Touring on a fixed

Don't go sticking a freewheel on there - I don't want to be the only one spinning like a lunatic down those hills!

Fuck no. The only way I wouldn't be fixed would be if I'd finished the look but delivery on the drivetrain is going to be next week.

I need a new chain as mine is pretty damned haggard, a brakelever which will fit my bars (otherwise I'll be swapping the pursuits to drops) and some pads for the brake whcih aren't designed for Carbon rims.

By tomorrow it's going to be running sweet with a choice of either 73 or 65 gear inches.

Fuck no. The only way I wouldn't be fixed would be if I'd finished the look but delivery on the drivetrain is going to be next week.

I need a new chain as mine is pretty damned haggard, a brakelever which will fit my bars (otherwise I'll be swapping the pursuits to drops) and some pads for the brake whcih aren't designed for Carbon rims.

By tomorrow it's going to be running sweet with a choice of either 73 or 65 gear inches.

Same ratios as me.

Your part of this train then? What is you guys schedule?

I'm doing 50*22 and 50*19, giving me 60 and 69.4 gi.

Day 1: London to Winchester (75m)
Day 2: Winchester to Middleoffuckingnowhere, Dorset (75m)
Day 3: on to Devon (50m)

I am indeed. There's 5 people doing it but I'm having to miss the first day as I couldn't get the day off work.

I believe it's 75 miles for the first and second days and the shorter day with all the hills at the end.
Should be a lot of fun.

As for schedule. I would guess that it's something like this.
Get up early. Ride. Find pub. Ride. Find pub. Rinse. Repeat

Hmm, I may gear a little lower if you're dropping down to 60 Tom.

Nah, stick with 65 - gives me a chance to stick on your wheel going up Bulbarrow

Don't worry it's too late I'm going 73 & 65 as originally intended.

That elevation profile is devilish. I can't wait for the weekend.

Done. Beautiful. Bed time.

Can you guys suggest a pannier, I have a Fuji track so dont have the standard mounts, i've read up on the seatpost mounted racks an people seem to say that there pretty crap... any alternatives, Im carrying camping gear so I need to carry a fair bit.. Any suggestions...

Shinscar has one of the seat post ones and I think that takes about 9kg. Carradice make very very good handlebar and saddle bags, but again neither of these is going to take a tent. Basically riding on that frame you'll end up having to have stuff on your back.

Alright cheers mate, yea cycling with a large rucksack methinks

http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php/5143/4059/seat_tube_mounted_carrier_rack_bracket/134f2ff2d02342d8d26a49c51312c4a1 How about this and some zip ties/duct tape and i could fit a standard pannier?

along the west coast, last autumn...

just thought i'd share

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http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php/5143/4059/seat_tube_mounted_carrier_rack_bracket/134f2ff2d02342d8d26a49c51312c4a1 How about this and some zip ties/duct tape and i could fit a standard pannier?

cheaper and easier option would be aload of clip like this.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/TorTec_P-Clips/5360007220/

made me think of you guy's.

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thought it may help with your luggage needs

hey has anyone got a couple of handle bar bags that i can lend for the second long weekend in may?? would be immense thanks.

hey has anyone got a couple of handle bar bags that i can lend for the second long weekend in may?? would be immense thanks.

i think i'll just buy one, but i'm not sure...
i think this looks good and i like the slim design but i've no experiance with the brand, does anyone have any views?
otherwise seems that the otlieb is the way to go although pretty expensive

hey, so what do you guys do for food on say, a 1 week ride, do you keep tins of beans in you bags? what other foods can you take if you've got a stove a and gas bottle, do you aim to carry the whole trip's worth of food on your bike, or do you stop in a town whenever you need a meal? what if theres no towns nearby!?
cheers

Tricky one that

I used to buy food each day , but eating out can be equally monotonous.

I d buy every day and buy for quality and freshness. Have some dried food ready as an emergency.

+1 buy fresh. You can cook most things. Good food is stuff like couscous, noodles, pasta (fresh and dried, chuck in some sauce / tin of tomatoes and peperoni), omelettes, fry ups, currys (Cooked a fish curry before for a jar of curry paste), loads of stuff. Rice can be cooked but uses alot of fuel. We (girlfriend and I) made a insulated cossy for our pot so we can brink rice to the boil, keep it boiling for only a few minuets then put it in the cossy and leave it to absorbed and cook in that.

this is how big you need your kit as well

Hey I'm new here so probably making dumb mistakes. On March 9, when this thread started, I was riding my fix across the California desert to the Arizona border, Day 4 on a 31 day ride from San Diego to Houston, just over 1900 miles. Yes, you can ride fixed across whatever continent you find yourself on, nothing special to it. Though I saw dozens of riders, I was the only single - in fact, all of the bike shops agreed that they had never seen anyone tour on a fix. Admittedly, half of my mileage was on my free side of a flip-flop. But the first 550 miles, including the 5000 foot climb out of San Diego, were all fix - 38 x 16 (the Shimano free is 18). I used panniers and carried about 20 pounds, was the lightest rider out there (other than the sag-wagon folks, of course) but in the future, I would carry less. I use a bivy bag, sleeping bag with ultralight pad which worked great especially as it never rained. I carry no cooking gear - who needs it when you can live on cereal, peanut butter and restaruants? I averaged 62 miles a day but I was traveling with friends on their schedule, not mine; I always felt like putting in 20+ more miles. Since this was the same bike that I toured on 28 years ago (1980 Centurion Super Elite) that I rebuilt, I think I can honestly say I enjoyed it more as a single than as a geared. For all those nay-sayers who say you can't do hills, I never walked and, in fact, was the fastest hillclimber around. On the flats with a tailwind, I was the slowest since I'd limit out at about 22 mph (too much bouncing in the seat when fixed). If I did it again (and will in a couple of years since I want to go coast to coast), I would seriously consider the new Sturmey-Archer 3-speed fix (a remake really): I'd keep my current gear as my low gear and have 2 high gears for running with the wind and down mountains. You can see my bike at the Fixed Gear Gallery: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2009/mar/5/AlanJulliard.htm

I miss drinking Fuller's London Pride...

Alan

"My granny gear is fixed"

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