Tips required for 40 miler

Peanutt

I know it doesn't sound much but I never get the time to do longish runs.

I'm doing a sponsored ride this saturday, around 40 miles with lots of stopping and starting some steep but short hill climbs as well as long drawn out shallow climbs and plenty of open flat areas where wind will be an issue.

Any advice on what I should take with me? pacing? any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated

ollyridesfirst

carbs the night before, and top that up in the morning. Get your fluids up the night before and then just top that up too on the morning and during, this will stop you feeling bloated during the ride which is the last thing you want.

as for the pacing, go off easy-ish and then as you warm up increase speed to something that is sustainable. You should be able to talk to people without too much effort and as it's not a race you may as well enjoy the ride!

Wacky Racer

Try to stop and start as little as possible, it will prevent you from getting into a good groove. When you attack the hills go for one gear lower than you think you'll need so you keep momentum and pedal hard when you are almost at the summit to gather pace again. I know the above poster has said go off "easyish", but don't take that to the extreme, get into a nice pace that you feel comfortable with as quickly as you can and maintain it. As well as the advice above on carbing up the night before, take some sugar highs with you such as haribo's, jelly babies with you and pop them every 20 minutes. Take two bottles, one water and the other flavoured, use this to top up little and often. Everything you need, pump, repair kit, spare tube, keep to a minimum, but don't leave yourself short of a solution to get home. Avoid alcohol the night before, it dehydrates you. Don't go mad on breakfast, something like scrambled eggs on brown toast is ideal (not sure what time of day you are setting off). Try to get into a pack that is riding at a pace you feel good with, if you hook up with people who are going to be stopping alot it will disrupt your ride, but if you hook up with quick riders you may hit a wall halfway and regret it. Keep a watch to hand, you probably know what pace you are looking for, it's good to keep tabs on how you are doing. Don't go for the finish too soon, you can crank it up for the last 5 miles, but any sooner and you risk running out of steam especially if you haven't done a 40 before.

Best advice is to enjoy yourself, and treat it as a normal ride.

Wacky Racer

Forgot to add, try to learn the route before you go. It makes a huge difference knowing where you are going and make sure you know when any significant climbs are coming, you can prepare better for them. Know the last few miles, if it's flat for the final few miles you can crank it up knowing you aren't going to blow out on some climb that you haven't left enough in the tank for.

Peanutt

excellent advice many thanks!!

I have two bottles but I've already loaded one up with my waterproof, tools and puncture kit, might stick a smaller bottle in my jersey pocket tho.

On a ten miler I usually average around 20mph on the flat so might drop it down to a comfortable 16/17mph

Rouge Penguin

Having just done one on Saturday after a summer of mostly MTB'ing, id suggest one stop, about midway if youve not covered that distance before. Have a flapjack and a drink to give you energy for the last push.

Spin up hills, just keep the pedals turning as quick as possible and not grinding slowly. Much easier and quicker. Mashing will leave you tired later on.

Dont try to keep up with faster riders or groups. Keep your own pace, no sense in busting a gut to keep up and then flagging later on.

Fully inflate your tyres, the higher the PSI the easier it will be to ride.

Make sure your bike is correctly set up for you. Longer times in the saddle than usual wont be nice if you're all cramped up.

Have fun

purple rain

40 miles is nothing, take a bottle of water. I'd be more concerned about the weather! Only important thing is to enjoy it. Good luck...

merak

If you ride at 20mph for 10 miles which is quite brisk, then you will find a steady 40 miles an absolute doddle. Take a couple of bananas or cereal bars and about a litre opf watern and you'll be sorted.

CiB

40 miles is 2 & a bit hours on the bike. Reckon you can do that without a break for a meal & a massage halfway round? My granny could do that without a second thought.

Man up fellah - it's a nothing ride, the sort of ride that any half decent cyclist would be doing to kill some time instead of watching X Factor or some such cobblers on the box.

Bottle of rich squash, something to nibble on just in case. Nothing to worry about.

saprkzz

I agree with others, if you doing 10 miles at average of 20pmh, then 40 miles will be no problem at all, just take your time and enjoy it.

coman1985

why is everyone on this bike forum competing???

If 40 miles is a big deal to this guy than treat it like one dont put people down for there diferrences for gods sake does me in sometimes....

did you ride from birth without training wheels no and i bet your parents didnt say man up 40 miles is nothing!!! people have no idea if this man has one leg and an eating disorder!!!

He needs a little support and a few tips so dont brag about how you can smash 100miles on a penny farthing because a tour de france guy will laugh at your achievements...

sorry just sick of people being like this sometimes....

dont mean to offend

CiB

coman1985 wrote:

why is everyone on this bike forum competing???

If 40 miles is a big deal to this guy than treat it like one dont put people down for there diferrences for gods sake does me in sometimes....

did you ride from birth without training wheels no and i bet your parents didnt say man up 40 miles is nothing!!! people have no idea if this man has one leg and an eating disorder!!!

He needs a little support and a few tips so dont brag about how you can smash 100miles on a penny farthing because a tour de france guy will laugh at your achievements...

sorry just sick of people being like this sometimes....

dont mean to offend

Disagree, and it wasn't a brag it's just simple fact. 40 miles is a couple of hours & a bit more in the sadlle. There really is nothing to it - take a bit of food & make sure your drinks bottle is full and you'll manage it. It might be a bit harder than a nip to the shops but this guy has already told us that he can average 20mph on the flat for a ten miler so we're clearly not discussing his first ride post-stabilisers. 40 is the sort of ride that's easily within range of most riders who've moved beyond the basics.

I apologise if the tone of my note came across as bragging; it was intended to get across the idea that what seems to some like a momentous ride really isn't, and the sooner more riders grasp this fact the sooner they can just jump on the bike and do 40, 50, 60, 100 miles without it being the most incredible achievement known to man. It's become noticeable lately that this place is seeing a lot more threads based around v basic stuff, stuff that either takes no effort to find on the net, or stuff that's basically shoulder-shrug territory - How do I clean my chain, I did my first 20 mile ride etc. I accept that we were all beginners once, but some threads don't warrant their existence on here. That's my view. Rather than see the same basic and ultimately pointless threads being repeated, sometimes it's worth pointing up pretty much what I said in my original reply. But you have my apologies if I phrased in such a way as to be bragging or doing the bloke down. 40 miles though? Pffft.

markos1963

Actually 40 miles isn't a big deal and if the OP gets this in his mindset he'll actually ride it better. If you tell somebody something is going to hurt then they'll flinch more, tell them everything will be fine and just enjoy the experience then they will.
If the OP isn't lying about a 20mph ave for 10 miles then he's more than ready enough.

Peanutt

Not offended in the slightest, as I said in my original post 40 miles is no big deal, I know it shouldn't be but I very rarely get more than an hours ride in at a time, and rarely get to do more than say 10/12 miles at a time, which is why I was enquiring about pacing as I've no idea what stamina I'll need. Plus I'm not a skinny cyclist, was 16st now 15st. I do train on the wife's exercise bike when she's not looking and can usually get in a couple of hours at a relatively high cadence which is paying off as last year I was averaging 14mph.

coman1985 is right tho, people have different abilities and therefore different goals, one man's hill is another's alp du heuz

Seeing as I've got the whole day booked for this ride if I'm not exhausted I may well do it twice or at least attempt it, you never know I might surprise myself!!!

The thought of a whole day riding is very appealing, and I do have both my legs

coman1985

yeah i suppose sorry cib but i just seen alot of it lately and it does say on the forum road beginners so i spose there will be alot of that....

I am one i ask daft questions alot but i learn off people like you and i think in a weird way even if it does seem a bit of a shoulder sometimes thats all people need if there cycling alone.

and to markos1963 i live in norfolk and i have no idea where all the hills are haha

Do your ride in a bike club i know theres a time trial one near bungay but thats it

markos1963

coman1985 wrote:

yeah i suppose sorry cib but i just seen alot of it lately and it does say on the forum road beginners so i spose there will be alot of that....

I am one i ask daft questions alot but i learn off people like you and i think in a weird way even if it does seem a bit of a shoulder sometimes thats all people need if there cycling alone.

and to markos1963 i live in norfolk and i have no idea where all the hills are haha

Do your ride in a bike club i know theres a time trial one near bungay but thats it

Come out for a ride with my club ( VC Norwich) on a sunday morning and we'll show you where we have hidden all the hills

http://www.vcnorwich.co.uk/

Wacky Racer

To be fair to the OP, 40 miles is a big deal in the mind if you've not been further than a dozen miles previously, it's a whole different strategy. I know how chuffed I felt when I did my first 40 miler just recently, it was a real milestone (or millstone) to get out of the way. Since doing the 40 I am now hitting high 50's and no longer thinking about the distance, but more about measuring my performance. What I would say though, is that 40 miles is nowhere near as bad as your mind will tell you, if you pace it right and go out prepared.

coman1985

markos1963 wrote:

coman1985 wrote:

yeah i suppose sorry cib but i just seen alot of it lately and it does say on the forum road beginners so i spose there will be alot of that....

I am one i ask daft questions alot but i learn off people like you and i think in a weird way even if it does seem a bit of a shoulder sometimes thats all people need if there cycling alone.

and to markos1963 i live in norfolk and i have no idea where all the hills are haha

Do your ride in a bike club i know theres a time trial one near bungay but thats it

Come out for a ride with my club ( VC Norwich) on a sunday morning and we'll show you where we have hidden all the hills

http://www.vcnorwich.co.uk/

I have added this to my favourites i will when i get my pace up i can only manage about 14- 16mph on 40 miles at the minute but iim glad there is a local club and i cant wait il message you when i join