100 mile fixed gear ride - Spring 2014

[colly]

I was also hoping that somewhere among the twenty odd thousand members there might be another female fixed rider to keep dr_pink company.

I'm sure with the right inducements one of the chaps could be called upon to wear a dress and a bonnet. What we need is a volunteer.

 

[totallyfixed]

I'm sure with the right inducements one of the chaps could be called upon to wear a dress and a bonnet. What we need is a volunteer.

Being as you thought of it............................

 

[Smurfy]

I'm sure with the right inducements one of the chaps could be called upon to wear a dress and a bonnet. What we need is a volunteer.

You're able to raid Mrs Colly's wardrobe, which gives you an instant advantage over me. And in any case, I'm not sure my legs are good for a fixed century.

 

[Smurfy]

Your size Colly?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

And in any case, I'm not sure my legs are good for a fixed century.

I'm working on the legs, over 400 miles in November, over 70 miles so far in December, and no I'm not volenteering to wear a dress, it would look out of place with my beard.

 

[colly]

I'm not sure my legs are good for a fixed century.

Plenty of time to prepare though.

 

[Smurfy]

Plenty of time to prepare though.

I'm still on 65", same as always. That's good for me up to about 65-70 miles at 75ft ascent per mile. I might not manage another 30-35 miles, unless it was a lot flatter (in which case I'd be wanting a bigger gear).

 

[Smurfy]

I'm working on the legs, over 400 miles in November, over 70 miles so far in December, and no I'm not volenteering to wear a dress, it would look out of place with my beard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daseindesign/4933123301/

 

[colly]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daseindesign/4933123301/

It seems @dave r has been moonlighting again.

 

[totallyfixed]

It seems @dave r has been moonlighting again.

Tis obvious you have never met Dave, we have done a few rides together and I can honestly say that even using the most skillful make-up artist, he is never going to pass as a female..

 

[totallyfixed]

I'm still on 65", same as always. That's good for me up to about 65-70 miles at 75ft ascent per mile. I might not manage another 30-35 miles, unless it was a lot flatter (in which case I'd be wanting a bigger gear).

Been mulling over this and I am fairly sure you would manage the ride. I'm not really into the numbers game except to give a distance on "Your ride today", so your 75ft of ascent per mile means nothing to me. However, I do know that when a group of people on fixed are riding together it is so different to anything else I have experienced.
I have ridden on a few occasions on fixed with several of those on this thread, one of whom is well into his sixties and I am confident we will all make it.
Rides of 50 - 70 miles [depending on terrain] are good preparation because over 100 miles the group will do the rest. I have no idea of your experience or anything else but if it was me I would try a rear sprocket with one less tooth and ride maybe 68" or 69" and see how that feels.
The 8 hours is not written in stone, and anyone struggling a bit towards the end will get a lot of help from the others. In my experience you are less likely to encounter testosterone fuelled / erratic riding with those on fixed because we have absolutely nothing to prove.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'm still on 65", same as always. That's good for me up to about 65-70 miles at 75ft ascent per mile. I might not manage another 30-35 miles, unless it was a lot flatter (in which case I'd be wanting a bigger gear).

I'm currently running 48x19 on 700cx25 with 165 cranks, that gives me a 66.6 inch gear, I find that a good compromise between climbing and speed on the flat.
For several years I ran 44x18 on 700cx28 with 165 cranks, that gave me a 65.4 inch gear, I went well on that though I did tend to spin out on the flat when I had a tail wind.

I use the rabbit gear calculator and run it outside the browser.

http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Is it just me that mashes a big gear then?
I currently ride 45/15 78.9" or 45/14 84.5"
I find anything lower than 70" way too spinny

 

[4F]

Is it just me that mashes a big gear then?
I currently ride 45/15 78.9" or 45/14 84.5"
I find anything lower than 70" way too spinny

I tend to ride 48/18 70.2" most of the year but will as the mood / weather suits flip to 48/16 78"9. I don't think that even in the flatlands of Suffolk I would like to go higher than that.

 

[colly]

A frantic 44 x 18 for me which is a little over 64''. Weather permitting I'll try a 17 cog this weekend which would make it a whole 68''
Managing 45 x 14 would be hard on the old knees, let alone trying to crank that uphill.