[Closed] 100 miles... How easy?

Most sportives I've done had a wide range of bikes, including heavy shoppers and hybrids. If you are worried about your image - or just want to improve your forward visibility - most MTB helmet peaks are removable.

Pedal-wise, I use CB Candys for touring and they are just fine. An Eggbeater and a flexible sole might lead to a sore foot but you'd have likely experienced that already.

Don't worry about it mboy ,
Sportives are full of all sorts,mtb stuff is the least of your worries.
(IMO)Riding in a bunch however is not a thing to be learned on the day.
So if you haven't done it before ,pay attention or hide at the back if you are not sure.
Some people whine on about folk drafting (not doing a spell) ,but I would rather they stayed at the back if they are newbies ( it's not like they slow things down). 🙂

All this 'jumping on wheels', 'getting on the back of groups' etc. not really 'riding' a 100 miler if you're using others is it? Do it on your own then you've genuinely ridden a 100 miler. Sorry and all that.

Doing my first roadie 100 on Sunday 14th October.

I think Im looking forward to it!
Not sure the road bike is going to be very comfortbale for that amount of time. 1-1.5 hours is my normal road ride length. More used to long days on the HT

Boblo - Worraloadofbollox

All of the above. I did my first Sportive this year - 100 miles - and it was much easier than I'd expected. It was also my first group ride. I'd only done 70 miles prior to that, but those were 70 hilly Peak District miles so a flatter 100 wasn't really an issue. When I finished there was still plenty in the tank.

- Pace yourself; go at your pace and don't get too tempted to bust a gut to keep up with faster groups
- Keep eating/drinking (make the most of feed stations)
- Enjoy it

All this 'jumping on wheels', 'getting on the back of groups' etc. not really 'riding' a 100 miler if you're using others is it? Do it on your own then you've genuinely ridden a 100 miler. Sorry and all that.

Fair point Boblo ,but I am always on the front 😆

25s aren't significantly slower than 23s, it's just a little weight (in fact the rolling resitance is marginally better on 25s!)

But you will find more lighter tires in 23, as that's what folk have bought into.

"Willywaver of the thread" goes to Boblo!

Pedal-wise, I use CB Candys for touring and they are just fine. An Eggbeater and a flexible sole might lead to a sore foot but you'd have likely experienced that already.

Use Candy's on my MTB's but actually use a set of the Acid's on my Defy cos I didn't want a Hot Spot from my softer soled shoes. So should be fine I suppose.

My MTB helmets look proper wrong without a peak though, might be a hard habit to break that one! 😉

Riding in a bunch however is not a thing to be learned on the day.
So if you haven't done it before ,pay attention or hide at the back if you are not sure.

I'm relatively OK with that, only done about 10-12 group rides now, but I'm alright at it as long as I remind myself not to get too close to the person in front all the time.

All this 'jumping on wheels', 'getting on the back of groups' etc. not really 'riding' a 100 miler if you're using others is it? Do it on your own then you've genuinely ridden a 100 miler. Sorry and all that.

Errr. 30 odd miles at a good pace is tough on my own, probably as tough as the couple of 60's I've done in groups. I do not fancy doing a ton on my own just yet!

Doing my first roadie 100 on Sunday 14th October.

I think Im looking forward to it!
Not sure the road bike is going to be very comfortbale for that amount of time. 1-1.5 hours is my normal road ride length. More used to long days on the HT

Where you doing it mate, cos that's the day I'm gonna be doing one! And I'm in the same situation as you, normal road rides are perhaps 25-30 miles long, but traditionally happy spending much longer out on my Mountain Bike.

Keeping fueled up and pacing are the most important things. You'll manage the distance so long as you get those two things right. Knock back the pace a bit and don't be tempted to work hard to stay in a group thats too fast for you, you;ll regret it later on. Things will start to hurt around 70 miles, but as long as you've been eating and getting the fuel in, it wont be too bad. Keep a couple of caffeine gels or something similar for this point as a pick me up. Good luck, and make sure you enjoy it 🙂

druidh - Member
Boblo - Worraloadofbollox

Would it be the same if you had a bungee tow or drafted a vehicle? Of course not, silly.

<edit> Not willy waving just differentiating between a 100 miler with help and 100 miler without. They ain't the same.

[url= http://mactually.co.uk/?p=138 ]My first century[/url] was on a geared Inbred with heavy commuter slicks on it. And I fitted a rack and a pannier to carry all my food, water, spare clothes, full waterproofs and a D-lock.

Prior to that, I'd once ridden 80 miles and once 60 miles and my only 'training' was riding to work and back - a five mile a day commute.

It took me 10 hours 🙂

I'm no roadie at all, i'd never ridden slick tyres really before and had never ridden more than 60 miles really, but I did London to Brighton and back to London yesterday, a total of 112 miles on a 26ib Croix De Fer CX bike, baggies and a Camelbak

For me the key was keep eating and drinking, stay at a pace you know you can sustain, if you must stop, make sure it is only briefly to fill bottles or eat and spin up the hills (especially Ditchling Beacon in my case)and most importantly make sure your saddle and bars are ones you are used to and comfortable with.

miketually, nice! Though I was hoping for a little closer to 6hrs myself, certainly under 7... 😉

scud, that's an ace achievement! Is the CdF really 26lb though? Quite surprising! I assume you fitted slicks though?

25s aren't significantly slower than 23s, it's just a little weight (in fact the rolling resitance is marginally better on 25s!)

But you will find more lighter tires in 23, as that's what folk have bought into.

Cheers Al

Makes sense kind of. Certainly makes me want to stick with the 25's anyway.

Though why do Time Trialler's go down as low as 19c then? Is that more to do with Aero, and rolling resistance losses are less than any gained aero benefit?

miketually, nice! Though I was hoping for a little closer to 6hrs myself, certainly under 7...

I [url= http://mactually.co.uk/?p=263 ]did it an hour and a half faster the following year[/url], on a singlespeed 29er with 42c cyclocross tyres 🙂

Why? Drafting is recognised as reducing effort by what, 25 - 30% if that's the case, you've only 'really' covered 65 - 70 miles.
Would it be the same if you had a bungee tow or drafted a vehicle? Of course not, silly.

<edit> Not willy waving just differentiating between a 100 miler with help and 100 miler without. They ain't the same.

He does have a point, I think its maybe come across as a little confrontational but I find doing 100 miles in a group far far easier than doing it on my own. Sat in a large bunch, you're maybe on the front a maximum of 8-10 times in 100 miles. On your own, you're on your own....

It wasn't meant to confrontational.... Just to the point. Brevity is the soul of wit and all that.....

nice one miketually, nothing like making it hard for yourself!

EDIT: Ignore me!!! 😳

Sportives are great for the simple reason you can jump on the back of a passing train, sit on it for a while, if its too quick let them go and get the next one.

Riding in groups is what road riding is all about. I went out yesterday on my own, did 100km and 1200m of climbing around the Chilterns in beautiful weather and you know what? It was really hard and a bit boring and I love road riding. Just got battered by the wind the whole way round and didnt have anyone to talk to.

I lost all my mates on the Dragon this year, but hooked up with a lovely fella half way round and we completed together in a good time. Two complete strangers keeping each other going over the last 100km of a 210km ride.......thats what sportive riding is all about.

Hi mBoy, yep fitted slicks to it, 28c wire beaded Gatorskins, which i found OK for my purposes as i was worried about running anything skinnier on CX rims. I do think that if you ride reguarly you'll be fine mate, expecially of you are riding with others and chatting away and keep refuelling.

A bunch of us at work have signed up for the [url= https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/77311/Lands-End-100#summary ]Land's End 100[/url]
...

[url= http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/49399996 ]Route is here[/url]

- the start looks like a long time head to wind 😯

Dont use gels, eat real food

Agree for the most part. But take some Gels as backup. If you're *really* struggling for the last 20 miles, your stomach will thank you for some quickly absorbing gels.

Oh and eat what you train with. Dont use energy drinks etc for the big ride if youve never used em before. If your body deosn't agree with a certain brand (it can happen) you dont wanna find that out on a 100m ride.

Good luck! I have a 145km sportive in a couple of weeks....with 2750m climbing. Thats the bit I'm worried about. 🙄

All this 'jumping on wheels', 'getting on the back of groups' etc. not really 'riding' a 100 miler if you're using others is it? Do it on your own then you've genuinely ridden a 100 miler. Sorry and all that.

Can see the point you're making, but I don't agree. Its not like riding in a group means you can sit on a not pedal at all, sure it reduces your effort, but that just means you get around faster, your legs are still having to pedal, and you're still going to be sat on the bike for anywhere between 4 and 7 hours.

Drafting is recognised as reducing effort by what, 25 - 30% if that's the case, you've only 'really' covered 65 - 70 miles.

So, by this argument, riding a 100 miler on a full susser with knobbly tyres is actually more like a 120 miler 😉

100 miles is 100 miles. Some factors make it easier, some make it harder, but it's still a good old ton. Enjoy it OP

100 miles is 100 miles.

Precisely. How you choose to attack them is your own choice. Personally I'm all for making it as easy as possible so I don't actually kill myself trying, and so that it proves an enjoyable experience I'd like to repeat!

Precisely. How you choose to attack them is your own choice. Personally I'm all for making it as easy as possible so I don't actually kill myself trying, and so that it proves an enjoyable experience I'd like to repeat!

I did 100 miles to just to see if I could do it. Did it one other time, then that was it for me. Too time consuming/boring. I do ride solo with no stops though.

Precisely. How you choose to attack them is your own choice. Personally I'm all for making it as easy as possible so I don't actually kill myself trying, and so that it proves an enjoyable experience I'd like to repeat!

Personally, I don't think I've ever done an enjoyable ride of that distance, satisfying for sure but not enjoyable.
Jumping on to the odd group that comes past is perfectly normal and you'd be daft not too, I was out on Saturday and did 90 ish miles, towards the end I got a tow off the local tri club for 10 miles or so, they were a bit scary but welcome shelter all the same.

Well, if you want to make it as easy as possible...take the bus! All I'm saying is these grand claims of 'having completed such and such' have to be seen in the context of style. You only have to have a quick look at the West Highland Way double thread to realise this.

Getting a tow for a hundred miles is simply not the same as properly riding a century under your own steam. Full stop, end of. You can con yourself it is if you like but the OP's own statement of "I can just about manage 30 miles solo and it feels like 60" makes my point very clearly.

Anyway, enjoy your sportive.

I did the "Hell of the North " a couple of weeks back,101 mile.
The most i'd ridden up to it had been about 80 mile.
I can't say it was enjoyable,as after about 60 mile i just wanted to get back.I rode it alone for virtually all of it and was really happy with my time of 7 hours.
My legs really suffered for the last 15 mile with bad cramp.
The mistake i made was trying to ride too long in gears that i'd use for say a 50 miler.
I would probably do it again but it would be better with another couple of people the same pace,not to get a tow,but just someone to talk to and pass the time.

You must be local to me joeegg. That climb out of Eggleston is 'interesting' after 70-odd miles, eh 🙂

Did 115 miles on a mtb with semi slicks (actually just a very worn Smoke on the back) and panniers a few years ago. Corsham, Wilts to Burton on Trent.

It was fine thinking about it logically: x mph for x hours - OK. But rather daunting looking at it the day before and realising it was pretty much the length of Wales.

Ride went well, bang on the time I expected. I did have a funny turn at 25 miles. Riding away in the drizzle, working out time/distance, done/to do, mileage and time. Should be there in 7 hours riding...

"Hang on?!?! 7 hours? Riding a bike in the pissing rain, on this tiny seat, hunched over these bars, and I'm talking to myself like it's normal? What the **** am I doing?!"

Cue a bout of deranged cackling and head shaking.

But 115 in broken drizzle was much more fun than 75 into a headwind over Salisbury plain the day before. Pedalling down hill, head down, past birds holding position stationary in the wind...

Some people whine on about folk drafting (not doing a spell) ,but I would rather they stayed at the back if they are newbies ( it's not like they slow things down)

They do for some reason, I'm happy for someone to sit behind me all day. It's not like the rider behind is forcing you to do anything. I'd rather sit on the front all day on social rides, I can't stand it when someone wants to show me what they can do.

Eggbeaters are okay, though tbh they'd be my last choice - sorry to sound negative. Then that said loads of audaxers use them over far greater distances.

100 miles is 100 miles.

miketually ,i do the climb out of Eggleston nearly once a week and always hate it.My legs were killing me coming up there on the HOTN.They never really recovered all the way into Darlington.

I reckon you'll be fine. I did my first 100 mile last weekend around the Cotswolds for a local school and charity. I haven't ridden much further than 45 miles for about a decade and nothing further than 35 miles this year. I was hoping to get some training in which didn't happen for one reason or another. I do about 50 to 70 miles a week commuting (in total) and apart from two 30 mile rides in the last month did nothing different. The furthest I have ever ridden before that was about 60 miles but that was about twenty years ago as a teenager.

I did it on my hardtail with 1.9 Schwalbe Land Cruisers, baggies and a Camelbak. The first 60 (ish) I managed to stick with the guys on road bikes (I know it was a relaxed pace for them) but did the last 40 pretty much on my own. I got cramp in both thighs when I briefly stopped at mile 80 and the last 20 hurt a bit. A bit of a pep talk to myself, some jelly babies and I got through it. I reckon it is more in your head than your legs by that point.

I tried to drink plenty and take a bite of a mars bar, flap jack, energy bar, jelly babies every 20 - 30 minutes or so. Towards the end I found it hard to eat but forced myself to. I woke up the following day to find no real aches (which surprised me). Overall time was a bit under 8 hours which while not setting the world alight I was pleased with for a first attempt on my mountain bike. I reckon if I can do it, it sounds like you'll breeze it.

I said this in another thread too, but when I did my LeJog last year two of the participants were older ladies on 26" hybrid, sit-up type bikes. They completed the 1,000 miles in the same 10 days that the rest of us did. They'd only been cycling for about 9 months before the trip.

well, i completed my first century today, rubbish time of 8 hours so i've now got something to improve on. feel fine, only thing that aches are my shoulders

when i did my first century, i just went at my own pace, after ten miles or so i found a bloke who was happy at my pace and we stayed together for the rest of the ride give or take a few miles where he dropped back. the best advice i can give is to stop at the water/feed stops only if you need to and not because you want to and only then for a short period of time. Five minutes at the water stops and fifteen max for lunch. eat a little and often and keep your fluid levels up. keep the cadence up and your legs spinning.

100 miles is surprisingly easy, resist the urge to set a target time and just enjoy it.

Solo or in a group Rocketdog? Well done though by the way!

I'm being told I'll be "looked after" as long as I'm ok managing a normal 16-17mph average... Which so far I have been on 60 mile group rides I've done. So hoping I'll be ok, and if not, suppose there's always going to be slower people to ride with too!

on my tod following the route of the shakespeare 100

ah sorry, thought it was a sportive, just enjoy it, there should be a few petrol stations on route for mars bars and pepsi, just enjoy the quiet roads and the countryside! a good meal the night before really does help too!

Did my first century the other month, you can read about it [url= http://shedbrewed.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/bloody-chuffed.html ]here[/url] if you so wished. I just knew I was going to do it when I booked the day off. The route was hilly, it was bits of Wales after all, and it rained and blew cold for the last 30 miles but it was ok. I no doubt broke many rules by having fishcake and chips for lunch in Hereford, and then a mug of coffee and some cake in the afternoon but I'd rather eat food than gels. A banana 15 miles from home so me the rest of the way.
Good luck and if your head is in the right place you'll be fine.

100 on your tod in 8 hours is pretty good I'd say RD. How did you feel afterwards?

Reckoning that as long as I stay in groups it'll be more like 6:30 for me, but then could easily stretch a lot longer if I don't manage that!

as i said, feel fine, finished today just after 7pm, achy shoulders is about it, legs feel about as tired as they do after a 40 mile MTB ride

the 1st 50 miles was the hardest, after that it was metaphorically downhill all the way

never really ridden with a road group so know nowt about slipstreaming etc

bike was a cotic x with discs and mudguards, so not exactly light or aerodynamic!

Rode the Liverpool-Chester-Liverpool 90miler in July, bike was a C456 and the tyres were 1.95 Swalbe city jets.

As said above 45-50 miles and you hit a wall, keep hydrated and make sure you eat well before.

http://app.strava.com/rides/12802762

My mate took the easy route on his Scott CR1 road bike.

http://app.strava.com/rides/12813758