Single Speed Climbing Tips????
#51
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
It is by south Florida standards. That bridge might be the highest mountain for miles around.
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WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#52
Senior Member


Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 14,191
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From: Portland, OR
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
I agree with you guys for that one. If your climb takes 20 or more minutes, get a dedicated climbing bike (low gear) or a multi speed geared bike. The importance of cadence optimization is proportional to the duration of your climbs for a variety of reasons.
Still, that doesn't stop nutzos like ex-user @Vireo from doing pychotic things like riding the Furnace Creek 508 fixed. Granted, he did comment after the fact about how awful it was and how he would never do it again, and he is a seasoned ultra-distance rider.
Still, that doesn't stop nutzos like ex-user @Vireo from doing pychotic things like riding the Furnace Creek 508 fixed. Granted, he did comment after the fact about how awful it was and how he would never do it again, and he is a seasoned ultra-distance rider.
fixed. Now I did this on a bike you cannot buy. I had a custom built to handle any 1/8" cog made without messing with the chain in a road dropout. Strapped a cog wrench to the top tube. For the big days I rode 42 X 17/23 carrying a 12.Still, this is a lot harder than doing the same ride with gears. And you pay for the stops to change gears. (Then again, the early riders of races like the Tour de France did the same thing.) I am a guy who fell in love with riding fixed his first ride 40 years ago. I now have a bike that allows me to ride fixed almost anywhere without doing too much damage to this no longer young body.
Another idea I toyed with when I was setting this bike up was going double chainring and shoving the hub 1/2 the spacing to the right. Then the big chainring would match up with the every day cog and the smaller inside chainring would match up with the hill climbing cog. Maybe some day.
Ben
#53
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Joined: Oct 2012
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However as a consolation - those of us that ride the coast road, more often than not, get the pleasure of riding into a headwind both coming and going
Last edited by IAmSam; 04-29-16 at 04:05 AM.
#54
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From: Telford, PA
Bikes: Pinarello FP Due, Cesare track bike modified for the street.
Good on you
Related question. I ride on mostly flat terrain in Chicago. With my current gear (66”) I can hold a pace in the high teens on the flat, but I spin out at about 30 mph going down a gentle slope. By the end of the season I work my way up to around 74”, but I have found that my legs like a smaller gear better in the spring since I don't ride nearly as much over the winter.
Our randonneuring season starts next weekend and I’m considering running the 200 fixed. The rides are in southern Wisconsin where it is much hillier, and it is easy to hit speeds in the high 40’s on descents. If I take my fixed gear should I move up to a taller gear or just be prepared to use the brake downhill?
Our randonneuring season starts next weekend and I’m considering running the 200 fixed. The rides are in southern Wisconsin where it is much hillier, and it is easy to hit speeds in the high 40’s on descents. If I take my fixed gear should I move up to a taller gear or just be prepared to use the brake downhill?
Ride Safe,
Joe
#55
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From: Lake Forest, IL
Bikes: https://stinkston.blogspot.com/p/my-bikes.html
You're tougher than I am, [MENTION=393034]bmwjoe[/MENTION]. I took a geared bike and was glad to have it so I'll stick with gears for the rest of the series. Maybe next year I'll train harder over the winter and give it a go fixed.
#56
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Joined: Jul 2015
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From: Far
Bikes: less than I wanted
So, it has been over a year after I started this thread, and I thought that it was good to thank the people that gave me advice about it, I've riding my SS as long as I can, and I've tried to find those hills near by that are possible (for me) to climb. I've followed all the pieces of advice that I received from several people when I first posted this thread...
and I have done it! of course I've found limitations, is harder than a geared bike (that's obvious) but the satisfaction is double, even greater when I have the chance to overpass a geared cyclist (in very rare occasions). The good thing about it is that you begin to learn the limits of your body. I'm almost 40, not 20 anymore, but I'm not intended to ride my bike for competition, for me is about fitness and fun, (I know it all sounds like a cliche, but it is completely truth)
Indeed, Actually I change my setup completely. The only thing remaining are the wheels, but everything else is different, here are some pictures:
https://goo.gl/photos/86NFcYAdzFYj1jNt7
You can't imagine how many times I've read your post regarding SS/Fixed climbing! Indeed inspiring and motivating stuff.
So, here's the deal, there's an event where I live that's part of the Gran Fondo New York Series (GFNY), it'll be held in Colombia, March 18, 2018, and I think I can do it with my SS:
GranFondo by Sergio Sicard, on Flickr
The event is divided in two, a Medio Fondo (100km) and a Gran Fondo (137 km an A LOT of climbing!!!). Of course I'm trying for the Medio Fondo, as you can see, there's not a long climb on the Medio Fondo route, just up and downs all the way down the route. The numbers and the arrows points the pitches that I've identified in the route:
I'm specially concerned about Number 3, 4 and 7
[IMG]
Screen Shot 2017-09-30 at 10.35.43 AM by Sergio Sicard, on Flickr[/IMG]
The route is not far from home, but I haven't actually ride on it (hope to do a first recon in October), instead I'm doing my regular training route nearby home. What I've been trying to do is seeking routes that somehow help me to emulate the route of the event, according to the event's web site, the route is 100km with about 1400m of climbing, so my daily training is aprox 1/4 of it (28km, 370km climbing)
[IMG]
Screen Shot 2017-09-30 at 10.38.29 AM by Sergio Sicard, on Flickr[/IMG]
Quite honestly, I'm not sure if I'm gona make it. I think is possible and I'll keep training properly and try to do it more seriously, but with two kids, a dog, and a day job sometimes it's not possible...
Anyway, once again just want to thank all the people that helped me when I asked advice here... I'll keep you posted!
https://goo.gl/photos/86NFcYAdzFYj1jNt7
So, here's the deal, there's an event where I live that's part of the Gran Fondo New York Series (GFNY), it'll be held in Colombia, March 18, 2018, and I think I can do it with my SS:
GranFondo by Sergio Sicard, on FlickrThe event is divided in two, a Medio Fondo (100km) and a Gran Fondo (137 km an A LOT of climbing!!!). Of course I'm trying for the Medio Fondo, as you can see, there's not a long climb on the Medio Fondo route, just up and downs all the way down the route. The numbers and the arrows points the pitches that I've identified in the route:
I'm specially concerned about Number 3, 4 and 7
[IMG]
Screen Shot 2017-09-30 at 10.35.43 AM by Sergio Sicard, on Flickr[/IMG]The route is not far from home, but I haven't actually ride on it (hope to do a first recon in October), instead I'm doing my regular training route nearby home. What I've been trying to do is seeking routes that somehow help me to emulate the route of the event, according to the event's web site, the route is 100km with about 1400m of climbing, so my daily training is aprox 1/4 of it (28km, 370km climbing)
[IMG]
Screen Shot 2017-09-30 at 10.38.29 AM by Sergio Sicard, on Flickr[/IMG]Quite honestly, I'm not sure if I'm gona make it. I think is possible and I'll keep training properly and try to do it more seriously, but with two kids, a dog, and a day job sometimes it's not possible...
Anyway, once again just want to thank all the people that helped me when I asked advice here... I'll keep you posted!
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