Originally Posted by
Chetster213
Why would someone prefer to ride a century with a fixie rather than a geared bike?
Additional derailleur weight? Are there century events/races that only allows fixies? Kindly enlighten me, guys.
Some of us simply prefer to ride fixed. Also a fix gear century is more of a challenge and some of us like challenges. Yes, there is the "perfect" century where the grade, wind, etc. is so perfect that a fix gear is more efficient and easier. But overall, fix gear riding is between 10 and 33% harder. And in hills, it stays hard even at slower pacing. A very hilly century can be just plain hard. Now, some of us "cheat" and bring extra cogs, but that requires stopping, cooling off, restarting and cost. The gear changes help (especially for us older folk) but they are not a free lunch.
I'll be riding a century Sunday with an advertised 4k' of climbing plus 550' to get to the ride and home. I'll go with a 17 and 22 on the hub and carry a 13 and 16. (The 16 in case the 17 feels too low or we have a tailwind.) Also a custom aluminum chainwhip and a Pedros Trixie wrench. I think I can get to the midway/high point just flipping the wheel and swap the 22 for the 13 for the ride home. It will be a real day.
I won't claim I'll be doing more work, putting out more power or anything else that can be measured than if I rode with gears (and perhaps in pacelines I cannot manage on a fix gear). But it will be "harder" in ways that cannot be measured. If you don't believe me, I guess you just have to try it.
Ben