# marin century on a singlespeed?



## xccx (Aug 5, 2005)

anyone out there ever attempted the marin century on a ss? i've done it geared before and it's a pretty hilly course. this yr im thinking of doing it single.

am i crazy?


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## hafjell (Jun 4, 2008)

Yes, you are crazy.


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## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

Crazy, but with guts. I like it! Only you know your conditioning. If you think you can, you probably can. If you come up short, you know and have a great story.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*possible*



xccx said:


> anyone out there ever attempted the marin century on a ss? i've done it geared before and it's a pretty hilly course. this yr im thinking of doing it single.
> 
> am i crazy?


Just to let you know what's possible, I've done the Climb to Kaiser and the Central Coast Double three times on a fixed gear. If you prepare for it, you can do it (well, good knees help a lot).


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## xccx (Aug 5, 2005)

cool, thanks...i just might go for it.....


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## Tort (Nov 4, 2008)

There's a guy named Kevin who wears a mohawked or spiked helmet that goes everywhere on a fixie. He did Henry Coe in the Tierra Bella and has done some other centuries as well. I rode with him for awhile and was really impressed by his ability to do this, especially on descents. Seriously high cadence.

He had two gears, one on each side of the rear wheel, he switches to his "climbing" gear on anything over 12%. Figures if he can do it others will be inspired to try it as well.


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

Fixed said:


> Just to let you know what's possible, I've done the Climb to Kaiser and the Central Coast Double three times on a fixed gear. If you prepare for it, you can do it (well, good knees help a lot).


fixed gear? as in not single speed? Kaiser?
holymoly!!!


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## Sworker (Jul 22, 2010)

Henry Coe with fixed gear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I barely survived that on my 10 speed. That man is an animal.

So report back, I know the Marin Century is tomorrow, let us know if you do it.


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

Marin was really well organized this year btw. Good cloud cover to keep out the heat, good support, great food. Marshall Wall was painful, but at least it's short. I hadn't ridden it since 2005'ish and I don't recall them closing down the lanes on the climbs like they did today. Police barricaded each point of entry and gave us the lane - STAY CLASSY MARIN!

Riding solo is painful. Finding a group that's not too slow or too fast is always a challenge.


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## poff (Jul 21, 2007)

Did you do double century? I did Mt.Tam version of the century, it was not as difficult as any of South Bay organized events since I finished in 6hrs.


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## xccx (Aug 5, 2005)

*i did it.*

i rode the marin century (100M) ss. i won't say it was easy. it was challenging for sure, and the part that hurt the most for me, both mentally and physically was miles 50-75. once i got to 75 i knew i could do it.

i ran a 39x17 gearing which is what i'm used to for riding in these parts. it's also what i use for ss cross racing. i figured that i should probably leave well enough alone and just stick with that gearing. i learned very quickly to try and conserve as much energy and momentum as possible (which i'm used to from riding ss cross, but that's a bit different). i obviously spun out on most of the descents so i pretty much tucked all of them, and rode them out as long as possible until i could get traction with my gearing again.

for the first time ever i suffered from leg cramping which started at about mile 50. man it was so bad. it forced me to stop more often than i wanted to to stretch and shake them out. i was drinking a ton and getting enough electrolytes, so i dont know what the deal was. i ride a LOT and have never had this problem. 

anyway, thanks to the guy who spared 2 of his advil for me. i think that helped to break up the cramps and luckily there was more ibuprofien at mile 75 rest stop. once that kicked in i definitely felt better.

a few things about this ride:

i never walked a step of it.
i never got off my bike on the climbs -- or at all, unless it was to stretch or pee.
i descended much faster and perhaps more risky than if on a geared bike.
it was generally hard to keep pace with anyone consistently, so i was out in the wind pretty much the entire time.
i spent most of the ride in my drops.
i found it so frustrating that people would draft off me, however. in general i signaled for these unwanted drafters to pass me, or i dropped them. i dont know,maybe its just me, but it seems pretty lame to draft off the guy with no gears.

i was the guy on the green IF and the MASH kit.
i finished in 8.5 hours.


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

xccx said:


> i rode the marin century (100M) ss.


Nice work!!! I did the double and it took my group about 15 hours, finished at 8pm last night and was fully wrecked. Still managed 2 beers and a few slices before getting a ride home. As I was climbing to East Peak of Tam, I saw a guy coming down on a fixed gear, straining to keep his rpms down. No matter how crazy you think you are for doing something, there's always someone a bit crazier than you. It took me another 80 miles to catch him, heading north on hwy 1 just before the pain cave that is Coleman Valley Rd. As I was struggling up it in a 38/28, gasping for air and cursing the road, I realized I had a new hero. I can only imagine what it would take to push a fixed up that climb after 140 miles.

Congrats on your ride! That's a tremendous effort, one you should be proud of and brag about.


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## xccx (Aug 5, 2005)

Fogdweller said:


> Nice work!!! I did the double and it took my group about 15 hours, finished at 8pm last night and was fully wrecked. Still managed 2 beers and a few slices before getting a ride home. As I was climbing to East Peak of Tam, I saw a guy coming down on a fixed gear, straining to keep his rpms down. No matter how crazy you think you are for doing something, there's always someone a bit crazier than you. It took me another 80 miles to catch him, heading north on hwy 1 just before the pain cave that is Coleman Valley Rd. As I was struggling up it in a 38/28, gasping for air and cursing the road, I realized I had a new hero. I can only imagine what it would take to push a fixed up that climb after 140 miles.
> 
> Congrats on your ride! That's a tremendous effort, one you should be proud of and brag about.



thanks and congrats on the double! that's hard core!


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## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

I did the double also. I saw the same guy on the fixed gear decending Mt Tams while I was still climbing. I never caught him. Unbelievable. That ride was all I had. Who needs to add a little more to that. Wow!! My hero also.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

Fogdweller said:


> Nice work!!! I did the double and it took my group about 15 hours, finished at 8pm last night and was fully wrecked. Still managed 2 beers and a few slices before getting a ride home. As I was climbing to East Peak of Tam, I saw a guy coming down on a fixed gear, straining to keep his rpms down. No matter how crazy you think you are for doing something, there's always someone a bit crazier than you. It took me another 80 miles to catch him, heading north on hwy 1 just before the pain cave that is Coleman Valley Rd. As I was struggling up it in a 38/28, gasping for air and cursing the road, I realized I had a new hero. I can only imagine what it would take to push a fixed up that climb after 140 miles.
> 
> Congrats on your ride! That's a tremendous effort, one you should be proud of and brag about.



Love the reference to Coleman Valley Rd. as the "pain cave". That has to be one of the hardest climbs out there. I suffered like a dog on it with my 39X25 low gear. Every year I swear the next time I will put a compact on before doing it again, but the memory of the pain subsides and my frugality stops me from doing it. 

PS I also saw the fixie at the Santos Meadows rest stop (just after Muir Woods). Lost track of him after that. Congrats to him and xccx for pushing their limits.


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

cotocalicyclist and vontress, I was on a blue Pinarello Prince and wearing a Sunshine Bicycles kit. Did we meet up at anytime during the day? I was in a lot of pacelines Saturday and met a ton of folks.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

Unfortunately, I don't think I remember you. I was on a blue Colnago C50 with a yellow Cal. Triple Crown vest on. We should have been pretty darn close though since I finished with two other guys at 7:32. We also blew past the last rest stop and made good time at the end.

It is always nice to do a ride on "home turf". I met a lot of nice people as well. Even a guy who lives on my street in SF who I was in a paceline with the year before. I ran into him at the Coleman checkpoint. Nothing gets people socializing better than mutual suffering on a tough climb.


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## dwgranda (Sep 8, 2009)

Hey you guys that do doubles. What forum do you hang out in? I did the mt tam century then and out and back to SF. Still felt great so I'd like to try for 200. Have some questions about lighting since I never ride in the dark.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

I guess we hang out in this one... You could always post a new topic either in the NorCal forum or the Components section. MTB riders are also pretty knowledgeable about lights.

In brief, almost any rear light will work and it isn't a bad idea to throw a reflective ankle strap on as well. As for the front, I would say the majority of people use a single bar mounted light like the Niterider MiNewt 200. I have seen some helmet mounted systems, but that isn't really necessary since road turns aren't as sharp as MTB trail turns. You should definitely have a high quality light and not just a dinky little commuting front light. You will need something substantial when you are on country roads where there are few other light sources.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*commuter*

commuter / ride report forum; lots of light discussions


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## dwgranda (Sep 8, 2009)

Thanks for the light rec. The just-in-case light I have on my bike is not something I would want to depend on for my own visibility at 20mph. That was my main question but I just thought there would be a double century specific forum I could lurk around and pick up on stuff I haven't even thought of.


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

dwgranda said:


> Hey you guys that do doubles. What forum do you hang out in? I did the mt tam century then and out and back to SF. Still felt great so I'd like to try for 200. Have some questions about lighting since I never ride in the dark.


This is the setup I use for commuting in the dark:
Offense: MagicShine GMG 900, $90. Nothing matches it for lumens/dollar
http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=180

Defense: Radbot 1000 by Portland Design Works. $32. Single 1w led with 3 modes plus one reflector. I thought it made more sense to have one strong led than a several weak ones that flash. The reflector provides a lot of bounce back of light as well. They also make some cool gear like bamboo handled pumps, nice looking wood racks and leather grips.
http://www.ridepdw.com/goods/lights/radbot-1000


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## shibaman (May 2, 2008)

i never walked a step of it.
i never got off my bike on the climbs -- or at all, unless it was to stretch or pee.
i descended much faster and perhaps more risky than if on a geared bike.
it was generally hard to keep pace with anyone consistently, so i was out in the wind pretty much the entire time.
i spent most of the ride in my drops.
i found it so frustrating that people would draft off me, however. in general i signaled for these unwanted drafters to pass me, or i dropped them. i dont know,maybe its just me, but it seems pretty lame to draft off the guy with no gears.

Great Job on your ride. My Langster has a 42x16 gear set on it. Would that been too hard on the hills? I did the Midnight Century,Flat- 1 hr. of daylight, and 4 hrs of darkness, bugs, and 25 mph winds. 50 mi. back into the wind. An other SS, a girl on a geared bike ,and my self kept picking up riders , and then leaving them because they would not help pull to get home. Did it in less than 5 hrs. spin time. This ride was actually harder on my legs than the Death Ride. At least when you climb mountains, you get to rest going down. Again, Great job!:thumbsup:


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

Did any of you catch the name of the outfit that was taking photos? They were handing out flyers at the end of the ride, but I didn't grab one at the time...


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## colinmcnamara (Dec 5, 2009)

The single speed guy on the double was Mike from Hayward. I have seen him at Davis, Eastern Sierra and the Death Ride. He redefines hardcore.


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