Sixty-Eight
Date: Wed, 11 May 2005 14:45:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: "John Spurgeon"
Subject: Long Events (was: Fixing a Nishiki)
To: ".David.Auker."
CC: fixed-gear at lists.davintech.ca
".David.Auker." wrote:
> I get the idea you're training for a long
> event? What kind of gearing are you using? Etc?
>
> David
> Portland (your neighbor!)
Hi David,
This is long winded, but since you asked...
My goal is to accumulate 12 difficulty points this year in the John Marino Competition on a fixed gear: Race Across Oregon, Cascade 1200, Ring of Fire (24 hr), and Furnace Creek - with a few long training rides mixed in here and there.
Most of my miles have been on my Country Road Bob using 38x15 gearing. That bike usually weighs around 35-40 pounds with panniers, gear, and water. I was going to buy a Vanilla fixed gear, but then decided to race on my Lemond instead. I'm taken the money I would have spent on a single and having Sacha build me a tandem fixie so I can train - and someday race - with my kids.
I've been using 40x15 on the Lemond (Specialities chainring, Dura Ace cog - both 1/8"), but just the other day I shelled out more $$ (my wallet's turned into a sieve) for a 42 tooth chainring. I think I'll appreciate every extra gear inch I can muster for the decents in terms of speed and comfort.
I used to be concerned about brakes, but as I've moved up to bigger gears and become more accustomed to spining at a high cadence on long mountainous decents (most of which aren't that steep), I've concluded that it doesn't matter that much what kind of brakes you have. People say two brakes are nice on long rides because one hand doesn't have to do all the work, and I agree. However, I also think a single cross lever is one of the best thing you can have to improve your comfort on the bike. I really like being able to sit up and brake with my hands on top. All that said, I'm still going ahead with my plan to install two front brakes on a custom Vanilla fork. I just hope I don't fall in the rain on a super slick section of road. The other day I fell for the first time in months on the bike trail at Champoeg State Park on my Country Road Bob. The path had some moss on it, my front wheel locked up (at maybe 5 mph), and down I went. Now I'm a little paranoid...
What else on the Lemond?... handlebars (Nitto), levers (Campy Record, Paul cross lever), tape (Bar Phat), hubs (ENO, Schmidt Dynomo), rims (Velocity Aerohead), tires and tubes (??), cranks, bottom braket, rim brake (original Ultegra components), disc brake (Avid mechanical disc), saddle (either Koobie PRS or AU Enduro), pedals (either speedplay X/2 or frogs), lights (E6 and DToplight), and for unsupported rides: rack (Tubus Logo), panniers (Arkel).
Whew!
John "is starting to taper" Spurgeon
From: "John Spurgeon"
Subject: Long Events (was: Fixing a Nishiki)
To: ".David.Auker."
CC: fixed-gear at lists.davintech.ca
".David.Auker." wrote:
> I get the idea you're training for a long
> event? What kind of gearing are you using? Etc?
>
> David
> Portland (your neighbor!)
Hi David,
This is long winded, but since you asked...
My goal is to accumulate 12 difficulty points this year in the John Marino Competition on a fixed gear: Race Across Oregon, Cascade 1200, Ring of Fire (24 hr), and Furnace Creek - with a few long training rides mixed in here and there.
Most of my miles have been on my Country Road Bob using 38x15 gearing. That bike usually weighs around 35-40 pounds with panniers, gear, and water. I was going to buy a Vanilla fixed gear, but then decided to race on my Lemond instead. I'm taken the money I would have spent on a single and having Sacha build me a tandem fixie so I can train - and someday race - with my kids.
I've been using 40x15 on the Lemond (Specialities chainring, Dura Ace cog - both 1/8"), but just the other day I shelled out more $$ (my wallet's turned into a sieve) for a 42 tooth chainring. I think I'll appreciate every extra gear inch I can muster for the decents in terms of speed and comfort.
I used to be concerned about brakes, but as I've moved up to bigger gears and become more accustomed to spining at a high cadence on long mountainous decents (most of which aren't that steep), I've concluded that it doesn't matter that much what kind of brakes you have. People say two brakes are nice on long rides because one hand doesn't have to do all the work, and I agree. However, I also think a single cross lever is one of the best thing you can have to improve your comfort on the bike. I really like being able to sit up and brake with my hands on top. All that said, I'm still going ahead with my plan to install two front brakes on a custom Vanilla fork. I just hope I don't fall in the rain on a super slick section of road. The other day I fell for the first time in months on the bike trail at Champoeg State Park on my Country Road Bob. The path had some moss on it, my front wheel locked up (at maybe 5 mph), and down I went. Now I'm a little paranoid...
What else on the Lemond?... handlebars (Nitto), levers (Campy Record, Paul cross lever), tape (Bar Phat), hubs (ENO, Schmidt Dynomo), rims (Velocity Aerohead), tires and tubes (??), cranks, bottom braket, rim brake (original Ultegra components), disc brake (Avid mechanical disc), saddle (either Koobie PRS or AU Enduro), pedals (either speedplay X/2 or frogs), lights (E6 and DToplight), and for unsupported rides: rack (Tubus Logo), panniers (Arkel).
Whew!
John "is starting to taper" Spurgeon
posted by Sabertooth Salmon at 4:41 PM
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