I had the wheels trued a month or so ago. I am a bit mechanically inclined and it's in impeccable condition. It may not be setup properly for my body geometry, but everything works like brand new otherwise. As for biking hands-free, I have a purely psychological barrier that I had with my previous bikes as well. I just find it really difficult and unpleasant to let go with the left hand, even while holding the bar with the right hand. On the other hand, letting go with the right hand is no problem at all. It's all in my head, and the effort I put in breaking that habit did not help. I -can- let go, I just strongly dislike doing so. My left hand gets off the bar only while changing hand positions or signalling.
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Cycling for 100 Miles?
- Thread starter Bocete
- Start date
I have cycle toured several trips in my life taking me to 14 countries and over 5K miles, since my first trip in '86. I am no athlete, and in my 50's now but still plan to do a New Zealand ride in the next year. To ride a century you will need to work up to it gradually. Even when 50 miles becomes reasonable, appreciate that the second 50 could likely be increasingly harder. Hitting the wall at 70 miles, when your camp site is 30 miles away is crushing. Also be aware that on a typical day you will encounter a decent NorthWesterly headwind riding north on the PCH. Depending on its strength, wind can double your workload. If you can, ride Pismo to Santa Barbara, and enjoy the push of a tailwind (typically, probably, YMMV).
Perhaps you will ride the inland route, like Stage 5 of the Tour of California from Pismo south to Santa Barbara or reverse.
http://amgentourofcalifornia.com/stages/stage-5
http://atoc2014.edgesuite.net/uploads/images/2014stages/042414/14AmgenTour-Stage-5-map.jpg
Perhaps you will ride the inland route, like Stage 5 of the Tour of California from Pismo south to Santa Barbara or reverse.
http://amgentourofcalifornia.com/stages/stage-5
http://atoc2014.edgesuite.net/uploads/images/2014stages/042414/14AmgenTour-Stage-5-map.jpg
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I have the same bike and it should make the ride just fine, but aero bars don't really work well on it - I tried. The geometry just doesn't work with stock configuration, even with the inverted stem. The gearing is less than optimal for extended road use, but should be fine for a one day slogfest. I'm also not a huge fan of the shifters, but they operate fine. I've modified mine a bit for my needs but there is nothing really "wrong" with it bone stock, it is just a matter of preference.
A decent comfortable saddle is a good investment for your adventure. Shorts/saddles are a personal fit item so it is in your best interest to start looking into what works for you. It took me a couple years to get my situation stable... and I'm liking where I'm at now. Look into the thudbuster st. It may not feel like it is doing anything, but at the end of the day there is a noticeable change from riding without it. Suntour makes a less expensive version of it (ncx seatpost) which works well, but gets a bit clacky/ticky at times.
Get some comfortable gloves, they are good for scrubbing sweat and bugs from your forehead and do make a difference on flat bars on a long ride. I've been using some cheap Schwinn cotton/leather gloves for recreational rides, and really have gotten to liking them better than my more expensive gloves. The cotton never loads up with persperation and they are cheap enough to toss in the washing machine when they get funky. Similar to these ones:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
A decent comfortable saddle is a good investment for your adventure. Shorts/saddles are a personal fit item so it is in your best interest to start looking into what works for you. It took me a couple years to get my situation stable... and I'm liking where I'm at now. Look into the thudbuster st. It may not feel like it is doing anything, but at the end of the day there is a noticeable change from riding without it. Suntour makes a less expensive version of it (ncx seatpost) which works well, but gets a bit clacky/ticky at times.
Get some comfortable gloves, they are good for scrubbing sweat and bugs from your forehead and do make a difference on flat bars on a long ride. I've been using some cheap Schwinn cotton/leather gloves for recreational rides, and really have gotten to liking them better than my more expensive gloves. The cotton never loads up with persperation and they are cheap enough to toss in the washing machine when they get funky. Similar to these ones:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I really enjoy my 8-10 hour ~200km winter rides. I'll stop and grab some coffee, stop late and get some food, and generally enjoy myself on the bike without really caring about metrics.
200km? That like 35 miles or something??
I find I tend to push myself when riding solo. I started running a GPS/HRM just to track where I'm working the hardest and to see what my heart is doing when I feel a certain way while riding. It has helped me know when I should ease off and when I should stop and cool down. The walls seem to be getting pushed further and further out, but periods of being off the bike pull them back in closer. Knowing what is going on internally has been a benefit even when not riding plugged in.
And the wind!!!!!!!
Riding into a headwind is plenty taxing, but at least you have the cooling effect. I've found a tail wind at approximately the speed you are moving to be worse for me. There is "no air movement" so I overheat big time when riding hard with the wrong tailwind.
That's good. I used to cycle. I wasn't great, but had fun entering races.
Get cycling shorts. That diaper like insert in the crotch is there for a reason.
Wear sunblock on every part that isn't covered:arms, legs, knees, neck, face, ear lobes. You can get sunburned.
Get cycling shorts. That diaper like insert in the crotch is there for a reason.
Wear sunblock on every part that isn't covered:arms, legs, knees, neck, face, ear lobes. You can get sunburned.
I don't know if you said this or not but are you doing this purely for exercise or for fun? IMO going 100 + miles in one day means your not getting much time to relax, take pictures or really enjoy yourself (although cycling in itself is fun). As placedsjardins already said WEAR lots o' sunscreen, especially since your in Cali. Also, this is probably common sense but bring your spare tubes, tire levers, and handheld pump and you should be good as far as bike maintenance goes for a 100 mile trip.
Edit: OP it's a very good/necessary to know how to patch up/replace your tubes before taking off! Hope you or your friend know how before heading off and Good Luck and have fun!
I can't stand straight bars. They pound the hell out of my wrists. In my opinionated opinion, seeing bikes with bullhorns, or riders with their hands cupped around the ends of their straight bars, suggest to me that I'm not the only one who finds them uncomfortable.
If you're young and flexible, then touring bars would be preferable. If not, my favorite bars are these:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Sure it might look dorky to have "old man" bars on a road bike, but I can ride with these bars indefinitely. The wrist position is just more ergonomic for my hands and wrists. And they'll accommodate the same brake levers and shifters as straight bars.
Knowing the bike is in good mechanical condition is important. Even if you don't get injured, a breakdown would spoil your nice ride. I carry everything necessary to fix a flat on the road, including two tubes, because I might puncture both tires going across glass or thorns.
Also in my experience with any lengthy physical activity, don't try out brand new gear (including clothes and shoes) for the first time on your long ride.
I haven't done a century, but would love to. This one would be fun, but I'll probably need more than 3 speeds:
http://www.horriblyhilly.com/
If you're young and flexible, then touring bars would be preferable. If not, my favorite bars are these:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Sure it might look dorky to have "old man" bars on a road bike, but I can ride with these bars indefinitely. The wrist position is just more ergonomic for my hands and wrists. And they'll accommodate the same brake levers and shifters as straight bars.
Knowing the bike is in good mechanical condition is important. Even if you don't get injured, a breakdown would spoil your nice ride. I carry everything necessary to fix a flat on the road, including two tubes, because I might puncture both tires going across glass or thorns.
Also in my experience with any lengthy physical activity, don't try out brand new gear (including clothes and shoes) for the first time on your long ride.
I haven't done a century, but would love to. This one would be fun, but I'll probably need more than 3 speeds:
http://www.horriblyhilly.com/
Don't forget to regularly get out of the saddle and pedal standing up for a few seconds at a time. On hilly rides you probably do this without thinking but on a long ride with long flats you might not think about it and just stay planted in your saddle for hours, not à good thing.
When I was a teen I used to ride a lot and decided to go to Plattsburgh from Montreal, alone on a racing bike. There was a headwind the whole way and the ride is as fall as a flat thing the whole way. Except for a stop at the border (the guards thought I was nuts) I pretty much just put my head down and churned the kms out.
When I got there I had no feeling in my groin, which lasted two weeks and scared the pants off of me. My girlfriend was happy but I was miserable.
When I was a teen I used to ride a lot and decided to go to Plattsburgh from Montreal, alone on a racing bike. There was a headwind the whole way and the ride is as fall as a flat thing the whole way. Except for a stop at the border (the guards thought I was nuts) I pretty much just put my head down and churned the kms out.
When I got there I had no feeling in my groin, which lasted two weeks and scared the pants off of me. My girlfriend was happy but I was miserable.
So much good advice. I love this community.
Aerobars are out of the picture. I think I could do this ride on my current bike, but will try to trade/sell and upgrade anyway.
I find my saddle pretty comfortable. I don't think I've spent more than an hour on it in one ride, so that's not saying much, but I have had no problems with it whatsoever.
Next week I gotta get some cycling clothes and whatnot.
Aerobars are out of the picture. I think I could do this ride on my current bike, but will try to trade/sell and upgrade anyway.
I find my saddle pretty comfortable. I don't think I've spent more than an hour on it in one ride, so that's not saying much, but I have had no problems with it whatsoever.
Next week I gotta get some cycling clothes and whatnot.
Do at least 3 hours on it before you decide if you can live with it for a day. See if you can still function semi normally after a good hard 3 hour ride on it. You might learn something, or find you have an excellent saddle.
The saddest words I've read today.
Seriously that is very true - thank God for all the testicle-saver seats they have now. I had a must-do century when I was 16-17, had a g/f who lived not quite 100 miles away, just up the street from my oldest sister. I was never as motivated to do the ride home after being there for a week.
The saddest words I've read today.
Seriously that is very true - thank God for all the testicle-saver seats they have now. I had a must-do century when I was 16-17, had a g/f who lived not quite 100 miles away, just up the street from my oldest sister. I was never as motivated to do the ride home after being there for a week.
Sad? Not at all- everything worked fine down there, I just couldn't feel anything. Sorry if this is too much information!
Do tell!The saddest words I've read today.
Seriously that is very true - thank God for all the testicle-saver seats they have now. I had a must-do century when I was 16-17, had a g/f who lived not quite 100 miles away, just up the street from my oldest sister. I was never as motivated to do the ride home after being there for a week.
What could have gone so wrong in one week that made you want to relive that stone numbing ride?
Nothing went wrong, that was the whole problem. After a week or so my sister would boot me - no more sucking face, no more bad-finger. Yeah, pedaling home after that was just plain sad. I wonder what she looks like now - probably big as a house with 7 kids from 6 guys.
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Not at all - it's the reality of prolonged exposure to a bike seat, especially a cheap or incorrect one. What I thought was sad was that your g/f was happy, made me think she was glad you were too numb to be pressing her for anything. Al though, for a young guy, a little numbness might help with any hasty trigger issues.
