Cycling UK Forum

Looking for a good way to train for a 100 mile bike ride at the end of July/start of august.
I have recently done a fairly flat 70 mile ride from Hemel Hempstead to Windsor and back with an average speed of 8 mph.
I'd like to increase that average speed to 10+mph for the upcoming 100 mile ride.
TIA for any advice

Welcome

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Any aches or pains after that ride?

Did the gears cover the necessary range for that ride and for what you expect on the big one?

What did you eat and drink, and were you happy with that?

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Eight weeks to go. Any form of exercise will help. The more hours that you can fit in the better. Try and keep it up at a level that stops you talking easily. Variety might help in not getting bored.

Jonathan

If you can please advise your age and weight in kg (it is factor that will help post respondents).
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I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531

Not any major pains of aches that I noticed. I was on a mountain bike and the ride was on and off road. I think the gears were fine as I was usually under 20mph.
For food I stopped twice and had Mcdonalds for late breakfast and lunch which probably wasn't the best option
Thanks for replying and the advice.

briansnail wrote: ↑3 Jun 2024, 2:53pm If you can please advise your age and weight in kg (it is factor that will help post respondents).
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I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531

There are two of us (WB & BS) who have both recently turned 17. Not sure about our weights

WB&BS wrote: ↑3 Jun 2024, 2:58pm Not any major pains of aches that I noticed. I was on a mountain bike and the ride was on and off road. I think the gears were fine as I was usually under 20mph.
For food I stopped twice and had Mcdonalds for late breakfast and lunch which probably wasn't the best option

Sounds good.

You'll probably get lots of advice on food, including "little and often". Just find what works for you. And enjoy it.

It's likely to be hotter then. Advice on drinking is pretty simple: make sure that you always have access to enough fluid, and drink when you feel like it.

Jonathan

If you've managed a 70 already with no issues you'll be fine - the sense of adventure will keep you going! If you're on MTB's hills shouldn't be an issue gearing-wise. As others have said, keep hydrated - if your water bottles run out then stop at shops for water/Coke/etc. Likewise food.

Basic tools and puncture repair stuff are vital. My first 100 was severely interrupted by a puncture when I found out my mini-pump didn't actually work

Regarding training - just do as many miles as you're able to in the next few weeks, maybe including some steepish hills if you have any locally. Lay off the training a week or so before the big ride so the legs are fresh.

Good luck and enjoy

Hills, and plenty of ‘em!

If you live in Hemel, you’re on the doorstep of Ashridge and the paths along to Dunstable Downs, and the hills above Berkhampsted out towards Wendover*, all of which is both very interesting for mostly-off-road cycling, and plenty of good exercise.

Rather than do anything fancy in terms of training, I would suggest just going on ever-longer and more hilly bike rides, increasing the hours pedalling, and getting used to how much you need to eat and drink, until ten hours pedalling feels pretty much OK.

I’d suggest one ride every two or three days, because even at your age you’ll need a bit of recovery time, then stop altogether maybe four days out from the big event.

Sleep plenty, no trying to burn the candle at both ends, and food-wise I’d suggest taking “proper food” with you, things like the old standby of peanut butter and jam sandwiches on brown bread, bananas, mixed nuts and fruit, eat plenty of F&V at home, and have scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast before a ride. All rather old fashioned, but sugary stuff and junk food just causes energy crashes.

*Get the relevant OS sheets. If you’ve done DoE, you’ll be familiar with reading them, but study byways and bridleways closely. You’ve got some excellent ones nearby.

17? You'll be fine! Especially if you've got a bit of practice under your belt (as you obviously have)..

I see that you mentioned that you did your 70 miler on a mountain bike. It may not be practical (and you'd certainly want to try it out first), but just borrowing a friend's road bike would probably speed you up by 2 or 3 miles an hour - rolling resistance of road tyres vs mountain bike, a more aerodynamic riding position and higher top gears would all help, not necessarily in that order.

Failing that, mike sure that your drive train is nice and clean and running smoothly.

Good luck.

If your 100 miler is all on road, fit road tyres to your existing bike.
As above, at 17 it’s a walk in the park…. Not so much in your seventies.
Eat and drink before you are hungry or thirsty.
Get a bag that fixes to the bike so you can carry “stuff”
Tools, spare tube(s) food, drink, an extra layer.
Biggest problem may be getting your bum tough enough in the time!
I hate wearing a backpack on the bike

WB&BS wrote: ↑3 Jun 2024, 2:58pm For food I stopped twice and had Mcdonalds for late breakfast and lunch which probably wasn't the best option

But not the worst either... read accounts of ultra-distance racing, where folk eat high calorie rubbish in petrol stations so as not to have to slow down much, and you see that as long as it's calories it's probably good to at least some degree on a big day.

Having said that, I'd endorse what others say about "little and often" and not to wait until you're hungry/thirsty (by which time you're a bit late), but if a McDonalds you're passing sends you out its particular message then go for it. For little and often a bag on the bars you can reach in to on the move is good. Things like nuts, raisins, flapjacks etc. are good for just keeping things fuelled.

Pete.

Jdsk wrote: ↑3 Jun 2024, 3:05pm
You'll probably get lots of advice on food

Diet in the weeks prior to a ride can make quite a difference. Aside from suitable quantities & types of food...

- Had been aware that forms of various Protein are beneficial, in building muscles and the like.
- Had always naively counted in the protein from a range of sources; 3yr's back, cash being tight & a range of dairy products being by far the cheapest source of protein, eating fat free yogurts and the like, became the norm, higher quality proteins
- Took no more than 3-4 weeks, combined with exercise when cycling and leg muscles developed on an exponential basis. Hadn't remotely being done the mileage done 8 - 22yr's earlier, but even larger leg muscles, made rides easier

Thanks for all the great advice

Do NOT carry anything on your back. Ime it's the point of most stress on a long ride (especially if you're not used to the duration in the saddle). On longer day rides I try to be kind to myself and stop often (every 15 miles or so) for a stretch and bit of relief

Also a good idea to take some ointment (I use a neutral Aloe Vera base) and apply it before, and after the ride. If necessary, during! Chafing is always a problem if you're not used to the long hours in the saddle. Last time I did a century ride I knocked it out in about 6hrs 20 minutes, but I was with younger riders who were fair rolling along. We had no mechanical issues and we stopped three times for food and a general break.

A lot of the stress from longer rides can come from those you are cycling with, though riding in a small bunch is always a lot easier (in terms of physical work) than riding alone .

This is what I use, it's very effective for chafing and general skin care on longer rides

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/ ... -60083610/