DividedSky

Here's the situation

I used to bike a lot, not real distances, but just to get around. Never more than 10 miles or so. then I was in a serious accident (not bike related) and messed up my hand pretty bad. I hadn't biked in two years but then I decided to get back into it and bought a Cannondale T800 touring bike, a whole different animal than the mountain bikes i was used to. As of right now, I have trouble controlling the rear brake and the gears on the right handle but in a 7 mile test run the other day I didn't crash or have any huge problems.

So tomorrow is a big annual party about 35 miles away and I figure it'd be a cool challenge (and classy as all hell) to roll in on two wheels. I'll bring the gps to navigate and I figure I have the stamina for the ride, all I worry about is safety. I'm not used to this bike but I figure I'll be fine if I stay slow and don't do anything stupid. I'll bring a cell phone and of course wear a helmet. Anyone have any comments or advice for a touring newbie? I figure dodging cars is moslty common sense but maybe you guys have something of value i hadn't thought of.

Much appreciated

wahoonc

Well actually if your right hand is the one that is hurt, you are home free on the braking The front brake is the one that does the bulk of the work! This is a case where down tube shifters might be a plus for you( I could operate both of mine with either hand)...If you feel up to the ride I would say go for it. But leave yourself a bail out plan just in case, take a cell phone or have someone follow a ways behind you?

Aaron

Caspar_s

You don't mention where you are from, but remember to drink. Also have a change of clothes so you don't pitch up exhausted, sweating like crazy with heat stroke.

Take it slow, my wife can do that distance, over a morning, stopping at shops along the way.

antokelly

if you were problem free ,doing 7 miles you have no worries,
think of how far 7 miles really is ,its a long way ,,(when you think about it )
pick a nice gear and keep your pedal strokes nice and light
enjoy the ride you made it this far well done,.

divergence

Congratulations on the new Cannondale, and on wanting to try this ride so soon after getting back on a bike!

Best advice I can think of is just to point the bike in the right direction, start riding, and have fun. Any nervousness I've got about trying out a new route always evaporates as soon as the wheels touch asphalt.

But I guess there are a few other things worth saying...

Leave plenty of time; not only are you on an unfamiliar bike, but it's an unfamiliar route...if you've got lots of spare time, you can enjoy any unexpected delays and detours as just part of the adventure. If you get there early, you've got time to grab coffee and hang out in a park somewhere before the party, which can't be a bad thing.

Bring a pump, tire levers, a patch kit, a spare tube, a spare spare tube, and maybe a couple more tubes. (And no, flats aren't that common...but I'll be damned if they don't seem to come in clusters.)

Bring good lights, even if the plan is to be back before dark.

Bring maps. Even if you know the area pretty well from driving, one missed turn can put you on roads you never even knew existed.

As Caspar said, bring some food and lots of water. Eat before you're hungry, and drink before you're thirsty.

If you feel like posting your planned route here, someone might be able to tell you if there's an alternate route you might enjoy more. (You could try the regional forums for that, too; more chance of finding people familiar with your area.)

And I say this reluctantly, but jumping straight from a 7-mile ride to a 35-mile one (with another 35-mile return home?) is pretty ambitious. I love challenges...but don't hurt yourself. Make sure there's a backup plan to get to the party even if, somewhere around mile 15 or 20, some pesky muscle or joint is giving you problems and might get injured if you keep pushing it.

NoReg

I it is just the hand controls, as long as you can control the stearer, which one can do with just the palm, I would expect you to be fine. If the hand isn't going to get back full strength, there is a Diacomp 287 that controls a front and rear brake on one hand.

DuckFat

The best thing to remember is to never strain to pedal. Use the gears to keep up a good rhythm; that's what they are there for. People keep saying 90rpm is optimum but I can't go much above 60-70. Everyone is different. There are sprinters and long distance runners and they have a different type of muscles. You are out to develop your distance muscles. Find a comfortable cadence and then use the gears to keep yourself there no matter the incline or wind resistance. Don't strain to build up speed or sprint up hills.

Think about it.... how many leg presses can you do with a large weight? Not many.... but cut the weight to 10% and you'll do many more reps. Keeping the comfortable cadence and ignoring your speed will let you go just about any distance you want.

Old Hammer Boy

I'd suggest you get a rear view mirror. I like the glasses mounted type from Take-A-Look, but they can take a while getting used to, so my may prefer something else. Have a good ride and enjoy your new bike.

johnopower

I'm guessing your ride has come and gone now, and I hope it went smoothly!
A good mate of mine has a pretty bad hand injury and has his left hand controls moved to the right hand drops. He has a barcon in the end of the drop for the front derailleur and a cable splitter from his right STI for both front and rear brakes, set up so the rear catches just a little before the front, he says its superb for modulation I'm not even sure if your bike has STI or Ergo or down tube, but if things dont pick up (and I hope they do, in a big way!), there are options for a fully functioning rig out there, even for racing.
All the best!

kipibenkipod

I think you should consider changing your crank arms to smaller size. This will help you get in to 90rpm.

DuckFat

Like I said, everyone is different and the 90RPM is optimum for some people, not all. Personally, I can climb better than anyone I know but I can't sprint fast at all really. I recover quicker than most people. I think 90 rpm is for people with more "twitch" muscle. Spinning that fast is VERY uncomfortable for me and I reject the religious-like fervor that people say it's the ONLY way to cycle.

late

Dumb idea.
You are going to show up tired, party, than do another 35 to get home?
Sounds like hell on wheels...

Add a few miles at a time. Get used to it gradually. It sounds like you may have some fit issues to work out as well.

jamesshuang

Haha, that really depends on how old/fit/crazy you are, lol. I'm young and crazy, but not too fit. However, after my longest tour of just 30 miles, I went to DC and back from Baltimore, pushing my record up to 130. I just completed an even crazier trip, 175 miles from Baltimore to Jersey, with a century on the second day. It may be hard, but if you're motivated, it doesn't take too much to really extend your distance!

Cave

35 mi = about 60km EACH WAY = a lot for your first big ride (and 2nd ride on that bike/saddle) (and 2nd ride in years)

Allow at least 3 hours to get there, more to get back. You sure you want to do this going to a party? You'll be a bit sweaty and fairly tired. Your bum will be sore. If you are dehydrated, you will be vague and weirded-out for an hour or two. The main drinks will probably be soft drinks and alcohol, so rehydration will be a challenge.

It can be done, just be aware of what you're up against going from 0 to 7 to 70 in 2 days on a new bike.

divergence

So don't leave us in suspense, Sky -- how was the ride?

DividedSky

Sorry for the late response, I just got home!

The ride went very smoothly. I was intimidated by the cars, especially around tight curves but i realized after awhile that it's really not all that dangerous. I bought a nice gel seat and installed it right before the ride, but half-way through it started coming loose so i had to find a hardware store to get an alan wrench! I barely packed any water so when I came upon a Dunkin Donuts I had to buy and down a bunch of powerades. There were a lot of backroads but I never got lost. I was the first one at the party so I had time to take a shower. I stayed up til 5 am playing beer pong and having a jolly old time and everyone was amazed that i had biked. Plus, I managed to scheme a ride back so I didn't have to brave another 35 miles.

35 wasn't bad at all.

Thanks for the advice everyone

Newspaperguy

Good work, DividedSky. Now that you've done that run, you'll have an easier time with the next one.

People notice cyclists, as you've already observed. Perhaps your ride has inspired someone else at that party to get on a bike too.

Cave

Hey, well done! Great to hear it went well for you.

You sure you need a gel seat? The stock one on the T800 is pretty good. Each to his own, though.

Tools + a few spares + water + a muesli bar (or other snack) = greater safety margin (although with more weight).

So, with beer pong, do you drink the beer if you win or if you lose?

DividedSky

The stock seat was pretty rough, I don't think it has enough padding. The gel seat is pretty rockin.

In beer pong you drink all the beer if you loose. If you win, you usually drink almost as much. They don't have it much in oz, do they? I lived in NZ for awhile and they'd never heard of it

Cave

Oh, I'm sure it exists.

kipibenkipod

What are you replaying for?

Cave

Oh, and about that other thing, yeah, I agree.

But not about the third thing.