I did the MS150 to Austin last yr on a road bike and been riding a fixie for the last 2 months and really liking it, somehow it feels faster than my road bike. So my question is how exhausting or difficult would it be doing it with a fixie in a 48T/16T chainring cog combination, of course a front brake will be used.

Wind would be your only problem.... other than that, pick a gear you like to cruise in.
I'd grab a freewheel for day two though Not that you COULDN'T do it fixed, but it would be a hassle to you and others. You'll be braking on the downhills... causing backups for others, and losing momentum that you'll wish you had when you hit the uphill.

I've seen some guys do it. Not for me, though.

I'm planning on doint he Hotter N Hell next year on my fixed. I have been taking it on 50 and 60 mile rides so far and usually feel good at the end as long as I ride my own pace. I was on a 60 mile club ride a few weeks ago and they were trying to kill me I think. I hung on for 40 miles, but they were keeping a 25 mph pace, and my legs started burning like you wouldn't believe. That was on my 42/15 side, so I flipped to 42/17 and rode in at my own pace. Yesterday I did the hilliest 50 mile route I know 42/17 in 2.5 hours, but ran out of daylight otherwise Iwould have done over 60 riding back to the house.

Bad idea. There are 13,000 other riders that you are riding with, most of them inexperienced. I think the added complexity of a fixed gear on the rolling hills, intersections, bigger hills at Bastrop Park, etc. put you and others at higher risk for an accident. I realize that you would have a brake, but still more risk.

Why not just ride a single speed/freewheel?

Just my $.02.

As long as you are experienced in riding fixed... I don't see most of that being a problem. The larger hills, yeah.... you being going faster up them and slower down them... that's why i suggest a free wheel for the first 1/2 of day 2.

I ride regularly with someone who rides fixed... he is more constant/steady... sprints less, and doesn't slam on the brakes unless it's needed... I'd rather ride with him on a fixed gear than many other cyclists. I also ride fixed sometimes, and when I'm accustomed to it, I see no increase in danger. There's a bit of a learning curve, but with brakes, there's barely any loss in reaction/maneuverability... only thing I lose in my bunny hops... which many can't do anyways.... and I'm ALMOST there... I can bunny hop fixed as long as I'm not too high in the cadence.

Train fixed, do some of the group rides fixed, and you should be FINE on the MS.

I have riden with both Chevy42083 and the friend he speaks off. Both I have paced line behind and must say that fixies don't appear to be to big of a problem provided you remain observant of things around you. Give it a whirl.

-Nate

Done the MS150 the last two years. On my geared bike. I love riding my fixed gear more than my geared bikes. Til they make a requirement for first timers to have x number of the "suggested rides" under their belt, I'm not doing another MS150. Inspect the bikes all they want. It is the "loose tool behind the handlebar" that needs inspection the most.

As you can tell... I have to agree with Houston Biker. There are enough unexperienced riders on that ride to make it frustrating, and sketchy. In no way am I questioning your riding abilities on a fixed gear, I am more concerned for your well being. Especially around those that don't know how to react... AT ALL. Then you have those that ride like they drive, slower the further right they get.

x $300 minimum pledge = one damn good business model.

Too bad they don't bother responding to emails and phone calls from someone who was looking for some help.

Last year being my first MS150, I'd agree with both Houston and Spider and would suggest riding geared. Unless, that is, you can start on a steep uphill from an almost dead stop with your 48T/16T. Or, maybe another option is to avoid the parks altogether. The H-to-A MS150 sure is a good test of one's defensive cycling skills.

...and patience, tact, temper, ect, ect.

Get up early, get ready early, get out early. Leave the slow newbies in your dust, skip at least the first rest stop.

Teeleton

No need to break on the downhills. Just take your feet off the pedals and rest them on the fork crown. Might freak some people out but oh well. People attempting to do a 150 on a mountain/hybrid with bar ends that look like they are praying to the heavens freak me out...

I recently tried my first group ride with a single-speed bike (not a fixie, tho). Worked okay for the most part, but towards the end of it, I found my legs tired, and I was going uphill into the wind- sure would have been handy to downshift and I couldn't. Moral is that for this to work well, you better have your legs in great shape. And if they're in that great of shape, a single speed is going to slow you down on all the easy spots.

Wow,
Some really bad advice above. I guess there are not a lot of fixed riders in Texas.
I've been riding fixed all year round almost exclusively for about five years now.
Mostly in cold hilly NE Ohio.
If you enjoy riding fixed you will love doing the MS ride on your fixed.
I’ve done the Ohio MS ride fixed and had a great time.

Ohio has how many fixed riders? Do tell.

You do realize that the Houston-Austin MS150 has 13,000 cyclists and covers 90 or 100 miles the first day? That's a lot different than riding 75 miles with 1,000 other cyclists in your little Ohio ride. If you don't think there is much difference, you ought to come give it a whirl.

There's no reasoning with a hipster. Akin to feeding the troll.

Blah, blah, blah.....
Check your stats hater.
Last years ride was 90 hilly mi each way in the cold rain.
I counted seven fixed riders, I'm sure there were more.
Cleveland has a pretty healthy fixed scene.
Good to see riding fixed is so welcome here in Tx.
Makes feel all warm and fuzzy now that I have relocated here.
See you on the road, try to keep up

I am trying to build up the fixed scene here in fort worth texas as well as surrounding areas.

check us out at www.fixedfortworth.org

We also have a forum you should check out.

Out of the 6 people I would consider "regular" guys I ride with... 3 of us ride fixed... so it's not completely unwelcome
I wouldn't bat an eye at riding fixed on the MS... I mean, yeah, there's 13,000 riders.... that means the road is probably packed for 4 feet in front of me and 40 feet behind me... I don't see how that is any different than the start or rest stops at any other ride of 100+ riders.

Now the hills... that's a different story... but that's why god invented flip-flop hubs (and I addressed that in my first post in this thread... which was MANY fixed miles ago )

I'm with Houston Biker and SpiderMike on this. The number of riders (and particularly, inexperienced riders) on the MS150 makes a fixie too dangerous, IMHO. I'm riding in 2008, but it's my last MS150. If not for the fact that I'm bringing a friend into the fold on my team, I wouldn't be riding 2008, at all. I think it has really gotten that bad.