57yo Thierry Saint-Leger crosses the Alps on a fixed gear bike

[velofinds]

Have you all seen this? Apologies if it's a repost (I didn't see it posted), but I thought it was an interesting watch and worth passing on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7S2oTjy96c

[goonster]

What's the point of riding fixed if you switch to a differently geared bike for descents?

Paging Paul Rozelle (http://www.thebicyclestory.com/2011/11/paul-rozelles-24-hour-pre-pbp-fixed-gear-mont-ventoux-rides/) . . .

[p nut]

What's the point of riding fixed if you switch to a differently geared bike for descents?

Paging Paul Rozelle (http://www.thebicyclestory.com/2011/11/paul-rozelles-24-hour-pre-pbp-fixed-gear-mont-ventoux-rides/) . . .

People did that in the Tour back in the day. Don't see anything wrong with it. Give the guy a break. He rode for 53 hours and 370 miles with 40k ft gain.

Props to Thierry. I hope I am still able to ride my fixed gear for long distances when I'm in my late 50's.

[bicycletricycle]

that's super cool, would be nice if it was the same bike with a flip flop wheel and two chainrings but nitpicking seems a little crappy, that was hard!!!!!!

wish i got a massage when i was cramping up on a ride, deluxe!!!

[katematt]

Thanks for sharing.

[bikingshearer]

People did that in the Tour back in the day. Don't see anything wrong with it. Give the guy a break. He rode for 53 hours and 370 miles with 40k ft gain.

Props to Thierry. I hope I am still able to ride my fixed gear for long distances when I'm in my late 50's.

No, people in the Tour did not switch bikes back in the single-speed days. Why, Henri Desgrange would have had heart palpitations at the very thought. They had "flip-flop" hubs - one side with a low-gear freewheel single gear for climbing and the coasting on the descent, the other side with a fixed gear for everything else. They stopped to turn the wheel around, and it was considered a matter of no small strategic moment when one would change from one to the other.

And as to the guy being 57 - that is not old.:no: And for some of us, it is getting more "not old" by the minute.

[bcroslin]

What's the point of riding fixed if you switch to a differently geared bike for descents?

Paging Paul Rozelle (http://www.thebicyclestory.com/2011/11/paul-rozelles-24-hour-pre-pbp-fixed-gear-mont-ventoux-rides/) . . .

This cracks me up - I was just emailing this to Paul when I saw your post.

Still rad and beautifully shot. 53 hours on ANY bike is gnarly.

[smead]

Yeah, a 33-24 for the climbs is 37 gear inches, or about like a compact crank gearing setup on a road bike. Then switching to a big gear for descents takes away what is the real challenge riding mountains fixed - you gotta pick a big enough gear to barely make it up the pass and have enough to not flail yourself into a cramping mess on the descents. This is an impressive ride, but just an impressive road bike ride IMHO. Claiming this was done fixed is stretching it.

[rcnute]

Support car and soul patch.

At least the pictures of the mountains are cool.

Ryan

[velofinds]

Claiming this was done fixed is stretching it.

Wow. Tough crowd!

While we're on topic, here's another one. I'm sure the brakeless aspect will ruffle a few feathers :p

https://vimeo.com/59996430

[bicycletricycle]

Yeah, a 33-24 for the climbs is 37 gear inches, or about like a compact crank gearing setup on a road bike. Then switching to a big gear for descents takes away what is the real challenge riding mountains fixed - you gotta pick a big enough gear to barely make it up the pass and have enough to not flail yourself into a cramping mess on the descents. This is an impressive ride, but just an impressive road bike ride IMHO. Claiming this was done fixed is stretching it.

Are fixed gear riders with flip flop hubs actual fixed gear riders in your estimation?

[p nut]

By the way, Paul Rozelle mentioned earlier also changed gears through some of the climbs. Only 1 tooth (18 to 19), but in my mind, still doesn't take away from the feat he accomplished.

If I did this same ride, with a support car, bike/gear changes, I would also claim I did it fixed. Just remember that 42x17 is not that high of gearing and spinning down the descents after grinding up some of those climbs is very taxing on the legs.

[smead]

Are fixed gear riders with flip flop hubs actual fixed gear riders in your estimation?

I'm not sure I know what an "actual fixed gear rider" means. Fixed is fixed, but I do think that when one takes on an epic climbing ride fixed and makes much ado about it, doing it fixed in a single gear is the true measure of the feat. If you flip, it's a bit less challenging. If you use multiple bikes, one with compact road gearing, less yet. That's all.

[bicycletricycle]

Ya that's true, I guess he didn't say he did it single gear ratio fixed, just that he did it fixed, which is true no matter how you slice it.

[Peter B]

FWIW, Smead holds the fixed gear course records on both Terrible Two and Devil Mountain Double. One ratio for the duration. Google those rides and you might gain an appreciation for his perspective...If not, come out west next summer and have a go at either one.

Then report back to us. :bike:

[Mark McM]

No, people in the Tour did not switch bikes back in the single-speed days. Why, Henri Desgrange would have had heart palpitations at the very thought. They had "flip-flop" hubs - one side with a low-gear freewheel single gear for climbing and the coasting on the descent, the other side with a fixed gear for everything else. They stopped to turn the wheel around, and it was considered a matter of no small strategic moment when one would change from one to the other.

In fact, Tullio Campagnolo's first bicycle product, the cam actuated quick release skewer, was invented specifically for quick gear changes with flip-flop hubs.

[Mark McM]

Are fixed gear riders with flip flop hubs actual fixed gear riders in your estimation?

Of course it is: A fixed gear simply means that there is no ratcheting freewheel; in other words, the rider must continue to pedal at all times.

As far as having multiple gear ratios with a fixed gear, Sturmey Archer even makes a 3 speed internally geared fixed gear rear hub:

http://www.sturmey-archer.com/en/products/detail/s3x-silver

People regularly do the Mt. Washington hill climb (4800 ft in 7.6 miles, 12% avg. grade) with fixed gears. Since there's no flat or downhill portions of the climb (the minimum grade is something like 5%), there's no place to coast anyway, so the absence of a freewheel is not missed. Climbing with a fixed gear is straight forward - doing steep descents with a fixed gear is something else entirely!

[goonster]

It's an impressive ride, and of course he gets credit for riding fixed.

My issue is more that the videography, and the support car, and the concerned running alongside are a bit out of proportion with respect to the achievement, imho. That's just my perspective as a (sometime fixed gear) randonneur, where the most epic thing in the story is the understatement.