Does that sound like a recipe for disaster? I'm in decent shape, I just started really training for the race, it will be in August. Is a realistic goal to complete the race on a mountain bike? How much of a difference would a road bike make? My goal is to finish, they will close the course at the 60 mile mark approx 5 hrs after start time, after you make that you can take as long as you want to finish. BTW, this will be in August, in Texas (hence the name Hotter n Hell 100). Any words of advice from the experienced riders?

Check in the Texas forum- there's a stickied post on it in there. The folks here in the LD forum do these things for warmups.

Ride the same bike on some other longish rides (Paris, Texas, comes up in a few weeks, for example) and you'll have a pretty good idea what you're up against, in terms of effort, seat comfort, heat, etc. As many people as they have there, they're bound to have people on just about every thing you can imagine. In the Texas forum there is also a stickied post about other Texas rides (links to lists of rides, specifically) and you can find a couple of charity rides in the meantime that'll let you get 50 or 60 mile rides in.

With no wind and minimal uphill, the 60 miles in 5 hours should be no problem- that's 12 mph, not too hard to maintain, even for me on my cruiser bike. Wind might be different. I suspect that last 40 miles is the problem, not the first 60.

Nah, no worries. We had a guy on a mountain bike doing a 200K road ride this weekend. Be sure you're used to the bike, and in good shape. Hydrate well, and if you can help it, ride in the company of others on event day. The wind break that they can provide will be quite helpful.

Steve

Get some narrow slicks, Conti Sportcontact 1.3 or Gatorskins for instance. That will make a big difference compared to knobbies.

I see plenty of people up here on MTB's doing centuries. Two friends of mine have Stumpjumpers with locked-out front suspension which they've put 700c disc wheels on. They aren't super fast (11-13mph avg) but they've done 3 centuries this year on those bikes.

(I worry that they'll be faster than me when they get their new Co-Motion roadies this week!):eek:

If you're in decent shape, you shouldn't have any problems. A road bike will be comfier, but on a MTB with slicks 60 miles in under 5 hrs and then 40 miles more isn't that difficult (I'm assuming fairly flat terrain and little wind). Keep hydrated!

I did the HHH once. I vowed never to return....ever...ever. Did I mention ever. I arrived in town the evening before the ride and it was 108 degrees. Yes, 108 in the evening. Suppose it wasn't the best day to try my first century. They closed Hell's Gate (the 60 mile point you are referring to) at least an hour early, possibly two hours early due to the extreme heat. It was just plain misserable out there. I've never tried it on a mountain bike so I can't add any insight on that issue. I'm sure that adding road tires would be a good idea. As for the course itself, it is actually pretty easy but take note, at mile 80 or so you turn back toward town so you can expect the joy of a headwind added to the misery of the heat.

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll get some slicks and see how they ride. I'm guessing that pumping them to their max pressure is best to reduce rolling friction?

Last year I saw a guy do it on roller blades, so yes you can do it on a MTB. Get smooth tires, pump them up, lock out the suspension if possible and get to peddling.

*Update*
I just got back from the Vernon Burnin. I averaged 17.7 over the 62 mi. All of my training has been by myself, I'm amazed at the differnce in speed when you have a few bikes in front of you to break up the wind.
Looking forward to Saturday.

Get a set of slicks. Carry enough water (bottles or Camelbak) that your feet don't touch the ground for the first 40 miles. For Hell's Gate "Hopefuls" the key is to keep moving and don't lose time at rest stops. Its very easy to lose half an hour total if you do five stops before Hell's Gate.

The high on Saturday of HHH day is currently forecast to be 90 degrees. That's positively cool for a Texas summer day in the Red River valley, so Hell's Gate probably won't close before 12:30.

I rode to Electra and back the weekend before last and the 30 mi point was where I ran out of water, so i think one stop thats just long enought to fill up the old camelback will get me to Hells Gate with plenty of time to spare.

Just saw this old post- it got up to 95 or 97 or so in the afternoon of the HH100. I made the hundred miles myself, first century. Got to Hell's Gate with about 15 minutes to spare. It was a little hillier than I anticipated. And slower at the beginning, I didn't factor that it. Took about 10 minutes to start moving, then another 5 miles or more before I could get up to speed. (Had the forecast been for 108, I would have stayed home, by way. I'm game for a ride, but don't want to be doing any deathmarch out there, either.)