chevy57

Guys and girls,

I am doing my first century tomorrow in upstate ny (Binghamton to Ithaca). I am a little concerned about what to wear as we have been unseasonably warm until today. Last week I rode 80 miles and it was 64 at 6:20 AM and about 70 when I finished at 11:00. Tomorrow it is supposed to be a low of 37 and a high of 50. I plan to start at 6:00 AM. I have not ridden this distance before and certainly not in temps this cold. I don't have anything to wear on my legs other than my cycling shorts. I can layer my upper body with cool max long sleeve shirt with GoreTex outer jacket over and shed the jacket if I get warm. Do you think the exposed legs will be a problem? If so what can I do about it? I have running pants, but don't know how they would work with the cycling shorts. FWIW I averaged 17.2 MPH on my 80 mile ride. I am shooting for about the same tomorrow.


chevy57

kponds

Right here with ya.

I am riding the Bluff City Blues 100 tomorrow in Memphis, and also experiencing the sudden weather change. Although mine is less severe than yours (my low is your high). I'm planning on rolling in cycling shorts and a long sleeved coolmax top, with a short sleeved underarmor on under it so that I can lose the long sleeves when it gets warm.

You could always wear the running pants and then bag them if they get unwieldy or it gets warm. I assume you are bringing a bag that they will fit in?

I hadn't ridden in like 6 months (and never rode consistently honestly) when I decided to sign up for this ride. I did 50 two weeks ago (first time riding in a long time, ouch), 80 last weekend, and two or three 20-30 mile rides here and there. Hoping for the best.

deanp

I would go get some tights. Go luck on your ride.

unixpro

I did a century in early Sept. where the morning and afternoon temps were going to be significantly different, and I knew it. I put on my bike shorts and then a pair of sweats over them. I also wore a sweatshirt over my jersey. A couple of hours into the ride, after I'd warmed up and the sun was starting to warm up the world, I took the sweats off and stuck them in my panniers. Of course, my ride was unsupported so I had panniers that started out with hydration and food in them. If you're on a supported ride, arrange for someone to meet you at one of the rest stops to leave the overclothes.

Good luck on the ride! I'll bet the changing trees will be beautiful.

jcm

You averaged almost 18 mph over 80 miles? If I were you, getting cold would be my least concern.

jboyd

WOW! You guys make me feel like a real Weiner. My longest ride to date has been 25 miles and tomorrow I am riding an organized 50 mile rail to trail ride and I am worried about it. My Bottom starts talking to me at about 17 miles, so that should be interesting.

Good luck to you on your 100. That is beyond my ability to comprehend at this point.

Jay

aliensporebomb

Good luck. I did my first in 2004 and I was about 25 pounds heavier than I am now.

It'l be a real journey. Sometimes cool weather is a blessing though, I had a
century attempt when it was 98 degrees fahrenheit out and that was awful.

Made it 45 miles and bailed when I saw a fit triathlete panting and pushing
her spendy quintana roo. She was 65 miles into a century attempt, ran out
of water and was walking the last 2 miles home.

CliftonGK1

I started out the year with 25 and 30 milers on the nice, flat bike path being my longest rides. In May I did the 45 mile Tour de Cure with some friends from work, and although I was worried about it, I managed to get through it just fine. By September, I was riding 40 on the weekends comfortably and my worrisome ride was the metric century that I did (and finished strong.) Now I'm building up for a full century.
The miles will come to you with time, and with comfort.
If your backside is hurting after 17 miles, consider trying a new saddle, or repositioning your current one. It won't get any more comfortable by doing 50 miles instead of 17. The more time you spend in the saddle, the more tightly dialed in your bike fit needs to be. Anyone can pedal their kid's 20" BMXer around the parking lot a couple times. You want something more comfortable for a 5 mile daily commute, maybe a self-measured fitting for rides up to 25 miles, and a professional fitting for anything where you'll be spending more than 2 hours at a time on the bike. (Of course, that's just my suggestion/opinion. Take it or leave it.)
Ask KT about the importance of proper adjustments and the benefit of a professional fitting.


And, Chevy... Go get 'em! Can't wait to see your ride stats.

Wogster

Okay, a few things, A rule to remember, always dress using the following:

Standing around dress for 10℃/15℉ COLDER then the actual temperature.
Light activity dress for the actual temperature.
Full head of steam activity for 10℃/15℉ WARMER then the actual temperature.

Now nobody starts a ride with a full head of steam, so you need to start out dressed for 22℉ because you will be standing around. This rule tends to work for most people, because even though one person can be bundled for Frobisher Bay in February and another can be dressed for Miami in July, even at the same air temperature, most people heat up at a similar rate.

The answer is almost always some kind of layers, the two most important things to protect are your head and your core, if your head or your core are cold, then the body will restrict blood flow to the outer extremities, it has no choice about the head however. This is because if your core temperature drops by more then a few degrees you die, so the body will restrict blood flow to the extremities, because losing a tow or a finger is better then, life. So, just as the leg muscles are asking for more blood to provide oxygen and flush out lactic acid, your restricting that flow, by not being dressed warm enough. Some people like to start a little cold, then warm up as they go, however cold muscles are more prone to injury then warm ones, and all you need is to blow a muscle at mile 6 to wreck your season.

You need some kind of bag, most people who go longer distances, will carry fuel (food) and water, in one or two panniers, or even a back pack of some kind, which is perfect. As you reduce the space needed for
fuel and water, you open up space for excess clothing. Stopping to rearrange clothing is a necessary evil of cold weather activity. It's one of the reasons why I tend to do less biking and more hiking this time of year, and that will continue until April, when biking season starts again. Officially I call the season at an end when the weather switches from summer mode to winter mode, and that switch occurred yesterday, will try to get a good ride in tomorrow, and then call it a season... I'll ride here or there, maybe on the weekend, or to do some shopping, but I also expect to start hiking again....

wireless

Don't kill your knees! I always wear tights if it's below 60. If it's too late to buy - put something over shorts.

Sandwarrior

Some very good advice here +1. Also Wear the running pants over your shorts until you get warmed up (if you don't have the tights yet)

Good luck

TallSteve

Hey 57chevy!

Good luck to you. If you are going 85 miles, you can go another 15. You know that already. Have fun and be sure to report back. I havent gotten to a century yet. 75 is my limit. I think I could go another 25 though depending on the route. Anyway, I would wear at least running pants if the tights are not available. I dont like to be cold!

Stevo