What to bring on a supported century?
 

First off, I would like to thank the BF community for all of your advice over the last four months or so. This community has helped me purchase my first road bike (in March) in addition to answering a handful of Fredly questions from me (see I am catching on to the BF terms)!

In two weeks (from tomorrow) I am doing the Wright Stuff Century here in Wisconsin. I feel well prepared... I will be crossing over the 1k mile mark on my new bike this weekend and I have done rides of 75, 65, and 55 (x2). I have my last long training ride planned tomorrow for another 75 miles! I am a little concerned about the century cause it is 5500 feet of climbing, which is not easy to train for in the flatlands of Wisconsin, but I have done plenty of hill work and my longer rides have been in excess of 4k feet of climbing. I hope I am prepared :twitchy:

I have never done an event like this so I am not sure exactly what I need to bring. I am thinking of bringing my own food even though they provide food on the rest stops. The reason being is I have foods I am comfortable with that I have been using while training and I am hesitant to switch the nutrition up on event day. In addition to my hydration and nutrition needs what else do I need to bring?

Specifically, on a supported ride like this should I be bringing my normal spare tube, CO2 cartridges, and patch kit? Or should I ditch them to save the weight considering there will be SAG vehicles patrolling the route?

Any other advice for my first century is greatly appreciated as I am not fully sure what to expect!

Even on a supported ride, I always bring what's necessary to fix a flat; sometimes the SAG wagon can take some time getting to you. The weight saved is probably not going to make much of a difference.

What he said. And cash. Never hurts to be prepared for an unplanned store stop, buying a tube off someone, or as a tire boot.

Sun screen.
Lip Balm.
Some cash and/or a credit car.
Tube, co2/pump and multi-tool.
Cell Phone.
Rain Jacket if the forecast calls for rain or if the weather changes without warning where you're riding.

Let me start by saying congrats and good luck!! sounds like you have made great progress!!

AS for your questions:

1. If you are sensitive to food, bring your own.
2. Even with SAG support, some supported rides do not offer repair equipment and I would hate to find out on the day of the event you are SOL.
3. For my metric century, I brought a lightweight cable lock to keep people honest since I was alone and no one to watch my bike. Ended up having the rest stop people watch it. Also brought 2 tubes, tire levers, pump or CO2 inflator (plus enough cartridges to cover 2 tires and an Ooops or to help someone else out), multitool, taillight, 2 insulated water bottles with electrolyte mix, NUUN tablets (or your favorite electrolyte - like Scratch labs now) in case they offered something I cannot stomach and can add to water.
4. Proper gear for the conditions - For my metric, it was promising rain and did drizzle on and off and later rain for a spell. I packed a packable rain jacket.
5. I also carried $20, ID, cell phone and a credit card. Never know when you need a ride or if you get hurt. Also had cleat covers in case I had to walk.


I went so far as to drive the route a few days before to scope out how bad the roads were and determine if two tubes would be enough and if I needed more durable tires. In the end, I was cautious where needed and didn't have an incident but I did see other have problems. It is always good to have enough in case someone else is not so fortunate.

To me, it sounds like you are very well prepared. For my metric Century, they claimed 3100 ft of climbing and I had only done 1900 during a 86 mile ride. I was also concerned. It turned out that they overestimated. It seems they used MapMyRide for the amount or something else but when i compared my previous metric ride to this new one, it was only 400 ft more.

I took the more challenging metric nice and easy. No hero or zero climbs and kept my pace such that I could easily carry on a conversation. If I found I could not speak (even to myself) I would slow down. When I got to the last 20-25 miles, I got tired of holding up and opened up the floodgates since I was still feeling good. My goal was to finish, not to set a record. If this goal is the same for you, this might be a good path to take. Stay easy on the ride until you have a distance that, based on how you feel at that point, you can turn it up. I premise this with the fact that I knew the course before hand and knew what to expect.

I hope you will post a detailed story of your ride. Will be looking forward to hearing how it goes.

best of luck,

Frank

Personally I'd take my own food that I had trained on, and would be off the Bike very little, and on the road riding until I got done :-). I'd treat it like a self supported century with free water stops, and I can go around 2 hours on 2 water 20 oz bottles, so I might be skipping some stops, but I am rural and the corn is up here so there are a lot more bathrooms on my typical routes now :-).

I take my typical seat bag, contact rewetting drops, chapstick, a few gels, and $10.

What the others said as far as spares. Ride as if there is no SAG and then you shouldn't need it.

I've done 3 supported centuries where I carried 3 Clif bars with me. In one of the centuries I actually ate one of them during one leg, but other than that, just ate at the stops. I'm not that sensitive to what I eat. I tend to eat a little at each stop, not a lot. Piece of banana and other fruit (last ride they had watermelon and grapes, really hit the spot), a cookie or two. Toward lunch time I had 1/2 a small turkey sandwich at one stop. I use a Nuun tablet in one water bottle and just water in the other during the summer. I always leave the stops with full bottles.

Probably you should carry some food since this is your first one.

Good luck.

There are flat parts of WI? :O It's not all like Fountain City?

I double up on tubes and CO2 cartridges for centuries, and like others bring a few emergency gels and maybe a Clif Bar or something just in case. If it's going to rain the whole time and I have my rain jacket that has a big rear pocket I'll toss in a spare tire sometimes. I copy another rider I know now and put a few wraps of duct tape around a CO2 cartridge, it can be a little easier to boot a tire in an emergency with something sticky on one side. Otherwise a dollar does work. I've used cardboard when I forgot anything else, but that led to abandoning a dozen miles later because it started raining and the cardboard got wet and broke down.

If there's a rest stop with ice cream, which seems like a WI thing (Door County century has ice cream, the Bay City stop on the Tour de Pepin did too...) know which one it is ahead of time so you don't skip that stop. Ice cream is rocket fuel.

This is a good list. From a practical prespective, bring the same amount of stuff as you would for a ~50mi ride. There's no reason to add additional stuff for a century, and you can re-stock at rest points. I did my last century with one large bottle, because I was sure I could re-fill at all stops.

I hope you have a great time. I just rode in that area last week, it is a challenge. It is absolutely gorgeous though. Make sure you have your climbing legs, spare tube, CO2 kit, patches, gels (get them in you at 45 minute intervals don't hesitate as you will burn though energy quickly with those climbs) or whatever nutrition stuff you use on your longer rides. The suggestions above are great.

We did the "Swiss cheese and spotted cows" bike tour and had to sag one day due to energy loss because we didn't stick to our nutrition intake schedule (took a 9 mile wrong turn). We were not quite prepared for the hills there, but we learned valuable lessons about getting and maintaining our energy. And hill climbing. Sounds like you are better prepared for hills than we were.

Don't over think it. Carry the same tools, tubes CO2 etc. as you would normally and bring food but don't think you need to bring all your food for a century. There will most likely be enough of a variety of food at rest stops that there will be something you will like. Don't spend too much time at rest stops but remember it's not a race so don't push it too hard. Enjoy the day.

Definitely take your own flat repair supplies. Supported for normal folks only means there will be mechanical help available, not that you should rely on them for everything.
Also: sun screen. I've been on a ride where they gave some away at the end. I was grateful, but it wasn't very helpful at that point.

Quoted extra obnoxiously for truth. I've done centuries where I never touched my own food and I've done centuries where I had to stop and buy food because what they provided was so lame. Credit card and some cash will cover you there.

Bring all your normal riding stuff (flat repair etc), you don't want to have to wait for a SAG. I usually go with two tubes, 3 CO2, patches and a frame pump (tiny)

Bring at least a little of what you normally eat (clif bar or the like) and I usually grab a couple gels to go with (I like a little caffeine too).

Do they provide water or gatorade? If it's going to be something that upsets your stomach, consider bringing a small pouch of what ever you like.

Oh... and I like to pop a couple advil at about 80 miles or so, when the sun is starting to annoy me and my neck and shoulders are starting to feel it.

You really don't need to stuff your jersey full of contingency supplies, but don't go totally bare bones either. All things in moderation!

It sounds like you're in good shape, training wise. Try not to jump out to a super fast start and enjoy your day.

I take the same stuff I take on any ride over 20 miles. Only addition is usually take a sandwich bag of fig newtons for that length. I don't depend on the support for anything, just makes it easier not having to hunt down a place to fill water bottle. Definitely don't forget the sun screen, even a cloudy day can be surprising.

scott s.
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I bring my own food and carry my own sports drink mix for the reasons you mentioned. It is what works.

I keep my normal wedge bag on my bike, because the sag may be a little while getting to you. You don't want to have a flat and be waiting beside the road for any appreciable amount of time.

Good luck on the ride. Pay attention to fuel and hydration. Enjoy!

All the above advice is excellent. All that I would add is you might want to bring sunscreen and chamois cream with you. I found I needed a refresh of both at ~75 miles. Both are available in "single serving" packets, which makes it extra easy.

Drink before you're thirsty (especially on a cool and/or cloudy day) and munch before you're hungry (I never have a problem with this).

You'll do great... have fun!

Is that the one that used to be called the "Great Dane" and goes past Taliesin East in Spring Green? I remember that area as quite nice, although I haven't ridden there since I moved from Madison 30 years ago. There are some pretty substantial hills in the Spring Green area...

You have the right idea about nutrition. Ride the same way you train. You should take the same equipment you take on any other ride. The last thing you want is to stand around waiting for the SAG truck if you have a flat. And finally, if you've ridden 75 miles, you can ride 100. Just pace yourself at the start. If you have anything left over at mile 90, go ahead and use it.

My advice is bring with you what you would bring on a ride that is unsupported. I was on a "supported century" in Sacramento where all they had was port-a-pot, bananas, and water.

Yes there was a SAG Wagon, if you need a tube, tire repair kit it was for sale. Local bike shop made deal with club, to consign items.

Be a boy scout, and be prepared.

I do more unorganized distance rides than organized, and I still don't bring all the food I might need, count on stopping off at gas stations, espresso stands, whatever... so yeah a $20 in addition to usual repair/spares.

Even on supported rides with rest stops I always take the same stuff with me as if I was riding alone or in a group. This way I can usually have a flat fixed and be on my way before the SAG wagon shows up and it prevents any gastrointestinal distress mid-ride should something at the rest stops not agree with me. Occassionaly the stops will have things I normally eat, other times they don't and I eat what I brought. But I will usually take a couple of things from the stops to try on my own time for future reference.

Some water, enough to fix a flat. If I'm for some reason paying for a supported century, I'm going to eat at every stop. Well, every time I feel like stopping I guess. Last one I did two weeks or so ago, they had a ton of watermelon at every stop. It was great. The Costco cookies...not so much.

Yeah, if I'm paying, I pig out. I've never brought food on an organized ride, and I don't remember ever using SAG for anything.
Loved the hot pie at lunch on the SLOBC rides, and the chocolate fondue at the last rest. Adobo Velo rides have had pozole at lunch or chicken soup with homemade baked goods.
Some rides just have basic foods (read "cheap") and these aren't as fun, imho.

My first year of participating in events and I've already seen a pretty wide range of what might be found at the rest stops or not be found. I try to bring about what I would as if it were unsupported and if they happen to have good stuff at the rest stops I might eat theirs instead, but I don't count on them having everything I might need. Plus, I like to keep some Jelly Bellys, etc. handy if I feel the need whenever that might hit.

I defiantly bring my own extra tube, pump, multitool, etc. - I take my phone, a little money, and ID too.