Long distance (50miles) fixed

Having built up my first fixed gear bike, how sensible is it to do a 50 mile ride first time out? Its the 3 Counties Cycle Ride http://www.3ccr.org/ so it's not exactly hardcore, but would it be better to buy a free hub for this? Will i die if i try it fixed?

Thanks

1st time? Personally I wouldn't like to but I'm sure you'll manage if you really want to ride your new bike.

i'm no doctor but i would say it's most likely.

I have no idea how hilly the route is but if it's reasonably flat then you'll be fine. 50 miles really isn't far so just HTFU and do it.

whats your gear ratio. if its open road with little traffic expected then go 5.8 or so any less will be tiring first time round. and dont be silly and go brakeless first time

unless the topography (hills) is fucking crazy then it'll be fine. 50 miles ain't really long distance.

EDIT: yeah what they said ^

are there any big hills - if so would suggest you have at least a front brake and foot retention is mandatory

spinning down hills can be great fun but trying to slow down bike without foot retention would be very difficult

Are you mad? 50 miles in one day? That's more than professionals ride and they have gears. I think you'll be signing your own death warrant if you try it. Stick to commuting and posting photos of your bikes on here. Anything else is just too risky.

Yeah fifty miles is going to be grand for you provided you're not totally lacking in any sort of fitness ( can you walk up stairs?) and you're not in a mad hurry... if it's just a leisurely group ride you'll do just fine and all the girls will think you're dead tough to have done it fixed... you should probably do it barefoot with MTB Pedals and no saddle for extra bonus points...

I don't believe that anyone actually rides 50 miles on a bicycle. It's the same kind of fabricated shit as "I've done 21mph downhill in a 48x16", or "I once trackstood for 90 seconds".

Total bullshit. Too many liars on this forum.

^ finally some sense. the idea that you can even safely ride a bicycle without gears, let alone for fifty miles, is just political correctness gone mad. Fixed wheel bikes are for photographing and obsessively critiquing and that's all.

.

Yeah, period!

50 miles is clearly not a huge distance on a bike.
However, 50M as a first outing on any newly built bike is not advisable. If this is also your first ride on a fixed wheel, then, I personally, would recommend against it.

However, 50M as a first outing on any newly built bike is not advisable.

I don't know... I reckon I could manage 50 metres for a first effort... ;)

You should do it, with full gooch-wax...if you don't the bike might spontaneously combust.

no-flammable gooch wax and he'll be fine .

oh i missed an "n", silly me.

all the girls will think you're dead tough to have done it fixed... you should probably do it barefoot with MTB Pedals and no saddle for extra bonus points...

Mega LOL's

The only way to find out is to do it! If we don't hear back after the event we'll assume the worst and give better advice the next time.

I know a guy who did a 5km charity cycle his first time on a fixed gear... he came over the finish as seen above, surprisingly his Unipak stood upto it quite well but it didn't make it home... I definitely wouldn't try 50km...

He definately understood the meaning to HTFU.

If its a bike that I built I'd expect something important to fall off or unscrew in the first 50 miles - gently does it - what's the rush?

An if its Italian then definately something will fall off or unscrew

Take an allen key with you in case you build bikes as badly as the buddha(!) and something needs tightening. Otherwise all fine, no problem.