Road Cycling - Break times on long rides?

This question is direct mainly at regular guys that ride centuries. I am preparing to ride my first century this summer. This will be the Diabetes Association's Ture-de-Cure Missouri River Ride.

My questions are:

How often do you stop when on the long rides?

What and how much food would you consume at the rest stop?

This ride has stops about every 10 miles with refreshments etc... Seems like a lot of them.

Thanks,

Bob

Ah, Tour De Cure, my only Century so far. After several metric centuries, the best advice I've ever received was not to stop for more than 10 minutes, even at the lunch stop. At 50 years old, stopping too long is bad for my legs. After a 45 minute lunch stop on a metric, it took me 10 miles to warm back up. It seems kind of simplistic, but the person that told me is an experienced rider. The other good advice I got was to not start out like a horse in a race, take it easy and enjoy the scenery.

It's all personal preference but I would start with two bottles and some food in my pockets, (homemade powerbars rolled into small bite size balls). Ride about half distance, fill up the bottles and eat a banana or piece of fruit cake then eat the rest of the food that I started with. One planned stop and maybe another for a quick pee break if needed. Just keep riding and stay on the bike as long as possible.

CHEERS.

Mark

I would not stop more than once per hour and I make them quick stops at that. Keep hydrated and eat every hour and do not stop long enough to cool off.

I've only done 50 but 40 every sat and i dont stop.I would rather slow for a few and rest that way.A few of your fav bars and a good meal the night before and a good breakfast should do the trick i would think.Since i've never done 100 i could be fos.
Oh,have fun,i bet its over in no time.

This question is direct mainly at regular guys that ride centuries.
Bob

I have ridden a few centuries, but am definitely NOT a regular guy! So, I will delete this response if you request.

But, the centuries I have ridden generally have 5 - 6 rest stops. About every 20 miles, and that seems to me to be fine.

A short stop is best, but at times the porta-potty lines get a bit long, and it just takes longer.

I have ridden a few centuries, but am definitely NOT a regular guy! So, I will delete this response if you request.



Hi Denver! Your input is most welcome. The reason I asked for comment from, "regular guys" is that I am still working on getting fit. Lets face is, there are some great athetes on the forums that may pose a significant difference on how to apporch this topic. (not to say you are not) :) Thanks for your input!

Thanks to the other fellows as well. We'll see how my old 1978 Raleigh Grand Prix 10 speed performs on the century in May or June...

Wish me luck..

Don't stop unless nature calls. Eat while moving (practice this in training)...at least every 45 minutes (to prevent the bonk). This applies mainly if you have a time goal, such as sub 5 hour.

Never done a century. I have done 70 fairly intense miles with no stopping, so I'm guessing that 30 more and no breaks probably wouldn't have been all that big a deal.

So my answer is no stopping.

I've done a century a month now for over a year.

Unless you're in a hurry, stop about every other rest stop to grab some of the fruit and refill your water bottles.

Don't linger too long. Ten to fifteen minutes max, and don't sit down. Stay on your feet moving around as much as possible.

A century is just a matter of pedaling for a longer period of time AND having fun at it. Don't make it an ordeal.

I am 59 (soon 60) and have done several centuries and a couple of double centuries, as well. The first 100 miler I did (almost two years ago) and the last (about three months ago) have nothing in common. That is, with practice, it gets easier.

Most orgainized rides have planned stops. It is up to you whether to take them or not. On my first 100, the stops were about every 13 - 15 miles. I blew through the first, stopped briefly at the second and longer at the 3rd. I passed the last one - basically 'cause I just wanted it to be over!

Several folks have replied suggesting that you should eat some fruit or other food. It's up to you but I have found that fruit (other than bananas) does not sit well with me. Too acidic, maybe. I avoid most fruit and furit-based snacks.

I would encourage you to select a good Carb gel - Gu, Cliff Shot, etc. My personal favorite is Hammer Gel - but it's not too easy to find. Take one dose per hour - more frequently if your feeling spent. The company that makes Hammer Gel also offers two great fueling liquides - Sustain Energy and Perpetuum. These are made for endurance rides of 3 hours or more - and by a company that is owned by and supports long-distance cyclists and endurance athletes. The stuff can be hard to find - go to E-Caps (http://www.e-caps.com) and you'll find a way to locate a local dealer (as well as a ton of info about endurance cycling, including prep for a century).

A few other quick points. Set yourself a goal that is more than 'just to finish.' You will finish :rolleyes:! I mean a goal like time, avg speed, number of stops - something that you need to train for and that you can measure progress against during your training and at the event. Second, ride at least one 75 miler doing (and eating) all the things you plan to do and eat during the event. Among other things, this will get your butt adjusted for the long-hours in the saddle! Finally, ride with friends who are at your experience level and share your desire.

After you do one century, the rest are easy - you'll be soon riding 100 - 120 miles every Saturday and wondering what you were worried about!

I like to go 30 miles to the first stop, then 20 there after. That leaves 10 miles to go after the 90 mile stop. I always tell myself I can make 10 miles more.

I'm one of those that just plain doesn't stop. I carry 90oz of sustained energy drink, hammer gel and go for the duration......usually racing some other nutcase like me that I find.

Wow, Seeing how the last time I did a century ride was over 14 years ago ( I am now 25 years old ) we never took rest stops. Did I miss out on something? The only time we took rest stops during long rides were if we went to a pre determined stop and turned right around and came back. Then we would stop and get a quick snack and off we went.

I've done a few centuries. I really never need to stop but always stop at each rest stop about 20-25 miles. When I do I try to keep the stops quick. The longer you stop the harder it is to get going again.

Wow, Seeing how the last time I did a century ride was over 14 years ago ( I am now 25 years old ) we never took rest stops. Did I miss out on something? .

You gotta stop and view all the purty flowers and scenic vistas.

Stopping hurts more.

What and how much food would you consume at the rest stop?

This ride has stops about every 10 miles with refreshments etc... Seems like a lot of them.

Thanks,

Bob


If you train properly for the ride you will learn what and how much food works best for you. When you hit the rest stop you'll know about what to pick out of the selection. Eat some while you're there and be sure to stick plenty in your jersey pockets to nibble while you ride.

Every ten miles is far too often to stop; ideally I like to stop for about 10 min. at about 25-50-75 miles.

If you ride with friends don't let yourself get caught up in a hammerfest early in the ride or you will pay for it later. Pace yourself and ride your ride.

Enjoy.

Either on tours or century rides,I usually find about the same treatment...Every 20-30 miles the organizers have a rest stop with power snacks or power drinks... Cyclists should consume about 12 oz. of fluids each hour..That is about the right distance for such concerns..
Some real racers did the whole 100 miles with hardly a stop.
My rear hurts just to think of that kind of pace.
I find that just quick breaks really helps to cut the pain, keeps the ride more enjoyable, and in the end- motivates you to do better..

Well, I have done quite a few centuries. I vary in the number of stops I take. The minimum I have taken is one stop. I usually like stopping for a short time every 90 minutes or 2 hours. The notion in that is to get off, fill my water bottles, and get the pressure off my contact points for a few minutes and to take a fast "pit stop". I find if I stop every now and then, the contact points don't start really hurting... at least usually. I do snack when I stop and that does help after the first 50 miles or so.

Here in Florida, I have seen people ride straight through on a century, but they always seem to have van support to give them food, water and stuff. I hear that they relieve themselves whilst on the bike. I am NOT in that big of a hurry that I can't stop and water the local flora on a ride.

zealot-

I think your liquid intake is way too low. A bottle an hour, more if it is in hot or dry conditions.

When I did the HHH 2 years ago I stopped every
10, but that was to refill bottles, unfill bladder and
grab some fruit (banana) and go. With a ride like that
its easy to run out of liquid between stops due to heat. Longest I would go there would be 30 miles before stops.
Marty

I am definitely a regular guy. Rest stops every 10 miles sounds excessive to me. So does riding a century with no stops. In general, I like about five stops in a century. I eat a little and pee at each stop. I don't stay more than about 10 minutes. In general I don't have trouble with my legs stiffening up, though. I've been known to laze around gabbing at a rest stop for a half hour or more.

Rest stops are kind of a balancing act. You need to eat enough to keep going, but not so much that it weighs you down. You need to drink enough to stay hydrated, but not so much that you have to pee every 3 minutes. The best teacher is experience. After you've ridden a century or two, you know better what your body needs. Every body is different.

I suppose I could ride a faster century with fewer stops, but that doesn't sound like fun to me. Ride (and rest) in the way that you enjoy.

It sounds like everybody is different so just play it by ear.Feel like stopping,stop,dont feel like it,keep riding.Just carry a couple of bars.

The MS150 has stops every ten miles and that is just how I like it.

Stop. Take two minutes to stretch quads and hamstrings, back and torso muscles. Then grab a muffin or whatever they are giving out. Use the porta-john if I need to. Then get back on the bike feeling refreshed and ready to charge.

Total stop time about 5 to 8 minutes.

Every 10 miles????

in 104 degree heat every 10 miles is a pretty good
idea, Just because the stops are there doesn't mean
you have to use em.
One thing I did notice was I drank more water knowing
I didn't have to make it stretch for 20 miles or more.

Marty

Good point about the water.

If it were 104 I'd probably do 50, stop for one minute, fill up with water and go.

I don't want to do 150 miles on 104 heat.

The weather has a lot to do with it. I stop at every rest stop but how long I stay really depends on how I feel. If I am feeling good I just do some quick stretches and go.

There's some good advice in the previous responses. It appears to be general sentiment that stopping for much longer than 5-10 minutes can be bad. My experience isn't great bu I have done a few MS150s and a handfull of centuries. Generally, I stop about every 25 miles give or take a wee bit. The reason for stopping is to replenish fluid bottles. If I don't need to refill, I don't stop. Food intake for me is best if it's very minimal. A banana or maybe a candy bar and then back on the bike. I've experienced tremendous cramping from stopping for too long (15-20 minutes) and then getting back on the bike.