"starter" double century? [Archive]

cccorlew

12-08-07, 06:51 PM

t4mv

12-08-07, 07:02 PM

Davis

PrincessZippy

12-08-07, 07:20 PM

The Cal Triple crown site has a page devoted to this topic.

http://www.caltriplecrown.com/#startrides

I've done both Solvang and Davis. Solvang is the easier of the two in my opinion. You might look at doing some of the Davis bike club brevets to see if you really like the longer rides.

A double requires being on your bike a LOT longer than a century. I averaged 14.5 MPH on the Solvang double and I was on my bike about 13 hours or so. That's a long time. :) I'd already done some 200Ks and some long, hard training rides so I had an idea of what to expect.

The harder doubles will of course take longer. I think each of my three this year was like 17 hours. :rolleyes: Bike fit and comfort are essential. So is a good eating plan. I spent the four months before my first double figuring out what to eat. Maybe your stomach will be different, but what I want at mile 50 is NOT what sits well at mile 150.

Let me know if you'd like to join me on some training rides. I tend to pretty much train on my own - too slow to ride with the other insane double riders and most of my friends don't want to to do 100 mile rides with 10,000 feet of climb. I just don't get it. :D

Veronica

jobob

12-08-07, 07:29 PM

I tend to pretty much train on my own - too slow to ride with the other insane double riders and most of my friends don't want to to do 100 mile rides with 10,000 feet of climb. I just don't get it.

:p

tprevost

12-08-07, 07:54 PM

The Cal Triple crown site has a page devoted to this topic.

http://www.caltriplecrown.com/#startrides

I've done both Solvang and Davis. Solvang is the easier of the two in my opinion. You might look at doing some of the Davis bike club brevets to see if you really like the longer rides.

A double requires being on your bike a LOT longer than a century. I averaged 14.5 MPH on the Solvang double and I was on my bike about 13 hours or so. That's a long time. :) I'd already done some 200Ks and some long, hard training rides so I had an idea of what to expect.

The harder doubles will of course take longer. I think each of my three this year was like 17 hours. :rolleyes: Bike fit and comfort are essential. So is a good eating plan. I spent the four months before my first double figuring out to eat. Maybe your stomach will be different, but what I want at mile 50 is NOT what sits well at mile 150.

Let me know if you'd like to join me on some training rides. I tend to pretty much train on my own - too slow to ride with the other insane double riders and most of my friends don't want to to do 100 mile rides with 10,000 feet of climb. I just don't get it. :D

Veronica

V~ You'd fit right in with the SoCal bunch... next time some of them come up, please come and ride! :D

PrincessZippy

12-08-07, 08:06 PM

Hey Jo,

Thom is paying for his fast paced climb up Diablo today. :rolleyes: He's tired! No knee pain for me yet. This is good. :)

Veronica

jonathanb715

12-08-07, 10:14 PM

Two of the toughest rides I did this year were the 2 halves of the Devil Mountain Double (day 1 - Diablo, Morgan Territory, Altamont/Patterson Passes, then back through Livermore to Danville; Day 2 - Mines Rd, Mt. Hamilton, Sierra Rd, Calaveras Wall (just that last section), then back to Livermore (ok, we skipped Palomares and Norris Canyon)).

I have no idea how people do all that in one day - both rides were very tough. I have a huge amount of respect for anyone who can do it - even the "easier" doubles.

JB

spingineer

12-08-07, 11:09 PM

When training for a double, you have to not think about distance when you are training. Doing a century shouldn't be a big ordeal, and should be a common weekend ride. Throw in a few double metrics, and some 150 milers, so that you build up your stamina.

I did 3, and only 3 last year. It does take a lot out of you, and I just didn't have the motivation to go for a 4th and 5th one. I just concentrate turning my crank!

Oh, and I agree with Princess Zippy ... Solvang in Spring is easier. However, Davis support is the best.

taxi777

12-08-07, 11:38 PM

I noticed in the socal/norcal mileage thread some talk of double centuries.

I'm toying with the notion of possibly trying one this summer.
It may well be over my head, but I thought I'd think about it. I need some sort of goal this season.

I did STP, 100 miles back to back. But I'll be doing that with my wife, so doing it as a double is out.

What's the easiest one in Nor Cal? Likely reasonable weather, no huge climbs, and generally good as a first effort.

Hey Curtis, The Davis is one of the easiest and like Ron said really well supported and a lot of fun. It goes by really fast. In 87 I did 12 1/2 hours, don't think I could do that now. I'm around 14 hrs now. We're pretty evenly matched I think, so you'd have no problem and I'm sure you'd enjoy the day.
Pete

SesameCrunch

12-09-07, 08:13 AM

Hey Curtis, The Davis is one of the easiest and like Ron said really well supported and a lot of fun. It goes by really fast. In 87 I did 12 1/2 hours, don't think I could do that now. I'm around 14 hrs now. We're pretty evenly matched I think, so you'd have no problem and I'm sure you'd enjoy the day.
Pete

Pete, Curtis:

I'm looking for a starter Double as a goal for next year, too. If you guys do Davis, let me know, and <gulp> I'll join you <crossing fingers behind my back>.

taxi777

12-09-07, 09:50 AM

Pete, Curtis:

I'm looking for a starter Double as a goal for next year, too. If you guys do Davis, let me know, and <gulp> I'll join you <crossing fingers behind my back>.

Yep, I'm absolutely doing it! so consider it a plan. It would be fun doing the ride with you. We'll have a great time. Let's start planning and see if we can get some more Bf'rs to join in. It would be great if we could get a Flagship tandem crew to lead the parade! anyone of you in?
Pete

cccorlew

12-09-07, 10:09 AM

Hummmm. Davis. Their site doesn't have 08 scheduled yet, but it was May last year. That's pretty early early in the season for me. I'm not out of school till about then and training might be pretty tough with my work schedule. But then again... What with a daily bike commute and weekends... hummmmm.
I'm going to add it to the definite maybe column. I think I'd better start looking for what it takes to get ready.

HEY PrincessZippy (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=99228).
I do what to do some ride with you one of these days. After all, you live so very far away.... Maybe we'll get some reasonable weather over winter break.

jobob

12-09-07, 10:41 AM

I was hoping to do Solvang Spring as my first DC, but I think I need to do some more double metrics before I commit (or, be committed :D ) to a DC. So perhaps Davis. We shall see.

Depends on how soon P-Zip can whip me into shape. :p

PrincessZippy

12-09-07, 12:22 PM

spingineer

12-09-07, 01:31 PM

Davis does have the Cobb Mt. climb. I had SO much fun going down that on the Knoxville Double this year. Of course the climb up Loch Lomond was not so much fun. I think that's where I hurt my knee.

Jo you whip yourself into shape. All I do is offer encouragement and someone to draft. :p

Veronica

+1 on Loch Lomond. I was riding with my friend Lynn Katano (double century veteran), and she warned me about Loch Lomond. It kicked my ass. Had to walk it about 300 yards, till I could pedal up again.

Jo,
Wanna do some training rides with me? :D

SesameCrunch

12-09-07, 02:01 PM

Yep, I'm absolutely doing it! so consider it a plan. It would be fun doing the ride with you. We'll have a great time. Let's start planning and see if we can get some more Bf'rs to join in. It would be great if we could get a Flagship tandem crew to lead the parade! anyone of you in?
Pete

OK, count me in. For Christmas, I'm getting a Brooks saddle for my long distance bike, so I'll be sure to break it in by then. Hope it helps with the TB (tired butt) syndrome. I'll ask for some lights too.

cccorlew

12-09-07, 04:55 PM

PrincessZippy

12-09-07, 05:13 PM

You could read my training blogs on our website for my first year of doubles. There are 5 of them called Devil Mountain Dummy I through V. :D After that I started writing just about the doubles, not my training.

My husband did research for me on how to train. I use my HRM a lot to keep me in the right zone. Your commute is kind of flat and while good chunks of Davis are flat, Cobb Mt is not. I want to say it has a mile or two of 11%???? I know I was very excited to be going DOWN it for Knoxville. So, you'll probably want to do climbing on the weekends. You'll probably want to start a good core program too.

Veronica

taxi777

12-09-07, 05:45 PM

Wow. I've been talking with my wife figuring out how i can get ready for a May event like this. I guess the first step to doing something is to think about it and ask questions.
I'm (cough)54(cough) years old and would like to be able to say I'd done a ride like this. The window is closing, my biological clock is ticking, I'm not getting any younger and I'm running out of cliches ....

OMG! Curtis I'm 53 and I was trading sprints with 20 30 olds with a broken rear rim on the last 50 miles, although I did pay for it. In 08 I'm gonna try a textbook double like Zippy, HRM and so forth, so you'll be in good company. You have plenty of accumulated seat time, so don't even worry about it! By the time you've hit 50 your ass should be like an old Brooks saddle from the 50's:) . BTW Cobb mountain descent was horrible with the broken wheel, couldn't get over 35 mph.
Sesame glad your in , looking forward to riding with you. I have a great Davis training ride up here so we'll have to meet up down the road.
Pete

Red Rider

12-09-07, 06:50 PM

Wow. I've been talking with my wife figuring out how i can get ready for a May event like this. I guess the first step to doing something is to think about it and ask questions.
I'm (cough)54(cough) years old and would like to be able to say I'd done a ride like this. The window is closing, my biological clock is ticking, I'm not getting any younger and I'm running out of cliches ....

Yeah, well, I'm (cough) younger than you (cough) and Chris & I have been discussing a double, too. Come ride the Lake Loop with us (www.monticellocycling.org and look under "Rides"). We love this on the tandem, and it's part of the the Davis Double as well as the Tour de CA. It's a great training ride for the DD.

Work on those cliches; there's no age limit on memorizing new ones. :D

spingineer

12-09-07, 07:33 PM

Hey, don't start with that age thing. My good friend, Clem, is 71, and he completed 6 doubles this year, and he has ridden 54 in his career. So age 54, that's young.

SesameCrunch

12-09-07, 07:33 PM

OMG! Curtis I'm 53 and I was trading sprints with 20 30 olds with a broken rear rim on the last 50 miles, although I did pay for it. In 08 I'm gonna try a textbook double like Zippy, HRM and so forth, so you'll be in good company. You have plenty of accumulated seat time, so don't even worry about it! By the time you've hit 50 your ass should be like an old Brooks saddle from the 50's:) . BTW Cobb mountain descent was horrible with the broken wheel, couldn't get over 35 mph.
Sesame glad your in , looking forward to riding with you. I have a great Davis training ride up here so we'll have to meet up down the road.
Pete

For the record, I'm in the 50+ category also. Not ready to throw in the towel yet, though :).

Hey, this will be fun - to train and ride the first double century with you(s)...

t4mv

12-09-07, 07:44 PM

... Their site doesn't have 08 scheduled yet, but it was May last year.

You can pretty much count on the DDC being the 3rd Saturday of May every year, which would make it the 17th.

msincredible

12-10-07, 10:27 AM

I'm game to try it too assuming the timing works out with my crazy schedule.

cccorlew

12-10-07, 11:09 AM

Yeah, well, I'm (cough) younger than you (cough) and Chris & I have been discussing a double, too. Come ride the Lake Loop with us (www.monticellocycling.org (http://www.monticellocycling.org) and look under "Rides"). We love this on the tandem, and it's part of the the Davis Double as well as the Tour de CA. It's a great training ride for the DD.

Work on those cliches; there's no age limit on memorizing new ones. :D

That's 54 mile ride with a climbing rating of 10, and the web site says it take about 3 hours? That's almost a 20mph average if you don't ever stop. You guys are animals.

Red Rider

12-10-07, 11:33 AM

That's 54 mile ride with a climbing rating of 10, and it say you take about 3 hours? That's almost a 20mph average if you don't ever stop. You guys are animals.

I don't see where I said it takes us three hours. On a half-bike, maybe, but not on the tandem...yet...:D

cccorlew

12-10-07, 11:49 AM

I don't see where I said it takes us three hours. On a half-bike, maybe, but not on the tandem...yet...:D

Is this it?

Lake Berryessa Loop

Type: Loop

Distance: 54 miles

Climbing: 10

Scenery: 11

Road Quality: 7-10

Overall Difficulty: 10

Overview: This is one of the more challenging rides in the area. It's not the longest ride; however, the climbs up to the damn and just past Markley Cove (also known as Cardiac Hill) are very difficult. This is often the Monticello Cycling Club's route for the Saturday and Sunday rides. Ride can be remote, make sure to bring necessary supplies. Ride will take about 3 hours.

SesameCrunch

12-10-07, 12:57 PM

I'm game to try it too assuming the timing works out with my crazy schedule.

Allright! We can all suffer together :eek:...

rydaddy

12-10-07, 01:14 PM

Next year's Davis Double will be my first double.

The Terrible Two in 2009 will be my last double :eek:

taxi777

12-10-07, 02:07 PM

Yeah, well, I'm (cough) younger than you (cough) and Chris & I have been discussing a double, too. Come ride the Lake Loop with us (www.monticellocycling.org and look under "Rides"). We love this on the tandem, and it's part of the the Davis Double as well as the Tour de CA. It's a great training ride for the DD.

Work on those cliches; there's no age limit on memorizing new ones. :D

Hey, I'd be interested in making the drive, (weather dependent) for that one if you guys set it up... not too early in the AM: though:(

PrincessZippy

12-10-07, 05:06 PM

Is this it?

Lake Berryessa Loop

Type: Loop

Distance: 54 miles

Climbing: 10

Scenery: 11

Road Quality: 7-10

Overall Difficulty: 10

Overview: This is one of the more challenging rides in the area. It's not the longest ride; however, the climbs up to the damn and just past Markley Cove (also known as Cardiac Hill) are very difficult. This is often the Monticello Cycling Club's route for the Saturday and Sunday rides. Ride can be remote, make sure to bring necessary supplies. Ride will take about 3 hours.

Pretty ride. You have to remember that there are not very many hills near Davis. It's a challenging ride for the area. If this ride is ranked as a 10, the Diablo/MT ride you did would be a 15 plus I think. It's mostly rollers other than the climb up Cardiac. Cardiac isn't that steep or terribly long, don't let it scare you. :D If you got a nice paceline going and did not do frequent regroups, it could be done in 3 hours. Or maybe they mean 3 hours of actual ride time, not stand around and yak time. :rolleyes:

Veronica

mtnwalker

12-10-07, 05:24 PM

Pretty ride. You have to remember that there are not very many hills near Davis. It's a challenging ride for the area. If this ride is ranked as a 10, the Diablo/MT ride you did would be a 15 plus I think. It's mostly rollers other than the climb up Cardiac. Cardiac isn't that steep or terribly long, don't let it scare you. :D If you got a nice paceline going and did not do frequent regroups, it could be done in 3 hours. Or maybe they mean 3 hours of actual ride time, not stand around and yak time. :rolleyes:

Veronica

Does this mean that the Davis Double is a fairly flat course? If so then is that course easier than the Coastal Century that SesameCrunch led a few months back?

PrincessZippy

12-10-07, 05:35 PM

I didn't do SesameCrunch's ride. :D Davis has about 8,400 feet of climbing in 205 miles. It's pretty flat.

Compare that to Diablo with 3,000+ in 11 miles.

You can see how much climbing for all the doubles here.

http://www.caltriplecrown.com/schedule.htm#altimeter

If you're thinking about doing doubles the CalTriple Crown web site has a plethora of information.

Veronica

SesameCrunch

12-10-07, 06:27 PM

Does this mean that the Davis Double is a fairly flat course? If so then is that course easier than the Coastal Century that SesameCrunch led a few months back?

The Coastal ride was abaout 4,500 ft for the 100 miles, so the elevation profile is similar.

ConstantRider

12-10-07, 07:04 PM

The course for the Davis Double had to be re-routed at the last minute this year due to fire. I'm not sure how much that ended up changing the total elevation and the way the elevation is concentrated, but the way it worked with the last-minute out-and-back route was that the first sixty miles were extremely flat, the middle eighty had all the climbing, and the last sixty were extremely flat too. So while there wasn't as much overall climbing as some doubles, in those eighty miles there was a lot of climbing. And as some people have already mentioned Cobb Mountain was pretty tough. I had more trouble with that than I did anywhere on the Mt. Tam Double.

The other thing to keep in mind is that it is easy to get carried away on the pacelines on the Davis Double. I was working at least as hard on the flats as I was on the hills. Obviously, you can control that by dropping off pacelines that are moving too fast or never jumping on in the first place -- but it's hard to resist when you see a bunch of tandems cruise by and you figure you can hop on for some "easy" miles. Those easy miles had me exhausted (and my knee throbbing, unfortunately) before I even reached the hills.

taxi777

12-10-07, 07:12 PM

The other thing to keep in mind is that it is easy to get carried away on the pacelines on the Davis Double. I was working at least as hard on the flats as I was on the hills. Obviously, you can control that by dropping off pacelines that are moving too fast or never jumping on in the first place -- but it's hard to resist when you see a bunch of tandems cruise by and you figure you can hop on for some "easy" miles. Those easy miles had me exhausted (and my knee throbbing, unfortunately) before I even reached the hills.
I made that mistake this year after the 2nd time over Ressurection hill I jumped a really fast tandem group and held on for dear life till Rumsey. I kept getting stuck behind some knucklehead with a horrible sporatic cadence and it just killed me... I almost dropped out of the ride at the airport fire station after sprinting with some younger riders just for a joke!!!

mtnwalker

12-10-07, 07:26 PM

The Coastal ride was abaout 4,500 ft for the 100 miles, so the elevation profile is similar.

Argh, in that case I'll need to put in more centuries before I try a double. That Coastal ride took a lot out of me. I don't think I can paceline with anyone unless the paceline is only runing 16-18 mph. I wonder if there is a century option?

Red Rider

12-10-07, 08:22 PM

Is this it?

Lake Berryessa Loop

Type: Loop

Distance: 54 miles

Climbing: 10

Scenery: 11

Road Quality: 7-10

Overall Difficulty: 10

Overview: This is one of the more challenging rides in the area. It's not the longest ride; however, the climbs up to the damn and just past Markley Cove (also known as Cardiac Hill) are very difficult. This is often the Monticello Cycling Club's route for the Saturday and Sunday rides. Ride can be remote, make sure to bring necessary supplies. Ride will take about 3 hours.

Oh, there it is...in the description.:o I've not done it in 3 hours hence my initial confusion.

If you've ridden up Diablo then this loop will be no big whoop. I say go for it! Chris and I will put the ride together. Let me consult the master calendar.

And anyone interested -- how about some input as to day and date?

cccorlew

12-10-07, 08:49 PM

Oh, there it is...in the description.:o I've not done it in 3 hours hence my initial confusion.

If you've ridden up Diablo then this loop will be no big whoop. I say go for it! Chris and I will put the ride together. Let me consult the master calendar.

And anyone interested -- how about some input as to day and date?

We're free (at least at this moment of Monday night) 12/22 or 12/29 if the weather looks OK. I'll commute in the rain, but I'm not doing "fun" in the rain.

Rushfan

12-25-07, 02:04 PM

Argh, in that case I'll need to put in more centuries before I try a double. That Coastal ride took a lot out of me. I don't think I can paceline with anyone unless the paceline is only runing 16-18 mph. I wonder if there is a century option?

No century option. The Davis Bike Club century is the Foxy Fall Classic in October.