It's been a long time since I've done one and I'm signed up for the Amtrak in So Cal on Sept 8. How many miles should one be able to do prior to the event? I'm feeling pretty fit but most of my riding is only 7-20 mile mtb rides. I've been trying to do more road bike. I got in a very hilly 22 and 30 last weekend (2300 and 2900 ft of climbing) and a 58 miler with 2600 ft yesterday. I'm hoping to do a 70 miler a couple weeks ahead of the century--is that enough? Maybe working with some others event day will ease things up... Thoughts?

My "rule of thumb" is that if you can do a fast 50 comfortably, then you can do a century. The issue is time in the saddle. On my first century ride many moons ago, the part that gave my the most trouble was the saddle. I hadn't been on a bike for that long before. Owww. The legs did fine.

If you ride 70 to 80 miles solo, then riding 100 miles with a group should be quite doable. You may learn some new aches and pains from the sheer duration of the ride, and on the bike fueling may be more important, but that's part of the adventure... Have fun!

If you can pretty easily do 60 miles, you should be able to get through 100, unless the century has more climbing than you are accustomed to.

The Amtrak century doesn't have that much climbing. I rode it for the first time last year and it was one of the easier centuries I have done. Although I heard there is usually a tail wind to make it easier. We had a head wind last year. Im looking forward to this years ride.

The only big hill is torrey pines which I don't think is that bad, but it is 75-80 miles into the ride if I remember correctly. 70 miles a few weeks before is probably fine. There should be plenty of people to ride with to make things easier.

Ummm, yeah. Group centuries are much, much easier than solo ones. If you can do 70 solo, you'll easily handle 100 with a group.

Generally 70 miles solo is the rule. I know some people here will say you can do it with less but I've seen riders paying the price at the end struggling or riding in the sag wagon. Make it enjoyable and do the right preparation.

I did 60 as my long one year but got in a group and finished okay.

You're fine. If you can climb almost 3k feet in 30 miles on an MTB, you can handle a normal century. Just take your time.

Do you have space on the Amtrak? I have never done a century either and I really want to do one. What has thrown me off my game is a couple of surgeries that took me off the bike for about a year and a half. I have been back on the bike since March and am feeling better than ever. Before my surguries, my longest ride with 65 miles and since then about 40 miles.

In the past couple of months, I have gotten my wife into cycling and all of my rides have been with her which has reduced my speed and distance.

Amtrak is sold out but the Cool Breeze century is another fairly easy century if you really want to do an organized century (https://www.cibike.org/cool-breeze.html)

Of course, it's in two weeks so get training.

The easiest century advice I've seen is that if you ride a total of 400 miles in the two months leading up to your century and can do 70 in one ride, you'll be fine. No record setting, but fine.

Bike the Coast is in November. The century is a double loop of the 50 mile route which bypasses the Torrey Pines hill. Pretty flat.

I will look into bike the coast. I think it is to late for cool breeze. I'll give Amtrak a try next year.

Actually, the 22 and 30 I mentioned were on my road bike in Calif's central coast near Paso Robles. They were hot and hilly the whole time.

In the Long Distance forum, there is a sticky thread called Tips for riding a Century. That might give you some things to think about ...

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ding-a-Century

Coolness! Thanks.