mudman22

How much time do you spend riding in the drops when doing a century?

With just under a month to go before my 111 mile ride, I'm trying to figure out why I signed up. Can I even do it? It could be 100 degrees on the hot Utah roads in August. (ULCER is the official name of the ride.)

I usually ride on the hoods. After about seven weeks of riding, I'm just now getting enough flexibility to ride in the drops for short distances (a mile or so before going back to the hoods). Hamstrings don't like the position. The top of my bars are about 7cm lower than the seat.

When I go into drop position, my speed usually jumps up .5 mph or 1 mph. But it seems to cause more stress on my legs. I'm pretty tall at 6'2" so there is a ton of wind resistance if I am too upright.

*Should I try to spend increasing amounts of time in drop mode as I prepare for the century? Are there stretches I should be doing to increase flexibility? (Can barely touch the floor with my fingertips = not super flexible.)

*Last Question for now: If I can climb 4600 feet to the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon https://www.saltlakecycling.com/showride.php?rideID=1000 on a 40 mile round-trip ride, does that relate to being able to finish a century? So far that was my longest ride, and the century will only have around 2000 feet of climbing spread out over a long distance.

zonatandem

Seems like you've got climbing ability; now increase distance.
Have ridden a full double century in the the drops . . . but you must be comfortable doing so.
Suggest switching hand positions regulary (top of the bars, hoods + 2 different positions in the drops. Also try raising bars raising your bars a tad.
Ride on top of bars and hoods when climbing (opens up the chest cavity a bit); get more into the drops (aero) for descents.
Enjoy the ride!

zandoval 

Back in the day when I could do a century it was 1/3 of the time in the flats, never in the climbs, and all the time going down hill...

Commodus

I do yoga to increase flexibility. It's very helpful, the more available you can make the various bar positions the better. More core strength, etc.

Just go slow, you'll be fine.

Velo Dog

You don't necessarily want me as a model, but about the only time I ride on the drops is into a headwind, and not even always then. I don't imagine it's even 10 percent of the time. It's just not comfortable for me, and I'm not concerned enough about speed to work at it anymore. My bars are level with the saddle, and I ride nearly all the time on the flats or the brake hoods.
FWIW, I spent many years trying to force myself down there like the books said I should. I was probably 50 before I thought, "Screw this. I'm a slow guy riding for fun, and this isn't fun."

55/Rad

This...

gbiker

I've done halfs and a metric and spend about 95% of the time in the drops. It just feels so much more comfortable and efficient. I go on the hoods to stretch out a bit once in a while.

DGozinya

Make the conscious effort to NOT increase speed when you go into the drops. Yes, it feels "racy," but your hammies don't like that yet. Just drop down and enjoy the reduced wind resistance and the reduced amount of power needed to maintain the same speed.

Beaker

Regarding positioning on the bars, you may be over thinking it. I'd suggest two things to consider instead;

1) just get used to being in the saddle for longer durations. Not sure what your longest ride has been, but I'd try to get in some 60-70mile rides in first.

2) consider doing some core exercises - these work well - https://www.bicycling.com/training-nu...g-fitness/core do them a couple of times a week leading up to your ride, it'll really help you stay comfortable and ride stronger for longer.

DGlenday

I just did a century (19.2 mph average speed) - and didn't hit the drops once.

Stay on the hoods. If there's a head wind, draft someone and bend your elbows.

Machka 

Rowan and I just rode our July Century yesterday. I spent 0% of my time in the drops ... I use bullhorn bars on the back of the tandem, so there are no drops. But even when I ride my titanium, at most I might spend maybe 1% of my time in the drops.

I'm trying to figure out why you think riding in the drops has any relation whatsoever with being able to finish a century.


It's good that you can do a 40 mile ride, but if that is your longest distance going into the century, you're very likely going to experience a lot of discomfort between the 70 and 90 mile points.

Rather than focusing on riding in the drops ... focus on increasing your distance over the next month. This weekend, go ride a 50 mile ride. Next weekend, try a 60 mile ride.

Pay attention to the fit of your bicycle (you may want to raise your handlebars). Pay attention to what you eat and drink.

StephenH

On a longer ride, I'll probably spend 20-30% of the time in the drops. Basically, when I'm dealing with a headwind or having trouble keeping in a group, I'll be using the drops. Just do whatever feels right at the time, though, different people have different approaches.

OldsCOOL

You've made a very important observation here. Get the fit right and you'll enjoy what you've concluded in your statement.

big john

I get in the drops if it's windy, or when descending. More time in the drops will get you more comfortable with it, but you have to find out how low you can tolerate the bars based on your body. I used to run the bars 10cm below the saddle, now it's around 4cm.
Don't worry about speed, just get some longer distance rides in first and enjoy the flat century.

jamesdak 

Hey, a fellow Utahn, what's up!

Sounds like you've no problem with climbing, but may need to work on your distance rides. Try and get up to at least 70 miles prior to the ULCER. Which event are you doing?

As to the drops, I would not worry about it too much. I don't know that I spent any time in the drops on my first century. You want to worry more about staying relaxed, fed, and hydrated in my opinion.

I've been at this about a year and a half now and am just recently starting to spend any significant time in the drops. Maybe 30% of the time yesterday during a 53 mile ride. I mainly drop down when facing a headwind or when I hit the sections where I push the pace up a few mph. Obviously when descending I get in the drops and off the back of the saddle trying to squeeze out all possible speed.

Have you had a pro fit done? That may help get you more comfortable. I have my bars set only a tad below the saddle. Then the bars I use have a fairly compact drop to them so it's not that big of a change when I get into the drops. I honestly feel totally comfortable in the drops the way my main bike is set up.

The best thing about riding in Utah is that no matter how hot its gets it will be a dry heat, not bad to ride in at all.

Fox Farm

It depends - if you can be in group or sheltered from some of the wind, ride the hoods. Whey you are out there by yourself, try to get lower. You could find a middle ground and use a stem that has a little bit more rise to it and then ride the drops which might be more comfortable for you.

FrenchFit 

Besides yoga, take some spin classes but don't set your bike up like a lifecycle. Only do spin if you can drop the bars + inches below the saddle (any good spin bike). You'll see the pay-off when you're on the road, the drops become very comfortable for stretching the back, resting.

mudman22

I guess my logic is that more speed for less effort = shorter time spent suffering

Thanks to everybody for the great suggestions.

For an experiment, I tried a 9 mile ride this morning, staying in the drops about 90% of the time. My average speed went up about 3 mph over what it was a few days ago. It didn't feel as bad as I thought it would, and my legs didn't hurt. There was a slight tension on one hamstring that isn't there when riding more upright, but I bet it will go away if I build some more strength and flexibility.

I noticed that I'm a bit more likely to look straight down when in the drops--it takes more effort to keep my head up. This could be bad if I lose concentration after a few hours. Any suggestions?

Beaker

The problem with your logic is that comfort and the ability to maintain a more aggressive posture for several hours is more likely to slow you down then whether you're on the hoods or in the drops.

andrewluke

This seems a little out of place to me. I started dead even (first bike came that way) and have worked down as time progressed. If you've only been on the bike seven weeks, I would raise them a little so it's more comfortable and then start removing spacers as you get more flexible.

mudman22

No spacers to play with--the bike came with a steerer tube that was already cut to 35mm. (Isn't there some rule about having a slammed stack anyway?) If my flexibility doesn't improve, I might try a stem with more than a 6-degree rise.

Clipped_in

Good post. Another Utahn here who will be riding the ULCER as well.

First, recognize that the ULCER is pretty much flat except for the rollers south of Saratoga - it's a pretty easy century and a good one to start with. Chances are the the wind will be out of the south, and will likely only become significant later in the ride. What you really need mileage wise is more saddle time to make sure your butt can take it. If you grind up LCC on a regular basis - you'll have the legs for the ULCER. I ride American Fork to Cascade Springs as my basic Saturday ride, along with my 18 mile one way commute on a regular basis and the ULCER is pretty much a piece of cake with a 20mph average - and I'm and old fat guy.

Regarding wind, last year I did the route as a fun ride in late August and we hit 30mph gusts in the face/side from Genola to Elberta - that was pretty brutal. However, once we turned the corner at Elberta - we wuz flyin'. I think being able to stay in the drops for at least a couple of minutes for a pull would be a good thing. There will be many lines you can jump in. Just be careful because there will also be a lot of inexperience riders on the road too.

Good luck and see you there!

Machka 

The speed increase is not necessarily related to riding in the drops. You could be becoming more fit or you might have experienced less wind ...


And over 100 miles, the last thing you want to do is to risk neck and shoulder problems ... this is why several of us have suggested raising your handlebars. 9 miles is nothing compared to 100. You can get away with a bad fit, wrong saddle, and all sorts of things in 9 miles which will cause you a great deal of grief over 100 miles.

Go ride 50 miles today and see how you feel.

andrewluke

ah, carry on then.

mudman22

I had a large pizza for dinner and then saw this post. Hmmmm. Not sure I can do this, but if I do four laps of Wasatch Blvd, that's 40 miles plus the distance to my house is another 5 each way. "What the hell, I'll give it a shot." Drank some water, downed a Clif bar and headed out the door.

51 miles, about 5000 ft of elevation gain, 3 hours 28 min time spent in motion. 14.7 mph average, with a substantial headwind on the downhill leg of each lap. 90 degrees at my house when I left. Stopped twice for water at a gas station after I ran out, and ate one more Clif bar at mile 35. Towards the end of the ride I was savoring every red stoplight On top of the 9 miles I did this morning, this is the longest cycling day I've had at 60 miles total.

The tops of my legs (quads?) were starting to burn at about mile 48. But it feels like a good hurt, the kind that you know will result in stronger muscles in a couple of days. No other pain or unusual discomfort. I might bring some ibuprofen for the full century because I can feel that my shoulders are a bit tight after 50 miles.

I had a huge revelation about using the drops on this ride. Tried to follow the advice that a couple of people mentioned "all the time downhill, sometimes in the flats, never uphill." The revelation was so revelatory that I need to start a new thread for this. (Good thing nobody tried to tell me to only use the drops going uphill because this noob might have bought it . . .)

Man--is 111 miles going to take me 9 hours as I slow down towards the end of the ride???