How hard will it be? Can I do it?

markhewitt1978

Everyone is different. Some say 15mph is an easy pace. Well I don't find 15mph easy at all. 10mph is an easy pace, 14mph is about normal and anything over 15mph feels like I've been in a bunch sprint...

drlodge

I recently did a 144 mile trip to Stonehenge and in some ways found it easier than other 100 mile rides. My attitude was different through as I had no time in mind - I set out knowing I had all day so could go easy on the pace and stop when I wanted. I stopped at 3 points - 1/4 (snack), 1/2 (lunch 30mins) and 3/4 (snack) distance. My legs still felt reasonably OK at the end since I hadn't pushed them at all - used low gears on all the hills.

The biggest issue was the mere pressure on my bum and hands over 9 hours in the saddle making them ache. It can get quite uncomfortable and the slower you ride, the worse it gets.

CiB

And at risk of opening another can of worms, take some music and listen with maybe just the left can plugged in. I've found the middle sections of a ton+ can get to be quite dull so an hour or so of your favourite music lifts things a bit and takes your mind off it. Don't forget to admire the view as well, it all looks different from a bike.

markhewitt1978

drlodge wrote:

I recently did a 144 mile trip to Stonehenge and in some ways found it easier than other 100 mile rides. My attitude was different through as I had no time in mind - I set out knowing I had all day so could go easy on the pace and stop when I wanted. I stopped at 3 points - 1/4 (snack), 1/2 (lunch 30mins) and 3/4 (snack) distance. My legs still felt reasonably OK at the end since I hadn't pushed them at all - used low gears on all the hills.

The biggest issue was the mere pressure on my bum and hands over 9 hours in the saddle making them ache. It can get quite uncomfortable and the slower you ride, the worse it gets.

Time pressure can be an issue. Especially when I'm on a 60ish mile ride and know there's an expectation from the wife that I'm back around lunchtime.

marcusjb

CiB wrote:

Can't believe all of these "nooooh don't even think about till you can do 60" suggestions.

+1

As I said earlier, I do believe that anyone of reasonable fitness can ride 100 miles (and the OP is riding 75-125 miles a week - that's not a bad amount and will help with a good fitness base). I'm talking a flatter 100 miles and, of course, weather can impact on any ride and make it much harder - so let's assume a reasonable weather day and a flatter ride.

I'm in no way saying that 100 miles isn't a long way - it is, and it will take a long time. But it is not a distance that needs super-flashy equipment and years of training to achieve. In these summer months, anyone who has some decent mental strength can achieve 100 miles in daylight. You don't need to ride all that fast to achieve that either. So what if it takes you 10 hours of riding at 10mph - who cares? Still leaves a decent amount of daylight for a few cafe stops etc.

Look at the Dun Run - there must be dozens of people who've never ridden more than their short London commute and yet they manage the 100 miles to Dunwich.

I know it's really easy for me to say, but riding 100 miles doesn't have to be hard. Take your time, eat and drink well and if you have the mental fortitude, then you will make it.

fatsmoker

Why don't you try to get a 50 to 60 miler in this weekend, see how you feel. If you only manage 70 to 80 miles on the way to York, your wife won't be too miffed at having to come 20 to 30 miles to collect you when you collapse in a heap

markhewitt1978

fatsmoker wrote:

Why don't you try to get a 50 to 60 miler in this weekend, see how you feel. If you only manage 70 to 80 miles on the way to York, your wife won't be too miffed at having to come 20 to 30 miles to collect you when you collapse in a heap

Yep, but make it tomorrow morning as it'll be raining for the rest of the weekend

Possibly do part of the planned route to York, ride out 30 miles and then back. So you'll be learning a bit of the route into the bargain. Then when you come to do to the real ride after you get to the 30 mile point it'll be like starting a whole new ride

Schoie81

Ideally a great idea, but my problem is I'm short of time for rides, thats one reason I fancy a big ride next weekend while the missus is away - i'll have the day to myself anyway, so thinking I can spend it on the bike without it bothering anyone. As I've said, i've not done more than 22miles in a single ride as yet, but the biggest reason being I struggle to find more than 90mins to get out on the bike, not because I cycle 22miles and feel I can't turn the pedals any more.

The first 30miles of the route I know pretty well anyway, so that isn't a benefit, but that does raise another issue, after 30-40 miles i'm going to be on roads I don't know at all (I'm planning to avoid the M1 which is my usual route to York!). Slightly concerned about getting lost - not because I think i'd get so lost i couldn't find my way, but because any unplanned detours are just going to add to the distance....

CiB

Plot the outline of the route on a map site to become familiar with it, and do a route card or tear a page out of a cheap atlas to help you with the awkward bits. And as per shops being all over the place, you'll probably find people willing to point you in the right direction. I've always found it better to stick to direct routes rather than faff about in country lanes having to keep checking at every junction. Depends on the environment - you don't want to be on major trunk roads & dual c/ways any more than you want to be meandering around country lanes.

menthel

iPete wrote:

Doing the Dunwich Dynamo last weekend there were plenty of people riding Bromptons, a guy on a penny farthing & another guy on a cargo bike with two alsations. This was 120 miles (more for most getting to the start) into a headwind (ok plenty of people to draft).

Point is, if you are not in a rush or trying to achieve a certain time, you'll be able to do it. As long as you don't flog yourself the biggest barriers are the mental ones. Don't spend the ride thinking about the finish but the here and now.

Enjoy the ride and pick out some nice cake stops.

Exactly. My first 100 miler was the DD and before that I had done a few longer rides (65 miles being the longest- in fact the saturday before when I had cycled down to Kent to meet y wife and son on holiday!). You have loads of time to get to York. Plan a nice route, with nice stops and make sure you keep well hydrated. Doing all of that I am sure you could do it!

markhewitt1978

I know what you mean about time. In order to do 60 mile rides I get up before the wife and head out early, to make sure I'm back for lunchtime. Since I spent all week at work, it's not fair on the wife and my 2 year old daughter to be spending more than half a day away.

Dandelionclock30

I dont think its that hard, especially if you have enough to drink and eat with you and you are reasonably fit. My friends wife cycled 70 miles from Wetherby to Scarborough on an old mountain bike for charity and she didnt do much exercize and she was totally fine.
I think anyone could do it as long as they were sensible and didnt have serious health problems.

Ben6899

schoie, go for it, I think you'll be fine if you follow the advice here regarding pacing, food etc.

Make sure you do one thing though: share the route here. Those of us who know the roads on all or part of the route will be able to advise if you've chosen any bad/dangerous roads and/or recommend slight detours to take in some nice views or pleasant back lanes.

cyco2

Do what my mate and I did for a 100 miler. Waited for a gale force wind to blow along the route. We then set off with the wind on our backs. We were at times able to cruise at 25mph and climbed slopes at 20mph. I think we didn't need to stop for a rest, just timeout to eat some sandwiches and top up with drinks. It was a fantastic ride.

markhewitt1978

If you do go for it, track your ride using Strava (or whatever GPS tracking you prefer) and post it here.

Just completing that distance would be a massive achievement, and it doesn't matter how long it takes.

Mart74

I'd say go for it with a positive attitude, plenty of time and fuel, it's definitely do able.


I've been cycling since mid April, doing up to 35 miles once or twice a week and have totaled about 650 miles.
Two weeks ago I cycled to Belgium with a mate in four days.

Day 1 - Oxford to London - 91 miles

Day 2 - London to Dover - 85 miles

Day 3 - Calais to Neuiwport - 55 miles

Day 4 - Neuiwport into Holland and back to Bruges - 60 miles.

The week before we left I cycled 50 miles, my longest ever in one go. All of those rides were in the heat we've just had, coupled with head on winds all the way to Holland.
It wasn't easy but it was nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be.

My one tip would be to start early, plan regular stops and enjoy it.

You know you can do it

marylogic

Man has been given opportunity to cycle all day with no hassle and possibility of back up from missus and people are telling him NOT to do it? :?

It's a glorious opportunity, you should regard it as a treat for yourself.

As others have said take an easy pace - you will need to go a bit slower than your usual runs, eat cake and have a splendid time. Your body will not suddenly stop working when you have ridden double your previous longer ride.

fatsmoker

Schoie81 wrote:

Now, the missus is taking the kids to York next week, and I wondered about cycling up there on the road bike at the end of the week to join them for a couple of days. That'll be about 100miles.

So, did you do it or not?

Schoie81

fatsmoker wrote:

Schoie81 wrote:

Now, the missus is taking the kids to York next week, and I wondered about cycling up there on the road bike at the end of the week to join them for a couple of days. That'll be about 100miles.

So, did you do it or not?

It was today I was planning to do it - but no, its not happening now not particularly because of the cycling, but for other reasons. Maybe another time....

I have cycled just short of 6omiles since 5pm yesterday though, so i have put SOME mileage in while the missus isn't here!!

fatsmoker

Schoie81 wrote:

I have cycled just short of 6omiles since 5pm yesterday though, so i have put SOME mileage in while the missus isn't here!!

It's great when the missus and kids are away. The bike almost does become your other half.

gsvbagpuss

Most of the early replies are fairly downbeat, so let me join the recent ones and give the positive POV.

Before I did Bath - London 100, I had only done 47 miles solo. Granted I was doing a sportive so got food and support but I did the 106 miles at 16.2mph which I was veyr happy with and any really struggled post 80 miles (but was fine by 90 - it's amazing what the brain can do to you). And I hardly struggled, just had to keep turning the pedals for a few miles without thinking about it too much. I was only doing 100 miles a week as prep (16 mile commutes each way three times a week) which is similar to you.

What sort of terrain is your 100 miles? Have you mapped it on something like MapMyRide at all?

madtam

Just completed the King of the Pennines sportive with my 14 yo son, at 100 miles but with over 11000 feet of climbing thrown in it wasn't easy.
2 weeks ago I had a week off so from my previous 49 mile longest ride (last summer) and sons 34 mile longest ride, we thought we had better try a bit longer. We did 53 miles on Sunday, 62 miles on Wednesday and 72 miles on the Sunday the first. This seemed like sufficient preparation (along with plenty of optimism) so we went for it.
Between around 60-90 miles things became a bit ropey and a bit of a slog, particularly when more hills turned up. But past 90 miles when you are counting down and not up it gets easier and quite pleased to have clocked 103 miles on Strava. Disappointing 12.8mph average but then again someof the hills are a bit mean and there was some very nice cake at the feed stops.
Need to work on pacing as it's too easy to get carried away and try and keep up with the faster boys at the start. Average speed for the first 30-40 miles was about 15mph+ I think so probably should have set off a bit easier.

bianchimoon

I'd say go for it, what a sense of achievement it will be, Vale of York is as good/easy a place as any for your first century (weather dependent), just take it mile by mile, rest when you need to, eat regularly, drink plenty, worse case scenario, phone your wife if you can't quiet make it and get picked up. Show the doubters and report back with good news - good luck

Peddle Up!

In the end it's up to you, but for what it's worth I found going for longer distances a completely different game to shorter (60'ish miles) rides. I'm still faffing about trying to get my food and fluids right.

Dunedin397

My view is no, you shouldn't do it. Whilst I agree someone who's fit could well do 100 miles, someone who's furthest distance isn't even half that doesn't have the experience do deal with what you should do on a ride like that.

You'd need to ensure you've eaten properly in the days leading up to the ride, you'd have to have a good breakfast, not too much, and eat properly as you ride, after the 1st hour you'd be eating a bar per hours along with plenty of water and energy drink. Stopping for too long would be a bad idea as well.

For me it's more about the saddle time than the speed. But the slower you are, the longer it'll take and unless you're used to sitting on a bike for 3 or 4 hours straight, you're going to get sore in certain places.

However if you do try, ensure you've got a couple of spare tubes and pump, energy bars, gels, a bottle of water and a bottle of energy drink with you. Also take money and ensure you've got a mobile phone to call the wife if you run into "issues".

Good luck.

Cheers,

Dunedin397