imi

Hi! I'm getting roped into a 300 km organized ride with 18.000 participants in Sweden next summer https://www.vaetternrundan.se/default.aspx?lang=1
I commute 26km roundtrip and regularly tour fully loaded (just got back from a short tour across France, 750 km in 8 days) just to give you an idea of my background.
I regularly ride 100 km/days touring usually averaging 17-20 km/hour, but the idea of 300 km is weird (even without luggage)... Any of you tourers ever do something like this without extra road training?
I'd be riding my touring bike (a sport tourer) stripped down with thinner tyres (25's? instead of 32's) and won't have any bike specific clothing apart from helmet...

Just trying to get my head around the concept of 300 km I guess I'll probably have to carry a few kilos of bananas

Thanks for any advice

Cyclebum

Take a few cans of Red Bull with you. Or the Swedish equivalent. That's a 'power drink' full of caffeine. And pray for strong tail winds.

imi

Good advice Cyclebum! I've never tried Red Bull (I'm very sensitive to caffeine, one cup of coffee keeps me going all day) but this could definitely be the time to start!

I always pray to the wind gods, though they seem to like to have a good laugh at us tourers' expense for the most part

robow

I'll bet those kind folks over in the "Long Distance Cycling" forum could give you a lot of help. My longest 200K day would only pale in comparison.

plodderslusk

If you lack experience in group riding, get it ! The advantage of sitting with a large group on a ride like that is incredible. A lot of the touring riders who do these kinds of rides would benefit from some spring and summer rides with a good road club. Usually there will be different levels of training rides so you can find "your" group to ride with. With a good pack 300k is not all that different from 100k loaded solo.

imi

Ah sorry, didn't know there was a "Long Distance Cycling" forum, thanks for the pointer 'though I will remain a commuter/tourer! hihi

And I always thought "a good pack" was putting all I needed for the trip into a bag old dogs, new tricks yaknow! thanks plodderslusk...

gus69

You don't need bananas for that ride, there are plenty of energydrinks and food for every 40 km.
Keep commuting and during spring try to get 3-4 longer rides ; up to 150-200 km.

I've completed it 4 times and I really enjoy it, it have a nice relaxed atmosphere around it, except the last groups in the morning (high speed)

Machka 

You can be both a long distance cyclist and a cycletourist. I do both as well as racing, commuting, riding recreationally, riding for fitness, and even a little bit of mtn biking thrown in for good measure. It's good to be a well-rounded cyclist.

imi

hihi I hear you Machka this "one off thing" probably won't be a "one off thing" and I'll end up buying a new road bike, lycra kit, join a road club etc

I've had a long professional career in another sport which ground down to a stop a few years ago (age and injuries) and although I've never had a car and biked everywhere and have toured a lot, my interest for bicycling has been growing more and more these years.
No desire whatsoever to race, but I may join a club for the training and social side of it