gonesh9

For the Memorial Day weekend a large group of friends and I go camping. Every year it's in a different location, but is always way out in the wilderness, and always a great time.

I really want to load up the 520 and ride the 100 miles to the chosen site, but really have no idea how long it will take me. I am in pretty good shape, and commute 8 miles each way every day, but I do notice that I'm not as fast as most of the other riders I come across on the road.

I'm not planning on taking too much gear-- just a sleeping bag, warm clothes, some food, lotsa water, and a few other small items. I've got a large Vaude handlebar bag, and medium size Cyclesmith panniers. The ride will be pretty flat, down the middle of the Willamette Valley. I don't have a cycle computer, so I really don't know how fast I usually ride. I would imagine I ride at an "average" pace for non-racer types. I am not worried about not being able to make it, as I have pretty good endurance, and I'll be excited about seeing all my friends from college...

Thanks for any thoughts on this. I really just want to know how early I should leave home to make sure I get there before dark...

SinGate

I rode a Century (106 miles actually) last year and it took me just under 8 hours on a road bike with no extra gear. The ride did however include a few side stops to the tune of about an hour off the bike.
My guess is that loaded with gear and taking an occasional break you should expect to be on the bike for nothing less than 8 hours. Don't forget to lube yer bottom. 100 miles is a long way on the old rear end.

Yes-I guess the 8 hour portrait is a bit too rosy; you are likely to be closer to 9-10 hours

RWTD

If it doesn't take all day your going too fast lol.One of the challenges of group touring is everyone goes at a different pace.The one group tour I did one rider went about 12mph and lagged behind everyone else while another rider always insisted on getting a head start on everyone else and usually rode ahead of the rest.We solved the problem by letting everyone ride at their own pace and having predetermined meeting points as well as ocassionally stopping and letting anyone too far behind and alone catch up as this can get frustrating at times for the person behind.P.S. I see now that you seem to be saying you want to ride the 100 miles alone to the camping spot to meet the others.Still touring is about taking your time enjoying the sites but I would think the 8 hours is doable if you don't stop too much maybe a little longer if you stop alot.By the way if you ride 100 miles each way you might not feel like doing as much hiking etc. as the others .

SamDaBikinMan

If you have not been training for distance then you best not try it with a bunch of camping gear. Could be a disaster. But if in your training you are doing some rides of at least 40-60 miles you should be ok.

In any event pace yourself, 10 hours should allow you to go at a slow leisurely pace and allow for a few long rest stops for chow. One more thing.. Butt butter will make it better. any more than a few hours in the saddle is bad for the fanny. So grease the glutes and ride on.

gonesh9

I've never heard of greasing the glutes... probably the strangest question asked on this forum, but do you just wipe butter all over your ass? :confused:

Anyways, the estimates you guys have given are right around what I was figuring. Most likely 9-10 hours would be a good conservative estimate I figure. I'm honestly not too concerned about being able to make it, but I have begun to consider driving part of the way with my bike, and riding the rest. I have a friend that lives about 1/2 way between Portland and the camping spot, so I could park there, and only have a ~50 mile ride.

I'm thinking about this for the same reason RWTD stated, that if I ride 100 miles I wouldn't have as much energy for hiking and everything else while I'm there. This annual trip seems to get pretty adventurous and I'd like to have the energy to play, and then ride back home.

I'm just really itchin' to do some self-sustained touring, and working full time for a living doesn't really give me any time to do so. Maybe planning for a week of touring vacation sometime would be the best idea.

cyclezealot

I am use to doing 100 miles with significant climbs in about 6-7 hours.. Without mountains, It sounds like a cakewalk.. On the flats seems 20 miles an hour should be easy.? Of course there is the weight factor of all that gear and maybe headwinds.

RWTD

I do mostly 7-10 day tour with a few long weekend trips as well and it works out pretty well to start out with but I am kind of itching to do a longer trip now.It gets frustrating seeing people plan 3-6 month trips but this way I don't miss too much weight training for now and will be ready when more time becomes available.It seems when I go over 60 miles or so I never want to do much other activity but at around 30-40 miles I often mix in some hiking etc.

threadend

My cycling log shows a 116.32 mile ride pulling a loaded BOB trailer at an average of 15.3 MPH. This was a solo ride to meet up with a tour group and ride another 344.16 miles over the next 4 days during which we averaged 14.35 MPH as a loaded (read that anyway you like )group.

The course was relatively flat and winds where < 10 MPH from the south, I was traveling west to east.

One suggestion I would give you is to obtain your water along the route as opposed to carrying "lotsa water" with you, water is heavy and consumes "lotsa space".

Best Wishes,

T/E

Brains

Like you I ride 2 x 8 miles per day, I have also done a fair bit of loaded touring. Frankly I'd suggest two days to do 100 miles.

I have never managed to do more than about 70 miles in a day when touring, and normally average about 40 miles a day, OK so this does include a number of stops and so on, but if you try and do 100 miles in a single day loaded straight off you will not be up for doing much the next day.

Also you don't what sort of bike or the type of terrain the 100 miles crosses, if it includes hills, then no way you will do it in a single day without a lot of effort which then will not make it fun.

beowoulfe

Just did fininsh 1335 miles up the Atlantic Coast via Adventure Cycling maps.
The trip was mostly flat with the worst hills being in Florida, of all things. We did
3 centuries out of 15 cycling days. A larger number of days over 95 miles. It all
averaged out to about 90 miles per day. The computer says we averaged about
13 mph or maybe just a touch lower than that. So....a hundred miles kept us in
the saddle for 7:40.

Hope that helps.

hayneda

A good rule of thumb is 10 mph including stops. So, for 100 miles figure 10 hours which would include time at stops, eating, etc.

Dave

JWP

I'd plan on about 12/14 hours realistically.

catfish

I tour and normally go 60-80 miles per day but at times i can go 100 or more if i need to get someplace fast. If you planned two days to go 100 miles you would enjoy the ride more
catfish

jim-bob

Wouldn't that have to be vegan margarine or something of the sort for you?

nathank

gonesh9,

well it depends on a lot of things... but while on the bike with light gear you should average something between 12 and 15mph -- the stronger you are the fitter. then you have to add stops for food, water refilling and rest... plus any hills and headwind can slow you down.

3 summers ago i did a camping tour along the coast and was riding about 90 miles a day with a moderately loaded BOB trailer... i forget exactly, but i think including stops i was averaging right at 15mph (i was very and riding hard)

anyway, your RIDING time should be 7-9 hours plus stops... so 8-12 hours total.

... since you're wanting to hang with your friends maybe try it another time or you could also leave really early -- i.e. leave at 3am saturday morning and get there just after noon and then rest up... maybe ask if friend if you might be able to catch a lift (with bike too) for the way back in case it's too much.

note: what i always wanted to do but never did: ride from Portland to Timberline Lodge with all my climbing gear, park the bike and then climb Mt Hood --- all in one day. although i did do a cirumnavigation of Mt Hood - 1/2 by foot on the trail up around 6000ft and 1/2 on the bike down near 2000ft... that was cool (oh, it was 2 days)

gonesh9

You're right
Maybe some hemp or soy margarine I guess....

Flaneur

you didn't say how long your recreational rides are. If all your rides are 8 milers, be very conservative with your timings as your first century will be a new experience for your body! Padded shorts, good mitts, shoes and a saddle you really like are essential; a fitness regime involving long , lightly laden day rides - becoming longer and more heavily eqipped over time- would be advisable.

Are you planning on riding home afterwards? All the more reason to take all the precautions you can against avoidable discomfort and premature fatigue.

enjoy! tell us how you get on........

chewa

I did 110 miles yesterday. A hilly Scottish trip (over the Cleish hills and up some serious climbs) to St Andrews and back.

Took me 3 and a half hours to do the 57 miles there-with a couple of tea/sandwich stops and 4 hours to come back (a combination of a steady headwind and lower back and knee discomfort (I did say they were heavy hills- I came down one twisty hill at 35mph on my tourer and got passed by one guy on a Trek road bike who must have been doing 45-50)

Allow 9-10 hours for leisurly pace.

if it's hilly, 100 miles plus is a killer. I was in a bit of pain from 75 on, and slept for 10 hrs last night (usually no more than 7)

jester69

Another option,

You have a nice gasoline powered 4 wheel vehicle, is there somewhere halfway there or so you can safely park?

That way, you get the fun of showing up at the campground on your bicycle, but don't have to try to do 100 mi loaded in 1 day.

On the other hand, if you can take a couple of extra days to take 2 days there and 2 back, that might be fun too.

Good luck.

Jester

P.S. this is my 100'th post, yay.

khuon

I just got done riding the 2-day STP (206 miles) yesterday. Despite some slow moments for chatting and quite a few breaks to eat, restock on water, empty out our stock of "non-essential fluids" , fix mechanical problems and wait out bad weather plus nasty headwinds almost half the ride, we managed to complete each century in about 10 hours. We weren't really loaded down but quite a few people who seemed to be making about the same time as us (we kept seeing them all throughout the ride) looked to have had everything strapped to their bikes except an amoire.