Am I being realistic? Or do I need gears?

So I've worked out that once I start my new job in September I'll be doing between 7500 and 11000 miles commuting dependant on which sites I'm at on a daily basis. I live in hilly Rossendale and want to build up a surly steamroller so I can use conti winter contact tyres in....well...winter.

Am I being realistic? Or will I need gears to get up and down these bloody hills on a daily basis?

Recently I've been using a 2 speed Brompton and not doing too badly and getting 12 mph average.

wait 7500 - 11000 miles a day?!

think i'm confused...

Think you might need one of these

Ey? Also confused OP.

However, whether it's 3 or 30 miles each way, flat or full of hills, I don't think anyone but you can say if it's doable - your new daily commute might be perfectly realistic for one fixed gear rider but unimaginable for others.

How steep are these hills of which you speak? Is the distance a concern? Can you do a trial run on a borrowed fixed gear before you commit?

I do approve of the Steamroller choice though ;)

I know TP88 does quite a commute through the yorkshire dales fixed.

Think you might need one of these

or these

So I've worked out that once I start my new job in September I'll be doing between 7500 and 11000 miles commuting (dependant on which sites I'm at on a daily basis.)

Brackets make it make sense a little, but what period of time are we talking about for these miles? A week? A year?

An hour?

You'll want a bike with a trans-warp drive attached.

And a large stack of dilithium spacers.

Per annum sorry guys.

Funny answers tho.

The hills upto my house from either direction are about 3 miles long and go upto 13% for short stints, bikehike reckons the average is 7%.

This has been asked before. Free ban hammer pass to whoever points me to the merge thread candidate.

OP: Can you get over the hills on fixed, daily with enough time and enough calm about you that you arrive able to do your job each day? If yes, build the fixed, if no build the road bike.

Yep I've ridden fixed around here loads, but not those sort of mileages day after day after day. I reckon it'll be doable, but just a bit worried it'll be a bit of a strain on my mid life crisis body.

Do it brakeless for ultimate peer kudos

Wait a minute. Doesn't this add up to a commute of at most twenty one miles, each way? Perhaps a little longer than most, but not mad distances, surely?

yes sometimes it'll be 26 miles day 5 days a week, sometimes 56 miles a day five times a week.....it's the 56 milers that worry me.
that said tho, I did work for a ten week stretch doing the 56 miler and used my Brompton and survived.

I just need to man up and build the bike.

to be honest. i reckon if you get a bike comfortable that shouldnt be a problem.
and as you get fitter it'll get easier.

It's all about time. There are 24 hours in a day, Spending 2 or more hours a day commuting is not good for psychological health.
The steamroller might bring your average speed up enough to make the shorter option doable. The difficulty with a geared bike is that the speed gain is on the long descents, massively increasing the risk of injury, doing it every day sometimes with rain and snow, always sharing the road with sleepy car commuters.
Is there a way you can do part of the longer trip on bus or train to catch up on sleep?

It's all about time. There are 24 hours in a day, Spending 2 or more hours a day commuting is not good for psychological health.

They're not talking about London though - it could be quite pleasant - assuming they have the time to complete the rides comfortably (what I said above).

I used to commute 2hrs a day and look at my mental health... oh..

Yep I agree, doing the fast downhills on racing bikes scares the bejesus out of me, not the ride..that's so much fun. It's the thought of some twunk pulling out on me especially in winter when they're tanking (little peep hole at the bottom of the screen where the heaters outlets are or a the little bit of scraping they've done just to be to get going).

Another added benefit of fixed on long winter descents is the wind chill, a major problem for my little man (if you know what I mean) and as such I always end up having to dress for the descents, which means overheating on the ascents.

Also the the time on the bike is more like 3 hours and that doesn't bother me really, it's only 1 to 1 1/2 more than the car because of the nature of the country roads going thru lots of little towns.

And if I drove I'd have to do some sort of fitness anyway.