# Fixed gear touring?



## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

Planning a bike trip down the entire California coast in July, partially just to do it, and partially as training to the the FC508 on fixed gear in October. I've never done a "real" tour, unsupported, all alone, though. Would it be nuts to do it fixed gear?

Thinking of staying in motels, rather than camping, so that cuts down a bit of weight. Also, plan to lose about 20 pounds before then, so that offsets a bunch of loaded weight, too. Just did 134 miles fixed Sunday, and will do the Central Coast double fixed, again, in May, plus the Climb to Kaiser fixed in late June. Figuring on 100 - 150 miles per day.

Would use a fixed gear with long geometry (my "CalTrans" commuter bike), with fenders, rack, and panniers. Would use the flip flop, in case there are some giant hills. Not sure what the total loaded would be, but I'd guess around 50 pounds.

Any suggestions? Thanks.


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

I think it's a bad idea. At the moment most of my road miles are on fixed. I have done plenty of credit card touring. I would never think about credit card touring fixed. Long distance riding fixed is ok - crazy IMO - but totally doable. Clearly, you're man enough for that but touring's an entirely different scenario IMO. Just to get started you'd have to change your gearing to handle the extra weight you'll be carrying on the bike. Flip flop on a fixed loaded touring bike sounds like an investment in crazy. But - if you do do it I look forward to your report!


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*thanks*



M.J. said:


> I think it's a bad idea. At the moment most of my road miles are on fixed. I have done plenty of credit card touring. I would never think about credit card touring fixed. Long distance riding fixed is ok - crazy IMO - but totally doable. Clearly, you're man enough for that but touring's an entirely different scenario IMO. Just to get started you'd have to change your gearing to handle the extra weight you'll be carrying on the bike. Flip flop on a fixed loaded touring bike sounds like an investment in crazy. But - if you do do it I look forward to your report!


I've never heard of anyone doing it, so I figure there is a reason why. But some of us like to do stupid things no one else has done, too. ;-)

BTW, the idea of the flip flop is not to switch it on the fly during a ride, but at the begining of the day, depending on the terrain and fatigue level. I would not want to do that on the side of the road all loaded up, with fenders, etc. Could "cheat" and put a single speed freewheel on the other side, I suppose.


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

*My Lesson*

I was humbled last year in converting what I knew about fixed gear riding into what I didn't know about touring. I've ridden a couple week-long supported rides on a fixed gear. I wasn't hauling anything. No big deal, at all. 

Last year we decided to do an unsupported weekend tour with a couple friends. We borrowed a trailer. I figured that I probably couldn't handle pulling the trailer with a fixie, so I decided to use my regular road bike instead -- 52/39 double, 12-25 in back. We were motel touring, so the trailer had maybe 20-25 pounds of stuff for the four of us. We were riding mainly Forest Service roads in the foothills of the western Cascades. A reasonable amount of up and down, some steepish, but nothing horribly steep and no very long climbs. In short, something like what I remember the northern part of the coast highway being like.

The experienced, strong rider we borrowed the trailer from raised his eyebrows when I told him my bike choice. I thought he was just being conservative. Afterall, I figured that my bottom gear of 39/25 in relation to my usual fixed gear gearing of 44/17 just about proportionally offset the increased weight of gear and trailer. It was all very serendipitous. It even checked out on a short, steep hill near our house, and my rough calculation on weight to gearing seemed to be right.

Then the ride.... 

What I discovered was that even though the lower gearing about offest the increased weight load, that weight load wasn't standing on the pedals when I was climbing. In the finely-balanced interplay between strength, gearing, and cadence on a fixie, the 15%-20% increase in the work I needed to climb wasn't actually offset by the lower gearing. Basically, the extra weight dropped my cadence from a generally aerobic level of effort during most climbs to a generally anaerobic level. I was having to muscle/slog my way up - even on moderate climbs. The result was then pretty predictable. By the early afternoon I'd hit my anaerobic limit. I was shot, wasted, blown-out...

Luckily, one of the friends had a much lower overall gearing range, with a compact crank and a larger rear cassette. He pulled the trailer for the rest of the weekend.

The Moral? It's all in the cadence you can maintain with the load... If you can climb with an aerobic cadence with the load you have... you're golden. Otherwise.... it's kinda surprising.


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

"Planning a bike trip down the entire California coast in July, partially just to do it, and partially as training to the the FC508 on fixed gear in October. I've never done a "real" tour, unsupported, all alone, though. Would it be nuts to do it fixed gear?"

Anyone else see the humor in this? 

Planning for FC508 on fixed gear, a history of passing cars while descending mountains at 60 mph, and Doug wants to know if something is nuts.

You have my admiration, but I'm LMAO.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I'm tempted to tell you to go for it but I know PCH and the Big Sur stretch is pretty tough. But no tougher than the Central Coast Double.

OTOH we often credit card tour for several days at a time on our fixtes carrying only what can fit in our butt packs (Large Jandd packs). So I guess if you can keep your load to the very minimum you should be fine.

Still for your first tour I'm thinking prudence is the way to go. After a long tour you will have a much better idea of what works for you and what you can get away without and what are must haves. We have the advantage of years and years of touring experience so we know exactly what we need and what works for us plus we can divide the "must haves" between the 2 of us to cut down on the weight. 

One person is going to have just as many "must haves" as 2 people.

Bottom line=gears make sense for this first tour.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*minimalist?*



MB1 said:


> One person is going to have just as many "must haves" as 2 people.


Thanks. Curious as to what the minimum would be for something like this. I'm thinking maybe 3 days of bike clothing, plus rain gear; a few tools; spare folding tire, tubes, etc. Eat what you can find along the way. Sleep in motels (ok, I suppose you need bathroom supplies, then). Do laundry every few days? What else?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Fixed said:


> Thanks. Curious as to what the minimum would be for something like this. I'm thinking maybe 3 days of bike clothing, plus rain gear; a few tools; spare folding tire, tubes, etc. Eat what you can find along the way. Sleep in motels (ok, I suppose you need bathroom supplies, then). Do laundry every few days? What else?


1 set of bike clothes that you wash every night, some rain gear and minimal off bike clothes (say a t-shirt, shorts and underwear) wear your rain jacket off the bike. Shoes take up the most space so if you can walk around in your bike shoes that is a big plus.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I've been thinking about this and have come up with a bit of a solution (that we have used many times).

Figure out your route and where you intend to stay. Mail yourself a small package to about half of the motels (include return postage and tape in each package and mail them home with your dirty stuff).

Works great, all you have to do is stick to your route and distances.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*thanks*



MB1 said:


> 1 set of bike clothes that you wash every night, some rain gear and minimal off bike clothes (say a t-shirt, shorts and underwear) wear your rain jacket off the bike. Shoes take up the most space so if you can walk around in your bike shoes that is a big plus.


That's like commuting?! I'd wear mtb/spd shoes, so all that could go in a backpack or trunk bag. My only concern would be bike clothes getting dry by the next day. Hmm. Maybe this is easier than I thought. Thanks.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*makes sense*



MB1 said:


> I've been thinking about this and have come up with a bit of a solution (that we have used many times).
> 
> Figure out your route and where you intend to stay. Mail yourself a small package to about half of the motels (include return postage and tape in each package and mail them home with your dirty stuff).
> 
> Works great, all you have to do is stick to your route and distances.


I've seen backpackers do that at several locations along the John Muir Trail. Makes sense. Figure I'll need to stick to a schedule and route for motel reservations, anyway.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

MB1, have you authored a comprehensive touring thread yet re: equipment/provisions/etc.? I for one would love to read it.


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

Can you try a weekend tour to see if you can swing it? There's nothing like testing out your gear setup beforehand IMO.


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## brownfeesh (Sep 8, 2003)

*insane, doable*

1. You're a nut. Good for you. Go for it.
2. A guy did Race Across America on a fixie a few years ago so now doubt it's doable.
Write us a post and tell us how it goes


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## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

What do we all have against mechanical advantage?


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*agree*



m_s said:


> Can you try a weekend tour to see if you can swing it? There's nothing like testing out your gear setup beforehand IMO.


Agree. Would get all set up and do some long rides in June to test.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*cheated*



brownfeesh said:


> 1. You're a nut. Good for you. Go for it.
> 2. A guy did Race Across America on a fixie a few years ago so now doubt it's doable.
> Write us a post and tell us how it goes


 
My philosophy of life: "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." 

He cheated and did singlespeed ;-)


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*sorry*



bignose said:


> What do we all have against mechanical advantage?


Sorry, sometimes I get confused and think I'm still in the Fixed Gear forum.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

I'd think it's possible if you keep the load really really light. 

Drop bags can be sent to hotels. It's probably still possible to send drop bags to "general delivery" and pick them up at small town post offices. 

Since the hills you are talking about are short and steep, it's not like it makes sense to flip to the other side to go over a pass. 

I'd think if you let the weight get remotely out of hand you would want gears.


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

I think you can do it. As others noted keep the load really light (much less than 50 pounds), say a aluminum or ti rear rack with a trunk bag and a maybe a handlebar bag and that's it. Test it out by going for 2-3 days. 

Good luck and tell us about the trip.


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## Hjalti (Feb 26, 2004)

*That's crazy talk*

Who would ever want to tour on a fixed gear?
:wink5: :wink5: 


















Five of seven tourers in the photo are fixed.










Who else?

https://www.carsstink.org/peterson/NorthRoad/NorthRoad.html
https://pompinos.blogspot.com/
https://autobus.cyclingnews.com/cyclingtravel/fixedtour.shtml
https://www.campyonly.com/mypages/point_reyes_2005.html
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=aw&pic_id=53775&v=1ek&size=large
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=aw&doc_id=1451&v=13
https://www.gordontaylor.co.uk/
https://www.rusa.org/newsletter/05-04-04.html

I say go for it. You'll figure out if it is for you.

Cheers:thumbsup:


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## palu (Aug 14, 2008)

Sorry to bring almost a two year old thread back up, but I'm curious to find out what happened??


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