Hi all. I'm planning on doing a 100mile ride in the summer and after some advice. I've just brought a Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc 2014 and was wandering what changes (if any) I should make to it, to help me out on the day. I was thinking along the lines of rigid forks, new tyres, pedals. The routes mainly roads but with stretches on canal paths. Any and all advice is welcome. Thanks.

Seriously, people have ridden 'centuries', across countries, around the world on any/all kinds of bikes.

Your Crosstrail is perfectly fine, in and of itself, including its suspension fork. Here's what matters.

1. You want your bike in good/perfect working order on the day.

2. You might want to consider appropriate tires (i.e. better than stock), but even then, no matter if what's on there is in good condition.

3. That said, by far the most important two things:
a) your bike should fit you properly/you should be very comfortable on it over distance, and
b) you should 'train' a little, even if informally (it really doesn't take much), targeting 'the big day'. Doing so also helps you check 3(a) and 1.

How to do that (3b)? It's really pretty simple. Try to work out a schedule that allows you to do rides of increasing distances, in smallish increments, up to about 2/3 or 3/4 your target distance for 'the day', with that last, long ride a week or 10 days before 'the day'. In other words, if you can comfortably do a ride of 60 to 75 miles in a reasonable (for you) time a week or 10 days before your century ride, you're there. Then taper off, and go do your big ride.

There's no magic in any of this, contrary to what many sources would have you believe. You don't need a special bike, or special modifications to your bike, or 'scientific' training plans, or any other such nonsense. You need a bike in good working order that you are comfortable with, and some reasonable fitness.

Thanks for response. I'm slowly putting a schedule together, Iv been trying to build my milage up each month. Having a day foucusing solely on the miles then one on hills. I wanted new tyres to help avoid punctures as best I can, I'll be carrying patches. Any tyres you reccomend? The forks lock out but I was unsure if ridgid would make a difference?

After learning the hard way, adding 10% distance per week is a good plan. It starts slow but gets going pretty quickly.

Not a particularly meaningful one, and what you are suggesting is a hell of a lot of trouble, unless you were deadset on going rigid irrespective of this century ride.

Thanks intransit I'll try that.

No not dead set, just trying to run a few ideas that might make live slightly easier. Forks was something I picked up reading forums.

Just lock the fork for anything paved and you're g2g. Get new tires and pedals if you want them, but there's no reason the bike as you are riding it won't be able to make the trip

Carry a pair of spare tubes and a way to inflate them, be it pump or CO2

Remember to eat/drink along the way, and enjoy yourself

99.99% of the time i do, but got caught out the other week haha. I got a puncture before i even set off so stuck a patch on and convinced myself i wouldn't need carry spares. A good few hours later and lot of walking, i was home with two flat tyres. Never again

First, if you plan to make changes, do it now and not right before the long ride.

There could be advantages to going clipless... requiring pedals and shoes. I don't lift even with clipless, but when I use them they keep my feet properly placed on the pedals, and I feel more relaxed. Some lift on the upstroke, and thus can be more efficient, so there is that too if you do it. I use mountain type shoes, and they also help to keep my feet cooler. I use Crank Brothers Candy pedals when I ride clipless.

Good tires suited to the task make a heck of a difference.

I would make sure the saddle is adjusted properly (for comfort and efficiency), and also consider lowering the handlebar as far as I could while still maintaining comfort by moving spacers or flipping the stem for a better aerodynamic position. You can do this incrementally, moving one spacer to see how it works, etc. A set of bar ends would help you by providing additional hand positions on the long ride. Ergonomic grips could help too.

Thanks Darwin. I'm going to try some clip less out, I read in another thread about dual pedals. I'm looking at bar ends as we speak.

+1

You could be out at least 7+ hours, so having enough food is very important otherwise you wont make it no matter how fit you are. My favourites are a packet of scones, bananas, a few sandwiches, a couple of gels to help the last 15 miles and a planned stop at a nice café for coffee and cake. A can of full fat coke/cola also works wonders at the 75 mile point.

Doing a route that is interesting makes the ride more enjoyable, plus avoiding busy roads if your route allows.