67.61 rpm average (25.8km/h)
161 rpm max (61.6km/h)
now 161rpm was absolutely flat knacker and I couldn’t maintain that for more than 5 seconds. My speed along the flats when I didn’t have a bloody headwind was between 30 and 35km/hr for the most part - there were a lot of rolling hills though. one 56km stretch didn’t have a flat bit at all except for the crests of hills.
All this makes me think of the Tour de France riders of the pre WWII era who rode fixed wheel bikes, with all their gear, 300km or more per day for a month with no rest days…screw that! Big respect.
Hey that’s an ace ride! Has anyone done a 200+k ride fixed? I saw an older guy in the round the bay ride last year on a fixie - looked like he was taking it easy too :/.
As for the early tour riders, even more impressive is the gear ratios they used:
“The gearing on early Tour competitor Jean Alavoine’s bike was 22 x 11 (with a modern half-inch chain, the gearing would be equal to 44 x 22).”
wow what a great site! I love reading about the conditions of the old tour. It’s been suggested that I run/participate in a race which follows the conditions of the early grand tours. If I ever get my Malvern Star working it’d be a prime contender!
tubulars around the shoulders, no assistance, no brakes or effectively no brakes, dirt roads, baguettes, goggles. What great fun.
Nails all over the road, bashings, sabotage - yeah ! That sounds like a top idea That site is a goldmine. I love the photos of the guys with the moustaches and the matching handlebars… or is it the other way?
Do you mean anyone here or just anyone? I’ve ridden (on gears) quite a long way with Steve Abrahams and Phil Chadwick, both Audax fixed-wheelers. See 63xc.com--Stories | Fixed Audax
if it’s flat and I don’t have to carry a bag like yesterday I’ll come. hallucinations anyone?
OT:
my dad once supported Christine Fernon on her record-breaking sydney to melbourne ride (53 hours I think?). Towards the end he had to ride with her to reassure her that the truck retreads littering the shoulder were NOT in fact crocodiles and they weren’t trying to attack her.
Opperman used Cyclo Oppy gears almost exclusively on road. Rod Evans used a freewheel when he beat Oppy’s track record, I think. I’m not sure about the American 24 hour records http://www.ultracycling.com/records/timedrecords.html
Nobody specifically records fixed wheel records AFAIK but the British time trialists mostly used fixed until the 60’s. According to http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/comprec.asp?Cat1=1&Cat2=7 that would put the record at around 20 mph for 24 hours, 50 years ago!
I know Steve Abrahams did 442 miles on fixed last year in the Mersey Roads 24.
Opperman was a pro cyclist. Cyclo was a British maker of derailleur gears (another Cyclo was a French maker of derailleur gears). Cyclo made a rear derailleur called the…
That site is a goldmine. I love the photos of the guys with the moustaches and the matching handlebars… or is it the other way?
