NCMTBIKER
11-01-09, 06:46 PM
I have been riding now too months.The most i have ridden at one time is 23 miles.Any tips or advice on how to prepare to do a century?Thanks alot:thumb:
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Wanting to do a century any tips?
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10 Wheels
11-01-09, 06:51 PM
Work you way up to 75 mile rides.
If you can ride 75 miles you will able to ride 100 miles.
Just pace yourself on the century as to not burn out to soon.
Rode 60 miles Sat, 101 miles today.
If you can ride 75 miles you will able to ride 100 miles.
Just pace yourself on the century as to not burn out to soon.
Rode 60 miles Sat, 101 miles today.
10 Wheels
11-01-09, 06:55 PM
Learn to eat and drink while riding.
Stand up and pedal in a high gear to stretch and increase blood flow in your back and sore butt.
Stand up and pedal in a high gear to stretch and increase blood flow in your back and sore butt.
NCMTBIKER
11-01-09, 06:57 PM
ok thanks alot..any more advice..anyone??
rdtompki
11-01-09, 07:12 PM
Use the search function. There are a lot of threads on the same subject.
10 Wheels
11-01-09, 07:15 PM
The more you ride the stronger you will become.
What problems did you have with 23 mile rides?
What problems did you have with 23 mile rides?
CbadRider
11-01-09, 07:21 PM
Clothing/shorts that are fine for 25 miles can be torture devices at 60 miles. Do your longest training ride in the clothes you plan to wear for your century.
Will you be doing a local "official" ride, or just riding on your own?
Will you be doing a local "official" ride, or just riding on your own?
barturtle
11-01-09, 09:09 PM
Welcome to the joy of cycling.
First, locate a good club in your area. A good club will have a variety of ride lengths and speeds to allow yourself to grow as a cyclist.
As you ride more (which you'll really need to do, if you want to actually enjoy riding 100 miles) figure out and solve any fit problems to make sure you are as comfortable as possibly. Just because something feels good at 25 miles, doesn't meant it will feel as good at 50 or 75 or 100 miles.
Gradually increase distance. work your way up riding gradually longer routes until you are comfortable at that distance (hell ride it until you think it's a nobrainer before increasing again)
Take a good bicycle mechanics class, as this will allow you to deal with any issues that may occur unexpectedly on the road.
As you ride, pay attention to your food and hydration needs. Learn how much you need and how often, and make sure you have access to it, either by carrying it or having places to stop to acquire it.
First, locate a good club in your area. A good club will have a variety of ride lengths and speeds to allow yourself to grow as a cyclist.
As you ride more (which you'll really need to do, if you want to actually enjoy riding 100 miles) figure out and solve any fit problems to make sure you are as comfortable as possibly. Just because something feels good at 25 miles, doesn't meant it will feel as good at 50 or 75 or 100 miles.
Gradually increase distance. work your way up riding gradually longer routes until you are comfortable at that distance (hell ride it until you think it's a nobrainer before increasing again)
Take a good bicycle mechanics class, as this will allow you to deal with any issues that may occur unexpectedly on the road.
As you ride, pay attention to your food and hydration needs. Learn how much you need and how often, and make sure you have access to it, either by carrying it or having places to stop to acquire it.
chewybrian
11-02-09, 01:54 AM
Eating turns out to be more critical than you might think, after you start riding a couple hours or more. Make sure you take in a couple hundred calories every hour on the hour, but not much more than that. You can get some from gatorade, and some from solid foods. It should be mostly carbs.
When you are training 40 miles or more, you will be able to learn what you can handle. If you fail to eat enough, you will bonk and feel terrible. Eat too much, and you can get indigestion.
When you are training 40 miles or more, you will be able to learn what you can handle. If you fail to eat enough, you will bonk and feel terrible. Eat too much, and you can get indigestion.
Machka
11-02-09, 02:41 AM
Some tips for riding a century:
http://www.machka.net/articles/century.htm
http://www.machka.net/articles/century.htm
NCMTBIKER
11-02-09, 06:59 AM
Clothing/shorts that are fine for 25 miles can be torture devices at 60 miles. Do your longest training ride in the clothes you plan to wear for your century.
Will you be doing a local "official" ride, or just riding on your own?
On my own right now
Will you be doing a local "official" ride, or just riding on your own?
On my own right now
StephenH
11-02-09, 11:37 AM
Just keep riding, work your way up to longer distances, see how it goes.
Keith99
11-02-09, 01:11 PM
Welcome to the joy of cycling.
First, locate a good club in your area. A good club will have a variety of ride lengths and speeds to allow yourself to grow as a cyclist.
As you ride more (which you'll really need to do, if you want to actually enjoy riding 100 miles) figure out and solve any fit problems to make sure you are as comfortable as possibly. Just because something feels good at 25 miles, doesn't meant it will feel as good at 50 or 75 or 100 miles.
Gradually increase distance. work your way up riding gradually longer routes until you are comfortable at that distance (hell ride it until you think it's a nobrainer before increasing again)
Take a good bicycle mechanics class, as this will allow you to deal with any issues that may occur unexpectedly on the road.
As you ride, pay attention to your food and hydration needs. Learn how much you need and how often, and make sure you have access to it, either by carrying it or having places to stop to acquire it.
Good advice. I'll echo one. Pay attention, if it bothers at 25 miles, it will hurt at 50 and may end yuor ride before 100.
One thing that can be nice when increasing distance is to have done part of the ride before. Few things are worse than being spent on a course you have never been on. Spent and on 10 miles you have done many times, well you know you can do it.
Speaking as a big guy, also remember climbing is a consideration. Be sure you can handle the verticle on whatever century you want to do. I did not do an organized century until I had doen an organized double (unless you count a 160 mile clube ride 2 weeks before the double as an organized century). The thing is it was not the miles that got to me, it was the verticle feet. Some centruies are pretty flat, others are climbing hell. Be ready for the one you will be doing.
Oh and the reason I wrote this post. DO NOT do anything new on the century. This is no tthe time to try that new energy drink or food, or the new saddle or shoes. I'm not saying to avoid what the organizers provide, that is taking things too far, especially as some centruies have some very nice food. But remember if you have the big lunch with the great cake start out from lunch easy.
First, locate a good club in your area. A good club will have a variety of ride lengths and speeds to allow yourself to grow as a cyclist.
As you ride more (which you'll really need to do, if you want to actually enjoy riding 100 miles) figure out and solve any fit problems to make sure you are as comfortable as possibly. Just because something feels good at 25 miles, doesn't meant it will feel as good at 50 or 75 or 100 miles.
Gradually increase distance. work your way up riding gradually longer routes until you are comfortable at that distance (hell ride it until you think it's a nobrainer before increasing again)
Take a good bicycle mechanics class, as this will allow you to deal with any issues that may occur unexpectedly on the road.
As you ride, pay attention to your food and hydration needs. Learn how much you need and how often, and make sure you have access to it, either by carrying it or having places to stop to acquire it.
Good advice. I'll echo one. Pay attention, if it bothers at 25 miles, it will hurt at 50 and may end yuor ride before 100.
One thing that can be nice when increasing distance is to have done part of the ride before. Few things are worse than being spent on a course you have never been on. Spent and on 10 miles you have done many times, well you know you can do it.
Speaking as a big guy, also remember climbing is a consideration. Be sure you can handle the verticle on whatever century you want to do. I did not do an organized century until I had doen an organized double (unless you count a 160 mile clube ride 2 weeks before the double as an organized century). The thing is it was not the miles that got to me, it was the verticle feet. Some centruies are pretty flat, others are climbing hell. Be ready for the one you will be doing.
Oh and the reason I wrote this post. DO NOT do anything new on the century. This is no tthe time to try that new energy drink or food, or the new saddle or shoes. I'm not saying to avoid what the organizers provide, that is taking things too far, especially as some centruies have some very nice food. But remember if you have the big lunch with the great cake start out from lunch easy.
Greyfox2
11-02-09, 08:11 PM
All good advice.
Eat and drink, early and often.
Make sure you've done at least 60-75 comfortably before trying a century.
Set a comfortable pace. Remember, don't burn yourself out early. On the other hand, at some point you need to get there and get your body off the bike. Don't make the pace too relaxed.
Eat and drink, early and often.
Make sure you've done at least 60-75 comfortably before trying a century.
Set a comfortable pace. Remember, don't burn yourself out early. On the other hand, at some point you need to get there and get your body off the bike. Don't make the pace too relaxed.
bicyclridr4life
11-02-09, 11:31 PM
just pretend you ride 25 miles to the store, (where you discover you forgot your wallet), ride 25 miles home for wallet, ride 25 back to store, then 25 miles home again. That makes 100 miles seem a lot less. :D
GLA
11-03-09, 02:39 AM
I'm new to this forum (I'll introduce myself in another thread) but bicyclridr4life touches on an important concept for riding long distances. Break it down to digestable chunks. If you're not used to a century, break it down. Sometimes I use known distances to help me through, "It's just a short trip around the lake" equals 40kms.
On my 400km qualifier for the last PBP I was not really fit and it was really hot, so I seriously broke the ride down into 8 x 50km sections - not ideal, but it got me through. The head plays a really important role in getting through long distances.
Good luck NCROADBIKER as you head off for longer distances.
On my 400km qualifier for the last PBP I was not really fit and it was really hot, so I seriously broke the ride down into 8 x 50km sections - not ideal, but it got me through. The head plays a really important role in getting through long distances.
Good luck NCROADBIKER as you head off for longer distances.
skiffrun
11-03-09, 02:05 PM
Just keep riding, work your way up to longer distances, see how it goes.
+ 1
Just start riding longer; winter in NC is a good time to start doing longer rides. Pick days when the temps are expected to be mild. Much easier to build endurance when you are not also having to learn how to deal with the heat and humidity. Eat foods and drinks you can get on the route.
Enjoy the ride.
Ride for the enjoyment.
+ 1
Just start riding longer; winter in NC is a good time to start doing longer rides. Pick days when the temps are expected to be mild. Much easier to build endurance when you are not also having to learn how to deal with the heat and humidity. Eat foods and drinks you can get on the route.
Enjoy the ride.
Ride for the enjoyment.
yrrej
11-03-09, 05:51 PM
Just a small hijack...
If I ride a 30 mile loop and stop and have lunch and perhaps change shorts and then do the
loop again, have I done a sixty mile ride or two 30 mile rides?
Jerry
If I ride a 30 mile loop and stop and have lunch and perhaps change shorts and then do the
loop again, have I done a sixty mile ride or two 30 mile rides?
Jerry
CbadRider
11-03-09, 07:13 PM
Just a small hijack...
If I ride a 30 mile loop and stop and have lunch and perhaps change shorts and then do the
loop again, have I done a sixty mile ride or two 30 mile rides?
Jerry
You have done a 60-mile ride, provided your lunch stop was about 1 hour and not 3-4 hours. Most people need to stop and eat on long rides.
If I ride a 30 mile loop and stop and have lunch and perhaps change shorts and then do the
loop again, have I done a sixty mile ride or two 30 mile rides?
Jerry
You have done a 60-mile ride, provided your lunch stop was about 1 hour and not 3-4 hours. Most people need to stop and eat on long rides.
skiffrun
11-06-09, 05:43 PM
If I ride a 30 mile loop and stop and have lunch and perhaps change shorts and then do the
loop again, have I done a sixty mile ride or two 30 mile rides?
Yes.
loop again, have I done a sixty mile ride or two 30 mile rides?
Yes.