Road Cycling - First Real Ride. Advise, please.

I am about to enter a "Tour de Cure," for the American Diabetes Association in May. I know it's not a lot for you seasoned riders, but for me 100k will be a first in a gradual climb toward more. I am riding a Cannondale Cyclocross which weights about 20 lbs., and is equiped with Armadillos 28s. My concern is gearing. This course has some flats and hills, and the bike is a double ring, 38-46, 12-25 on the back. Do you think I should switch the top ring to a 52? Also, with a little over 2 month before this charity ride, what training would you recommend? Thanks for the tips to come.

Cheers,

Urbanmonk

You don't need a 46. Go with the 52. I don't know the area you're riding in, but 38x25 should be enough for almost all hills.

If you regularly our peddle your bike with the 46, its time for a 52.

If you rode a singlespeed, you wouldn't have to worry about it...

I am about to enter a "Tour de Cure," for the American Diabetes Association in May. I know it's not a lot for you seasoned riders, but for me 100k will be a first in a gradual climb toward more. I am riding a Cannondale Cyclocross which weights about 20 lbs., and is equiped with Armadillos 28s. My concern is gearing. This course has some flats and hills, and the bike is a double ring, 38-46, 12-25 on the back. Do you think I should switch the top ring to a 52? Also, with a little over 2 month before this charity ride, what training would you recommend? Thanks for the tips to come.

Cheers,

Urbanmonk

I can't help you with your question. Sorry. I just want to give you a pat on the back for riding the TOUR-DE-CURE! I'm doing our local one this year too. "The Missouri River Ride." It used to have a century and a metric century option, but I think its only going to be a metric this year. :mad:

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I would also reccomend the 52. Do you ride cx? there the 42 is a great choice except if for example there is a lot of pavement and a paved finish sprint which I have been burned on with a 42. But for the road definatly a 52 you will be able to stay with other riders with out spinning out. Are those 28's road tires? if not maybey consider a 25??? just a suggestion. Last time I was out in N. Cal it was pretty mountainous. I personally would want a 27 on the back but If it is just rolling terraine 25 will be fine. Best thing would be go out and try some big hills. two months should be enough. work your way up to doing a few 50 mi rides a couple weeks before the tour and you will have fun on the metric...

You don't need to change anything on your bike. The only thing you might want to do is get some 23c tires for more speed but this isn't a race is it?

Your gearing is fine.

You don't need to change anything on your bike. The only thing you might want to do is get some 23c tires for more speed but this isn't a race is it?

Your gearing is fine.

I don't know I mean it's not too expensive to get the 52 and I think with out it people will be cruising rite by. Are you riding with any one or do you want to try to meet folks there to ride with? If so I think the 52 would help out...

One of the books I have (Edmund Burke's "Long Distance Cycling") recommends the following training schedule starting 10 weeks before a century (just change all the mileage figures to kilometers, or ~60% of these figures, if you're training for a metric century instead):

wk 10 77 mi total, 30 mi max ride
wk 9 86 mi total, 34 mi max ride
wk 8 98 mi total, 38 mi max ride
wk 7 108 mi total, 42 mi max ride
wk 6 119 mi total, 47 mi max ride
wk 5 131 mi total, 53 mi max ride
wk 4 143 mi total, 59 mi max ride
wk 3 153 mi total, 65 mi max ride
wk 2 155 mi total, 65 mi max ride
wk 1 70 mi total, 25 mi max ride (leading up to the century itself at the end of this week)

This assumes you've been riding a base mileage of 45-50 miles/wk. You'll notice it calls for about a 10-15% "bump" in mileage each week leading up to your century, and always suggests a rest day each week.

I think you'll be fine with the 46. You'll only be missing about the top 2 gears over running a 52, and on a long ride I only end up using those gears going downhill anyway. From my calculations, 46x12 is lower than 52x12 and 52x13, but higher than 52x14.