Originally Posted by
El Gigante
A lot of variables factor into a century, and its hard to make generalities - wind, elevation gain, traffic can all factor in to your average speed. Like many folks on this thread have said, its best to start at the beginning, not end of the start window, and make sure to take full advantage of rest stops, (but don't linger too long). The hardest part of the ride will be the last 20, so make sure you've saved some gas in the tank and you'll do fine.
+1
A lot of people spend 15-20 minutes at each stop. I try to spend as little time as possible at intermediate stops and allow about 30 minutes for the main lunch stop. Time off the bike adds up quickly.