Road Cycling - I have a question ...

Originally had this in another thread but thought I should open a new one ...

I just started riding recently :D and like a dope, volunteered to ride with my wife on an MS ride which in itself is no big deal. The problem is, we are doing the 100k (60 miles) in one day.
Is this a feasible thing for me if I ride a lot between now and then (May) :confused: ? Basically just started riding after 8 or 9 years of no riding at all.

:beer:

Dont worry 100k is within the capability of anyone who is not injured or disabled (and I know many disabled people who do that every weekend).

You need to bring your fitness level up so you can be active for about 8 hours.
You need to become accustomed to riding for long periods of time.
You dont need super-strong legs or athletic training programs.

The best training is to get out and ride. Start at 5miles (1/2hr), and gradually increase to 20 (2hrs). You need to do a couple of 50mile rides at weekends and you will be in good shape. Use your bike rather than the car for any local transport.

Dont worry about how fast you go, ride at a comfortable pace, between 10-15mph.
Make sure the bike fits you well, that you have a firm, comfortable saddle. Pedal at about 80rpm in an easy gear, rather than pushing hard against a big gear.
The best and cheapest way to make your bike more efficient is to fit tyres which are smoothe and high pressure (not fat knobbly ones), and fit toe-clips to your pedals (unless they are modern racing clip-in pedals!).

Wear helmet, gloves and bike shorts. Carry a puncture repair kit inc spare tube, and some food and water.

What do you think about a gel seat-cover? I've got a nice bike but my crotch needs to get used to the seat.

If you ride a few miles every day, you will find that your seat will become accustomed to the saddle in about a week. Some saddles are more comfortable than others, but the main thing is you just have to ride regularly to condition your tush. If you change saddles there is a short period of reconditioning your backside to the new saddle. Gel covers/very padded saddles provide some relief on short rides, but can actually become uncomfortable on longer rides because your seat is constantly squishing around without good support.

Saddle position is important. Your saddle should be pretty much level. Tilted forward it throws your weight onto your hands to keep you from sliding off. Tilted too far back is not good either. My straight saddles are more comfortable pretty much perfectly level. Saddles with a slight curve are more comfortable with the nose just slightly elevated so the back part of the saddle is closer to level. Try level. If you feel like you are having to support yourself too much with your arms to keep from sliding forward, tilt back just slightly. But again, your bottom will need several days of consistent riding to get conditioned so nothing will be totally comfortable until you go through that process.

You should be able to do it.

Some advice

1) Ride on the weekends at least.
2) Do a ride of 40 miles plus before the BIG DAY.
3) On weekdays if you don't ride, do some sort of aerobic activity for 40 minutes minimum on most days - a fast walk is fine.
4) Get you bike set up so that it is comfortable. Sixty miles is about 4 hours on the bike.
5) Have suitable clothes - chaffing on a 60 miles ride is NO FUN.
6) I would suggest having either shoes with very stiff soles or get cycling shoes so the pedals do not bite into your feet. Better yet go with a clipless pedal system like SPD.
7) Learn to drink frequently while riding. Dehydration is not fun. You should drink a water bottle per hour.
8) Learn to pace yourself. Going too fast too soon can make you bonk on a long ride.

A gel seat cover will be useless after 15 minutes on the saddle