openmindedgent

oh ****, now we are talking my language!

openmindedgent

gotsa read the thread before you post....

openmindedgent

this is a few weeks ago, this is not "tour ready" i will upload another picture of the bike with rack and brakes later today

TheBrick

I've toured fixed and it's okay as long as you pack light and have at least one brake, two is good when loaded, if you have a flip flop hub I'd stick another ratio on the other side, it you're expecting any long downhills I would whack a freewheel on the other side. I was on a converted road frame though so more relaxed geometry than the fuji.

Dan The Man

Don't listen to the haters. They will not be happy until you get a LHT with the most expensive Ortlieb panniers, 38c touring tires, a front rack, Adventure Cycling maps, and then plan for a year before starting your tour.

openmindedgent

Yea I think my main concern is that I will either be very uncomfortable on the track geometry and/or crack the frame due to putting weight in the wrong places...

good to hear advice from people who actually have done this before, thanks

openmindedgent

I will never sell out to the mainstream touring world... Kudos to the rich guys who have the time and money for things like, titanium cookware, gps, Surly Nice Racks, or even fancy things like, planning. I am more about the simple and DIY approach so that I can be an example to the guys who want to just get out on the road but think they need a million dollars to do so.

TurbineBlade

Touring fixed I would think would be fun, but possibly too tiring and/or sweaty for me. Touring on an actual track bike I think would make no sense....no eyelets, clearance, track geometry....like the other guy about the left crank said:

Why not just touring without a seat post for extra fun?

positron

Is it really as agressive geometry-wise as a track frame, given that its not a track racing frame?

I cant really see the angle of the head and seat tube, nor the trail nor the BB drop from that picture... it might not be so bad if its moroe of a road bike with track ends.

Those handlebars are a great choice, but try to find a riser stem....

mtclifford

Can it be done? 'prolly? Will it be comfortable? 'prolly not. Seems like you want to tour on a track frame just to say you toured on a track frame.....I dunno I believe there is a tool for every job. Toruing with a touring bike is like using a hammer to pound a nail. Touring with some off conversion is like using a big rock to pound a nail. Touring with a track bike seems like trying to pound a nail with your face.....you might get it done eventually, but it is going to be rather unpleasant.

Dan The Man

It will be something like this without the hardcore music:
https://vodpod.com/watch/1886112-prev...alifornia-2009

BLUMEANIE

Pay no attention to the haters. I've never done any touring on a track bike but I've done more than enough centuries on one and/or a fendered, drop bar road bike conversion. Even with brakes (and I suggest two if you're hauling gear) your knees might start to ache eventually. The trick is keeping the daily mileage and speed low even if you feel can go further or faster. 75-100mi day after day hurts even with gears. You might also consider throwing a freewheel with more teeth on the other side for climbing up and coasting down any large hills or fighting any headwinds.

openmindedgent

lovely bit of advice... i like it!

yes

I've bike camped on a fixed, but it was an old touring frame and it was only a weekend with no big hills.

Well, if your frame cracks, it's your problem and not mine, but...
Why would your frame crack? You're going to put what, 25 lbs on the back? It's going to be supported mostly on a seat or chain stays right next to the dropout. These pipes are already supporting 60% of your full weight by the connection to the seat tube. The seat tube has a much greater lever arm than the rack, which will attach close to the dropout. Your wheel might take some more abuse, but I doubt your apparently steel frame will suffer.

If you use p-clips to fasten a full rack to the stays, the rack might slide around. Happened to a friend on a short tour. If you have some sort of pannier set up and your heel hits it while riding fixed, you might be in pain, so be aware. You might be able to use your axle to support a rack directly or just use a seat post rack and support the bag with a combo of your seat rails and the rack. You could also distribute the weight by using a handlebar bag, camelback or small frame bag, bike jersey pockets, etc.

Post some pics of the bike when you set out and, have a good trip.

tuz

I love the "no seatpost" or "one crank" comments. From that POV most motorists would think we are pretty crazy! Or perhaps they do.

Touring fixed has been done and will be done again. I've done it once, 500k in 4 days, geared 39x17 w. 30lbs of stuff. I was fine on the flats but on rolling hills it was hard. So I'll echo the advise of low gearing and little load. As for the track frame part, I don't think it'll break. The geometry might not be great but if you're rising the bars that's a good start. I'd go for drop bars w. hoods and a setback post. If you can't put fenders so be it. Don't let materials prevent you from cycling: if it is the only bike you have go for it! However you should be planning your route and stops, etc.

tuz

Oh and regarding the "using only one crank" comment.

On the randonneurs Ontario website there is a story about a guy doing a 300k brevet with a 50" fixed gear with only one arm because he had an injured Achilles tendon.

NoReg

My mom who is now in her 80s traveled on a single speed in the 50s around Ireland. So it really is a bit of a nothing. The only issues are how low you go and how much you walk.

Look on Crazy guy for the touring story, Into the Sun, I think. Guy went across NA on a fixie, or possibly it was just single speed.

Oh, you can get Thomas Stevens book free on google books or some such. He cycled around the world on a penny farthing, in the 19th century, that's a fixie with lots of head stand from a height potential.

calikid2006

I should add that on my tour from FL to San Fran last summer we passed a dude going the opposite way on a fixed gear riding...BACKWARDS. He was going all the way across America that way, no joke.

Dan The Man

Was the rider backwards or the bicycle backwards or both?

BLUMEANIE

Due to the short chain stays, heal strike might be an issue if you're using panniers on a track frame.


It wasn't that guy who did it on a fixed bmx was it? He was raising awareness for aids or legal weed or something... we saw him riding backwards on I170 thru St. Louis.

[edit] found his site - https://www.grindtv.com/profile/bikingbackwards/about/

positron

dude is crazy in all kinds of ways... thats all I'm going to say about that

openmindedgent

haha, dido...


Thanks for the advice guys but I am going to use my best judgment and not over-plan for a week long trip. I will let you know how it goes, I leave next week.

Noobert

You said uncomfortable in there some where.

devinfan

Touring on any bike is fun, so best of luck with your tour. I don't want to dampen your spirits, but I went through a similar dilemma about two weeks ago. I was trying to decide between my '67 Zeus and my fixed gear which has much steeper angles for my one day trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto. Not a big ride for folks on this forum but it was for me. In the end I went for the Zeus because the old Ideale saddle is very comfortable and I figured I might want some gears in case of major headwinds. I thought to myself "I can ride all day without any problem, so 200km in one day (the ridiculous route I took) will be no problem." Well, after 10 hours I made it, and I did have fun, but I remember about hour 7 I said to myself thank God I didn't take the fixed gear, I would not be moving my legs at this point. For some of the ride when there was a head wind I ended up in my Granny gear on the flats, and that is a gear I never, ever use during daily rides. It also occured to me that despite what I'd thought, I'd never actually and truly "ridden all day before".

If I were you, I'd at least give yourself a freewheel option if you can. 40:16 is a good gear choice, I've ridden it before and it's super easy, so you don't want to go any lower than that, but you might get deadly sick of spinning madly down hills by day two.

In any case, have fun and best of luck.

openmindedgent

Yea I think that is a great idea (freewheel) because 40:16 is great for flat and hills but i do find myself spinning like crazy downhill (even though there are like 3 in all of Tampa, if you can even call those hills).

Thanks again for the support everyone, I will post a final picture of my bike before you go, I am sure everyone will get a kick out of it. I am going to be towing a bag, my guitar, and my kitten... haha, yea I know, I am crazy.