[Closed] 100 miles... How easy?

Set off early and jump on the first group, if they drop you, get on the next one .......

[quote=mboy ]am I worrying unduly?This.
Ride the bike you are used to. You don't want to be uncomfortable.
Pace yourself. Don't ride faster that you are happy with just to stay in a group. Start early and another will be along in due course.
Drink/eat.

Ride the bike you know.

I would recommend sticking to your usual bike for your first 100 mile ride.

For the record, I have the same bike as you, and done 100 miles no bother. The Defy is bombproof and a nice comfy position for distance.

You'll be fine, you are worrying too much. TBH I don't understand why someone who can ride 60m comfortably would be so worried.

At worst you'll blow up/get the bonk etc, it's not like you'll hurt yourself or not finish.

You are worrying about nothing. I ride 20 to 40 miles regularly, with the odd 60+ thrown in. I rode a 100 miler a few weeks ago by myself.

It was hard, but my advice would be to take plenty of food and drink and a couple of energy gels with you. And here's the bit I didn't do - pace yourself. I started with riding Z2 in mind (ride so you can't feel any burn in your legs and if you do, back off) to stop me hammering my legs, but as I realised I'd come under 3.30 I got lured in by that target.

Other that that, what he said. Its easier to follow than lead, and if you can ride in a group you'll get some aero benefits and will get pulled along if you can try to stay on wheel. If you can ride with someone you know even better

BTW, its not an Evans ride-it by any chance is it? I'm doing that one in a couple of weeks too.

You can do it. We had a guy that had only ever ridden 62 miles maximum, and he only has a few years riding in his legs join us for over 120 miles of a 180+ mile ride.
He was fine.
Stick to the bike you know, eat and hydrate well. Ride at one notch under the usual. **** every one else.

Is a Defy like the old SCRs? I rode a century on one a few years back.

Is a Defy like the old SCRs?

Yup.

I would stick with you own bike as you be used to it the most, like saddle, reach, saddle hight etc, but if you do go for the lighter bike change the saddle.
But I would ask if you can borrow thet ligh wheels as that would make a big diffence, just change the cassette.

As for the ride sounds like you do well, JUST make sure you keep fueling your body with drink and food. Even if it meens stoping to top up bottles. If it is warm/hot more drink than food. Food should have little fat as you can find. (fat just sits in stomach and slows other food been procesed)
And start eating drinking early (in the first hour, little and oftern.
gen rule is 1g of carb to 1Kg of body weight per hour so 80kg rider should eat 80g of carb per hour, some studys show that with low fat high carb food/drink the body can take up to 1.5g of carb per KG. (but you might whant to ty that out first!)

Kryton57 - Member

I started with riding Z2 in mind (ride so you can't feel any burn in your legs and if you do, back off) to stop me hammering my legs, but as I realised I'd come under 3.30 I got lured in by that target.

You aimed for an average of 30mph?

gen rule is 1g of carb to 1Kg of body weight per hour so 80kg rider should eat 80g of carb per hour, some studys show that with low fat high carb food/drink the body can take up to 1.5g of carb per KG. (but you might whant to ty that out first!)

Or whatever tastes nice 😀

Or whatever tastes nice

Cinnamon and Raisin Malt loaf in jersey pocket. Sorted.

cynic-al - Member
Kryton57 - Member
I started with riding Z2 in mind (ride so you can't feel any burn in your legs and if you do, back off) to stop me hammering my legs, but as I realised I'd come under 3.30 I got lured in by that target.

You aimed for an average of 30mph?

LOL! I wish - sorry that was 100k. My 100m time was 5.57.

Did you do any back pedalling? 😉

The bike is same as this oldgit... Only thing I've changed so far in 18 months (and only about 600 miles probably!) is the saddle...

[img] [/img]

Still not messed about with the gearing, as more I started riding it, the more I was able to pedal the 50T ring on the flat in a sensible (ie 19 or 17T) cog on the back. But that said, I'm thinking a 12-27 for the climbs might make sense over the 12-25 on there right now as there's a couple of climbs that are 20% or so.

Also, do tyres make a big difference? And if so, what cheap(ish) tyres would make a difference over the standard (rather heavy at 310g each) Kenda's?

The stock STW tyre response is the Conti GP4000S.

I found the jump from a max ride of 60 miles to 105 miles no problem - what I think eased the pain was riding at a steady pace / not racing (until getting excited when I realised there was still plenty in the tank at 90 miles), and also a good amount of tasty food ('normal' stuff like sarnies and cake !)

I have Michelin Pro 3s, blue sidewalls of course, on my identical Defy. Work for me, and my local country roads are rough as ****.

[img] [/img]

...saddle bag now removed.

glupton1976 - Member
Did you do any back pedalling?

Give me a break, I'm new(ish) to road riding.... , it rained, I was on a new saddle, I got abused by a driver for no reason, erm what else.... :p

Its not the amount of miles its the amount of climbing that's the problem.

You'll be fine. I did my first century unintentionally after riding sixty (my previous maximum) then realising I needed to get home.

Did my first century last weekend, from roughly a similar platform to yourself.

Found a good group and managed it in 5 and a half hours, pace slightly higher than I'm used to but had the option to drop back a shelter from time to time.

You'll be fine, only problem I had thing was starting to feel sick at around the 80-90 mark. Put it down to using an unfamiliar drink so would recommend you stick with what you know, including the bike.

Chamois creme and mtfu

The stock STW tyre response is the Conti GP4000S.

Didn't read the "cheap(ish)" bit in my post then? 😯

Ouch, they're not cheap!

Was thinking more like £15 to £20 a tyre max really!

Was thinking more like £15 to £20 a tyre max really!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=26230

Riding 100 miles is easy, riding it fast is not.

Our company have just done a 800 mile ride from Glasgow to West London, 800 miles in 9 days. People who were non cyclists in spring have completed it. Some very unlikely characters were there, like our MD's PA.

If they can do that, then you can do 100

I think you'll probably suprise yourself and find it not to difficult at all.

+1 for eat/drink regularly, its surprising how much difference this makes.

I think food is the key ...eat every hour ..gels ...energy bars ..whatever but I get craving for savoury after about 4-5 hours ...so scotch egg helped... Oh and my shoulders hurt more than my legs after 100 miles

Michelin Lithion 2s are great cheap tyres.

Dont use gels, eat real food.

Also without harping on, 100 miles used to be the Sunday standard distance

The bike is same as this oldgit... Only thing I've changed so far in 18 months (and only about 600 miles probably!) is the saddle...

Just checked, my mate covered 552 miles in four days on a Defy 3

i plan to eat something every 20 miles approx and keep drinking, building up to my first 100, 80 so far is my longest

Also without harping on, 100 miles used to be the Sunday standard distance

Yeah, but you're a proper roadie thoroughbred. Mboy has covered naff all distance on the road bike, hence the apprehension.

You will be fine though. You'll do the 60 miles you're used to at a steadier pace. And at the same time you'll be well over half way. That said, to this day the last 10 miles of any ride I do seems to take an age.

Riding 100 miles is easy, riding it fast is not.

I see where you're coming from, and I know that if it was flat, it'd not faze me at all... There's 4000ft of climbing over the route though! Mind you, that's only the same as 3 laps of Mountain Mayhem to be fair...

I think you'll probably suprise yourself and find it not to difficult at all.

I'm hoping so, and cheers for the encouragement. Mostly scared about not getting up Ankerdine Hill after already having done about 70 miles on the bike (it's probably a mile long and 20% gradient in places)

You'll be fine, after 70 miles, it'll just hurt a bit more, nothing you can't handle.

Riding 100 miles is easy, riding it fast is not.

I see where you're coming from, and I know that if it was flat, it'd not faze me at all... There's 4000ft of climbing over the route though! Mind you, that's only the same as 3 laps of Mountain Mayhem to be fair...

I think you'll probably suprise yourself and find it not to difficult at all.

I'm hoping so, and cheers for the encouragement. Mostly scared about not getting up Ankerdine Hill after already having done about 70 miles on the bike (it's probably a mile long and 20% gradient in places)

Just take it steady away and it'll be fine, use your easy gear up the hills etc.

I dont ride over 100miles often at all (twice this year I think!)

First 100miler I did this year was the Fred Whitton, I took it steady and finished feeling reasonably fresh(ish) - my neck hurt but my legs were fine. Obviously the hills take it out of you a bit, but its all about pacing yourself.

If I'd wanted to do a 6 and a half hour time instead of 7 then it would have been a completetly different ball game and probably would have required me to do some proper training. Maybe next year!

I jump on a few Defy's a week and for bikes around the 700 quid mark, they feel pretty comfy. I'm thinking about putting 25c's on my own bike as every Defy I ride seems to have 25c's. Not too bothered about the speed or weight of my own bike,just get the impression that its going to be a more enjoyable ride around these crappy roads in the highlands!

I did the etape.du dales earlier this year pretty much double the longest I had ridden. Started really early. Ate loads, it was fine. My neck was also more trouble than my legs. Just don't be shy of jumping on the back of a group.

You'll be fine, i did 90 miles yesterday having only done 70miles as my biggest ride before that

I think the hardest thing will be trying not to be bored out of your mind.

Save as much energy as you can by getting on a few wheels, the concentration needed for this will prevent boredom.

Michelin Pro 3s are a great tyre, I weigh 72 kgs and I run mine at 100 psi, which is fast and comfortable.

There will be three or four feed stations; make sure you stop to rest, stretch your back and eat some energy-rich food. It shouldn't be hot but make sure you keep drinking and it helps if you put some maltodextrin in your drinking water or use an energy drink, but carbohydrate based not sugar. If you're prone to cramp, take some kind of salt supplement as well.

Brilliant info from most people, cheers guys.

I suffer a bit from low blood sugar levels anyway, and have a very fast metabolism for a guy my age, so am used to eating quite a bit on my MTB rides anyway. Certainly anything over a 2hr ride and I'll have to have a nibble whilst out, but longer than that and I'll nibble a bit fairly frequently. I don't get on at all well with energy drinks though, but your tip about the maltodextrin is a good one globalti, and yes prone to cramp too so will take some salt supplement. Many thanks!

Current tyres are 25c's though, and thinking about what martinxyz said, is it worth sticking with this size? Do I lose anything in speed by not going to 23c's (obviously 25 will be slightly more comfortable), or is it more of a weight thing in that 23's will be lighter? Certainly from my brief look on the internet, it's hard to get hold of tyres in the 25c size it would seem unless you're paying close to RRP rather than the huge choice you've got of heavily discounted 23c's.

Oh, and genuine question here... I use Crank Bros MTB pedals, Shimano MTB shoes, and I only own peaked MTB helmets. I know I'll stand out like a sore thumb, but are there likely to be other people there in the same garb or am I going to be the only one that is obviously a Mountain Biker having a go at a Sportive?