Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - in need of guidance and help to my trip across U.S. on a fix.

Goodmorning, I'm Steven Rengifo and I'm a fix gear rider out here in New York City. I've rode through out
All of New York City and I've been wanting to do something that would follow me a life time.
I converted a mountain bike into a fix gear and I'm in love with my baby. I know I will loose my. For my bike. I want to take her out far, challenge my self to a point where satisfaction will have a new meaning. I'm only 17 years old, I'm done with high school and don't start college until next year. Also ill be working for FDNY EMS (paramedics) by the end of this summer. Before all of those plans are to be done, I want to take my bike to California Straight from New York. I'm on a 48 15, break less and plan on taking her the way she is. Crazy? Well not to me. The passion I have for cycling takes me to no return. I've had two serious accidents in the past two years, I have a titanium plate iand screw in my temporal area of my right side of my head from the first (cause by brakes not working) and second was a hit and run forcing work to be done on my front tooth along with 10 stitches on eyebrow and 2 on my lips. I have the picture of the accident if interested. Like my post says I need help, I'm looking for some way to make this trip possible, even if I have to save up the cash and do it but I want to do this trip asap. I'm willing to loose my current job to do so if I find some way to make it through with out having money be a problem. Either way, I am going to be the first young teenager to bike across the U.S.A. On a fix gear with out brakes. Can anyone give me advice on what I need or some sort of guidance or and information?

Edited by Moderators

wow... that's a mission...

11days and 17hours (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=new+york+city&daddr=long+beach+ca&hl=en&geocode=FR1AbQIdK8KW-yk7CD_TpU_CiTFi_nfhBo8LyA%3BFTI-AwIdTZP0-ClZ15lA6MrCgDGqjyrE-joAoQ&mra=ls&dirflg=b&sll=37.687624,-122.319717&sspn=0.300488,0.676346&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=4&lci=bike)

well i really wouldn't know... but i'm gonna fallow this thread... good luck man...

the only problem there might be is in some states the laws might be different for brakeless riding...


i'm just sayinn...

You will want brakes. I've done long tours on a fixie and brakes will save your ass. Think about the fact that you will need some spare clothes rain gear, camping stuff, cookware, water, and food. Basically your bike will be 40 pounds heavier. Try bringing that to a stop down a big hill without brakes. I toured with just a front brake and there where times where I wished I had two brakes. You might want a smaller gearing if you're riding in hilly areas.
There's nothing wrong or crazy about touring on a fixed gear. It's been done many times. In the 50's my grandpa went on tour on a fixed gear! But yeah, brakes, get them.

Goodmorning, I'm Steven Rengifo and I'm a fix gear rider out here in New York City. I've rode through out
All of New York City and I've been wanting to do something that would follow me a life time.
I converted a mountain bike into a fix gear and I'm in love with my baby. I know I will loose my. For my bike. I want to take her out far, challenge my self to a point where satisfaction will have a new meaning. I'm only 17 years old, I'm done with high school and don't start college until next year. Also ill be working for FDNY EMS (paramedics) by the end of this summer. Before all of those plans are to be done, I want to take my bike to California Straight from New York. I'm on a 48 15, break less and plan on taking her the way she is. Crazy? Well not to me. The passion I have for cycling takes me to no return. I've had two serious accidents in the past two years, I have a titanium plate iand screw in my temporal area of my right side of my head from the first (cause by brakes not working) and second was a hit and run forcing work to be done on my front tooth along with 10 stitches on eyebrow and 2 on my lips. I have the picture of the accident if interested. Like my post says I need help, I'm looking some way to make this trip possible, even if I have to save up the cash and do it but I want to do this trip asap. I'm willing to loose my current job to do so if I find some way to make it through with out having money be a problem. Either way, I am going to be the first young teenager to bike across the U.S.A. On a fix gear with out brakes. Can anyone give me advice on what I need or some sort of guidance or and information?


http://www.redstate.com/neil_stevens/files/2009/09/doublefacepalm.jpg

stevenrengifo,

You'll need at least a front brake and levers on both sides of your bar. You can siamese the cable to have both left and right brake levers pulling the front brake. Make sure the brake works. For long, unsupported touring I'd recommend a BOB trailer as opposed to loading everything onto racks and panniers - still use racks and panniers but the trailer can haul the heavy crap. Carry a cell phone and GPS. Call home every single day. You don't need to actually use the cell. It's for people to call you or for you to call 911 if the need arises. Carry 2 patch kits, at least 2 tubes, tire irons, wrenches that fit every single bolt on your bike and all sorts of other things like batteries that fit your lights. Read up, talk to people and most of all be safe.

bring a couple extra spokes mabey even a chain

Bring a Clif bar and at least a 16 oz bottle of Gatorade.

Bring a Clif bar and at least a 16 oz bottle of Gatorade.

10 fig newtons and a pack of nicotine gum

Nah, you just need a 6 pack of PBR and a jumbo pack of condoms.

Whey protein!

yeah, this sounds rediculous
i understand the whole "conquer the land" thing, but saying "IM GONNA DO IT WITHOUT BRAKES!" seems dumb, like your bragging that it is some feat. Personally, if you have to mention it, i dont think you should be doing it

my 2 cents

but have a good trip
buy a camelbak backpack
and
an iphone.
so you can update from the road and track your route

Also, is anyone but me interested that he is doing this on a mountain bike??? Good luck, but an unsupported tour across the country on a mountain bike fixed gear without brakes doesn't seem like it is going to turn out very well. Have you thought of getting back? You'd have to ship all of your stuff back to NYC which is going to cost $. Have you toured before? What is the longest distance you have ridden in a day? Then expect to do at least that everyday. Do you have a clipless setup? That might be useful.

And the 11 days 17hrs it takes to get across is pedaling time, not including breaks and sleeping.

You'll be riding more than 3200 miles. You'll need a couple of things: Lots of money, a bike with cargo room, a friend and a really good cardiovascular system.

Money: You'll need tons of money for food, supplies(sun screen!), hotels/camp sites and bike repairs.
Cargo room: Carrying a bag for more than 30 miles hurts, carrying a bag full of supplies for a cross country trip is going to suck.
Friend: Don't do this alone, that's just dumb! A lot of the country isn't populated, what happens if you wreck or you get stuck with a broken bike and need someone to go for help?
Cardio: 3200+ miles is a long way. The longer it takes you, the more supplies you're going to need. More supplies equals more money. 50+ miles a day is about two and a half months. That's a long time with no job and having to eat on the road.

the way i see it, new york is full of events

do a 3-day biking event
then, if you come out totally fine and want to do the same for a much longer period of time, then go for it

just have a massive amount of cash on you
thousands.

your going to need really good brakes to stop you and slow you down on steep hills like you've never seen before, and you're going to need gears to help you climb steep hills like you've never seen before. Good luck with the Paramedic thing, its a great career that pans out rewards greater than a pay check. :)

Stock up on beef jerky and water. And definitely invest in a Power Balance Wristband.

FYI, NYC is not representative of the rest of the country or the state.
I have ridden in NY state several times and I would shocked if you made it across the state fixed and brakeless.
For what it's worth I have several friends that ride cross country, you are not ready padawan

Enjoy

over 3200 miles.
at 100 miles a day, thats 32 straight days of centuries.
fixed.
brakeless.
at 48/15.

..................................

good luck.

There is an entire touring sub-forum, why don't you ask them about it?

there's a sub fourm for "stupidity"?

There is an entire touring sub-forum, why don't you ask them about it?

I think it's obvious.
But the advice given is as valid as the quest.

Enjoy

The touring subforum will give you all sorts of helpful advice about route planning, diet, equipment, etc.
It will also give me a nice opportunity to eat popcorn while reading the thread.

i'm picturing a hip (ster Hehehe) trip where you go around taking pictures of other people riding bikes (collecting them like a murder collects the toenails he takes from the dead corpses under his floorboard). Followed by a video diary of how inspired you are to lay down some fat skids in other people's hood that you start feeding homeless people on the way spare burritos and even scenes were you weave in and out of traffic while everyones stoping to a near halt wondering why the hell someones biking down interstate.

i'll call your trip "Finding the best scene" brought to you by the one the only! TARCKBURRITOINTERSTATEFIEND!!!@!1!

Man, i've done alot of touring and I think you need to wake up and smell the java son...there are some moutain passes where your going to get your a$$ handed to ya..trust me on this one, there tough enough with gears!

Also the breakless thing is just insane! do this and you'll be meeting some of your paramedic bretheran..and honestly if me or anyone I know creamed ya because you can't stop i'd be pissed. Even if it wasn't my fault, thats pretty traumatic!

Good luck bro' but i'm bettin' your mom will be pickin' you up somewhere in Jersey!

good luck. i hope you make it. no one thinks you can make it. try it. and when you make it, you can laugh in everyone's faces.

I encourage you to try and do a trip like this; but you need to do it sensibly. Try to get others to ride with you. Get some brakes, and at the least carry some extra cogs/chainrings because you aren't going to be able to make it over mountains with 48x15. Period.

This thread has already lasted longer than the trip will ever be.

Enjoy

This thread has already lasted longer than the trip will ever be.

Enjoy

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n81/tessas_photos/dayum.jpg

This thread has already lasted longer than the trip will ever be.

Enjoy

Oh SAP!
http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/897/resize_of_sap4.jpg

Wait, I mean SNAP!

Bring an iPhone to post pics along the way and a plane ticket back to Laguardia.

Bring an iPhone to post pics along the way and a plane ticket back to Laguardia.

From Newark, assuming the cabbie will let you put your bike in the trunk.

Enjoy

i thnk you guys scared him off

Unless the entire trip is filmed by a dude on a Vespa, no one cares.

I lol'd; you sound like a wackjob to me. :lol:

I do think his main goal, of riding across America fixed, is possible.
To do it brakeless he would need a support vehicle. Otherwise he will need brakes if he wants to carry gear. He also gonna have to try real hard to keep the weight of all that gear to an absolute minimum. Mountain passes can be done on a fixed gear even fairly loaded if you've got the legs for it.

Unless the entire trip is filmed by a dude on a Vespa, no one cares.

And then you have to post it on Vimeo so Bikesnob can mock you.

OP, if you're still around, head over to the Touring forum. They'll be able to give you advice and probably maps that'll get you where you want to go. Also the Ride Across America race is another good source of info. The Gran Fondo Fixies do that race on fixed gears.

we didn't scare him off, he's dead in a ditch in east new brunswick.

now, thats just plain mean.

Why? Is New Brunswick a bad place to end up?

Post a proposed route and some of us can give you some support along the way.

we didn't scare him off, he's dead in a ditch in east new brunswick.

R.I.P
"TARCKBURRITOINTERSTATEFIEND!!!@!1!"

May he lay down sick skids in a better place now.

I'm closing this thread. If you have any questions as to why, please PM me.