Singlespeed cycle touring

Thinking of using my Langster for a cycle tour I have coming up. The ride starts in Wales and ends in Suffolk, 5 days/100miles.

I’m sure you all know that the Langster has 700c wheels. So, my question is what gearing should I choose?

BB

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/singlespeed-bike-touring

EDIT and to answer the OP: 63″

If you have to ask…

Seriously though = how much kit are yo8u taking? How hilly is it? What are you used to?

I don’t think I’d bother myself – it could work out OK, it could also be miserable.

stoner is a fan though.

One that you feel comfortable with. I guess if you’re only doing 20 miles a day, choose something very easy.

My mate Markus just did 2400km doing the Lejog with some hefty diversions on the way back. He was fully laden for at least half of that on a singlespeed Swobo something-or-other. He was running 42-18 I believe, didn’t blow his knees up and managed to maintain a decent pace for most of that.

I’d probably go with a similar gear if there’s any hills involved, although I wouldn’t be attempting his ^ mileages any time soon…

Sorry, if I didn’t make it clear. It is 100 miles per day for 5 days.

I’m asking because my Langster is my commute bike that does 10 flat miles a day normally. I’ve never thought about doing real miles on it? Hence the worry about the ratio.

BB

averaged 110 miles per day for five days down the spanish side of the pyrenees on that trip linked to above.

why are you thinking of doing any miles on it now?

anyway, it depends what kind of climber you are predominantly i’d say, i’m hoping not a sit and spin..

that and the people you’re doing it with, cos it will be no fun for anyone if you’re spinning out on the flat either..

i.e. the biggest you can get up big hills on

Thanks Stoner, will spend tomorrow reading your blog whilst pretending to work!

And while you are in the mood for answering my numpty questions, what sort of pace do you aim for whilst touring at about 100 miles pr day?

BB

90prm at 63″ is about 17mph cruising speed.

BB – Im always around if you have any queries, or drop me a PM.

I did a tour recently, average about 70 a day, finishing 5-7pm IIRC, I found it hard (in Europe tho and sometimes hilly)

JCS – because all my other bikes are race bikes with no easy way of carrying kit on, the Langster has mountings for rack and panniers.

I’ll be riding solo, so no problems there.

Anyway I am hoping to average about 15mph over the course of the 500 miles so i don’t think spinning out will present too much of a problem.

BB

just dug out my log book from the trip and it goes:

120, 127, 123 and 125 miles for four days averaging 23mph riding around 5 hours a day.

(they were pretty, big, flat days on the ebro valley)

Wow! When I “tour” (with a full complement of gears I might add), I reckon on around 11-12mph. Maybe I just stop and look around too much?

I’d get yourself up to big distances then. What feels a reasonable gear at 10 miles, is going to feel a lot different at 90. That’s the only real way you’ll be able to work out what the right gear for you is.

I wouldn’t be aiming for 23mph averages though. Those time trial records while fully laden should be left alone.

I just stop and look around too much?

youve not been to the ebro valley 😉

LOL just double checked. theyre kph 🙂 damned vino.

which makes more sense 15mph averages, on 80 mile days 😛
still only 5hrs riding though.

I’m used to big distances, just not on a ss, hence the question on gearing.

I will be travelling light as I am B&B touring rather than camping.

Thanks again for all the helpful hints,

BB

That’s what I just said to my son.
I said, “That Stoner, he normally seems like a sound guy but right now he’s talking rubbish!”

He thinks your playing with our heads. 😉

reviewing pencilled scribbles made 5 years ago. Its why Im not a doctor I think.

Bianchi-Boy, I’d serioulsy consider putting one of these:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carradice-tour-saddlebag-c-w-sqr-16ltr-prod3693/
on your race bike. You’ll easily have enough space if you’re just staying in B&B’s.
100 miles a day in not inconsiderable. Pack lite, no need to make it harder than it is.
I just got back from a trip down through France, distances were 115, 125, 103, 125, and 40 miles at an average of 14mph. That’s 9 hours saddle time a day, not including any stops for map reading and eating etc, which will easily add 3 hours. So you may be looking at 12 hour days. You don’t want to be cursing your gear choice for 12 hours a day or the amount of weight you’re carrying in your panniers. That’s my thinking anyway.
Other thing is, get going early. If you start at 6am, you’ll finish at 6pm, so any faffing you can add on to that 6pm finish and soon you’ll be losing daylight.

i ran 32:18 on my last SS tour …. how ever it was mtb 😀

if i was on road laden then 42;18 or 42:19 but i have in the past done a 200k audax carrying a fair chunk of weight in panniers on it on 40:14 – that made hills tough and i was **** the next day ..

suggest in the region of 42:18

id get a caradice sack and stick it on your langster tbh …. forget panniers for bnb touring …like stoner i went for a carradice for a camping tour recently – it was tight – without camping kit – spacious 😀

If you’re not used to doing the distance on a SS, I’d use the geared bike and travel lighter.

Actually, I’d travel lighter anyway. If you’re just riding each day, and it’s only for 5 days, do you need a rack and panniers? Stoner’s trip above just used a Carradice bag and didn’t Brant do a mini tour in France years ago using some shin guards strapped to the bars to carry kit?

Good luck and enjoy the ride Ian.
I’d get incredibly frustrated doing 100 miles per day on a singlespeed but then again, I get fed up on a singlespeed doing my 10 mile commute.
It wouldn’t surprise me if you decide to do it fixed wheel and I reckon you’ll be home quicker than you estimate. 15mph average? You’ll do higher than that.

i did a tour on my Langster a couple of years ago with a couple panniers and what i found was that the main issue was the 23mm tyres. you could do with bigger but a Langster frame won’t take much if any bigger.

when we go off now fixie touring, we have Ortlieb bar bags and a wee seat pack, that does just fine. I run 48×19 and the GF runs 44×18.

if it’s mainly flat, i’d go with 42:16, a bit rolling 42:18.

Sounds like you’re going light. i recently did mini tour in the peaks (Sheffield to Buxton with detours) with the gf – fully laden with all our camping stuff. 42:16 was borderline manageable up the steeper stuff – there was a lot of heaving going on!!!

On a spesh singlecross.

I’d serioulsy consider putting one of these:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/carradice-tour-saddlebag-c-w-sqr-16ltr-prod3693/
on your race bike.

+1

This is what I did this summer for a tour across Europe. I’ve done a few longer rides on my SS road bike but wouldn’t consider it for
touring if I had the option of a road bike.

how about fitting a SA 2 speed kick back hub gear to the langster?

for SS a gear i would aim for a 62 or 64″ so 42×17 42×18 ish

or for you geared bikes

or as above get an SQR bag

or large ortlieb saddle pack (3 litre) and a bar bag