I’m 18 stone and ride once a week. I have completed a few 100+ mile rides.

You’ll be fine just keep drinking and chucking gels down your throat.

Thanks for all the advice. 43 miles today in 3 hrs 15 mins- turning the pedals was ok, but various parts of body became pain points that I would focus on. My feet, small of my back, neck and hands would take turns to annoy me. I think this is more to do with my riding position and some chatter through the roads. You really do notice the state of some of the roads when you’re on skinny tyres.

My current tyres are 23C, would it be advisable to move up to 25’s or 28’s? If yes, can anyone recommend good all rounders that are not too expensive. (if anyone has spares lying about, give me a shout on how much you’re looking for them. Need to watch my pennies until I get a job.)

I’m 15+ stone. I used 35s when I did lejog with a mate using 28s (and a stone lighter) it was apparent from freewheeling down hills that rolling resistance only came into it over 20mph, so for actual pedally stuff 35s were fine, and a lot more comfortable (and importantly only need 50-60 psi – I can’t get the tyre drop correct on 25s without exceeding the maximum pressure for the tyre).

Once you’ve got yourself comfy on the bike 100 miles is mostly a mental challenge. It’s just unbelievably boring.

You should see some of the people who take on RideLondon 100 and various Sportives, especially the charity ones.

The distance isn’t really the problem, it’s things like comfort on the bike and ensuring you’re fed and watered throughout. Don’t go out too fast, break it down in your mind to 4 x 25 miles or 3 x 33 miles, whatever works for you.

I used 35s when I did lejog with a mate using 28s (and a stone lighter) it was apparent from freewheeling down hills that rolling resistance only came into it over 20mph…

Rolling resistance is going to be negligible between say 23s and 28s. In fact there might not be any difference at all. A lot of pro teams have moved up to 25s on the road because the roll faster than smaller tyres. The real difference would be in weight when pointed uphill. But again, tiny differences for your average Joe, unless it’s REALLY hilly. Personally I’d go for 28s on a big ride, but I wouldn’t over think it. Most tyres will be fine. Personally I favour puncture protection over performance. Not be getting anywhere fast if you’re sat by the side of the road in the rain, fiddling with pumps and tubes.

My feet, small of my back, neck and hands would take turns to annoy me.

Some aches and pains are normal if you’re not used to it, while you’re muscles develop and adapt. Definitely look at your bike fit though, and just make any small adjustments that you think might help.

Good quality tyres make a big difference to fatigue, something like a Michelin Pro 4 or the Rolls Royce of tyres, a Veloflex open Corsa in 25mm, run at around 95 psi is supremely comfortable and grippy, especially if you use it with latex inners. £52 a pair from Ribble.

Heavy old wire-bead tyres of the sort that some manufacturers fit as standard to save money, are horrible to ride and will punish you.

I’m in Loughborough and have some 25c Gatorskins you can have for £10.

Use ibuprofen/neurofen alternatively every 2 hours to prevent pain and reduce next day pain.

Apart from those 2 things having the same active ingredient, why would you take something that is bad for an empty stomach, when essentially you have an empty stomach ?

As others, start slow, much slower than you may think. Eat little but often. Hydrate from the day before and eat pasta etc the night before. Brave doing it on an mtb.

Veloflex open Corsa in 25mm, run at around 95 psi is supremely comfortable

Depending on how heavy you are. That would be way under pressure for me (and any other lardy mountainbiker).

Just find someone to draft all the way and you will be fine 🙂

My brother in law is doing Newcastle to London (300 miles) in 24 hours next week. I reckon i can do 100 miles, but 300 in that timescale is incomprehensible.

Use ibuprofen/neurofen alternatively every 2 hours to prevent pain and reduce next day pain.
Apart from those 2 things having the same active ingredient, why would you take something that is bad for an empty stomach, when essentially you have an empty stomach ?

Sorry, meant to say alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen/naproxen.

I take them because they reduce inflammation which means less pain, whilst riding and in the days after, plus they are pain killing too. You won’t have an empty stomach (at least you shouldn’t unless you want to bonk) and 10 hours of NSAIDs should be fine unless you have a prior condition or are taking something else, in which case you’d probably know about it already.

Fitted Michelin Pro 4 28s as recommended on this thread. What a difference. Feels so much comfier and I never felt any niggles in my feet. hands or neck today. Thanks for the recommendation. I think I’m going to change the cassette from 11-25 to 12-30 so I don’t burn my legs too much.

Sorry but I must say, advising NSAID use to avoid the pain (if any) of exertion on a bike ride is terrible advice.

Sorry but I must say, advising NSAID use to avoid the pain (if any) of exertion on a bike ride is terrible advice.

Yeah, you should definitely use steroidal ones <jokeincaseitsnotobvious>

I’m 15+ stone. I can’t get the tyre drop correct on 25s without exceeding the maximum pressure for the tyre).

Eh? Just how far over 15 stone are you? I’m 15.5 and 100psi is fine for any 23c or 25c tyre I’ve ever used…

As for the OP – good to see you’re doing some build up rides. Going from short rides to suddenly doing a 100 miler would probably result in muscle cramps which make it far from fun (especially on top of the inevitable saddle soreness others have mentioned).

I’ve been averaging 35 miles a day. Going to take tomorrow off and then go for a 5 hr ride on Sunday. Same again next week, then I’ll just be doing 2 hrs a day stopping on Thursday. 100 miler is on the 6th of Sept 😕

I’m now starting to regret signing up. I’m doing 40 odd miles with no problems apart from still getting a sore bum. My longest run was 60 miles and I reckon I could have went on for a another hour or so. However I’m averaging 12 mph no matter what- I just seem to go into reserve mode when I comes to a big climb and crawl up. I’m thinking 9+ hours in the saddle is going to be torture on my nether regions. Do you think it’s too late or unwise to change to a comfy MTB saddle and try that for a 40 ish mile ride?

If you are currently managing 12mph solo then you should make 15mph in a bunch of similarly fit riders.

you could try your mtb saddle and if it’s comfy then go for it. Its getting a bit close to Sunday to mess around with setup though, so if you can try it today or tomorrow then worthwhile. You probably would benefit from not riding much more between now and Sunday tho…

I hope you’re correct scotroutes, 15mph would chop a couple of hours off.

However I’m averaging 12 mph no matter what- I just seem to go into reserve mode when I comes to a big climb and crawl up.

That seems to be a reasonable plan, tbh. You’ll be much better off just spinning up the climbs at a very slow pace, rather than trying to save 10 minutes and blowing up…

And Rockplough is right with this advice: advising NSAID use to avoid the pain (if any) of exertion on a bike ride is terrible advice. – stick to paracetamol, and even then I’d try and avoid it.

this is the route if it helps?

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/220772098

mogrim – Member
However I’m averaging 12 mph no matter what- I just seem to go into reserve mode when I comes to a big climb and crawl up.

That seems to be a reasonable plan, tbh. You’ll be much better off just spinning up the climbs at a very slow pace, rather than trying to save 10 minutes and blowing up…

second that, if that is your comfortable speed then you’ll do the distance at that sort of speed – enjoy it and do speed specific for the next one, the miles you’ve done look good to get the distance – way up ^^^ think someone said treat it as 4 x 25miles and take breaks – still applies

I dont know if it does Steve or makes it more daunting 😀 It does help to see some single figure speeds on the climbs.

That was easy 🙂 (apart from the climbing, especially after lunch)

Assuming you finished, congratulations!
What was your time in the end?

I think I was just a little off the pace of the fast guys with a time of 8 hrs 40 mins. I think I took longer breaks.