EdT

I was hoping to do my first century this week on the outer banks of NC. Nags head to the Ocrakoke Ferry. I just started road riding this summer. On an old Shwinn that I converted to a fixie - 52/16. I figured the long flats would make it possible given I am stuck in a big gear. I was only able to do 80 miles. But was quite satisfied. Started with a head wind and averaged about 18 mph for the first half and finished with a tail wind with an average speed of about 21. I head out at 5 AM cause I didn't want to ride in the August heat. A ten minute rain storm in the middle cooled stuff off nicely but took out my odometer (hence the estimates).

I'm not sure why I like to ride and ride and ride. But, wow, I do! I'll get to a century before the summer is over.

How do you ride your fixie? Around town? To work? For miles & miles & miles?

BTW - I did put areo bars on a few weeks ago and they rock. More hand positions and the numbness in my pinky and ring finger has disappeared. I also put on the right brake lever even though I only have a front brake 'cause I use the hood as another hand position. I've lost the top of the handle bar, but between the drops, the brake hoods and the aerobars I've got lots of places for my hands.

lvleph

That is pretty damn good imo.

pot holder

usually i just rode around big neighborhoods, because drivers here are crazy. now i'm starting to ride to friends places and local meet up spots just to save gas and only at night. va summers aren't fun to ride in.

usually i'll get a total of maybe 15 miles. try my bet to cut through neighborhoods so i don't have to ride on the sidewalk or street. by fall when the weathers isn't that heat pounding i want to ride a lil farther and just see where i can go and how long it will take me just in case i don't feel like driving.

hockeyteeth

Yeah, those are some respectable averages. I'm a recent convert to long distance road riding myself. I don't like riding my fixed gear for long distances though. I use my geared roadie for that. I just ride short commutes on the fixed gear.

kemmer

My longest fixed ride was about 25 miles with a total milage for the day around 40. I recently did a 60 mile ride on my geared bike around Bear Lake and next time I'm up that way I'll take the fixed gear because it's fairly flat.

dutret

gear down. You'll get stronger, recover quicker, be less likely to injure yourself, and probably ride faster overall.

TheBrick

As long as it is not silly hilly long distance on fixed rules, the momentum just keep you pedaling. Did a bit over 200 km a few weeks ago and am plaing a 300 km and some time next year I want to train and get up to enter a local 400 km Aduax route. I think I may install a rear brake though just to make things easy when tired. 52x16 thats 85.4" wow! You have my repect for running a gear like that on the road!

There is a guy on the London forum who is well into fixed Long distance and does 24 hr time trials fixed! Crazy man! In his ride report for the 24 hr time trial he said on the last lap he felt tired so stopped to have a beer in a pub, well earned I think. I think he managed over 300 miles in total. The winner (geared) managed 502 miles. Geared or fixed there is something about the achivment of riding long distance.

chromeSpork

I prefer the short rides, 30miles was my longest. I'd have to fix my set up to go for long rides, track drop and no tape becomes very uncomfortable after a while.

norskagent

Have you been to ocracoke? Be prepared to either battle headwinds for miles and miles or, with luck you will be pushed south by a nice tailwind. Also, highway 12 will either be very lonely or very busy with passing traffic, which combined with the winds will challenge your "steady as she goes" skills. Take a bunch of pics to post here when you can and good luck. Also, stop by kitty hawk cycle cycle co. (eckner st.), the owner is very cool, and will give you a nice map of the area. Good luck!

lvleph

The hardest part, at least geared, is the mental. When you begin to get tired little things get annoying. And then you try to convince your self that there is no reason to keep going.

Fixxxie

+1

Good job though, that's pretty quick

roadfix

I usually bring out the fixed gear on long distance rides as long as it's not too hilly. I don't mind the climbing, it's the crazy spinning on long downhills that can drive you nuts. My last long distance ride on the fixed was an organized 200 mile, single day ride in June. Next year I'm using a freewheel on this ride as the route has several long descents.

captsven

My average ride is about 25 miles. A long ride for me is 60+. I ride my fixed more like a road bike than a "fixed gear". I average from 18-20 mph depending on the ride.

My gearing has been 42x16 for the last three years. I used to swap out cogs and CR's but have become very comfy with my 42x16. I even have a 15 on the flip of my Phil hub but have only flipped it once this year.

52x16 is about 88".
52x16 @ 18mph = 70 rpm
52x16 @ 21 mph = 82 rpm

I like to average between 90-100 rpm's. You can ride forever at those cadences.

skanking biker

congratulations---i nearly died after a very hilly 64---I hope to be able to do a full century next year.

Az B

Very nice! Some days it's fun to just ride and ride and ride.

I just started riding fixed this summer, and now it's about all I ride (other than mountain biking, of course) I ride to work, with friends on short rides, with larger groups on longer rides, and like a couple weeks ago some days I'll just go out by myself and ride all day long.

It's very hilly here, so I started 42x16 until I had a few miles on my knees, then went to 46x16 with a 18 on the flip side of my hub. I've only used the 18 on a couple of long mountain climbs, but it was definitely appreciated!

It just keeps getting better and better!

Az

Az B

Very true! A brake helps, but it's still pretty wacky.

It also makes finding the ideal gearing that much harder... too low and you're spinning like mad downhill, too high and you're working too hard going up.

Az

dutret

I think for a first timer the hardest part is fuel. If you can ride 35-50 miles comfortably the jump to 100 isn't gong to be that taxing mentally. However while you can get away without eating much on a shorter ride if you forget to eat or skimp of food you'll bonk hard on a century.

baxtefer

Tadashi is not impressed

skanking biker

Actually, I am able to get up hills better on 42x16 than with 48x19--the bikker gear gives me more momentum. i always get stuck halfway with the 48X19

ryanlovesyou

LOLOL.

I would love to do a century... I usually ride around 25-40 miles. I usually feel pretty good after those but it is definitely a goal of mine to finish a fixed century in the next year. I would try it geared but I don't have a geared bike.

jpearl

Nice ride, EdT.

Having done a singlespeed century a week ago on the W&OD over in Virginia, any long-distance ride on just one gear is praiseworthy. And to do it into a headwind on a 52x16 is even more amazing. No doubt you'll get that century before the end of the summer.

BTW, if you're looking for places to build strength for those last 20 miles, check out the W&OD or Haines Point, both are very nearby and great for long-distance training. If you're in Bethesda (I'm down the road in Silver Spring), the Capital Crescent will take you almost directly to both.

Awesome ride, and I look forward to hearing the 100-miler report.

superdex

You got too much weight on your hands. Congrats on the 80mi, you're ready now for the 100 -- the difference is really mental for those extra 20 miles....

jpearl

Absolutely agreed. I didn't eat as much as I thought I should on my first century, which was last week, and the last 25 miles were a bonkfest. Four Clif bars and a banana on 90+ degree day were not enough, even though I kept fairly well hydrated. One poster on my ride report suggested loading up with potassium on the days leading up to the ride, sort of a way at aclimate nutritionally. I found a big difference in what the body needs between a 65 mile ride and a 100 mile ride, and yes, for the longer distances, eat, eat, eat!

caloso

Pretty damned good. Especially in that monster gear....

I think the longest ride I've done on the FG is 40 something miles. I started riding fixed at 69 g.i., went up to 76, and have now settled on 73 as a compromise. Sunday I rode up to Granite Bay with my father-in-law and was worried I wouldn't be able to get up the short steep hills but it really wasn't an issue: I just stood up and jammed up the climbs like Contador.

I'm hoping to get 50-70 miles up around Tahoe City this weekend. We'll see if I have to break down and flip the wheel to the free side.

furiousbob

What's a "century"?

I usually do around 10mi on my days off of work. I'm planning on doing 21mi this sunday when I get my new IRO.