Northern California - Visiting OAK, which bike to bring?
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Hey, I'm visiting a friend in the Redwood Heights section of Oakland and was curious if I could bring my fixed gear or I if I'd be better off with my geared road bike. He has a geared road bike but hasn't ridden in a while. I think he has some 30-40mi rides plotted out which is not a problem for me to ride fixed here on the east coast but I know you guys have some hills out that way. I think he does a ride up Snake Hill Rd. which I know is silly steep and long. I think I'd like to bring the fixed for convience of packing but if you guys feel it's not the best choice then geared it is. My fixed gearing is 46/17.
ericm979
07-17-09, 10:36 AM
You are going to an area known to be mountainous, staying in a place named "Heights" and riding a road with the word "Hill" in the name, known to be steep and long. Obviously you should bring the fixie so you can have an excuse for not doing the ride.
You could get a ride to the top with your fixed gear and get a workout trying not to die on the descent?
Really though, we have hills and they are work to get up in 34/25 and sometimes 34/28 gearing. 46/17 is a huge gear to go up any sustained incline.
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Unless you are super strong or just a masochist, I'd go with the gears. I know the area you're describing, and there are some great roads to ride around there, but with lots of climbing to be had.
Dchiefransom
07-17-09, 12:47 PM
Have never been on Snake Rd, but do go up Joaquin Miller Rd just south of there between 13 and Skyline. Never ridden, always driving. I have to put the Jeep in second gear to get up.
Anodyne
07-17-09, 01:03 PM
I ride up Joaquin miller, Redwood, skyline almost every weekend. It's a great ride but I wouldn't bring a fixie... That's just me though.
numnutz
07-17-09, 09:43 PM
Snake is a long, relentless ascent, and that's pretty typical of the rides around the Oakland Hills. But, the descents might be where your real problems will occur. Can your legs keep up with the fixie pedals at 45mph?
sweetnsourbkr
07-18-09, 08:28 PM
Geared FTW.
brentley
07-18-09, 08:51 PM
Most riders around here ride either a compact double or a triple.
One of the warm up ascents in the area is Old tunnel which is about 5% for 3.4 miles (climbs to 1450 feet or so from 400).
I would think that a fixie would be a bit more punishment than you really want.
bikingshearer
07-19-09, 01:16 AM
Bring
geared
bike.
End of discussion.
Geared it is. Looks like I'll be swapping out my cassette too. Thanks.