Is anyone here riding it?? www.asthmaride.org

on june 4th, i will be riding the 19th annual Asthma Ride to benefit children with asthma. this will be my first century and benefit ever so im pretty excited about participating. i quit smoking last month and this century ride is helping me stay focused and away from cigarettes. (if anyone is interested in pledging their support through sponsership, you can visit my donation page at https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg...supId=74102907 . any amount donated would be greatly appreciated.)
over the summer, i had a geared bike built up for me specifically for riding centuries but now im thinking about riding this century fixed. im pretty inexperienced on a geared bike (i pretty much went straight to fixed when i first started riding) and it seems the gears might be unnecessary considering the century is mostly flat. plus i dont want to crash because i forgot about brakes.
For those who have done fixed centuries (specifically the AsthmaRide or Seagull Seacrest), what gearing did you use? i think my current gearing (45x17) is going to be too low for this flat course... was thinking about bumping it up to 45x15. i've heard that there is a pretty strong headwind for most of the course so id like to be able to get some speed and momentum up. should i go higher? i might swap out my bars to something a little more comfortable since im pretty low down on my small frame and nitto 019 pursuit bars. possibly my old profile stoker bars with no drop. Would slapping on some aero bars be going too far??

also, do benefit centuries mind brakeless riders?

my experience is that you should do your first century with a set up you are
extremely comfortable with. If the route is flat then I would stick with your normal gearing as opposed to a different one for hills. Upping the ratio could be a bad idea if there's a headwind or you find yourself forced into a pace you can't keep up. I once changed showed up to a century with new cool gloves & ended up with moster blisters.

Cool idea for a century. I wish there was one in Illinois.

jeff

well, ill be double cogging it: 45x15 and 45x17. that'll give me some
options in case i run into any problems. 70 gear inches just seems kinda
low for such a long distance.

congratulations on quitting smoking, i know how tough it can be. i did the nyc 5 borough century last year on my track bike and stopped for four cigarette breaks, this year i'll complete it as a non smoker.

my gearing was 48x18, there was a lot of stopping and starting so i was glad i kept it at an easy gear. i also rode with toe clips because the route went through the city (a lot of roadies we're getting frustrated with having to clip out every other block).

thanks, pista chica. its especially tough when you work at a pub. id feel a bit guilty riding this century as a smoker... just seems wrong considering the cause. the course im riding seems pretty flat, serene and rural. if i do the 15t cog, it should be soon so i can get used to stopping that beast.

i'm pretty sure you'll be required to have a brake on your bike, i think the liability is too high otherwise.

Yea, put a brake on there for the peace of mind of the orgainzers and other riders. Remember, you don't have to use it.

i had a blast yesterday doing my first century fixed and brakeless. a few of my friends and i completed the 100+ in about 5 hours and 45 minutes. speed averaged at about 18mph. it was great to ride with some other people, ive never been able to gauge my speed/endurance since ive been a solo rider from the beginning. we were a strange looking group: a full on roadie, a guy on a cyclocross bike, a guy on a 15 year old 7 speed mountain bike with a road cassette, and me on my fixie. my gearing was perfect at 48x17 and i was able to keep up on the downhills. all the crap i bought specifically for the century wasnt used... i rode it just like i commute. i will say that next year, i will probably put on some aerobars and will invest in a brooks saddle. my nitto 019s were great for most of the ride but by the last 20 miles, i was getting some shoulder and neck discomfort. my selle italia slx saddle was great for most of the ride but again, the last 20 miles, i was sitting on individual cheeks and standing a bit more. after the ride, i was beat and my left knee was shot. after some tylenol and a heated blanket, im feeling much better. im glad that i got this century under my belt and im pretty pleased with my completion time. next year i will ride again but ill take my time. maybe even cut out and sit on the beach for a while.