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chadwick2wheels townie
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 213 Location: Spring Street, Lexington KY
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:31 am Post subject: Riding my fixie in Ironman Louisville |
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Not really, but yesterday I was staring at my new expensive tri bike thinking how much more I love my free fixie and wondered if it was actually possible. 112 miles through the rolling hills of LaGrange would be hell! But then again, how awesome would it be for me to come rolling into T2 in knickers and a messenger bag? The only way I would actually consider this is if everyone promises to be there slamming PBR's and causing chaos! _________________ The sound of a car door opening in front of you is similar to the sound of a gun being cocked. ~Amy Webster |
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politicalhero cutter
Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 657 Location: Sexy Lexi on the Southside
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:56 am Post subject: |
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Martinez did the horsey last year fixed!
I think you could do it but it would be "good luck" on the run.
Remember the guy last year in jean shorts, t-shirt, and tennis shoes who did the whole Ironman? That guy's crotch must have been raw!
I'll be there doing body marking and the 8-midnight finish line shift. |
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chadwick2wheels townie
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 213 Location: Spring Street, Lexington KY
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:59 am Post subject: |
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yeah that guy in the blue jean shorts rode a steel road bike too. His beard was killer as well! _________________ The sound of a car door opening in front of you is similar to the sound of a gun being cocked. ~Amy Webster |
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brokebike cutter
Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2434 Location: local
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:42 am Post subject: |
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do they have any rules that would prevent a fixed gear bike?
my first thought is that anyone riding fixed in a tri situation would pretty much get smoked at some point, and you'd spend a lot of energy making up the distance/time in whatever riding situation your gear ratio was lacking in. |
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jkizzle cutter
Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 519 Location: I.L.L.
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:59 am Post subject: |
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yeah id be suprised if they even allowed fixies. the lack of braking ability might be too big a liability with all those other people around. i know they arnt allowed in USAC road races, which obviously are much more close quarters. |
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politicalhero cutter
Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 657 Location: Sexy Lexi on the Southside
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:08 am Post subject: |
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this is all I found in the USAT Rules
(j) There must be one working brake on each of the two wheels.
I can't imagine anyone riding a fixed gear but at the same time I don't think it is against the rules. Put a brake on the back wheel just for fun... the rules don't say anything about gears |
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chadwick2wheels townie
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 213 Location: Spring Street, Lexington KY
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: |
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yeah i think not having the gears when climbing the hills would pretty much drain me of all the energy i had not leaving any for the run which is when the race starts _________________ The sound of a car door opening in front of you is similar to the sound of a gun being cocked. ~Amy Webster |
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brokebike cutter
Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2434 Location: local
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:49 am Post subject: |
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jkizzle wrote: | yeah id be suprised if they even allowed fixies. the lack of braking ability might be too big a liability with all those other people around. i know they arnt allowed in USAC road races, which obviously are much more close quarters. |
A lot of fixed gear riders (myself included) still run at least a front brake. Some people even have two (although I think that's overkill). With that I can stop as effectively as I can on my road bike... but I can see how rules would complicate reality.
Fixed riders may be able to haul ass around town, in an alley cat, or even smoke a roadie while on your way to class... but in a tri race, I think you'd pretty much get dropped like a bad habit. |
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jkizzle cutter
Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 519 Location: I.L.L.
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:57 am Post subject: |
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brokebike wrote: |
A lot of fixed gear riders (myself included) still run at least a front brake. Some people even have two (although I think that's overkill). With that I can stop as effectively as I can on my road bike... but I can see how rules would complicate reality.
Fixed riders may be able to haul ass around town, in an alley cat, or even smoke a roadie while on your way to class... but in a tri race, I think you'd pretty much get dropped like a bad habit. |
yeah, i think the real problem is brakeless fixies in road races and crits, especially in cat 4/5 where a bunch of us that think we are way better riders than we are, are really compacted and some idiot brakes going into a turn or is in way too big a gear for a hill and causes a really quick slowdown. i think between braking and skidding it likely would just cause a bigger problem in that scenerio.
i actually think for a shorter, flatter tri riding fixed could be beneficial with the right ratio, since you cant draft. you could settle into a really good position and just spin, sort of like track riding - some track riders use aerobars in pursuits and shorter timetrials as short as 5 km from what i understand... |
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alex I break bones for polo.
Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 309 Location: at home
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Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:00 am Post subject: |
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chadwick2wheels wrote: | yeah i think not having the gears when climbing the hills would pretty much drain me of all the energy i had not leaving any for the run which is when the race starts |
it's not the uphills that get you, it's on the way down. most times fixed riders will smoke everybody on the uphills, only to have the freewheelers buzz by at 60mph on the way down _________________ How about, "Can you NOT rip a giant hole in our downtown and erect a big goddamn penis full of crappy chain businesses?"
-F.L. |
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chadwick2wheels townie
Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Posts: 213 Location: Spring Street, Lexington KY
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Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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i know we havent talked about this topic for a while but what about a singlespeed instead of a fixie? I'm just having difficulty convincing myself to ride something with multiple gears. I could coast on downhills when needed and lets be honest, I only want to finish not win. With that being said, having the fastest finish possible isnt really one of my goals. And, this summer I'll be commuting on a steel frame singlespeed roughly 22 miles each way to work=40 or so miles a day. So if I can commute that distance why not train on a steel frame single speed as well? Race day I just want to finish under cut off time(17hours) and enjoy the experience. So, if I can do that while supporting the singlespeed lifestyle why shouldnt I? Right? Or am I nuts? Give me some honest opinions and advice. _________________ The sound of a car door opening in front of you is similar to the sound of a gun being cocked. ~Amy Webster |
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david hipster
Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 65
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:34 am Post subject: |
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chadwick2wheels wrote: | So if I can commute that distance why not train on a steel frame single speed as well? Race day I just want to finish under cut off time(17hours) and enjoy the experience. |
Unless the 112 mile ride contains huge hills that would abuse your knees, riding on a single speed sounds like fun. It would be a notable accomplishment. I've seen web pages describing riding Paris-Brest-Paris on a fixed gear.
http://sheldonbrown.com/pbp-emily-obrien.html
http://www.ehnoakley.com/cycle8.html
Quote: | Until 1937, when they were first permitted to use derailleur gears, those giants of men who competed in the Tour de France – and in all other races up to a similar year – rode bikes with just a single gear. Initially, in the case of the Tour until about 1906, they were not permitted to use freewheels, thus rode fixed-gear or fixed-wheel. |
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