xxbekka45xx

Hi Everyone-
I'm new to the forum, and new to cycling and decided to sign up for a 65 mile (non-competitive) cycling race for charity in September, so I'm starting to 'train' now to get myself more in shape. I'm really hoping to have cycling become a regular part of my life to help me stay healthy and fit.
I have a few questions, and was hoping to receive some advice-

1) Padded shorts-I've heard these are a must for long distance cyclers, but I just don't know which ones to choose-any tips/suggestions on brands that would be good for women's padded cycling shorts?
2) Any other gear/accessories that is going to be helpful on a 65 mile ride (and many other long distance rides in preparation and hopefully many more to come afterwards too!) I'm somewhat on a budget, but am willing to pay for quality gear if it's worth it
3) ANY tips and advice for a newbie long distance cycler is greatly appreciated!

Also, I brought my bike (a Motobecane) to get tuned up and get new, spiffy tires that the shop (who is highly reputable) recommended so my bike is in good shape. The route is going to be asphalt-so no offroading, and no serious hills or inclines, either.
Thank you!!!

Homeyba

Non-competitive and race...isn't that a contradiction in terms???

Welcome and hope you meet all of your goals. There are some very talented and knowledgeable cyclists on this forum. We don't always agree on things but that's still good because you'll get various opinions and not every thing works for everybody. You have to pick and choose what will work best for your situation. There's a ton of training info on here. If you do a search it's easy to find. I'm sure some others will pipe in with more specific info.

They aren't necessarily a must but most people use them. There are lots of good brands out there but just like seats, eveyone's butt is different and you may have to buy a lemon or two before you find the ones that work for you. I'm sure Machka will pipe in and give you some good suggestions.


For a 65 mile ride you really don't need a whole lot. Of course everyone is a little different in their comfort level as far as what they need to bring. For me, all I'll bring on that short of a ride is two tubes, tire irons, a patch kit and pump. You'll need water bottles and whatever nutrition you plan on using for the ride.


Just remember "it's only a bike ride" and never loose your smile!

ks1g

Welcome. Like Homeyba said, it's not a race. So remember to follow the traffic laws on the ride (here in Northern VA, riders on some large charity events have been ticketed for ignoring stop signs and other moving violations (with points!)

Everyone is different, but:
- I can't imagine riding 65 miles in anything but cycling shorts. Performance has some good economical ones, and I've learned over time I much prefer the shorts with thinner pads (Elite & Ultra lines) over the heavier Century model. And no underwear between you and the shorts, and change out and wash them after each use.
- Cycling jerseys are comfortable and pockets useful, but a t-shirt made from a wicking fabric is fine and both beat cotton T's any day
- Makes sure bike is well-maintained before ride. Carry some spare tubes, even if there is SAG support. They may not have your size, or a whole bunch of bikes run over busted glass and the SAG vehicle runs out! (2009 Civil War Century)
- Build up to the target distance/ride time. You can probably do it in a big jump, but it's more comfortable the next morning the easy way!
- If the route has hills or strong winds, spend some time riding on same/similar conditions. For my 1st metric century, I could do the distance but didn't know about the hills on the route until I hit them the day of the event. Oy!
- Ride at your own pace. Resist the urge to chase after someone unless you are confident they will ride at a pace that you won't pay for it at, say, Mile 50-55.
- Charity events are often very well supported. Take advantage of the support @ the event, but have some emergency supplied in a jersey pocket or stash in case you arrive late at a rest stop and they've run out of everything but water. You won't need much, but it helps to have it when you need it.
- HAVE FUN!

groovestew

Definitely build up to that 65 miles, especially since you say you're new to cycling. The first time I did that kind of distance in one shot, I was pretty beat by the end, and that was after 4 months of commuting 20 miles/day (round trip), 4 days/week.

I suggest going for a 20 mile ride this weekend, and then increase that by 10 miles each weekend until the ride. Spend some time on the bike during the week too. If you haven't ridden much before now, your butt will be sore no matter how padded your shorts are (but I do recommend getting some good cycling shorts).

Good luck, and let us know how you fared in the end.

CbadRider

Welcome to Bike Forums!

As the other posters have stated, cycling shorts are a personal preference. The most important thing to remember is nothing new on the day of your ride. Shorts, jersey, food, etc. should all be tried out first on training rides. You don't want to have chafing or an upset stomach during your big ride.

You will need to find what type of food works for you. Will the ride provide food or do you need to bring your own?

Can you do simple maintenance on your bike? Change a tire or put the chain on if it falls off? The ride might provide course support, but if you can change a flat yourself you won't need to wait until the rescue wagon shows up. Bring a spare tube and a patch kit with you, and have a frame pump or CO2 cartridges.

Also, there is a women's forum you are eligible to gain access to after posting for a month. Send a PM to Siu Blue Wind (administrator) to get access.

StephenH

First off, if it's not competitive, just call it a ride, not a race, and folks won't give you a hard time. (There are some charity rides that are actually billed as races, with maybe 10% of the people actually racing, the rest just riding- but they're not the normal sanctioned races, either.)

On the normal charity rides, they will have rest stops about every 10 miles. Two water bottles and flat-fixing gear (and the knowledge to use it!) is about all you need. On the other hand, if you're doing 100k rides on your own, you may need extra water, food, a lock, etc., and that's sort of a different matter.

On the bicycle shorts- use them if you're not comfortable enough or have chafing problems. I never have used them, most people do.

On the jerseys- you can wear regular T-shirts or wicking T-shirts. Take a look at how you look while riding, though. Leaning forward in a loose shirt can be rather unflattering. I sort of look like a doofus anyway, so it's not as critical, but women tend to be pickier about those things. I found some plain jerseys at the local Academy store for $25 or so, and some of the online places have them fairly cheap.

Machka 

I'm new to the forum, and new to cycling and decided to sign up for a 65 mile (non-competitive) cycling race for charity in September --- as others have mentioned, this would be a ride, not a race. It's something you would ride at your own pace ... and do ride at your own pace. Don't let anyone talk you into riding faster than your own pace.


1) Padded shorts-I've heard these are a must for long distance cyclers, but I just don't know which ones to choose-any tips/suggestions on brands that would be good for women's padded cycling shorts? --- I like the least expensive MEC shorts, Ascent shorts, and Fox shorts. But I can also ride fairly long distances with regular shorts on my Brooks saddles.


2) Any other gear/accessories that is going to be helpful on a 65 mile ride (and many other long distance rides in preparation and hopefully many more to come afterwards too!) I'm somewhat on a budget, but am willing to pay for quality gear if it's worth it --- helmet (of course), gloves, jacket, decent sized seat bag, tubes, tire levers, pump, water bottles.


3) ANY tips and advice for a newbie long distance cycler is greatly appreciated! --- https://www.machka.net/articles/century.htm

ptle

I do recommend a good set of cycling shorts/bibs along with a good saddle. 65 miles is very long for a beginner cyclist.

65 miles on a flat-ish route (you said big hills or inclines) should take somewhere under 4 hours. If you're going to be riding that long, you should think about your nutrition. I hear that you want to get about 150-250 calories per hour along with a good bottle per hour (more if it's really hot). If you're able to keep up your nutrition, you should be able to do the ride if you're in shape.

Since you're a new cyclist, I would start off easy. Maybe do 20 miles rides to start with then pick up the mileage every week. You want to build up your cycling fitness so that you can ride for four hours.

I don't do many rides over 50 miles, but I know I can do them. I do a lot of quick rides that are around 35-45 miles. However, if I were to go with some people and do a 65 mile ride on the weekend at a bit slower pace, I would be able to hang on. I think that if you can do fast a 40-50 mile rides. A 65 mile charity ride should be no problem.

You may also want to try and get into some group rides. That way you can learn some skills about riding in a group, which you may have to do on the charity ride. Also, since it's not too hilly of a course, riding in a group will really help you out. You'll be able to draft off people and have to work about 20% less.