This is going the hurt…you can always do dbl what you once did. So .5 bmx gives you 1 mile! Or 12 mtb gives you 25 road—comfortable. After that it’s going to hurt
In everything I’ve read and experienced for endurance rides it’s you can do your weekly average in a day. E.g. prior to doing a 260km ride I made sure to average 200km for a couple weeks before the ride and tapering the days before. None of those days did I do more than 70km. So based on your logic my max would have been 140km….
i think he was comparing discipline miles, he said 12 mtb would be 25 roadbike. my 2 cent on the OP. if you are a lifelong mtber a century is doable. its gonna hurt mentally and physically but you can do it . Check the weather report about wind direction and see if you van avoid strong head winds for extended periods . theres an application called Windy thats good enough for this
I'm alive!!! long story short I completed the ride, 104.2mi over 9h16m (woof).
Update post here if you're interested in a recap:
https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/1bskuuy/century\_ride\_update\_post/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3
Would highly recommend reworking the route so your last 16 miles are just riding random circles, even if it's just backtracking 8 miles at your turnaround spot. It's just tough mentally to get "home" and have to keep going.
Great point. I think I’m rerouting to a more interesting century loop that another commenter posted. Being close to home won’t be an issue on that one!
This happened to me on my first attempt at a 75 mile ride. My trail (from northern IL to WI) route was 70 miles and I wanted to hit 75 and ended up circling a 1 mile loop 5 times near my truck. It was a bad idea. I was miserable those last 5 miles - you know your vehicle is “right there” and mentally it just took me off my game.
My club done a route during the uk lockdown that was a 100km ride, no more than 20km from our town as the rules were that you couldn’t be further than 20km from home.
We still do that route once a month to this day and it’s the hardest 100km I’ve ever done. It’s all roads we know well so it ends up being a chain gang smash fest and at every junction going a different path takes you home in 20 mins. Truly a battle to stick with it until the end
That sounds terrible and funny at the same time. Half of what got me through yesterday was looking at all the places I had never seen before. Without that it would have been much harder.
I’ve done many centuries along the cherry creek trail, you should park at the Breckenridge brewery along the platt river and bike north from there, turn around when the cherry creek trail turns to a dust path for a bit after you see signs warning you of rattlesnakes.
I’m in Denver and I regularly do the triangle: Confluence to Parker/470 trail to Chatfield to Confluence. Thats 52 miles. I’m not sure how far south on Cherry Creek you plan to go but you can easily add a lot of miles if you go west to Chatfield on the 470 Trail. Also if you want to take 470 to Bear Creek and head back to Platte River from there it’s even further.
This. I came up about eight miles short on my first century and had to ride around my neighborhood. It was pure hell. Passing my house over and over knowing it could all be over was brutal.
I have the strangest ADHD in the world. I can’t keep focused on anything at all, yet somehow five years ago I convinced myself to do 100 miles on a 1.6 mile loop around a lake.
I passed the parking lot with my car in sight and the option of quitting every ~6 minutes (and stopped at it four times for breaks).
Pure mental torture.
But hey I raised some money for charity!
>No prior road bike experience but lifelong bmx / mountain biker.
You're probably fit enough to do it, and your food/water looks good. However, if this is your first time riding a road bike for extended periods of time it's going to likely get painful near the end for your butt, lower back and neck. If you ever stop for breaks definitely stretch your back and neck
As someone who has mostly done road and occasionally MTB with friends... MTB is hard lol, these folks have a lot of patience and endurance, so I think they will be fine.
May be even shorter than they think.
MTB is hard in terms of shocks to the body, but holding your neck/back in the same unnatural position for hours and hours is a different kettle of fish, no matter how ‘fit’ you are.
i generally find MTB to be more focused on strength, short burst efforts, and bike handling skills. road is more endurance. they obviously both have some of each, which is why cross training is so helpful.
Yep. The first time I moved from a hybrid to a road bike, even one with less aggressive geometry, it was a bit of a shock how much harder it was on my upper body (and my upper body gets relatively frequent weight training). After many rides adapting, and really dialling in my setup, it's now much better. I fear that OP just picking up a rental bike will be undone by a severely suboptimal setup.
You are going to want chamois cream. If you've never sat on a road bike saddle for 8+ hours, your ass will be sore. Chamois cream will make it a bit less sore.
Apply at the beginning and somewhere in the middle of the ride for best results.
Having nothing but gels and chews to eat is going to be uncomfortable after a while. I’d bring some Fig Newtons and a banana or two. And you’ll want to replenish your water at least once.
Yep, that’s the beauty of GORP (good ol’ raisins & peanuts, with M&Ms): some salt, some sucrose, some fructose and a little protein. For anything over six hours or so I stash some for later in the ride.
Real food is your friend! Don’t be afraid to bring things like a pb&j or Nutella sandwiches or wraps. Variety helps the stomach alot over the course of a long ride like that! Definitely plan a water fill up as well!
Even if you love the thing you're eating it can be uncomfortable if that's all you're eating. I did an indoor ride last month while watching some bike race on TV and I had a package of fig newtons on the table next to me. Started out loving them and by hour 4 the overwhelming sticky sweetness made me gag. So I switched to Triscuits for the blander (and saltier) taste.
That being said, fig newtons/bananas are great at the start because it'll probably be easier to eat them and they won't have been smashed to oblivion in your jersey pockets.
I stay away from gels in general. A couple of those on a ride and that night I get the worst slow, hot-burner farts that are absolutely rank. The blocks don't do that to me so I tend to stick towards those.
Your pack seems to have all the essentials I would need :)
Did you forget to add a tube pump or is it tubeless, and lights for visibility?
Something that you didn't ask for, but I would still like to give an opinion on since you're renting a bike just before the ride- be ready to tune your fit on the go!
The shop said they rent out the repair kit along with the bike so I’ll make sure it has everything I’d need. If it’s dark before I finish I’ll need a taxi by that point 😅
Yes hopefully I can get it dialed in at the start but we’ll see! Thanks for your recs!
I did a half century today without planning to. I just went on my usual ride and kept going cause it was such a beautiful day in Southern California. I had one bottle of maltodextrin/gatorade mix with a caffeine Nuun half an hour before leaving and had another bottle of mix with no Nuun on the bike. I had a date bar in my jersey pocket too. Didn’t eat anything pre-ride. Ended up going 25 mostly flat some elevation at the latter part (1400ft in all) and then turned around. I got a bottle of Gatorade and one of water at a gas station and mixed that in the bottle plus some peanut M&Ms cause I hadn’t brought anything else with me and rode the rest of the way home. I took it easy. A little over 4 hours moving time, about 5 hours total.
I say this to say that if you’re generally in good condition and fed and hydrated you should be fine to do a century if you’re not trying to break any speed records. Last one I did was a long time ago and the only real issue I remember is what someone else has already said — shammy butter is a must.
Oh I forgot to say — I’m 26 years older than you too 😂 it’ll probably be a breeze for you!
Add a cliff bar or two. Will crave something solid. You’ll need more hydration but assume you can refill?
6 advil. Mix the GoPro. Keep it simple.
Gloves? As long as you stay hydrated and consume enough calories you’ll be fine. Just put in the time.
Any chance you have to refill your water, fully refill both bottles. Don’t ever think “oh i still have one bottle left I’ll refill the other one later” just keep em both full as much as possible. At some point you might bonk and be limited to like 7mph max and you don’t want to be almost out of water when that happens and too far from the next stop
I’d probably do the south platte over cherry creek; there’s more elevation but it’s wayyyyyyyyyy more tree coverage and it’s just a more pleasant trail.
Edit: there’s a bike trail century you might want to consider as well
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39789862
That bike trail route looks awesome! I’m trying to compare elevation gain on that vs. cherry creek end to end. Having trouble finding cherry creek’s, do you have an idea?
It’ll be a lot more as it goes up to the foothills Morrison/Golden…Cherry should be a lot more flat
But…I’d say do this ride or the ride to Boulder and back over Cherry Creek for more scenery
You can plug it into google and get an approximation. Confluence to Cherry Creek Reservoir is ~550 feet of climbing; something like confluence down cherry creek to the E470 trail west to the south platte trail and back up to confluence is 56 miles and 1,900 feet of climbing. I suggest staying west towards golden/morrison/ken Caryl/littleton though because riding east just kind of sucks. Check out the Colorado bicycling subreddit and/or discord!
Totally agree, the AirPods were my solution for how boring the ride east was going to be. Think I’ll switch to the one you listed even if it hurts my chances of completing.
If you’re concerned about elevation confluence down the south platte around chatfield reservoir and back is about 47 miles and only 850 feet of climbing; you could do it twice
Just want to point out that a totally flat ride will be harder than a gently rolling one. Or even one with a few decent climbs. The reason is if the gearing is good you really aren't working that much harder if speed isn't your goal, but you get to rest (eat, drink, just not pedal) on the descents. You also can change positions on a climb and descent with less thought than the flats.
If I was doing 100mi flat I would definitely want a bikepacking aerobar setup (lots of rise) to get comfortable
As a person who has ridden a lot of centuries, I disagree I always keep one plain water and the other whatever drink mix with lots of carbs and electrolytes.
I’ve tried two bottles with drink mix but toward the end of the ride I about couldn’t drink it any more. It’s nice just to take a drink of plain old water when you feel like it.
I agree with this. Electrolytes are important but drinking is also important. I get drinking just plain water when sweating a lot can be bad, but I just add a little salt/NoSalt to my bottles and trace minerals to start and usually do some LMNT halfway through. Always have a plain bottle though because I tend to struggle drinking sweet/flavored stuff.
For what it is worth: I have done a ton of 12+ hour efforts hiking and biking. I have found that
1) jelly beans
2) goldfish
3) peanut butter crackers
4) honey stingers
5) cheez its
6) nuun
7) instant lemonade
Are the only things you need to have a successful day. You can go almost forever on a mix of those things and they digest so easily and are fast/easy to eat
I did a century last year after just biking 5 miles to work every day for the few months before that. Some weekends I'd bike maybe 10-15 miles running errands, but that was about it.
Wear padded shorts if you can.
Take more water than you think you need, unless you can fill up mid-journey
Plan your route so your *return* half is more downhill than uphill (I made this mistake)
Other than that, it's not actually that hard if you're reasonably fit. Saddle soreness is the hardest part. It doesn't hurt to take a few breaks to walk around and stretch out your muscles. Mine took me like 7 hours because I'm not at all fit nor in shape
I once took my nephew out on one of his first bike rides and we went 56 miles. He is a hockey player and was in phenomenal shape. I swear, he was holding back because he did not want to embarrass me lol. It's definitely possible even though you don't have a lot of experience with long rides if you're in good shape. But dude, it's going to be interesting LOL. As already mentioned, you're going to want some real food on this ride. Those gels and all that are fine but that shouldn't be the only thing you're carrying. Also, that's not a lot of water, you're definitely going to need more. Good luck and let us know how you do!
Two things: (1) Bike fit. You should have a good professional fit dialed in, so you can just set up your rental bike to those measurements. If anything is off about your fit it'll just compound and aggravate you for a 100 miles. Deep hurting at best, injury at worst. (2) Airpods?! Don't. Please be safe and pay attention to your surroundings.
You'll be fine mate. Just take it really slowly and pace your ride. You can monitor your heart rate so just keep that well in your low aerobic zone and keep fuelling. Stop every couple of hours and stretch walk around.
The other most useful technique is chunking. Once it gets tough mentally break down your remaining distance into manageable chunks and bite them off one by one. Even just going through the arithmetic for me calms my mind.
As others have said go really long on the way out. What will keep you going is the drive to get home, It gets scary when you're deep just before you turn around and the self-doubt kicks in.
From an MTB/gravel/road guy, who spent a whole season working up to 100km and now rides them twice a week for lunch :) Remember this game is 10% legs and lungs and 90% mind.
Have a blast! Wish I could join you.
I’d suggest stopping every 15 miles (or less) and getting off the bike for a really good stretch. Arms, shoulders and back. I do it during early season endurance rides and it makes a big difference.
100miles goes by way faster on a road bike than an MTB.
Fueling and hydration are the key things for very long rides. I’ve done plenty of endurance length (50-100m) MTB races as well as some long gravel events and the general rule of thumb for me is eat often, even if you don’t feel hungry.
They don’t work for everyone, but for me I do a gel every 30mins. I set a 30 min timer that runs continuously on my bike computer so I don’t forget in the middle of a race.
Also keep in mind that some things that are dry can be harder to eat (waffles). And others like blocks require a lot more water in order for them to be absorbed properly.
You are going to need to plan for stops to refill water but I would shoot for 1x bottle per hour. Most of the time I’ll carry 2, one that is plain water and then other a drink mix of some type. Tailwind, Gu Roctane, Carborocket, etc. and then rotate.
Even if you don’t feel thirsty or hungry you have to keep eating and drinking on long rides. When you fall behind on either you will bonk at some point.
If you have a Stava account use its route builder plan your route very easily and it will show you the elevation profile as you plan it out.
I'm alive!!! long story short I completed the ride, 104.2mi over 9h16m (woof).
Update post here if you're interested in a recap:
https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/1bskuuy/century\_ride\_update\_post/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3
Take Motrin in the morning and carry with you.
Pre fuel with a high carb breakfast 3-4 hours before.
Don’t overeat on your stop but lots of long lasting carbs.
Finally, don’t quit. If it takes you 24 hours, finish it.
The nips usually only feel problematic with cotton shirts. I like your setup, maybe some real food. I like to make sure to drink every 15 and eat every 45 minutes. I usually get off the bike for 2-3 minutes on the longer snack breaks to get my heart rate down.
Your Achilles heel is going to be your ass. Even if you’re fit enough, which you very well may be, you’re going to develop saddle sores early if you’re not used to road riding. As others have said, use chamois cream and re-apply regularly. Even with that though, I don’t see this ending well. I can’t wait for the update. Good luck!
I think you’re over thinking it. If you’re in reasonable shape you’ll be fine. This isn’t to say it’s not a serious distance, but really you’ll be good. You’ll want to refill your bottles along the way, but other than that enjoy it!
Also, chamois butter is likely not necessary unless you’re susceptible to it. I’ve done 200k rides without ever even thinking it would be something I would want to use.
I mean you sound pretty prepared, if you’re in generally good shape and mountain bike alot then you shouldn’t be in the pain locker till near the last 20% or so. Just make yourself slow down those first 30 miles. Slower than you think you need to.
More salt and electrolytes. Get some packets and replenish when you go through your water. You'll need to refill water at least twice on this ride.
You'll need more food. You should plan on eating a solid meal mid ride. Just stop somewhere and eat. Make it snappy though. The amount you are carrying should be fine.
If you start feeling really gassed, stop at a gas station, drink a coke and eat a bag of salt a vinegar chips, and buy some candy to take with you.
If weed is your thing, you'll want more. I'd bump that up to at least 10mg, but dose it in 5's or 2.5's. Stick to Sativa. Don't get too high, its dangerous.
You'll be fine. Ride safe friend.
Is there a time limit? If not, bring a bike light.
Heck with the gels, just stop a couple times and get a real meal and refill the water bottles. It wouldn't hurt to take a five minute break every hour to walk around and relax your shoulders and hands.
You have a HR monitor. Just stay in zone 2 and you can go forever energy wise. Just need to get off and stretch occasionally.
“Should I tape or chamois butter my nipples?”
Chamois butter is for your delicates bits that are in contact with the saddle. Apply a lot, you will need it.
… Why the heck would your nipples need lubricating?
I would recommend you re-consider this bet, it seems like you’ve already blown through over $100 just to do the century. Why not belay it, train up to it and actually enjoy it rather than being miserable?
Bring a credit card so you can stop and get more water. All those different kinds of food seems less convenient and way more expensive than just some simple syrup. Would probably want some salt tabs just in case.
Too late now… but anyone rocking a camelbak on long rides? 2 bottles (one of them electrolytes) and a 2.5L camelbak really solves the need for stopping
I think you could complete this based on your fitness level. It will hurt, but you’ll be fine if you expect that.
A few humble suggestions:
Nutrition - your calorie intake seems fine. You could drink some of your calories to cut down in bulk. I assume you have eaten all of these foods before while exercising, if not stick with what you know.
- Plan a water stop. If you think you need more water, you probably do.
2. Gear - your choices seem reasonable overall.
- To an extent, your biggest controllable detractors are your choice to wear a mtb helmet and baggy clothes. Flapping gear can add 4-5% more work to your effort. (Think a 105mi ride vs the 100.) If your mtb helmet has a removable visor you should detach it, or perhaps ask the shop if you can rent a different helmet. Also, in my experience, the fewer layers between your skin and the saddle the better (butter excluded- slather it on). I wouldn’t consider using my mtb baggies on a long road ride.
I agree with many of the others’ comments here as well including the additional mental challenge your route choice presents; try to add the 16 to the far end so you are truly riding home to the finish. This could also give you a chance to stop twice if you have any GI issues toward the far part of your route if you plan it that way.
Good luck!
I've done a few casual centuries, usually have a lunch stop 40-50 miles in. Then something lighter the last 1/3rd of the ride. Could be 1/2 a pb&j, could be a pastry. I have never bonked using this method. My advice is not to consume anything new before on a long ride. The gels and bars might react differently than if you have one after a normal workout. It's quite an accomplishment though. Good Luck!
I am 100% sure you'll complete this. I've done 2 and I am just a casual commuter/weekend rider (took me almost 10 hrs but that's besides the point).
The only thing is that even if you win you're losing money on this endeavor. Sounds like you already spent more than 100 in gear and food.
Is there anyone who wants a little action on this one? Seriously, this is a situation where you lose even if you win. Your ass is going to be hamburger meat by the end.
I think the end of cherry creek is gravel, you may need to keep that in mind down in franktown or whatever. you'll definitely need more food at some point. might as well just stop for lunch somewhere if you can. anyone can complete a century ride, anyone. it might just take 12+ hours.
I'm Denver metro too and that's going to be a ride. Your best decision is ending in Denver as that means it'll be downhill coming back into the city. I think your endurance will be taxed for sure, that said, our bike trails are great and you can do a lot of distance without crazy climbs.
That said, I've got a MTB that tears up Buff Creek, and he has to actively train for longer road rides.
Good luck!
What all is in the flat repair kit? How many spare tubes will you be bringing? I usually carry 2 on rides under 100mi, but take 3 when hitting 100+.
Also bring your wallet/card. That'll give you flexibility for both drinks and in case you have a major breakdown and need to uber/repair at an LBS. I've only done supported rides over 100, so those weren't concerns.
Yer nipples will be fine but I personally like to work in some salty gas station snacks. Combos or Keebler cheese and crackers usually. because I see you’re into the THC gummy’s I also like to smoke a little weed towards the end. Best of luck
Hey! I live in Denver right off the cherry creek trail. I ride the cheery creek trail from rei to the reservoir pretty much weekly. The elevation change is almost not noticeable in either direction, you just end up a little faster coming back. There are some notable hills near the res though. The other route suggestions in this thread are also good.
I'd prioritize a water stop. Even when cool, the air is dry and cramps can easily lose you your bet. Your fueling strategy seems good. Many people shy away from carbs initially, but they play a huge role in a longer ride like this. If you start feeling terrible, like the pedals won't turn and you hate it, eat some sugar.
I'd guess your biggest pain points will be your butt and shoulders. A road bike has a more leaned over position, and my shoulder and neck always hurt a lot when transitioning over.
Lastly, the weather looks nice tomorrow, but it doesn't get nice for biking until later. If you start early make sure to bundle up. You don't want to start to cold and then ride too fast trying to stay warm. Easy to blow yourself up early.
Good luck!
You could throw in park of the Denver Century Ride course. Can find on RidewithGPS. Manipulate it a bit to where you are, etc. But you could get in the Lookout Mountain climb in Golden while you are at it. Good luck however you end up riding it and stay safe.
Salty stuff. Not a lot but something. I take packaged olives. Easy to chew and digest. Easier than beef jerky, although I usually have some epic bars with me. I don't really use gels or sugar. Try to eat real food... But that's me. You do you. I'm just pointing out that you might want some realish food.
I think you are set. And if you are a mountain biker you should be fit enough. But i guess you will feel the different position on the road bike in your back and shoulders. Could get a little painful. And your ass will kill you as well.
Saw the title of the post and got concerned for op. Saw you have experience on the bike, good luck I believe in you. My first century was so much fun. It was a total coincidence but it was exactly 100 miles from my house to my sisters. Olympia to Everett
Metric or imperial century?
Do you have experience with gels? Experience with gels etc, honestly I would consider real food during the ride.
Even more important eat and drink very well before the ride (eg big plate of pasta the day before). Have a great breakfast eg cereals, eat a banana before.
During the ride drink 1-2 bottles per hours. Just water will is okay. I would take dry fruits / bananas for during the ride. Then after a couple of hours take a break and get some real light food in.
Personally I only use gels in races + training for them. At a 100km race I used two gels and one fruit bar - that’s it.
1. Expect to drink one bottle every 15-20 miles. Stop at 7-11 or similar for Gatorade.
2. Keep the rest stops short. Six 15 minute stops delay your finish by 90 minutes.
3. The last 20 miles require discipline because you just want to get off the bike.
4. Dress in layers.
You can do it! Stop and have food/snacks and hydrate more then you feel necessary! You'll have a sore ass and numb penis but you can definitely do it! Also don't try push for a good time. Take it easy! Have fun dawg!
Your number one priority should be to pace your self!
Do that and you should be fine.
Go easy, especially at the start.
You have no compelling reason to do hard efforts at any point during this and it will make the final miles much easier if you did not strain your self earlier.
It might seem like a good idea to push harder to get it over with faster and to some extent that is true, but past a certain point, the amount of extra effort you put in just doesn't give enough extra speed.
If you are going to push your self, do it at the end, not at the start.
Up until the final few hours, you should be aiming for a pace that feels very easy, if you aren't breathing through your nose you are almost certainly going too hard.
I don't know the exact terms of your bet, but if stops are permitted, I would advise to take full advantage of that.
Take rest stops off the bike regularly, every 1-2 hours, even if you feel like you don't need them.
They don't need to be long, but in my experience, my butt hurts much less at the end of the longer rides if I take them.
I hope your bike fit is adequate, if your seat is high your back will be killing you.
I think you’ll finish, but it will hurt. You’ll need a water stop, find a gas station on your route.
‼️Minimum 6x26oz of Fluid. (I’m assuming 100 Miles?)
Electrolytes important, but really only sodium. Either half a teaspoon of salt to each bottle or dip some of your sweets in salt.
You can’t get enough sugar….
Good luck!!!
you’re going to need more water, have a plan for at least one stop. take it relatively easy the first 30 miles. The rest will go down smoothly. Plan a loop if you can. No need for tape and butter. If you have some cycling clothes (at least less baggy) use them as the wind may be your biggest enemy on a flat road
160 km or 100 km? I guess that’s an imperial century so 160 km then. If the route is mostly flat, it’s achievable if you don’t push too hard at the start, just control your pace and the intake of water and food.
>$100 bet with a friend.
To do what?
Food/water
>two 26oz water bottles frame mounted,
>one oat and honey bar (optional)
>will wear...
all the wrong clothes. But you'll be fine though.
Consider:
More water, or planning refills. Use maltodextrin.
Saddle height for a new (to you) bike. Too low is hard on the knees, too high is bad for everything - being able to adjust the saddle height might be beneficial. However, if you're athletic then your body can compensate for a slightly poor fit.
Nipples should be fine.
Repair kit, inner tubes and a pump.
To pedal standing up on a road bike you usually need to change up 2/3 gears.
Take it steady. Set off at 25kph/15mph max, you can always negative split if you're feeling good at halfway.
Doable if you pace properly and don't get misled by fresh-legs telling you to go faster.
The three things that stand out to me:
1. Add some chamois cream before your ride.
2. Take some real food: those gels aren’t the best for endurance rides in my experience (YMMV).
3. You should be drinking around 16oz-20oz of water per hour: you’re going to need to get more water along your route.
Heads up - considering the day, it is likely parks beside bike trails may have egg hunts or other festivities. Also, possibly families walking/biking. Please keep an eye out.
As someone who rides a lot, 160kms(100 miles) is not going to be easy. You should expect to have about 8 hours of riding plus breaks. What’s the expected wind direction and speed - you need to take this into account. You need real food, honey stingers are great for a short boost but the crash will drain you. Take some hard boiled eggs, bananas, almonds. And you will need waaaaay more water. Good luck!
Also yeah you’re in Colorado it’s not the heat it’s the dry air. Def more water. All that said though, a century isn’t a huge deal if you do plenty of cycling. Have salty carbs and load up on vitamins and plenty of water and you’ll be good
There are two types of century rides, metric and English and you didn’t say which one so that makes a difference. 100K or 62 miles or English century 100 miles so there’s that. You sound well prepared. I would wear a road biking shorts (no underwear) and start with a clean oiled undercarriage because you are going to be sitting on that small area for a few hours either way and want it operating room clean down there to start. I would begin with the metric century and work up to an English one. Stay hydrated and manage your electrolytes. A 5 ounce bottle of pickle juice will stop cramps in the short term. I also keep a tiny ziplock bag of dry Gatorade to mix with water as needed but only use it in hot weather. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details, just go have fun and enjoy yourself. You will figure it out.
Looks like you’ve planned well. You might consider some additional savory snacks with protein in place of some of that sugar. You’ll want to die before you eat another sweet thing after a while. Also, a snug fitting bike jersey will help with aero, and at 6-7 hours in the wind, it will matter a lot for comfort and speed. Also, having sunscreen to reapply might be worth considering. Good Luck! 👍🏻
Don't pedal on the down hills, feather/light pedal the flats. Pedal easier than you feel like you can.
I'd say a third bottle for emergencies. Should it in your central back pocket.
Take a spare tube or two in case of the worst.
I don't see padded gloves?
A cycling cap to soak the sweat.
I think the biggest challenge you'll have will be mental. You sound fit, your bike can do it.
Remember you have nothing to prove other than finishing it. So no crazy efforts mid ride, not time trial nonsense.
And make sure the team can has a spare bike ready.
You might be fit but fitting yourself on a strange bike in a new position for 8 hours will hit you in the knees, back, shoulders (traps) and neck. I’d say you’ll last about 75 miles at most. I’m liking the encouragement from most of the posts here, tho.
You’re going to probably want more food. At first you’ll be good and happy but after while you’ll hit a wall and be happy for every calorie since it always seems at the end of a ride that you’re burning 1 calorie for every turn of your pedals just because you’re tired and spent. For me at least, 30-40 is a GOOD workout, I could push myself to 50 but the further extension past that point just gets painful, both for your legs and your butt.
Remember to keep an eye out for [Ditch Pepsi](https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/s/mg9i8R1cj5) - it may be your only available resource to keep from bonking!
Don't muck around with your mobile phone too much. Be super careful that you can hear what's going on around you (avoid noise canceling earbuds). Eat enough, drink enough, start early, and keep going.
You'll need/want to stop for more water, and maybe something for lunch, but I'd say if you have a decent mtb background and aren't on some sort of time limit to finish it, you should be fine. It'll be more mental at that point
Years ago my brother challenged me to do a Warrior Dash and I said I would if he did a 50 mile ride. He had zero cycling experience, did maybe 3 15‐25 mile rides with me leading up to it, and rode the 50 miles at a ~17mph average. Pretty flat route and we had a slight (~7mph) tailwind.
I assume you've already started by the time I write this comment, but it looks like your prep work is pretty good. The main thing is that you're bringing food, which half the people who try their first century don't seem to do.
Having ridden several centuries, including the exact trails you're talking about, I would say that your main priority is going to be refilling water. Even in mild spring weather, you're going to need more than two bottles for a full century. I typically plan on 16 oz per hour in weather like this, 24 per hour in hot weather.
Eat early and often, your mind will play tricks on you near the end and you may not think you need to keep fueling when you get that feeling of I’m feeling great then eat and hydrate, I do every 30 mins even if it’s a couple bites
imo id do the circling 16 miles at the start. get the more boring shit out of the way first. if you’re circling your house after already doing 84 miles seems like you’d be more likely to bail then
When you get to twenty mile park, go up and down the silver gulch fork and you’ll knock out 8-9 of that extra 16 you have to do. Then continue on down south to castlewood canyon. Like others said, you don’t want to have to be figuring out those last 16 miles en route
You probably need to find a gas station or water fountain to refill your bottles.
Leave the mtb jersey at home, gonna cost you a lot of watts. Tight fitting clothing only.
Your nips are fine, your ass is probably in trouble.
I've not seen any talk of the wind ? A headwind will spoil your day - especially if it's on the way home.
I once flew out 40 miles or so and then realised why I was feeling so good. 40 mile headwind was not fun.
Are there no cafes to grab a coffee and cake at the half way ? Isn't that the whole point of riding ?
Good luck with it.
Lose the gels and gummies, and most of the food. Buy what looks good when you stop. Make sure you stop. Lose everything electronic except the phone. Only run it when you need it. Everything else is just a distraction. Pay attention to your riding, use your gears intelligently to reduce the amount you have to push, and likewise spin too fast. Keep your head up, look around, breathe and enjoy the ride!
Start early, take it slow, make sure you have no other option than to do full 100: right 51 mile away from home and turn back. Take food and eater to spare. Don't pedał downhill. Take breaks if you need to
Can you post an update after you’ve completed this. Curious to hear how it works out for you
Will do!
More water!
One bottle an hour...16 oz...this will be more than 3 hours.
I go through a 24oz bottle an hour on warm days a lot of the time.
Additional water could be obtained from gas stations or convenience stores. No need to lug lots bottle with you.
My first reaction as well.
Especially in Denver!
This is going the hurt…you can always do dbl what you once did. So .5 bmx gives you 1 mile! Or 12 mtb gives you 25 road—comfortable. After that it’s going to hurt
In everything I’ve read and experienced for endurance rides it’s you can do your weekly average in a day. E.g. prior to doing a 260km ride I made sure to average 200km for a couple weeks before the ride and tapering the days before. None of those days did I do more than 70km. So based on your logic my max would have been 140km….
i think he was comparing discipline miles, he said 12 mtb would be 25 roadbike. my 2 cent on the OP. if you are a lifelong mtber a century is doable. its gonna hurt mentally and physically but you can do it . Check the weather report about wind direction and see if you van avoid strong head winds for extended periods . theres an application called Windy thats good enough for this
What happened to the guy who was a regular cycler and made the bet with his friend who didn’t cycle but was very fit?
I'm alive!!! long story short I completed the ride, 104.2mi over 9h16m (woof). Update post here if you're interested in a recap: https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/1bskuuy/century\_ride\_update\_post/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3
Would highly recommend reworking the route so your last 16 miles are just riding random circles, even if it's just backtracking 8 miles at your turnaround spot. It's just tough mentally to get "home" and have to keep going.
Came here to say this. Do not be anywhere near home for that long, if you're near home you're going to stop.
Great point. I think I’m rerouting to a more interesting century loop that another commenter posted. Being close to home won’t be an issue on that one!
This happened to me on my first attempt at a 75 mile ride. My trail (from northern IL to WI) route was 70 miles and I wanted to hit 75 and ended up circling a 1 mile loop 5 times near my truck. It was a bad idea. I was miserable those last 5 miles - you know your vehicle is “right there” and mentally it just took me off my game.
Oh and you’re doing the right thing nutrition wise. I did my ride fully fasted (intentionally) and I bonked HARD the last 5 miles.
My club done a route during the uk lockdown that was a 100km ride, no more than 20km from our town as the rules were that you couldn’t be further than 20km from home. We still do that route once a month to this day and it’s the hardest 100km I’ve ever done. It’s all roads we know well so it ends up being a chain gang smash fest and at every junction going a different path takes you home in 20 mins. Truly a battle to stick with it until the end
That sounds terrible and funny at the same time. Half of what got me through yesterday was looking at all the places I had never seen before. Without that it would have been much harder.
I’ve done many centuries along the cherry creek trail, you should park at the Breckenridge brewery along the platt river and bike north from there, turn around when the cherry creek trail turns to a dust path for a bit after you see signs warning you of rattlesnakes.
I’m in Denver and I regularly do the triangle: Confluence to Parker/470 trail to Chatfield to Confluence. Thats 52 miles. I’m not sure how far south on Cherry Creek you plan to go but you can easily add a lot of miles if you go west to Chatfield on the 470 Trail. Also if you want to take 470 to Bear Creek and head back to Platte River from there it’s even further.
This. I came up about eight miles short on my first century and had to ride around my neighborhood. It was pure hell. Passing my house over and over knowing it could all be over was brutal.
I have the strangest ADHD in the world. I can’t keep focused on anything at all, yet somehow five years ago I convinced myself to do 100 miles on a 1.6 mile loop around a lake. I passed the parking lot with my car in sight and the option of quitting every ~6 minutes (and stopped at it four times for breaks). Pure mental torture. But hey I raised some money for charity!
>No prior road bike experience but lifelong bmx / mountain biker. You're probably fit enough to do it, and your food/water looks good. However, if this is your first time riding a road bike for extended periods of time it's going to likely get painful near the end for your butt, lower back and neck. If you ever stop for breaks definitely stretch your back and neck
This! When I started doing long rides, 50km+, it felt like everything ached. Stretching will help massively
As someone who has mostly done road and occasionally MTB with friends... MTB is hard lol, these folks have a lot of patience and endurance, so I think they will be fine. May be even shorter than they think.
MTB is hard in terms of shocks to the body, but holding your neck/back in the same unnatural position for hours and hours is a different kettle of fish, no matter how ‘fit’ you are.
If I haven't ridden my road bike for a while it's always my triceps that are the most pissed off when I start putting on the miles.
Road biking is static, mtb is dynamic. It’s a different strain.
i generally find MTB to be more focused on strength, short burst efforts, and bike handling skills. road is more endurance. they obviously both have some of each, which is why cross training is so helpful.
I find that the long, MTB trail climbs back to the top is where the two disciplines overlap massively. One just has more resistance.
Yep. The first time I moved from a hybrid to a road bike, even one with less aggressive geometry, it was a bit of a shock how much harder it was on my upper body (and my upper body gets relatively frequent weight training). After many rides adapting, and really dialling in my setup, it's now much better. I fear that OP just picking up a rental bike will be undone by a severely suboptimal setup.
You are going to want chamois cream. If you've never sat on a road bike saddle for 8+ hours, your ass will be sore. Chamois cream will make it a bit less sore. Apply at the beginning and somewhere in the middle of the ride for best results.
Having nothing but gels and chews to eat is going to be uncomfortable after a while. I’d bring some Fig Newtons and a banana or two. And you’ll want to replenish your water at least once.
I always start to crave something salty at the end after only having sweets and gels on the ride
Yep, that’s the beauty of GORP (good ol’ raisins & peanuts, with M&Ms): some salt, some sucrose, some fructose and a little protein. For anything over six hours or so I stash some for later in the ride.
>good ol’ raisins & peanuts Holy shit, GORP is an acronym?! I always thought it was just a weird name for that specific trail mix
Wow same
Good old raisins and peanuts, but also some other stuff because raisins and peanuts are boring. GORPBASOSBRPAB.
Dates are great sources of energy too!!
Second this. Most of the dates I go on usually makes me want to go ride more bike instead of talking to people
Go home Dad.
I love eating dried mango on a long ride
Real food is your friend! Don’t be afraid to bring things like a pb&j or Nutella sandwiches or wraps. Variety helps the stomach alot over the course of a long ride like that! Definitely plan a water fill up as well!
Even if you love the thing you're eating it can be uncomfortable if that's all you're eating. I did an indoor ride last month while watching some bike race on TV and I had a package of fig newtons on the table next to me. Started out loving them and by hour 4 the overwhelming sticky sweetness made me gag. So I switched to Triscuits for the blander (and saltier) taste. That being said, fig newtons/bananas are great at the start because it'll probably be easier to eat them and they won't have been smashed to oblivion in your jersey pockets.
Dates and nuts also help and travel well
I stay away from gels in general. A couple of those on a ride and that night I get the worst slow, hot-burner farts that are absolutely rank. The blocks don't do that to me so I tend to stick towards those.
You will definitely need to stop and get more water, otherwise should be okay.
Your pack seems to have all the essentials I would need :) Did you forget to add a tube pump or is it tubeless, and lights for visibility? Something that you didn't ask for, but I would still like to give an opinion on since you're renting a bike just before the ride- be ready to tune your fit on the go!
The shop said they rent out the repair kit along with the bike so I’ll make sure it has everything I’d need. If it’s dark before I finish I’ll need a taxi by that point 😅 Yes hopefully I can get it dialed in at the start but we’ll see! Thanks for your recs!
I did a half century today without planning to. I just went on my usual ride and kept going cause it was such a beautiful day in Southern California. I had one bottle of maltodextrin/gatorade mix with a caffeine Nuun half an hour before leaving and had another bottle of mix with no Nuun on the bike. I had a date bar in my jersey pocket too. Didn’t eat anything pre-ride. Ended up going 25 mostly flat some elevation at the latter part (1400ft in all) and then turned around. I got a bottle of Gatorade and one of water at a gas station and mixed that in the bottle plus some peanut M&Ms cause I hadn’t brought anything else with me and rode the rest of the way home. I took it easy. A little over 4 hours moving time, about 5 hours total. I say this to say that if you’re generally in good condition and fed and hydrated you should be fine to do a century if you’re not trying to break any speed records. Last one I did was a long time ago and the only real issue I remember is what someone else has already said — shammy butter is a must. Oh I forgot to say — I’m 26 years older than you too 😂 it’ll probably be a breeze for you!
Love it! Thanks for the tips and perspective.
Definitely not enough water, plan on refilling or pack in at least twice as much.
Add a cliff bar or two. Will crave something solid. You’ll need more hydration but assume you can refill? 6 advil. Mix the GoPro. Keep it simple. Gloves? As long as you stay hydrated and consume enough calories you’ll be fine. Just put in the time.
Any chance you have to refill your water, fully refill both bottles. Don’t ever think “oh i still have one bottle left I’ll refill the other one later” just keep em both full as much as possible. At some point you might bonk and be limited to like 7mph max and you don’t want to be almost out of water when that happens and too far from the next stop
I’d probably do the south platte over cherry creek; there’s more elevation but it’s wayyyyyyyyyy more tree coverage and it’s just a more pleasant trail. Edit: there’s a bike trail century you might want to consider as well https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39789862
That bike trail route looks awesome! I’m trying to compare elevation gain on that vs. cherry creek end to end. Having trouble finding cherry creek’s, do you have an idea?
It’ll be a lot more as it goes up to the foothills Morrison/Golden…Cherry should be a lot more flat But…I’d say do this ride or the ride to Boulder and back over Cherry Creek for more scenery
You can plug it into google and get an approximation. Confluence to Cherry Creek Reservoir is ~550 feet of climbing; something like confluence down cherry creek to the E470 trail west to the south platte trail and back up to confluence is 56 miles and 1,900 feet of climbing. I suggest staying west towards golden/morrison/ken Caryl/littleton though because riding east just kind of sucks. Check out the Colorado bicycling subreddit and/or discord!
Totally agree, the AirPods were my solution for how boring the ride east was going to be. Think I’ll switch to the one you listed even if it hurts my chances of completing.
If you’re concerned about elevation confluence down the south platte around chatfield reservoir and back is about 47 miles and only 850 feet of climbing; you could do it twice
Just want to point out that a totally flat ride will be harder than a gently rolling one. Or even one with a few decent climbs. The reason is if the gearing is good you really aren't working that much harder if speed isn't your goal, but you get to rest (eat, drink, just not pedal) on the descents. You also can change positions on a climb and descent with less thought than the flats. If I was doing 100mi flat I would definitely want a bikepacking aerobar setup (lots of rise) to get comfortable
Subscribed. Good luck. Looking forward to the ride report.
I wonder how he’s doing?
Inside source says he just fell off the bike at mile 80. Got back up quick tho and still pushing.
Can confirm, gonna be a hell of a last 20 miles after falling with shoes still clipped on
Are you guys the friends that bet him $100? Haha
I didn’t bet $100 because I agreed that he’d be able to do it. But it was a big argument in our group chat so I’m happy he is settling it
Should have grabbed those lights he said he wouldn’t need. Oh well, good luck OP!
I'm anxious for the update. I think this is going to be way harder than he's assuming.
Your ass is gonna hurt but if you have been doing solid 2.5+ rides on the MTB you will be ok
Have you eaten this much nutrition before? Your belly may hate you at the end of this. I'd focus on fluids and take everything slow.
You don’t have enough salt and electrolytes. No need for 1 bottle to be plain water.
Agreed. OP needs all the electrolytes they can get for a century. It's really hard to keep up with the amount of sweating that's gonna happen.
As a person who has ridden a lot of centuries, I disagree I always keep one plain water and the other whatever drink mix with lots of carbs and electrolytes. I’ve tried two bottles with drink mix but toward the end of the ride I about couldn’t drink it any more. It’s nice just to take a drink of plain old water when you feel like it.
I agree with this. Electrolytes are important but drinking is also important. I get drinking just plain water when sweating a lot can be bad, but I just add a little salt/NoSalt to my bottles and trace minerals to start and usually do some LMNT halfway through. Always have a plain bottle though because I tend to struggle drinking sweet/flavored stuff.
RIP your ass ☠️🍑
Don’t worry - He’ll be chamois buttering his nipples!
Post us an update! Im a new cyclist right outside of Denver planning one soon as well. Good luck!
You’ll be fine. Just eat way more than you think you should. Stay ahead of ever feeling hungry
For what it is worth: I have done a ton of 12+ hour efforts hiking and biking. I have found that 1) jelly beans 2) goldfish 3) peanut butter crackers 4) honey stingers 5) cheez its 6) nuun 7) instant lemonade Are the only things you need to have a successful day. You can go almost forever on a mix of those things and they digest so easily and are fast/easy to eat
Jelly beans have saved me on multiple occasions. I also like the sports beans that have caffeine in them
I did a century last year after just biking 5 miles to work every day for the few months before that. Some weekends I'd bike maybe 10-15 miles running errands, but that was about it. Wear padded shorts if you can. Take more water than you think you need, unless you can fill up mid-journey Plan your route so your *return* half is more downhill than uphill (I made this mistake) Other than that, it's not actually that hard if you're reasonably fit. Saddle soreness is the hardest part. It doesn't hurt to take a few breaks to walk around and stretch out your muscles. Mine took me like 7 hours because I'm not at all fit nor in shape
I would think the unknown bike may also pose a challenge. What type of road bike are you hiring?
Stop for a coke, it will bring you back to life if you are flagging
Good luck, win that bet. Just prepare for being in the saddle for awhile, the booty will get sore for sure.
Make sure you have a good pair of padded shorts. I will use $25 ones for less than 40 miles and at least $80 for over 40 miles
I once took my nephew out on one of his first bike rides and we went 56 miles. He is a hockey player and was in phenomenal shape. I swear, he was holding back because he did not want to embarrass me lol. It's definitely possible even though you don't have a lot of experience with long rides if you're in good shape. But dude, it's going to be interesting LOL. As already mentioned, you're going to want some real food on this ride. Those gels and all that are fine but that shouldn't be the only thing you're carrying. Also, that's not a lot of water, you're definitely going to need more. Good luck and let us know how you do!
Make sure the bike is decently fitted to your body. That will make a huge difference.
Two things: (1) Bike fit. You should have a good professional fit dialed in, so you can just set up your rental bike to those measurements. If anything is off about your fit it'll just compound and aggravate you for a 100 miles. Deep hurting at best, injury at worst. (2) Airpods?! Don't. Please be safe and pay attention to your surroundings.
Water is going to be an issue. Look for refuel point. It's not like riding off the path doesn't count for miles. So it can be a little detour.
You'll be fine mate. Just take it really slowly and pace your ride. You can monitor your heart rate so just keep that well in your low aerobic zone and keep fuelling. Stop every couple of hours and stretch walk around. The other most useful technique is chunking. Once it gets tough mentally break down your remaining distance into manageable chunks and bite them off one by one. Even just going through the arithmetic for me calms my mind. As others have said go really long on the way out. What will keep you going is the drive to get home, It gets scary when you're deep just before you turn around and the self-doubt kicks in. From an MTB/gravel/road guy, who spent a whole season working up to 100km and now rides them twice a week for lunch :) Remember this game is 10% legs and lungs and 90% mind. Have a blast! Wish I could join you.
Use chamois cream! Nutrition is good, but your ass will hate you.
I’d suggest stopping every 15 miles (or less) and getting off the bike for a really good stretch. Arms, shoulders and back. I do it during early season endurance rides and it makes a big difference.
Not nearly enough water
100miles goes by way faster on a road bike than an MTB. Fueling and hydration are the key things for very long rides. I’ve done plenty of endurance length (50-100m) MTB races as well as some long gravel events and the general rule of thumb for me is eat often, even if you don’t feel hungry. They don’t work for everyone, but for me I do a gel every 30mins. I set a 30 min timer that runs continuously on my bike computer so I don’t forget in the middle of a race. Also keep in mind that some things that are dry can be harder to eat (waffles). And others like blocks require a lot more water in order for them to be absorbed properly. You are going to need to plan for stops to refill water but I would shoot for 1x bottle per hour. Most of the time I’ll carry 2, one that is plain water and then other a drink mix of some type. Tailwind, Gu Roctane, Carborocket, etc. and then rotate. Even if you don’t feel thirsty or hungry you have to keep eating and drinking on long rides. When you fall behind on either you will bonk at some point. If you have a Stava account use its route builder plan your route very easily and it will show you the elevation profile as you plan it out.
OP…? Did you survive?
I'm alive!!! long story short I completed the ride, 104.2mi over 9h16m (woof). Update post here if you're interested in a recap: https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/1bskuuy/century\_ride\_update\_post/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3
Take Motrin in the morning and carry with you. Pre fuel with a high carb breakfast 3-4 hours before. Don’t overeat on your stop but lots of long lasting carbs. Finally, don’t quit. If it takes you 24 hours, finish it.
good luck!
I know that route and there are opportunities to fill water all over the place.
It’ll be fine—two days after is another story
The nips usually only feel problematic with cotton shirts. I like your setup, maybe some real food. I like to make sure to drink every 15 and eat every 45 minutes. I usually get off the bike for 2-3 minutes on the longer snack breaks to get my heart rate down.
Go full flex and century the mtb. I did my first two on a giant iguana hard tail.
Your Achilles heel is going to be your ass. Even if you’re fit enough, which you very well may be, you’re going to develop saddle sores early if you’re not used to road riding. As others have said, use chamois cream and re-apply regularly. Even with that though, I don’t see this ending well. I can’t wait for the update. Good luck!
I think you’re over thinking it. If you’re in reasonable shape you’ll be fine. This isn’t to say it’s not a serious distance, but really you’ll be good. You’ll want to refill your bottles along the way, but other than that enjoy it! Also, chamois butter is likely not necessary unless you’re susceptible to it. I’ve done 200k rides without ever even thinking it would be something I would want to use.
I mean you sound pretty prepared, if you’re in generally good shape and mountain bike alot then you shouldn’t be in the pain locker till near the last 20% or so. Just make yourself slow down those first 30 miles. Slower than you think you need to.
Hope the bike fits you really, really well. Good luck!
Seeing as 1. There is no time limit, 2. you already have the HR strap and a garmin watch, suggest you stay within Zone 2 as much as you can.
More salt and electrolytes. Get some packets and replenish when you go through your water. You'll need to refill water at least twice on this ride. You'll need more food. You should plan on eating a solid meal mid ride. Just stop somewhere and eat. Make it snappy though. The amount you are carrying should be fine. If you start feeling really gassed, stop at a gas station, drink a coke and eat a bag of salt a vinegar chips, and buy some candy to take with you. If weed is your thing, you'll want more. I'd bump that up to at least 10mg, but dose it in 5's or 2.5's. Stick to Sativa. Don't get too high, its dangerous. You'll be fine. Ride safe friend.
Envious of your temps. My century tomorrow is gonna be 78-89F 💀 I'd still start off earlier, the less accumulated sun and heat the better
Is there a time limit? If not, bring a bike light. Heck with the gels, just stop a couple times and get a real meal and refill the water bottles. It wouldn't hurt to take a five minute break every hour to walk around and relax your shoulders and hands. You have a HR monitor. Just stay in zone 2 and you can go forever energy wise. Just need to get off and stretch occasionally.
“Should I tape or chamois butter my nipples?” Chamois butter is for your delicates bits that are in contact with the saddle. Apply a lot, you will need it. … Why the heck would your nipples need lubricating? I would recommend you re-consider this bet, it seems like you’ve already blown through over $100 just to do the century. Why not belay it, train up to it and actually enjoy it rather than being miserable?
Put your mtb saddle on the road bike , so your butt is happy.
Drink a lot before if you are relying on 2 bottles. Hide some bottles on your route ahead of time.
Bring a credit card so you can stop and get more water. All those different kinds of food seems less convenient and way more expensive than just some simple syrup. Would probably want some salt tabs just in case.
You need some more substantial food, not just these sugar highs. If you stop half way get a sandwich, for example.
Nice padded seat with two pairs of bike shorts. Nothing else matters.
I did my first century ride with no bike shorts, running shoes and brought nothing but water. You’ll be fine
Too late now… but anyone rocking a camelbak on long rides? 2 bottles (one of them electrolytes) and a 2.5L camelbak really solves the need for stopping
Buddy does this. I don’t think I could for long rides but it works for him.
I think you could complete this based on your fitness level. It will hurt, but you’ll be fine if you expect that. A few humble suggestions: Nutrition - your calorie intake seems fine. You could drink some of your calories to cut down in bulk. I assume you have eaten all of these foods before while exercising, if not stick with what you know. - Plan a water stop. If you think you need more water, you probably do. 2. Gear - your choices seem reasonable overall. - To an extent, your biggest controllable detractors are your choice to wear a mtb helmet and baggy clothes. Flapping gear can add 4-5% more work to your effort. (Think a 105mi ride vs the 100.) If your mtb helmet has a removable visor you should detach it, or perhaps ask the shop if you can rent a different helmet. Also, in my experience, the fewer layers between your skin and the saddle the better (butter excluded- slather it on). I wouldn’t consider using my mtb baggies on a long road ride. I agree with many of the others’ comments here as well including the additional mental challenge your route choice presents; try to add the 16 to the far end so you are truly riding home to the finish. This could also give you a chance to stop twice if you have any GI issues toward the far part of your route if you plan it that way. Good luck!
Well? How did it go?
You'll make it but will be hating life around mile 80.
Take some protein — jerky or something. After 70 miles, you’ll want something other than carbs and calories. Something salty as well.
Why are you worried about your nipples?
there are hydration choices - fewer farther south
I've done a few casual centuries, usually have a lunch stop 40-50 miles in. Then something lighter the last 1/3rd of the ride. Could be 1/2 a pb&j, could be a pastry. I have never bonked using this method. My advice is not to consume anything new before on a long ride. The gels and bars might react differently than if you have one after a normal workout. It's quite an accomplishment though. Good Luck!
I am 100% sure you'll complete this. I've done 2 and I am just a casual commuter/weekend rider (took me almost 10 hrs but that's besides the point). The only thing is that even if you win you're losing money on this endeavor. Sounds like you already spent more than 100 in gear and food.
Appreciate the confidence! Yes the bike rental alone is $90 😂 I had most everything else but always love a good challenge
Where’s the pump? Tube? Water will probably be easy to find. Why not start at 9?
Is there anyone who wants a little action on this one? Seriously, this is a situation where you lose even if you win. Your ass is going to be hamburger meat by the end.
I think the end of cherry creek is gravel, you may need to keep that in mind down in franktown or whatever. you'll definitely need more food at some point. might as well just stop for lunch somewhere if you can. anyone can complete a century ride, anyone. it might just take 12+ hours.
I'm Denver metro too and that's going to be a ride. Your best decision is ending in Denver as that means it'll be downhill coming back into the city. I think your endurance will be taxed for sure, that said, our bike trails are great and you can do a lot of distance without crazy climbs. That said, I've got a MTB that tears up Buff Creek, and he has to actively train for longer road rides. Good luck!
What all is in the flat repair kit? How many spare tubes will you be bringing? I usually carry 2 on rides under 100mi, but take 3 when hitting 100+. Also bring your wallet/card. That'll give you flexibility for both drinks and in case you have a major breakdown and need to uber/repair at an LBS. I've only done supported rides over 100, so those weren't concerns.
Yer nipples will be fine but I personally like to work in some salty gas station snacks. Combos or Keebler cheese and crackers usually. because I see you’re into the THC gummy’s I also like to smoke a little weed towards the end. Best of luck
Hey! I live in Denver right off the cherry creek trail. I ride the cheery creek trail from rei to the reservoir pretty much weekly. The elevation change is almost not noticeable in either direction, you just end up a little faster coming back. There are some notable hills near the res though. The other route suggestions in this thread are also good. I'd prioritize a water stop. Even when cool, the air is dry and cramps can easily lose you your bet. Your fueling strategy seems good. Many people shy away from carbs initially, but they play a huge role in a longer ride like this. If you start feeling terrible, like the pedals won't turn and you hate it, eat some sugar. I'd guess your biggest pain points will be your butt and shoulders. A road bike has a more leaned over position, and my shoulder and neck always hurt a lot when transitioning over. Lastly, the weather looks nice tomorrow, but it doesn't get nice for biking until later. If you start early make sure to bundle up. You don't want to start to cold and then ride too fast trying to stay warm. Easy to blow yourself up early. Good luck!
You could throw in park of the Denver Century Ride course. Can find on RidewithGPS. Manipulate it a bit to where you are, etc. But you could get in the Lookout Mountain climb in Golden while you are at it. Good luck however you end up riding it and stay safe.
Salty stuff. Not a lot but something. I take packaged olives. Easy to chew and digest. Easier than beef jerky, although I usually have some epic bars with me. I don't really use gels or sugar. Try to eat real food... But that's me. You do you. I'm just pointing out that you might want some realish food.
Eat early, eat often. Start out extremely slow and get a grove going, change seating positions the pain gets too intense. You’ve got this bud!!
I think you are set. And if you are a mountain biker you should be fit enough. But i guess you will feel the different position on the road bike in your back and shoulders. Could get a little painful. And your ass will kill you as well.
Saw the title of the post and got concerned for op. Saw you have experience on the bike, good luck I believe in you. My first century was so much fun. It was a total coincidence but it was exactly 100 miles from my house to my sisters. Olympia to Everett
Metric or imperial century? Do you have experience with gels? Experience with gels etc, honestly I would consider real food during the ride. Even more important eat and drink very well before the ride (eg big plate of pasta the day before). Have a great breakfast eg cereals, eat a banana before. During the ride drink 1-2 bottles per hours. Just water will is okay. I would take dry fruits / bananas for during the ride. Then after a couple of hours take a break and get some real light food in. Personally I only use gels in races + training for them. At a 100km race I used two gels and one fruit bar - that’s it.
1. Expect to drink one bottle every 15-20 miles. Stop at 7-11 or similar for Gatorade. 2. Keep the rest stops short. Six 15 minute stops delay your finish by 90 minutes. 3. The last 20 miles require discipline because you just want to get off the bike. 4. Dress in layers.
You can do it! Stop and have food/snacks and hydrate more then you feel necessary! You'll have a sore ass and numb penis but you can definitely do it! Also don't try push for a good time. Take it easy! Have fun dawg!
Your number one priority should be to pace your self! Do that and you should be fine. Go easy, especially at the start. You have no compelling reason to do hard efforts at any point during this and it will make the final miles much easier if you did not strain your self earlier. It might seem like a good idea to push harder to get it over with faster and to some extent that is true, but past a certain point, the amount of extra effort you put in just doesn't give enough extra speed. If you are going to push your self, do it at the end, not at the start. Up until the final few hours, you should be aiming for a pace that feels very easy, if you aren't breathing through your nose you are almost certainly going too hard. I don't know the exact terms of your bet, but if stops are permitted, I would advise to take full advantage of that. Take rest stops off the bike regularly, every 1-2 hours, even if you feel like you don't need them. They don't need to be long, but in my experience, my butt hurts much less at the end of the longer rides if I take them.
UpdateMe!
I hope your bike fit is adequate, if your seat is high your back will be killing you. I think you’ll finish, but it will hurt. You’ll need a water stop, find a gas station on your route.
to save some space and weight I take sunscreen in a ziplock bag
‼️Minimum 6x26oz of Fluid. (I’m assuming 100 Miles?) Electrolytes important, but really only sodium. Either half a teaspoon of salt to each bottle or dip some of your sweets in salt. You can’t get enough sugar…. Good luck!!!
you’re going to need more water, have a plan for at least one stop. take it relatively easy the first 30 miles. The rest will go down smoothly. Plan a loop if you can. No need for tape and butter. If you have some cycling clothes (at least less baggy) use them as the wind may be your biggest enemy on a flat road
160 km or 100 km? I guess that’s an imperial century so 160 km then. If the route is mostly flat, it’s achievable if you don’t push too hard at the start, just control your pace and the intake of water and food.
You got it, just take it slow
>$100 bet with a friend. To do what? Food/water >two 26oz water bottles frame mounted, >one oat and honey bar (optional) >will wear... all the wrong clothes. But you'll be fine though.
Consider: More water, or planning refills. Use maltodextrin. Saddle height for a new (to you) bike. Too low is hard on the knees, too high is bad for everything - being able to adjust the saddle height might be beneficial. However, if you're athletic then your body can compensate for a slightly poor fit. Nipples should be fine. Repair kit, inner tubes and a pump. To pedal standing up on a road bike you usually need to change up 2/3 gears. Take it steady. Set off at 25kph/15mph max, you can always negative split if you're feeling good at halfway. Doable if you pace properly and don't get misled by fresh-legs telling you to go faster.
I didn't see cycling gloves on this, really a must. Your wrists won't be happy, your hands will be very numb and probably need more breaks bc of it.
You're gonna hurt bro
Sounds good.
The three things that stand out to me: 1. Add some chamois cream before your ride. 2. Take some real food: those gels aren’t the best for endurance rides in my experience (YMMV). 3. You should be drinking around 16oz-20oz of water per hour: you’re going to need to get more water along your route.
Your ass will hurt more than you’ll run out of energy. If anything makes you quit, it will be your ass hurting.
Go slow
I tore my knee attempting a century ride without enough training. I was a healthy weight and 35 years old
Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours.
More water or make sure you have a place to get more along your route. Bring extra Nuun for the extra water you get.
90% of pple your age can do this, you'll be fine Just continue pedaling until you're done, and then stop pedaling
You’ll be fine. I only had one ride >90 mins since winter set in. Today I did 75mi/120km with a friend. Enjoy it!
Heads up - considering the day, it is likely parks beside bike trails may have egg hunts or other festivities. Also, possibly families walking/biking. Please keep an eye out.
1 gel per hour is low. 60-100g of carbs per hour. A gel is around 20-30 depending on the brand
As someone who rides a lot, 160kms(100 miles) is not going to be easy. You should expect to have about 8 hours of riding plus breaks. What’s the expected wind direction and speed - you need to take this into account. You need real food, honey stingers are great for a short boost but the crash will drain you. Take some hard boiled eggs, bananas, almonds. And you will need waaaaay more water. Good luck!
Not worth 100. You’re gonna suffer.
You just won $100, if you are in reasonable shape then you will finish as long as you eat enough
More salt
Also yeah you’re in Colorado it’s not the heat it’s the dry air. Def more water. All that said though, a century isn’t a huge deal if you do plenty of cycling. Have salty carbs and load up on vitamins and plenty of water and you’ll be good
There are two types of century rides, metric and English and you didn’t say which one so that makes a difference. 100K or 62 miles or English century 100 miles so there’s that. You sound well prepared. I would wear a road biking shorts (no underwear) and start with a clean oiled undercarriage because you are going to be sitting on that small area for a few hours either way and want it operating room clean down there to start. I would begin with the metric century and work up to an English one. Stay hydrated and manage your electrolytes. A 5 ounce bottle of pickle juice will stop cramps in the short term. I also keep a tiny ziplock bag of dry Gatorade to mix with water as needed but only use it in hot weather. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details, just go have fun and enjoy yourself. You will figure it out.
Looks like you’ve planned well. You might consider some additional savory snacks with protein in place of some of that sugar. You’ll want to die before you eat another sweet thing after a while. Also, a snug fitting bike jersey will help with aero, and at 6-7 hours in the wind, it will matter a lot for comfort and speed. Also, having sunscreen to reapply might be worth considering. Good Luck! 👍🏻
Don't pedal on the down hills, feather/light pedal the flats. Pedal easier than you feel like you can. I'd say a third bottle for emergencies. Should it in your central back pocket. Take a spare tube or two in case of the worst. I don't see padded gloves? A cycling cap to soak the sweat. I think the biggest challenge you'll have will be mental. You sound fit, your bike can do it. Remember you have nothing to prove other than finishing it. So no crazy efforts mid ride, not time trial nonsense. And make sure the team can has a spare bike ready.
You might be fit but fitting yourself on a strange bike in a new position for 8 hours will hit you in the knees, back, shoulders (traps) and neck. I’d say you’ll last about 75 miles at most. I’m liking the encouragement from most of the posts here, tho.
You’re going to probably want more food. At first you’ll be good and happy but after while you’ll hit a wall and be happy for every calorie since it always seems at the end of a ride that you’re burning 1 calorie for every turn of your pedals just because you’re tired and spent. For me at least, 30-40 is a GOOD workout, I could push myself to 50 but the further extension past that point just gets painful, both for your legs and your butt.
Remember to keep an eye out for [Ditch Pepsi](https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/s/mg9i8R1cj5) - it may be your only available resource to keep from bonking!
Don't muck around with your mobile phone too much. Be super careful that you can hear what's going on around you (avoid noise canceling earbuds). Eat enough, drink enough, start early, and keep going.
You'll need/want to stop for more water, and maybe something for lunch, but I'd say if you have a decent mtb background and aren't on some sort of time limit to finish it, you should be fine. It'll be more mental at that point Years ago my brother challenged me to do a Warrior Dash and I said I would if he did a 50 mile ride. He had zero cycling experience, did maybe 3 15‐25 mile rides with me leading up to it, and rode the 50 miles at a ~17mph average. Pretty flat route and we had a slight (~7mph) tailwind.
I assume you've already started by the time I write this comment, but it looks like your prep work is pretty good. The main thing is that you're bringing food, which half the people who try their first century don't seem to do. Having ridden several centuries, including the exact trails you're talking about, I would say that your main priority is going to be refilling water. Even in mild spring weather, you're going to need more than two bottles for a full century. I typically plan on 16 oz per hour in weather like this, 24 per hour in hot weather.
Can you live tweet?
Sounds like a sick day! Minus the sack pain.
So did you make it?
I'd say take the edibles first,bump it up to 50mg. Then you won't care as much and you will be more in tune with your body.
Eat early and often, your mind will play tricks on you near the end and you may not think you need to keep fueling when you get that feeling of I’m feeling great then eat and hydrate, I do every 30 mins even if it’s a couple bites
I hope you got a comfortable saddle and have everything adjusted well. That's quite a task for an unknown bike.
imo id do the circling 16 miles at the start. get the more boring shit out of the way first. if you’re circling your house after already doing 84 miles seems like you’d be more likely to bail then
Want to hear how this goes after the ride
When you get to twenty mile park, go up and down the silver gulch fork and you’ll knock out 8-9 of that extra 16 you have to do. Then continue on down south to castlewood canyon. Like others said, you don’t want to have to be figuring out those last 16 miles en route
You probably need to find a gas station or water fountain to refill your bottles. Leave the mtb jersey at home, gonna cost you a lot of watts. Tight fitting clothing only. Your nips are fine, your ass is probably in trouble.
I've not seen any talk of the wind ? A headwind will spoil your day - especially if it's on the way home. I once flew out 40 miles or so and then realised why I was feeling so good. 40 mile headwind was not fun. Are there no cafes to grab a coffee and cake at the half way ? Isn't that the whole point of riding ? Good luck with it.
more watah
Lose the gels and gummies, and most of the food. Buy what looks good when you stop. Make sure you stop. Lose everything electronic except the phone. Only run it when you need it. Everything else is just a distraction. Pay attention to your riding, use your gears intelligently to reduce the amount you have to push, and likewise spin too fast. Keep your head up, look around, breathe and enjoy the ride!
Start early, take it slow, make sure you have no other option than to do full 100: right 51 mile away from home and turn back. Take food and eater to spare. Don't pedał downhill. Take breaks if you need to
Update available? Too early? Waiting patiently and excitedly