rpc180

80 rpm, 90?

17mph, 20?

I'm just starting road cycling and have no clue what work up to. I'm pretty exclusive on the big ring in the front and just change the rears to go up inclines unless its something 20 degrees or higher (don't know how hills are classed).

I want to eventually do a century (my goal for next season in about 7 hours?). I figure the big ring in the front, I guess the middle rings in the back. I figure a good pace would be 16-17mph and between 80-90rpm.

I'm basically hitting those now but I have to work on my endurance; anyone have any tips? Also, open to different averages if you guys with more experience have other ideas!

55/Rad

Your time will vary dramatically, as will the gear combinations you use, depending on the terrain you are riding.

For example - I use a completely different setup (bike and gears) to do a 20 mph FLAT century as opposed to a 15 mph HILLY century.

Don't worry about other peoples times and gears. Worry about doing the best YOU can.

55/Rad

Kenal0

My goal for my first century is just to finish. I will worry about time on the next one. I will report time on Monday morning.
KL

DamnRock

I'm doing my first century at the tour de cure october 8th in bentonville, arkansas...

currently my furthest ride is 51 miles at 17.4mph, I usually spin around 90rpm. I plan to ride between 60 and 75 miles each of the 3 saturdays between now and the tour. I'm typically in the 17mph range for anything > 20 miles... 18 - 20mph for anything under 20 miles. For the century, not flat but not hilly... I plan to focus on finishing with a speed in the 15 to 17 range if I can... but speed doesn't matter on your first century... just ride a good comfortable speed and finish and THEN you have a benchmark.

Also, don't worrya bout what chainring you're in... just worry about cadence... keep a good rhythm and use whatever chainring is necessary to keep that cadence.

Rock

Cadd

I just completed a 90 mile ride. Avg 12mph (the stop & go traffic in NYC doesn't help). IMO, it's not about how fast you can go, it's about how much you enjoyed your ride.

I really enjoyed my 90 mile ride.

spingineer

If you could do < 6 hour century, you're doing pretty good. I wouldn't concentrate on average speed too much, especially if the century you are doing has hilly terrain. Just concentrate on finishing your first century, and see how you did. You can then use that as a reference point, and determine how hard you need to train.

ccrnnr9

I just did a century on Sunday (it was part of the MS150...did 76 miles the first day and 105 the next) and I averaged 16.5mph. I was pretty proud of that. I think if I were racing it I could have improved a little but overall Im satisfied, especially considering it was my first century. Another thing to remember, make sure you have fun...100 miles is a lot of work to put in to not get any enjoyment out of. I had a good time taking pictures while riding and just cruising and talking to other riders.
~Nick

Avalanche325

For your first century, your goal should be to complete it. Period.

I have done centuries with 3000ft of climbing and with 7500ft of climbing. You can't compare the two in time or average speed. Also, very few centuries are exactly 100 miles. Most organized ones are a little over.

squeegy200

I've never given too much weight to overall speed because my goal was always to train with the intention of building enough fitness to enjoy the entire ride. (vs. struggling to survive the distance)

merlinextraligh

echo the cadence advice. Try to spin around 90rpm. As for how hard and how fast, doing your first century try to never go into the red zone. Keep a comfortable pace for you. You'll pay for early hard efforts later in the ride. So ride the hills in a gear you can spin without going anerobic.

KevinF

As others have said, your first century is more a learning experience then anything else. What to drink, when to eat, how long / often to stop, etc. If you are ready to ride a century, you'll intuitively know what cadence works for you. Just ride your first one.

I've been riding about a dozen centuries a year for the past three years now. I have never used or wanted a cadence-equipped computer in all that time. I just know what works for me. You will too. If you want to train to increase your cadence, then by all means, do it. But if you've found that you're comfortable on your long rides pedalling a cadence of say 80 (which a lot of people would consider slow), don't suddenly start a century day thinking "oh, I gotta keep it above 90".

rpc180

Thanks for the advice; I think 90rpm is attainable and to just finish is really a better goal than a time run. I think to train I'll have to start to get out of the city and hit the country roads further south

yakimatt

You may have heard "Hydrate or Die" or something to that effect. Especially important on Century's is to keep hydrated. Also ciritcal is to Nutrate constantly. You need lots of carbs, regardless of your speed and cadence. Feed your muscles at every rest stop or you may loose your legs by mile 75 regardless of cadence and speed. Just a suggestion of additional points you may want to consider.

ccrnnr9

Get a couple of your buddies together the night before and do a power hour with water...fun and effective

Lucky07

Just did the NYC Century (my first) and am recovering nicely. If you were a vet of many centuries, I'd say go for some time/goal. But riding 100 miles for the first time is difficult enough for a first timer.

My goals were to finish in decent shape and before they closed down the last rest stop. I accomplished both of those goals and did it at a nice leisurely pace. (12mph).

I ate a big dinner (pasta) the night before, and a good breakfast the morning of. I also made myself eat and drink at every rest stop and along the way.

zac

Averages.

At top condition, you should be able to average for 100 miles what you can average for say 20-30 miles at a fast pace. (Not an all out TT pace, but fast none-the-less).

The key as the above posters have said, is to learn how to eat and drink. You are basically linking together a 5+ 20 mile ride segments (or 4+ 25 mile segments). Not many of us can ride 20 miles without staying hydrated. Not many of us can ride over 30-40 miles without needing to eat.

Sure you wont feel the effects of not eating right away, as your body starts to burn reserves. You can easily ride 40 without eating, but you will get hungry after your ride and when you eat you will replenish those lost reserves. The difficulty in a century, is that you have to start replenishing before you stop riding or you will run out of fuel (bonking). However, you tend to forget to eat when on a long ride, or you dont eat enough, or not on time, because by the time your body feels "hungry," it is already too late. For instance: What you don't eat at mile 20 you wont pay for until mile 40 or 50. On the other hand you can eat too much and cramp.

Ride the same cadence you feel most comfortable with (usually works out for most people at 80+ rpm.) I ride naturally at about 96-112 rpm, that's what works for me. Anything under 92 or so and I feel sluggish and bogged down. As for avg mph: I can ride a "fast" very hilly 31 miles (50k) at just over 22 mph. I could not sustain that pace for much more than that distance, but I easily do moderately hilly century type distances at 20.8 mph (I have 4 this summer in at 20.7, 20.8 20.7 & 20.8 mph, go figure) I have three very difficult climbing centuries (101.5, 98 and 122 miles) with the last one involving two significant mountain climbs at 18.5, 18.6 and 18.6 respectively. In all of my centuries for the last 15 miles I purposefully try to keep the pace above 25 mph. For my flatter centuries, my pace ranges from 21.6 to 22.1 (must be head winds or whatever.)

Good luck, keep riding
Zac

SteveE

My centuries usually average a tad over 100 miles.