a 200k and a couple centuries on my single speed, but nothing more than about 70 miles on my fixed gear. Long rides are definitely more work on a SS or FG bike. It depends on hills, but I typically ride about 1 mph (average for the ride) slower on my SS than on my geared bike and more like 2 mph slower on the FG bike. I also get a lot more tired on the SS and FG than on a geared bike. 70 miles on FG feels like 100 on my geared bike.

I'm interested in seeing what sort of responses you get here because I'm just getting started in Randonneuring (my first brevet was last Saturday) and I've been toying with the idea of doing my next 200k brevet on either my SS or fixed.

yes, plenty of folks.
bmb, pbp, and others, all done fixed.

if you search the rusa site you'll find someone who did a 1200k on the west coast, then crossed canada, then road bmb - all fixed.


i've done a fixed century. quite liked it. looking at doing a brevet this season fixed, possibly the 300k.

am actually debating building up an ENO wheel for my main rando ride.
i don't really think you'll see that much of a jump when comparing yourself on either bike when in shape for it... a fg offers some bonuses and so does the geared machine. my century time was pretty close to my geared century time... for me it all seems to average out.

on something longer - would i want to coast? maybe if it was very hilly... but riding fixed does become second nature. when i get on the geared machine i'm always wondering why my feet feel so funny.

if you search the rusa site you'll find someone who did a 1200k on the west coast, then crossed canada, then road bmb - all fixed.


A good friend of mine .... it was in 2002. He rode the RM1200 with me, then rode across the country, and then rode the BMB. He did the RM1200 and BMB fixed, but flipped his hub(?) and rode single speed on the cross the country bit.

Several 2007 PBP finishers on fixed, Dwayne from Seattle and Emily and Jake from Boston all rode fixed.

thanks for feedback / input. good to know it is and can be done. i am still up in air about getting a new bike for distance riding vs using my fixed redline 925...already have 4 bikes (its a disease) so would prob end up getting rid of old MTB and old Road bike (old Giant Cadex carbon fiber havent riddden in over year...no/limitted rack mounting options) keep redline fixed and bacchetta strada ' bent...so mentally trying to justify the reason to get a new bike...so while its good to know could do distance on fixed not really helping my mind games concerning the need to buy new bike! (my fiance always accuses me of overthinking and not being free enough with spending my money on myself)...suppose if i justified it by commuting (would be long commute ~35miles each way) and using for long distance riding / perhaps future light touring could talk myself in to it. But damn...i do enjoy riding my fixed! seems like such a enjoyable / painful (yep thats right...guess i have a masochistic streak)form of bike riding. Thanks for letting me spew forth my sometimes erratic and irrational thought process!

I didn't get a chance to check out many bikes at the 200k on Saturday, but the previous week at the 100k there was someone on a fixed gear, and that was a heckuva hilly course.
There are also fixed gear divisions for The Cannonball!, S2S, FC508, and HooDoo.

Not sure why, but there are plenty of penitents who ride marathons fixed.

Emily O'Brien has a good tale (http://sheldonbrown.com/pbp-emily-obrien.html) of her epic ride at PBP '07, on her 1974 Raleigh Professional w/ 42X16 (70.9") gear.

Not sure why, but there are plenty of penitents who ride marathons fixed.


Probably the same reason you use the gear you do... and make the choices you do...

I think I'm in the same place you are, trying to figure out if I want to drop money on a new geared bike for distance riding. Right now I have a fixed with a particularly long gearing (~88inches, keep in mind florida is a flat state). I'm not in as good of shape as I should be, but if there's a stiff headwind it really makes things difficult. I could shorten up the gear, but then it's going to be hard to keep up with the roadies when we get a tailwind.

In the end I think I'm going to end up getting a geared bike: basically so I know what I'm in for when I embark on a long ride. Adaptability, flexibility. I'll still keep the fixie though, it's just too much fun to ride. Seems like good training too.

Probably the same reason you use the gear you do... and make the choices you do...

Obviously my brand of humour goes right by you ... or maybe you miss it on your little circle.

I built my first fixed wheel at 8 y/o, in 1960. Isn't it clear from my comment on Emily's story, that I respect her accomplishment?

Jeez, why am I explaining this?

Dang DrSpiv...88"? think that would kill me...I am running 75" and think its about the right setup for slight hills / winds i ride in...think 88" would kill me....hell just the other night i thought my bike was going to kill me on a flat 20mph headwind! (granted still trying to lose my "winter weight"...i like to try and convince myself its to make my falls on snowboard cushier! lol) Whats the longest you've done on your fixed?

Obviously my brand of humour goes right by you ... or maybe you miss it on your little circle.

I built my first fixed wheel at 8 y/o, in 1960. Isn't it clear from my comment on Emily's story, that I respect her accomplishment?

Jeez, why am I explaining this?

I simply took your post at face value - maybe folks ride what they ride because it works for them... just like you write and ride the way you do, because it works for you.


Here's your original quote:
"Not sure why, but there are plenty of penitents who ride marathons fixed."

Translation:
I am not sure why people would undertake such and endeavor. They must be doing penance or something. That seems like a lot of work. Why do it the hard way when you can use gears? I don't know why anyone would do such a thing. Oh, by the way, here's a story of someone whose done PBP fixed. Look at the gear she used!

It might have something to do with the word 'penitent':


Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French penitent, from Latin paenitent-, paenitens, from present participle of paenitēre to cause regret, feel regret, perhaps from paene almost
Date:
14th century

: feeling or expressing humble or regretful pain or sorrow for sins or offense

Or:


–adjective
1. feeling or expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing and disposed to atonement and amendment; repentant; contrite.
–noun
2. a penitent person.
3. Roman Catholic Church. a person who confesses sin and submits to a penance.




Perhaps you should work on 'your brand' of humor.
Or use smilies or something. :thumb:




And to your post above -

Congratulations on being older than me, having ridden a fixed wheel before I was born, and having far more experience than this humble cyclist could ever have.


And you have just crossed over to being an ******* by mentioning my 'little circle'.
Perhaps I should have mentioned your 'veloweb' in my post? Or the fact that some folks with RC in their screen names are exceptional curmudgeons? Or some other personal slam, maybe something gleaned from your website?

Off to the ignore button... thanks for bringing 'your brand' of humor to the LD forum.

It may be in one of those posts referenced above- but the first "Six Day Race" was a guy riding a 1,000 miles on a penny-farthing. So that's been done, too. Of course, that was on a track, so no hills do deal with, just crank along at 13 mph for 16 hours a day.

Not sure why, but there are plenty of penitents who ride marathons fixed.

Emily O'Brien has a good tale (http://sheldonbrown.com/pbp-emily-obrien.html) of her epic ride at PBP '07, on her 1974 Raleigh Professional w/ 42X16 (70.9") gear.

great read! thx for the link.

It does seem like somewhat of a quest, just like randonneuring itself. I'm debating going to single speed on my commute, don't think I'm going to gamble my knees on a long ride.

bmike, I think you need to take a chill pill!

bmike, I think you need to take a chill pill!

chill pill taken.
perhaps you can be my translator of sorts for randochap. if he truly was intending 'humor' he should have left the personal swipe at my 'little circle' out of it.

that stuff doesn't play well on the web, unless you add stuff like :thumb::p:rolleyes::eek:

and to be honest, its gotten a bit surly around here - over the last 6-8 months.
perhaps its my filters, but there was a time when the ld forum was the most civilized place on the planet of bikeforums.

chill pill taken.
perhaps you can be my translator of sorts for randochap. if he truly was intending 'humor' he should have left the personal swipe at my 'little circle' out of it.

that stuff doesn't play well on the web, unless you add stuff like :thumb::p:rolleyes::eek:

and to be honest, its gotten a bit surly around here - over the last 6-8 months.
perhaps its my filters, but there was a time when the ld forum was the most civilized place on the planet of bikeforums.

perhaps what was lost in translation is that "british humor" we always hear so much about? =]

btw on your surly theory, perhaps people are itching to get into spring/summer? i figure by august we'll all be too tired to bicker anyway.

I ride a fixed gear for commuting and general 'round town funstuff, and have been using a geared bike for distance (two centuries under my belt so far). I think a fixed gear could definitely be possible for a century, you'd just have to really carefully pick your ratio and/or have a flip-flop hub (along with a 15mm wrench) for when you got to the tough climbing. Or something like a Surly Dingle Cog along with two chainrings up front... a lot of possibilities.

I don't get all the fear of knee issues with fixed gear... my fixed bike never bothers my knees. Remember, riding fixed does not by any means require that you ride brakeless... :)

I don't get all the fear of knee issues with fixed gear... my fixed bike never bothers my knees. Remember, riding fixed does not by any means require that you ride brakeless... :)


People who have never ridden fixed (or spinning bikes either, for that matter) just imagine there might be knee problems because they don't know or realize how fixed bicycles work.

I totally agree on the whole not understanding the "fixed gear hurts knees" thing...i am 41 and dont have the best knees on the planet but never have issue...but that said i do have both front and rear brakes on mine and I use them...i never do hard braking just with legs...only the real mild / slow up for lights / intersections type stuff....but I've never experienced any worse knee pain than on any other bike. I am definitely aiming at, and going to be doing, a couple centuries on my fixed this year.

Still mentally jumping through the hoops on wether i need another bike though! thinking touring / brevets would be fun to do...but seems like there are some differences in what one would want bike-wise for those two...kind of leaning to a Surly LHT right now...with something like a Salsa Casseroll / Pacer / Crosscheck still in running...possibly also a trek 520 as well... main difference / complaint about some of them seems to be weight but whats a couple pounds when look at big picture? Not like i am a twig of a man so at end of day 5 pounds from a percentage perspective is pretty trivial...distance / touring / commuting...want the one bike to do them all reasonably well...probably dreaming the impossible dream!


I ride a fixed gear for commuting and general 'round town funstuff, and have been using a geared bike for distance (two centuries under my belt so far). I think a fixed gear could definitely be possible for a century, you'd just have to really carefully pick your ratio and/or have a flip-flop hub (along with a 15mm wrench) for when you got to the tough climbing. Or something like a Surly Dingle Cog along with two chainrings up front... a lot of possibilities.

I don't get all the fear of knee issues with fixed gear... my fixed bike never bothers my knees. Remember, riding fixed does not by any means require that you ride brakeless... :)

I think the ill humor comes from the fact that it's hard for people to detect sarcasm on an internet web forum. Miscommunication comes easily without the tonal intonation and facial expressions from real life conversation.

Still mentally jumping through the hoops on wether i need another bike though! thinking touring / brevets would be fun to do...but seems like there are some differences in what one would want bike-wise for those two...kind of leaning to a Surly LHT right now...with something like a Salsa Casseroll / Pacer / Crosscheck still in running...possibly also a trek 520 as well... main difference / complaint about some of them seems to be weight but whats a couple pounds when look at big picture? Not like i am a twig of a man so at end of day 5 pounds from a percentage perspective is pretty trivial...distance / touring / commuting...want the one bike to do them all reasonably well...probably dreaming the impossible dream!

Right there with ya buddy! I am in the process of converting my Cross Check from fixed gear to brevet ready. Already have a compatible triple crank setup with 1 ring for the fixed application, so just adding 2 more chainrings, downtube shifters, derailleurs and a new rear wheel. I really love my Cross Check and while it is heavy, it remains to be seen how much that hurts me on longer distances.

My distance riding reference is an '02 LeMond Zurich, which is a great steel road bike but with no clearance for fenders and no provision for racks. I suspect that a bike capable of doing everything will end up being mediocre at everything, too... sigh! Oh well gotta have one more bike, I guess that's not a bad thing (except financially) :)

Oh well gotta have one more bike, I guess that's not a bad thing (except financially) :)

Not really. The only trick part my be doing the fixed / free conversion - and the cost for custom.
My LD ride is pretty much perfect for me... groceries, camping, brevets.
I'm debating an ENO hub for it (been for quite some time) and some cable splitters to make it an everything bike.

That said, my current FG is a cross check. Love it and abuse it.

I don't get all the fear of knee issues with fixed gear... my fixed bike never bothers my knees.


Riding steep hills on fixed, particularly long and steep hills, can make my knees ache after a while. YMMV

i just finished the Solvang Double
and there was a guy from Oakland, on a s**** Waterford, fixed, whom rode the whole thing... fixed

I ride long distances on my fixed, have been doing it for several years now, and almost every fixed gear I have owned has been a converted tri-bike.

my ankles start to hurt before my knees do. and only my kuota gives me rug burn. still trying to figure that out.

first century was on that one. slightly different config.
http://stupidhurts.org//cpg14/albums/uploads/me/normal_IMG_0124.jpg