Is this a stupid idea?

AirTime
AirTime Posts: 30
edited September 2010 in Road beginners
thinking about riding my fixed (16-48) bike from london to brighton this weekend.
is this is a stupid idea? or do you think it will be possible? i'm thinking that i'll be able to manage most of it, just not ditchling beacon! let me know what you think! cheers

Comments

  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    Possible? Yes. Stupid? Yes. Why not use a geared bike and save your knees a bit?
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
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  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    Yeah it's reasonably flat isn't it?

    I took my 48/18 fixed over the Dales. It was bloody hard but definitely worth it.

    No more 'get a geared bike lol' comments please. I have a geared bike. I use the fixed for training and for cruises on flat terrain.
  • johnnyL
    johnnyL Posts: 36
    Just do it and start very early in the morning. Take supplies, money and a mobile.

    What’s the worse thing that can happen?
    skinny as
  • AirTime
    AirTime Posts: 30
    >Why not use a geared bike<

    well i've got a geared bike but fancy the challenge. i was just wondering whether anyone on here has experience riding such distances on a fixed. how did they find it etc etc. i just don't want to get 20 miles down the track and think 'jeez this was fking stupid!' let me know your thoughts!
  • bilirubin
    bilirubin Posts: 225
    AirTime wrote:
    >Why not use a geared bike<

    well i've got a geared bike but fancy the challenge. i was just wondering whether anyone on here has experience riding such distances on a fixed. how did they find it etc etc. i just don't want to get 20 miles down the track and think 'jeez this was fking stupid!' let me know your thoughts!

    Go for it, as JohnnyL said, "what's the worse that can happen"

    If it wasn't for some idiot attempting to ride his bike over the Alps etc many years ago we would not be watching exciting mountain stages on the TV from all the grand tours.

    Let us know how you get on
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Go for it! 48-16 is a quite a tall gear (mine's 48-17) so the Beacon's out I would imagine... if you get over that without stopping, then Andy Schleck's looking for Domestiques!

    Now you've thought about it; if you don't do it, you'll regret it.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
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  • chris_king
    chris_king Posts: 30
    I've a friend who did it this year on a fixed Bob Jackson. He said it was fine, aside from the desents. Go for it!
  • AirTime
    AirTime Posts: 30
    righty i've booked my train ticket back for 4.55 so i'm committed now. £2.50 for an advanced ticket with a young persons railcard - thats a great deal!
    i think ditchlings out so may have to resort to walking but i'll give it a go! thanks for the replies!
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Good lad!

    And I hate you a bit for being able to get cheap train tickets... ;-)
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    AirTime wrote:
    righty i've booked my train ticket back for 4.55 so i'm committed now. £2.50 for an advanced ticket with a young persons railcard - thats a great deal!
    i think ditchlings out so may have to resort to walking but i'll give it a go! thanks for the replies!

    Bear in mind on the day, the trains won't let anyone on with a bike....
    _
  • AirTime
    AirTime Posts: 30
    >Bear in mind on the day, the trains won't let anyone on with a bike....<

    on top of that, i've done it before and there's space for a couple of bikes. wasn't an issue then.
    anyway should any jobsworth try and stop me i'll wait till they've got their back turned then jump on anyway. thats what i did the other weekend when coming back from swindon!
  • chris_king
    chris_king Posts: 30
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    AirTime wrote:
    righty i've booked my train ticket back for 4.55 so i'm committed now. £2.50 for an advanced ticket with a young persons railcard - thats a great deal!
    i think ditchlings out so may have to resort to walking but i'll give it a go! thanks for the replies!

    Bear in mind on the day, the trains won't let anyone on with a bike....

    Think he's doing it this weekend, think that only applies to the actual day of the London to Brighton (I think!)
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Why do people basically ask complete strangers to comment on their own fittness?
    You say you use it for training, so.............do you get back knackered after 10 miles or is 30 miles a breeze? I could do it, as for you, I really have no idea!

    Did I sound grumpy? :oops:
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • AirTime
    AirTime Posts: 30
    >Why do people basically ask complete strangers to comment on their own fittness?<

    well i was only wondering whether the average joe cyclist would consider it foolish or whether it was something that the average cyclist should be able to manage. some people might think its easy, some will say its hard, don't think too much about it, i'm only after comments!
  • salsarider79
    salsarider79 Posts: 828
    AirTime wrote:
    20 miles down the road, thinking 'jeez this was fking stupid!'

    Corrected for you.

    p.s. Remember to take a birch tree branch to thack yourself off as you go. :wink:


    p.p.s. Seriously, I would go for it. Just get a train ticket to come back. Anyway a number of my rides have been like that. 100miles+ on a singlespeed, yeah sounds good. etc... :oops:
    jedster wrote:
    Just off to contemplate my own mortality and inevitable descent into decrepedness.
    FCN 3 or 4 on road depending on clothing
    FCN 8 off road because I'm too old to go racing around.
  • AirTime
    AirTime Posts: 30
    righty, just thought i'd let you guys know how i got on...
    well obviously getting up ditchling was very tough but somehow i managed to keep the legs moving and the pedals followed so got up it without stopping which i was pretty happy with. the rest of the ride was great altho madly spinning down the descents did get a bit tiresome towards the end.
    my friend shouted down one descent 'why don't you stop peddaling!?' obviously he didn't understand the meaning of fixed wheel!
    just gotta find myself another challenge now. the bike does have mounts for a rack so maybe a longish tour somewhere...LEJOG on a fixed?
    maybe
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Well done, I knew you could do it! :wink:
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • johnnyL
    johnnyL Posts: 36
    good work fella!
    skinny as

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