Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

VIDEO: The Pyrenees - on a fixie - in 12 hours

Just 12 hours to conquer 5 peaks... The man with legs of steel

Live the nearly never-ending pain of riding the Pyrenees on a fixie in this new video, in which Swiss cyclist Patrick Seabase takes on five Pyrenees passes, 309 kilometers and more than 7611 meters in altitude on his fixed gear bike in a staggering 12 hours.

In an homage to the legendary 1910 Tour de France stage, the ride begins under a full moon at 4am with the monstrous Col de Peyresourde.

Seabase told SBS the achievement felt easy: "I felt as if somebody was pushing me up that mountain. After five kilometers with an moderate ascent, there were 12 kilometers with a gradient of 8 to 12 per cent," he said.

"Still, I made it up there better than I had expected."

The former German cycling pro Danilo Hondo was with Seabase throught the journey, a fact that Seabase credits with his success.

"From the beginning, I had to remind him to eat and drink enough, not to start out too fast, and finally I had to help him on during those dark moments by telling him that the next flat stretch was coming up and he would be able to recover," Hondo said.

"I really don’t know how I made it here.For the first time in my life I had doubts as to whether I was good enough, whether I would be able to achieve what I had planned," Seabase said.

"The Osquich was really getting me down. Afterwards, my legs felt as if somebody had been beating them with a cudgel.

"What did those pioneers that cycled this stage in 1910 do to themselves?"

"I am the kind of guy who likes reaching his goals. This has been the first time that I have announced an accomplishment beforehand, this has put me under additional pressure, and I am extremely glad that I have made it."

Add new comment

14 comments

Avatar
J90 | 9 years ago
0 likes

Should be pro.

Avatar
WolfieSmith | 9 years ago
0 likes

Not impressed. In these days of Boris bikes up Ventoux, Choppers on the TDF and Penny Farthings over the Tourmalet whilst wearing petty coats (I might have dreamed that last one..) surely a unicycle would be a challenging fixie?

Avatar
giff77 | 9 years ago
0 likes

He was on a 47/17 alotronic. Read it on another site. That's some feat. I use a 48/16 and there's actually not that much in it. Chapeau!

Avatar
vonhelmet replied to giff77 | 9 years ago
0 likes
giff77 wrote:

He was on a 47/17 alotronic. Read it on another site. That's some feat. I use a 48/16 and there's actually not that much in it. Chapeau!

Blimey. I use 48*18 on my single speed and that's tiring enough on the deliberately flat rides I take it on!

Avatar
alotronic | 9 years ago
0 likes

Love to know what gear he was riding. And no brakes?!?!?!

There's sone background on this ride here: http://www.redbull.com/uk/en/bike/athletes/1331696490328/patrick-seabase

Avatar
Freddy56 | 9 years ago
0 likes

Why? springs to mind.

What ever happened to enjoying cycling. Fecking wall pissing ideas of wannabe silverback cyclists. Some muppet will now do it with two punctures and a missing saddle.

Legs and forehead of steel

Avatar
gareth2510 replied to Freddy56 | 9 years ago
0 likes
Freddy56 wrote:

Why? springs to mind.

What ever happened to enjoying cycling. Fecking wall pissing ideas of wannabe silverback cyclists. Some muppet will now do it with two punctures and a missing saddle.

Legs and forehead of steel

Why not?? And hats off to the next unconventional approach to tackling these climbs. Im all for it, its their own way of enjoying cycling. Dont be so bloody negative

Avatar
Housecathst replied to gareth2510 | 9 years ago
0 likes
gareth2510 wrote:
Freddy56 wrote:

Why? springs to mind.

What ever happened to enjoying cycling. Fecking wall pissing ideas of wannabe silverback cyclists. Some muppet will now do it with two punctures and a missing saddle.

Legs and forehead of steel

Why not?? And hats off to the next unconventional approach to tackling these climbs. Im all for it, its their own way of enjoying cycling. Dont be so bloody negative

Part of me agree's. I did a 1000 miles in 8 days last your on a fixie for a charity ride. Partly because it was the only bike I had at the time and partly to see if I could.

I now have a lovely geared road bike too.

Avatar
gareth2510 replied to Housecathst | 9 years ago
0 likes
Housecathst wrote:
gareth2510 wrote:
Freddy56 wrote:

Why? springs to mind.

What ever happened to enjoying cycling. Fecking wall pissing ideas of wannabe silverback cyclists. Some muppet will now do it with two punctures and a missing saddle.

Legs and forehead of steel

Why not?? And hats off to the next unconventional approach to tackling these climbs. Im all for it, its their own way of enjoying cycling. Dont be so bloody negative

Part of me agree's. I did a 1000 miles in 8 days last your on a fixie for a charity ride. Partly because it was the only bike I had at the time and partly to see if I could.

I now have a lovely geared road bike too.

Chapeau!!

Avatar
Matt eaton replied to Freddy56 | 9 years ago
0 likes
Freddy56 wrote:

Why? springs to mind.

What ever happened to enjoying cycling. Fecking wall pissing ideas of wannabe silverback cyclists. Some muppet will now do it with two punctures and a missing saddle.

Legs and forehead of steel

Riding and climbing fixed is an absolute joy. It can be tougher depending on the terrain but riding fixed is about enhancing the experience not making hard work for the sake of it.

Avatar
birzzles | 9 years ago
0 likes

no tarmac in 1910 either. Rough roads, but I think they had 2 gears - a cog on each side of the rear wheel, you flipped the wheel to change gear.

Avatar
DrJDog replied to birzzles | 9 years ago
0 likes
birzzles wrote:

no tarmac in 1910 either. Rough roads, but I think they had 2 gears - a cog on each side of the rear wheel, you flipped the wheel to change gear.

But the bikes weighed twice the amount.

Avatar
Paul J | 9 years ago
0 likes

He went full fixie, no caliper brakes, it looks like.

Avatar
ianrobo replied to Paul J | 9 years ago
0 likes
Paul J wrote:

He went full fixie, no caliper brakes, it looks like.

interesting technique on slowing down on the switchbacks !

Latest Comments