Vätternrundan 2014 - Fixed?

Don't lean.

Have you considered cycle training?

Long distance flat(-ish) fixed rides are hard on the arse. It's nice to get out of the saddle every once in a while so enjoy what climbs there are.

Check out the 'beech' north of Motala. It's actually pretty nice.

Just been checking in with the folk over at www.fixedgear.se and somebody has said that we need to have a back brake... Anyone know otherwise?

We might get away with it as we've had to replace our bulls with drops and have elected to install brakes with hoods - so from the front it looks like we are running 2 brakes... hmm soooo pointless :-(

fwiw nobody did an equipment check when I rode it.

fwiw nobody did an equipment check when I rode it.

Ditto - I think a back brake is the last thing they are looking for if they did a quick check. Didn't see another fixed on the whole route. Enjoy the ride, wish I was going.

i also heard you need those cr$ppy reflectors front and back. anyone know if it's true?

You need front, back and side reflectors according to the official site. can't find anything about the need for a rear brake.

Thinking about signing up for next years one. Grew up not too far away so would be good excuse to visit the family at the same time.

wish i had seen this a few months ago, been looking for a flat (ish) test

A flat-ish test?

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-859/

Similar distance (300km) and flat.

Top organisation too.

Trains from London work well (get the latest train from Charing Cross) and you arrive with about an hour to spare to sit around and drink tea/coffee, eat a bacon roll and avoid eye contact with everyone else. Finish well in time for the trains back to Londinium.

Vatternrundan has been on my list of things to do for years, but unlikely now with family in tow.

Now that was a long old ride... Managed 14hrs with 4hrs of stops which makes an average speed of 18mph over the 186 miles (10hrs moving time). Pretty chuffed considering 100 miles of it was into an unrelenting 20mph head wind :-/

Beautiful scenery and an incredibly well organised event made the experience a joy... Only saw 2 other chaps riding fixed. Unsurprisingly both Londoners too.

Highly recommend it, especially fixed.

Cheers for the advice all, see you in Sweden next year!

congrats!

Hello chaps - I'm the girl who said hello in Motala.

Bloody gorgeous ride! Horrible goddamn headwind.

I did it in 15 something hours. Strava says 16mph average. You beasts!

Well done for doing it fixed.

Hello chaps - I'm the girl who said hello in Motala.

Bloody gorgeous ride! Horrible goddamn headwind.

I did it in 15 something hours. Strava says 16mph average. You beasts!

Well done for doing it fixed.

Been seeing pics of this on Facebook, might give it a punt next year. Well done for all of the Meese!

And for funkt for doing it fixed!

Completed the Vattern 12 hrs of cycling and 3 hrs of rests. Bike 14 R with 50/17 ratio was a bit aggressive given the headwind. Fantastic event. I saw two others, one who brought wife and baby and other on a Plug. Wanted to say HI, congratulations, sorry didn't stop to chat brain stopped working.
Swedes we shared B and B were perplexed on why you would do it on a fixie and didn't like the single break set up. For the 50th V, see if we can get our own Peleton together.

Hi funkt, great times, we managed 12hr/3hr. I was on the 14R. Agree fantastic organisation, like arriving at a village carnival at each stop. Our B+B host father was the original organiser of the event, a surgeon wanting to promote health etc. House full of memorabilia of the Vattern. Next year is 50th, big deal so will do again. Just great atmosphere. Stay in touch see if we can get a Peleton together.

Hi funkt, great times, we managed 12hr/3hr. I was on the 14R. Agree fantastic organisation, like arriving at a village carnival at each stop. Our B+B host father was the original organiser of the event, a surgeon wanting to promote health etc. House full of memorabilia of the Vattern. Next year is 50th, big deal so will do again. Just great atmosphere. Stay in touch see if we can get a Peleton together.

Hey DK! Well done on pushing that ratio in that wind! Rollo and I are thinking hard about next year and it would be great to have a group that doesn't suck our back wheels up the hills then whip past on the downs without so much as a thanks...

Safe journey home & you can catch me on the forum if you want to plan for next year.

Lee

Hello chaps - I'm the girl who said hello in Motala.

Bloody gorgeous ride! Horrible goddamn headwind.

I did it in 15 something hours. Strava says 16mph average. You beasts!

Well done for doing it fixed.

Well done to you and your crew! Thanks for coming over to say hi... Will you be riding fixed next year then?

Well done to you and your crew! Thanks for coming over to say hi... Will you be riding fixed next year then?

Definitely, too much fun. The lack of killer hills (though sometimes it felt they would never end!) and distance plays well for a fixie. Plus the hospitality and organisation, got my name on it!

Oh, I found it pretty hard work on the geared Audax bike - spent the last 100km swearing and grunting up hills and into the wind. Definetly needed the downhill bits to recover. So, 300km fixed... Probably not in the foreseeable future!

Here's my Strava - pretty damn proud to have a top 10 on the last 20km - https://www.strava.com/activities/153346573

Just registered for next years edition.
Just have to remember to apply properly in November to get an actual spot!
Anyone else thinking of signing up?

I got through in little under 13 hours. First 100k I was flying averaging well over 30kph. Then things took a turn for the worse and it was pretty horrible hitting the head wind in the rain. I was wet and miserably alone fighting up the hills in the middle of the night. As the sun came up I eventually started to warm up and during the last bit (50k or so) I was passing people all the time even though I couldn't find a good group. I'm little bummed I could not do the ride in under 12 hours so I think I'm hooked. Next time I will be starting early in the morning instead of the evening. I doubt I would go ever try it fixed though. The hills are long and I think long downhills would just murder my knees that were hurting already now.

I picked early morning start times but they are not guaranteed so I'll just have to wait and see about start time I guess. Will be riding fixed so I hope the knees will hold together!