Hey chaps i know a few on here do a bit of both but i get my kicks off road and allways have .. here’s the Nub .. My new company do the London to paris bike ride. Ive been out with the boss on a mtb and he has asked me to get involved on the training rides with them , first one this friday 100 miles and a 10k TT .. now i have never been on a roadbike before & im not sure 1 if i am just gonna make the ride shite for them as i wont be able to keep up or 2 even if i can manage it phisicaly and on a bike i am not used to.
Fitness wise i spin 3 times a week and usualy get a 35 mile ride in on weekends on the MTB and have done up to 60 miles on occasion.

Thoughts too much too soon , or worth a go ?

I guess it depends on your fitness – I would have struggled going straight in at 100m – as much about the differences between road cycling and mountain biking (for me, MTB was always much more stop-start-chat-beer-etc, whereas roadies seem to get their heads down).

If they’re willing to ease up a little and not make you feel like you’re slowing them down…go for it. When you get to mile 90 ask for a payrise.

I would say 100 miles is too far for a roadie virgin, position will be different, comfort levels different and seems like a bad move for both the reasons you mention – do you have decent roadie kit?. Also is it a group ride are you used to road riding in groups staying on a wheel, group protocols. Not sure I see the training point of a 10k tt in/ after a 100 mile ride in November

will you be on a road bike, i read it as yes, going straight in to a 100 mile ride on a bike you don’t know is asking for trouble IMHO, if only as joints, ligaments, tendons etc will be stretched and bent to ride a bike you know.

The issues to watch for would be neck pain and shoulder pain, your going to be in a more stretched position than your used to on a mtb.

Next MTB rides tend to be nothing like road rides, it is the constant pedalling that will do it for you. The saving grace is that on a road bike you can sit in the group and get some shelter from the wind which will make easier.

If you were talking metric century i would actually say go for it, just take it easy and see how it goes, but the extra 40 mles… I am not so sure.

When I first got a road bike I found the position very uncomfortable after much less than 100 miles, got a sore neck and shoulders for a few rides til I got used to it. I would not want to take on a big ride like that first time on the bike.

I expect you could manage the distance fitness-wise from what you describe, it would be the comfort on the bike that I would be concerned about.

One of the cycling mags a few months back had a feature on an 11 year old that had done his first 100 mile ride… As long as they are prepared to wait for you if they are faster, then you’ll be fine.

Iain

I’d also say its too much for a virgin and if they are reasonably fit you wont enjoy it. I’d build it up a bit first.

Chaps thanks all for comments , Id be lent a road bike, and no dont have decent road gear i guess the best i could muster would be bib tights and a on one jersey thats to small for offroad MTB spuds and take the peak off my lid ! we do have work branded kit though . May have got the TT and Ride mixed not exactly sure found out about half hour ago by phone and said i will let him know tomorrow. yes would be a group ride and their first since July .. i think your right need to clarify metric or miles .. either way if i do it i think im in for pain!

Pace and position on the bike IMHO.

Both are very different than riding MTB’s and you really could do with a little time to adjust. If you are on a roadie and the position is too low or too short you’ll suffer backache very badly indeed after only a few miles (20ish) from then on it’ll hurt bad.
Also, stroke. As you’ll be used to grunting a lot on the MTB (you sound fit enough mind so don’t go thinking your not) you’ll end up doing the same stroke as your MTB, well it’s kinda different, you’ll find the bike much lighter for starters and you no doubt crack a big gear, this could be ok if you are used to holding down a biggie, but if the lads you are with pace at a different level you could encounter muscle pain in the legs.
Also, wrist pain.. It’s horrid until you get used to it, and neck pain.

Sorry to put a downer on your endevour, sounds a great thing to do.

When I was 27 and pretty fit, although not through cycling, I did a 56 mile charity ride on a racing bike I bought 2nd hand for the purpose and set off with only a couple of 10 mile training jaunts under my belt.

I could barely walk for the next 3 days 😳

If you can do 60 on a MTB then 100 on road wouldn’t be an issue fitness wise at a steady pace…………but……..it’s positioning that will cause you the problems esp on a bike that your not familiar with

Obvious this is only an opinion and I accept no responsibility for any of the above 😀

Fitness-wise, you’d be fine. 60 miles off-road/100 miles on road could be fairly comparable. However, that’ll be a long time on a bike you’ve never ridden and which could be extremely uncomfortable – to the point of injuring yourself. I’d bow out gracefully.

I’m not sure I understand why a company who do London to Paris (no doubt in the summer!) would be riding 100 miles in November. Doesn’t seem to be a very sensible way to spend time. And a 10k TT is just pointless!

I’d suggest this is more of a jolly for a few people to get some time away from the office!!

Added to the fact it doesn’t sound like you’ll have the right kit for that length of ride (you’ll probably get quite cold), as others have said position wise you’ll probably struggle.

Why not be honest and say to them that you’re up for London-Paris, but will have to build up for it gradually? Say you’ll head out on the first 20 miles with them on Friday, but turn back then. At least then you’re showing willing, 40 miles is a great start and a good point to building up to the 100 miles.

Thoughts too much too soon , or worth a go ?

too much too soon. you can probably do it but it’s how you will feel afterwards. possibility of injury too.
and tbh i wouldn’t want to ride with somebody having no experience of group riding who doesn’t know how to hold a wheel and not brake without thinking who’s behind.

it’s not some dark art but a couple of weeks of 40-60’s plus getting your bike fit sorted would make it a hell of a lot easier/enjoyable.

Sounds like a very good way to get injured.

Agree with all of the above.

Road bikes are very different beasts and require a much higher degree of tweaking to get the best fit and comfort for the rider than an MTB.

The ride is obviously harder than a well damped MTB and just increases the kicking that road bikes can give out.

You’d be better off doing a life sentence in a Turkish jail!!

Give it a miss and build up slowly to the required mileage.

ok after all the kind advice i phoned him back and its laps of a 10k circit around the office so can bow out when it gets to much .. will give it a go and do what i feel comfortable doing . he said that i can stay at the back of the group and hang on as long as i can and build up confidence ..but i think hammerite is onto something as far as the jolly goes :].. thanks again for all the advice .. next time it will be razors or immac !!

You will be fine. I didn’t ride a bike this year at all until June, then rode 2-3 times a week until August. At the end of august I was 8th fastest in a 100 mile sportive in the lakes. OK they are not a race but it is possible to do fast on minimal training. The longest rides I did before was ride 50, 60 and 70 miles on 3 of the weekends beforehand. All other rides were 20 mile temp or interval sessions

you won’t be fine.position and fit is a lot more critical on the road.
of course you could manage,but why would you want to?
bit strange an experienced roadie asking someone to do 160km straight off.
get a fit done,and change what you have to to make sure the bike fits you.then build up.and road pedals.

As others 160km (100 miles) is too far to start with as you’ve only been doing short distance before, it’s cold at the moment, and that’s going to take a long time, over 6.5 hours @ 25kph which you will be very pushed to do, not taking into account comfort breaks, food stops etc. Start with say 50km then add 10-15 a week it will be a lot easier than jumping in at the deep end like you are.

ok after all the kind advice i phoned him back and its laps of a 10k circit around the office so can bow out when it gets to much

You’ll be fine then, enjoy it: road > mtb 😉

I’d agree with hammerite and do part of the ride. See if you can get a train home from somewhere.
If it is 100km rather than 100 miles you’ll most likely make it and if you ride an mtb regularily you may well be fitter than some of them. If it’s their first ride since summer some of the others will be dreading it too unless they’re all regular road riders.
The 10k time trial doesn’t have to be taken seriously and could acually be a good recovery ride if you just take it steady. No one expects anything from you.
If you do decide to do it here’s a few tips:
Stretch before and after, especially the top half of your body as you don’t move so much on a road bike.
You’re right about removing your peak, it stops you craning your neck too much.
I’d wear what you know to be comfortable. It is a bit chillier on the road though. This will also let the others know you’re not used to road group riding, but introduce yourself as such and also say you’re ready for advice.. this will make the better ones behave responsibly with you and ‘look after you’. Listen to advice, but you don’t have to act on it all.
If it gets you off work, I’d recommend it. But it may take a few days extra to recover as you’re not used to it.

Some right mincers on here, it’s just a bike ride, what’s the worst that will happen

allright dj.anytime you’re in bcn I’ll lend you my brompton and we can go on my road loop.it’s got 3speeds,so you’ll be fine.

Bcn?

Some right mincers on here, it’s just a bike ride, what’s the worst that will happen

You will bonk and die in the middle of nowhere

There are a lot of very good reasons not to do that ride – but there are a lot of very good reasons to not do anything; I just go and do it – so what if it will be hard; what’s the point doing it if it is easy? My first ton was on a hybrid doing Brighton and back – I wasn’t that fit – it was fantastic, and I was totally shagged, but I’d just bagged my first ton, I can’t recall the pain now, just the satisfaction. Be warned, you might have to buy a road bike afterwards. Just don’t go on the front a lot/at all. Hope this helps.

10k laps for 100 miles? Your biggest issue will be the sheer boredom! Quite good in that you can see how long you last though.

read these http://roadcyclinguk.com/riding/training/