Mt. Washington + Fixed Gear?

I remember someone within the last ten years competed in the Hillclimb
Challenge on either an single-speed or a fixed gear bike. It's a non-
UCI race so minimum weights aren't regulated, and IIRC the rider said
that dropping the weight was of more value than losing the few gears
he'd actually use.

I've been trying to track down a pic of the bike and info on the rider
of little avail. Anyone have leads?

On Mar 24, 10:34*am, Scott Gordo wrote:
I remember someone within the last ten years competed in the Hillclimb
Challenge on either an single-speed or a fixed gear bike. It's a non-
UCI race so minimum weights aren't regulated, and IIRC the rider said
that dropping the weight was of more value than losing the few gears
he'd actually use.

I've been trying to track down a pic of the bike and info on the rider
of little avail. Anyone have leads?

A fellow I used to know on-line (it's been a while, I
didn't archive it, I don't even remember the venue)
rode that one year. He later confessed he _could_
have ridden it fixed gear (assuming a good ratio)
since after the first 200 yards or so, he stuck it in
his lowest gear and never shifted, nor stopped
pedalling until the top.

On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:34:53 -0700 (PDT), Scott Gordo
wrote:

I remember someone within the last ten years competed in the Hillclimb
Challenge on either an single-speed or a fixed gear bike. It's a non-
UCI race so minimum weights aren't regulated, and IIRC the rider said
that dropping the weight was of more value than losing the few gears
he'd actually use.

I've been trying to track down a pic of the bike and info on the rider
of little avail. Anyone have leads?

Dear Scott,

Dunno if it was in competition, but Mark Villegas climbed "Mt
Washington on a track bike with a time of 1hr20":
http://bikehugger.com/people/

You could email him and see if he has photos.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

There have been MANY riders compete on single speeds - probably 10 or
more per year. You won't win - you lose too much time at the start,
and on the flatter 8%-10% sections up top - but you can easily finish.

If you are looking for one specific rider, try the MWARBH discussion
group on the race web site.

On Mar 24, 1:57*pm, DailyEvil wrote:
There have been MANY riders compete on single speeds - probably 10 or
more per year. *You won't win - you lose too much time at the start,
and on the flatter 8%-10% sections up top - but you can easily finish.

If you are looking for one specific rider, try the MWARBH discussion
group on the race web site.

I see. No, wasn't looking for a particular rider, I was looking more
for a pictorial of "Gearless Bikes Of The Mount Washington
Hillclimb".

Preferably with swimsuits.

Norman wrote:

A fellow I used to know on-line (it's been a while, I
didn't archive it, I don't even remember the venue)
rode that one year. *He later confessed he _could_
have ridden it fixed gear (assuming a good ratio)
since after the first 200 yards or so, he stuck it in
his lowest gear and never shifted, nor stopped
pedalling until the top.


How about coming back _down_ in a low fixed gear?

Art Harris

On Mar 25, 4:52*pm, Art Harris wrote:
Norman wrote:

A fellow I used to know on-line (it's been a while, I
didn't archive it, I don't even remember the venue)
rode that one year. *He later confessed he _could_
have ridden it fixed gear (assuming a good ratio)
since after the first 200 yards or so, he stuck it in
his lowest gear and never shifted, nor stopped
pedalling until the top.

How about coming back _down_ in a low fixed gear?

Art Harris

I don't beleive they let anyone bike back down again, even with drag
brakes, parachutes, and new Keds.

Brian Huntley wrote:

How about coming back _down_ in a low fixed gear?

Art Harris

I don't beleive they let anyone bike back down again, even with drag
brakes, parachutes, and new Keds.


There's only one road up to the top, so they have to come down the
same way.

Art Harris

Art Harris wrote:
Brian Huntley wrote:
How about coming back _down_ in a low fixed gear?
Art Harris
I don't beleive they let anyone bike back down again, even with drag
brakes, parachutes, and new Keds.


There's only one road up to the top, so they have to come down the
same way.

Art Harris

Bicycles are normally banned on Mt Washington, they are allowed
(obviously) for the race, but only going up. Racers have to use motor
vehicles to get back down.

Peter Cole wrote:
There's only one road up to the top, so they have to come down the
same way.

Bicycles are normally banned on Mt Washington, they are allowed
(obviously) for the race, but only going up. Racers have to use motor
vehicles to get back down.


OK, I guess that makes sense. A friend of mine climbed Mt Washington
(solo, not part of a race) around 1980. I remember him saying the trip
down was pretty scary due to the steepness, and bus traffic.

Art Harris