Help Needed for Long Distance

BruunLoss

Well long distance for me. I am hoping to cycle the same distance as Stage 17 of the Tour de France soon. Simply to see if I have the mental and physical ability to do it. The longest I cycled was 102Km in 4.5 hours. I currently weight about 280lbs. But never did a ride like this and looking for advice.

I know to take water, electrolytes, how many gels? Also I figure take Arrett to bind my stomach up so I only will have to worry about taking a leak when necessary - luckily it will be mainly country roads. Any other advice, foods, etc?

Greatly appreciated. Its approx 132.6km the route I picked, but if I have the energy, I will cycle loops locally at the end to bring it up to the 145.3km of stage 17.

Herbsman

BruunLoss wrote:

Well long distance for me. I am hoping to cycle the same distance as Stage 17 of the Tour de France soon. Simply to see if I have the mental and physical ability to do it. The longest I cycled was 102Km in 4.5 hours. I currently weight about 280lbs. But never did a ride like this and looking for advice.

I know to take water, electrolytes, how many gels? Also I figure take Arrett to bind my stomach up so I only will have to worry about taking a leak when necessary - luckily it will be mainly country roads. Any other advice, foods, etc?

Greatly appreciated. Its approx 132.6km the route I picked, but if I have the energy, I will cycle loops locally at the end to bring it up to the 145.3km of stage 17.

Why use electrolytes or gels? I've done 120 mile rides at a comfortable (18mph) pace with normal food and water, no problem.

Gels are not only unpleasant but useless for anything other than high intensity rides of more than an hour, during which there isn't time to eat - for example road races more than 30 miles. Whereas actual food tastes nice, has a pleasing texture and contains micronutrients as well as macronutrients. If you need a quick fix of sugar why not just eat sweets like jelly babies? They're a hundred times cheaper, they're nicer to eat, and I dare say that at the pace you will be riding you won't be breathing so hard that you risk choking on them.

Electrolytes are unnecessary if you eat and drink enough - it's only people who think they 'need' them that actually buy them.

I have no idea what Arrett is, but binding your stomach up sounds like a bad idea to me, unless it's been recommended for medical reasons by a doctor.

simona75

I would take regular food with you such as flapjacks, malt loafs etc - basically anything that is easy to carry and digestable. Maybe take one gel with you to use as a boost in the last few miles. Your fuelling requirements will be unique to you so maybe try a shorter distances with a variety of food and see what you like. I personally find that the food you carry you should give you a mental boost as well as a physical one

P_Tucker

Herbsman wrote:

BruunLoss wrote:

Well long distance for me. I am hoping to cycle the same distance as Stage 17 of the Tour de France soon. Simply to see if I have the mental and physical ability to do it. The longest I cycled was 102Km in 4.5 hours. I currently weight about 280lbs. But never did a ride like this and looking for advice.

I know to take water, electrolytes, how many gels? Also I figure take Arrett to bind my stomach up so I only will have to worry about taking a leak when necessary - luckily it will be mainly country roads. Any other advice, foods, etc?

Greatly appreciated. Its approx 132.6km the route I picked, but if I have the energy, I will cycle loops locally at the end to bring it up to the 145.3km of stage 17.

Why use electrolytes or gels? I've done 120 mile rides at a comfortable (18mph) pace with normal food and water, no problem.

Gels are not only unpleasant but useless for anything other than high intensity rides of more than an hour, during which there isn't time to eat - for example road races more than 30 miles. Whereas actual food tastes nice, has a pleasing texture and contains micronutrients as well as macronutrients. If you need a quick fix of sugar why not just eat sweets like jelly babies? They're a hundred times cheaper, they're nicer to eat, and I dare say that at the pace you will be riding you won't be breathing so hard that you risk choking on them.

Electrolytes are unnecessary if you eat and drink enough - it's only people who think they 'need' them that actually buy them.

I have no idea what Arrett is, but binding your stomach up sounds like a bad idea to me, unless it's been recommended for medical reasons by a doctor.

So much good advice here, which will probably be ignored

ShutUpLegs

I know someone who did Stage 17 last week, his strava logs say 14000ft of climbing which may be a tad more concerning than the distance.

*Edit, 'same distance as Stage 17' ignore the climbing.

dw300

Unless it's very hilly or you're planning on really attacking it, you could, technically speaking, do it without any food. But since you'll probably be in the saddle for 6- 8 hours you'll get hungry anyway. So just snack enough to keep the hunger at bay and you should be fine.

I'd be more concerned about getting your hydration right .. I really don't know how much a big guy like you will need, could be lots though.

cyco2

Why don't you do a stop at 20 miles at a chip shop then 40 a pie shop then at 60 a pizza. A nice pub meal at 80 then an easy cruise home after a few pints. What a lovely way to plan a ride, yummy.

Herbsman

cyco2 wrote:

Why don't you do a stop at 20 miles at a chip shop then 40 a pie shop then at 60 a pizza. A nice pub meal at 80 then an easy cruise home after a few pints. What a lovely way to plan a ride, yummy.

I believe he is trying to lose weight...

bahzob

I think you need to sort out your priorities. Decide if your prime objective is to lose weight or ride stage 17.

TBH I think its a bit of a no brainer. You should focus on losing weight first. Being honest, judging by your webpage, you don't seem to have done very well so far on this front. I would find a good diet plan and stick to it very rigorously.

By all means exercise but don't do anything that gives you an excuse to eat more than your diet plan allows. As a specific example, the Dukan diet is pretty good. If you follow it you lose weight and re-educate yourself to eat healthily. But while on it you can only manage light exercise (slow bike rides like you are doing atm are fine, climbing HC mountains are not.)

Once you have lost a serious amount of weight (say when your BMI is out of obese and into the medium "overweight" range) then perhaps set an exercise goal. But still keep focus, until you hit final weight goal and have proved you can maintain it don't kid yourself that by doing some exercise you can go back to eating what you like, you'll just get fat again.

Sorry if this sounds a bit brutal. But I speak from experience, I spent 20 years following a football injury trying to lose weight and keep it off. I only managed by focusing 100% on dieting and losing weight. I bought an exercise bike but simply used it while watching TV for slow steady calorie burn. I eventually lost 4 stone and was then able to focus on exercise and fitness goals, first being riding the full tour route back in 2006.

cyco2

Herbsman wrote:

cyco2 wrote:

Why don't you do a stop at 20 miles at a chip shop then 40 a pie shop then at 60 a pizza. A nice pub meal at 80 then an easy cruise home after a few pints. What a lovely way to plan a ride, yummy.

I believe he is trying to lose weight...