Road Cycling - Which one is easier ?

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ronyex
03-31-04, 02:38 PM
Option A: 80 miles of flat road and then 20 miles of climbing 2000ft.
Option B: 135 miles of flat road.(with a neglible climb of ~1000ft over the last 40 miles or so)

Option A:most likely that the section with the climbing (the last 20 miles) will be with tailwind
of 10-15 knots (15-20mph).
All other parts of both rides will probably have lateral wind.

I fantasize about going looooooooong.

Retro Grouch
03-31-04, 05:18 PM
Option A: 80 miles of flat road and then 20 miles of climbing 2000ft.
Option B: 135 miles of flat road.(with a neglible climb of ~1000ft over the last 40 miles or so)

Option A:most likely that the section with the climbing (the last 20 miles) will be with tailwind
of 10-15 knots (15-20mph).
All other parts of both rides will probably have lateral wind.

I fantasize about going looooooooong.

I think that it's at least 50% mental. It seems to me that no matter how long or how short or how hilly the ride, the last hill always seems hard and the last mile always seems long. I think that the hardest rides I've ever ridden were ones when I was psyched up to ride some set distance and the ride turned out to be a bit longer.
Avalanche325
03-31-04, 06:20 PM
There is bound to be a good calorie calculator out there. I haven't seen one that takes hills into account. Anyone.............................Anyone.............Bueller?

RiPHRaPH
04-01-04, 10:21 AM
i like to get into a rhythm, so i'll pick option A. the little rolling climbs takes more out of me.
cwodave
04-01-04, 11:39 AM
I think for a first long ride you should go with the 80 miles. You might find the seat more trouble than the hills. Nuttr Buttr or some other cream for the chamois will help though.

Good luck.

Dave
SteveE
04-01-04, 11:52 AM
I think Option A would be easier. 2000 ft over 20 miles isn't much climbing if the grade is constant; especially if there's a tailwind. If the 2,000 ft are mainly short, steep rollers, you'll feel it more at the end of a ride. Usually, my tookus (sp?) is ready to quit after 100 miles.
fogrider
04-01-04, 12:45 PM
I can't even do a century now! but I agree with cowodave, the saddle is what you should worry about when you get over 75 miles. Having ridden almost all of miles in the san francisco bay area, I can't imagine a ride without some hills. For rides longer than 75 miles, I recommend you hooking up with a paceline...I think its not how many hills you climb, or how many miles you ride, its how many hours you're in the saddle.