It's flat here- and other century notes
05-26-09, 07:37 AM
#1
I got 99 problems....
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It's flat here- and other century notes
Only 1000 feet of climbing in my first century...hope it still counts
. Pulled a solo loop around Petenwell/Castle Rock Flowages in central Wisconsin.
It's the flattest area I've ever ridden. The 1000 feet is basically a 90 foot hill at mile 18, and twenty 50 foot mini-rollers in the last 15 miles. There was a stretch of about 35 miles where I never shifted once, and only used 3 gears for the whole ride. I really think that "too flat" is not helpful after a while, and certainly most boring.
Sorry, no pics, but I wanted to stop only when needed, so I could get an accurate ride time. I camp out there every Memorial/Labor Day, so I will be repeating the loop each time. I'd like to see some progress, and there is only one way to go but up. Total time was 6 hrs, 45 minutes, 104 miles. (6 hrs 23 min actual ride time).
My three tips:
- I'm glad I did it alone this first time. It's nice to be able to ride at your own pace. I believe it would have been more difficult to ride it with someone else, even if they were slower.
- Obviously, the saddle. I'm 216 lbs, and still have not found the perfect saddle for me. Zero pain after the ride, but it was torture there for the last 35 miles on the bike. That was what killed my time. On any little descent, I was standing up, giving my arse a break, instead of pedaling. I still had some legs left, but that pain just wore on me.
-Pace: I could have pushed myself harder in the beginning. I was not riding at my most efficient power output. I forced myself to go slower to conserve, but that was not the best approach.
. Pulled a solo loop around Petenwell/Castle Rock Flowages in central Wisconsin.It's the flattest area I've ever ridden. The 1000 feet is basically a 90 foot hill at mile 18, and twenty 50 foot mini-rollers in the last 15 miles. There was a stretch of about 35 miles where I never shifted once, and only used 3 gears for the whole ride. I really think that "too flat" is not helpful after a while, and certainly most boring.
Sorry, no pics, but I wanted to stop only when needed, so I could get an accurate ride time. I camp out there every Memorial/Labor Day, so I will be repeating the loop each time. I'd like to see some progress, and there is only one way to go but up. Total time was 6 hrs, 45 minutes, 104 miles. (6 hrs 23 min actual ride time).
My three tips:
- I'm glad I did it alone this first time. It's nice to be able to ride at your own pace. I believe it would have been more difficult to ride it with someone else, even if they were slower.
- Obviously, the saddle. I'm 216 lbs, and still have not found the perfect saddle for me. Zero pain after the ride, but it was torture there for the last 35 miles on the bike. That was what killed my time. On any little descent, I was standing up, giving my arse a break, instead of pedaling. I still had some legs left, but that pain just wore on me.
-Pace: I could have pushed myself harder in the beginning. I was not riding at my most efficient power output. I forced myself to go slower to conserve, but that was not the best approach.
05-26-09, 07:57 AM
#2
grilled cheesus
congrats. wondering how you calculated the elevation since no matter where you ride if you do 100 miles you are likely to top 1000 feet. later.
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05-26-09, 08:25 AM
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I got 99 problems....
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That's what I'm saying..it's friggin' flat! I think Bikely had the elevation at 1016 feet for the route.
https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...e-Rock-Century
05-26-09, 08:29 AM
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Nice job. Yes, it is funny to do 100 miles and only get 1,000 feet vert but it is what it is. 
Keep putting in mileage like that and weight will come down, and performance will go up pretty quickly.
Keep putting in mileage like that and weight will come down, and performance will go up pretty quickly.
05-26-09, 09:35 AM
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Heh. Yeah, that's old lake bottom from glacial Lake Wisconsin. Doesn't get much flatter than that.
05-28-09, 06:55 AM
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Nice going! My first century (1974) I stood up the last 10 miles because I couldn't sit down.
Frank
Frank
