Originally Posted by thebulls

Lots of good advice so far in this thread. The only thing I would add: Tire choice. Riding on tires that are optimized for low rolling resistance (at a little sacrifice of flat resistance) can make a big difference to how enjoyable the ride is over the long distances. There are nice tires in both 700cx32 and in 26", sold by Compass Bicycles: Compass Bicycles: Tires

Which bike to put them on? From my perspective, you have two essentially identical bikes. Both are touring frames, so they are somewhat overbuilt for randonneuring, where the load you are carrying is typically lighter. That said, either should be fine, lots of people ride touring bikes on rando events. Personally, I think I would go with the bike that can handle 26" tires since then you can put on higher volume tires that will absorb a little more road shock and leave you less beat-up at the end of the ride.

Build up to the long distance over the winter, there should be plenty of weekends when you can ride. The trainer will still come in handy for weeknights and for bad-weather weekends. The main thing that going for progressively longer rides will do for you is help to identify fit problems. What is endurable on a 100km starts to be painful on a 100-miler. What's endurable on a 100-miler starts to be painful on a 200km. Etc. Deal with the fit issues early on and your first 200km will be a lot more pleasant.

Nick

Nick