145 mile bike ride Birmingham - London
Discussion
Hi all
After your opinion on a charity ride we've got coming up in May. We have a squad of 9 doing a Birmingham to London route to raisemoney for the brain tumour charity. I'm fairly proficient having done several century rides probably maxing out at 110 miles, the rest of the squad varies in ability with max rides somewhere in the 40-50 mile region.
We'll need to average 15 mph to be in with a shot of doing it in the day.
Have you got any tips to get us all proficient in preparation for the day in terms of training and physical preparation, we're running out of time and I am concerned that some of the team are setting themselves up for failure . . . .
Thanks in advance
After your opinion on a charity ride we've got coming up in May. We have a squad of 9 doing a Birmingham to London route to raisemoney for the brain tumour charity. I'm fairly proficient having done several century rides probably maxing out at 110 miles, the rest of the squad varies in ability with max rides somewhere in the 40-50 mile region.
We'll need to average 15 mph to be in with a shot of doing it in the day.
Have you got any tips to get us all proficient in preparation for the day in terms of training and physical preparation, we're running out of time and I am concerned that some of the team are setting themselves up for failure . . . .
Thanks in advance
Make sure everyone is on a road bike, we once had a lad on a 100 using a hybrid and despite being fit he was slow.
Plenty of food and make sure everyone keeps eating. Have gels ready for a boost but don't rely on them. If it's hot then salt tablets needed.
Make sure everyone knows the route, you will lose a lot of time navigating and waiting for people to catch up.
Close riding might not be easy if you aren't used to it but a faux chain gang can help.
Support vehicles will help with spares but make sure people are semi self sufficient as you may loose each other.
Whatsapp group for communication and everyone phone numbers stored in each phone
Fit an old lady saddle, who cares what you look like. Padded shorts or as a min compression shorts to avoid chafing
Plenty of food and make sure everyone keeps eating. Have gels ready for a boost but don't rely on them. If it's hot then salt tablets needed.
Make sure everyone knows the route, you will lose a lot of time navigating and waiting for people to catch up.
Close riding might not be easy if you aren't used to it but a faux chain gang can help.
Support vehicles will help with spares but make sure people are semi self sufficient as you may loose each other.
Whatsapp group for communication and everyone phone numbers stored in each phone
Fit an old lady saddle, who cares what you look like. Padded shorts or as a min compression shorts to avoid chafing
Main thing IME is that bikes and equipment both fit and are comfortable. Things you easily put up with for a couple of hours can be (literally) painful after several hours of riding. You only really find that out by getting some longer rides in with the kit you're planning to use.
If you can ride 50 miles though, you can ride 150. It's mostly about keeping fed and watered. Don't go longer than an hour without eating something, and you'll want something more substantial than gels and energy bars.
If you can ride 50 miles though, you can ride 150. It's mostly about keeping fed and watered. Don't go longer than an hour without eating something, and you'll want something more substantial than gels and energy bars.
OppoLocksmith said:
Hi all
After your opinion on a charity ride we've got coming up in May. We have a squad of 9 doing a Birmingham to London route to raisemoney for the brain tumour charity. I'm fairly proficient having done several century rides probably maxing out at 110 miles, the rest of the squad varies in ability with max rides somewhere in the 40-50 mile region.
We'll need to average 15 mph to be in with a shot of doing it in the day.
Have you got any tips to get us all proficient in preparation for the day in terms of training and physical preparation, we're running out of time and I am concerned that some of the team are setting themselves up for failure . . . .
Thanks in advance
If it's any use, here's the GPS/Strava trace from my longest ever ride...After your opinion on a charity ride we've got coming up in May. We have a squad of 9 doing a Birmingham to London route to raisemoney for the brain tumour charity. I'm fairly proficient having done several century rides probably maxing out at 110 miles, the rest of the squad varies in ability with max rides somewhere in the 40-50 mile region.
We'll need to average 15 mph to be in with a shot of doing it in the day.
Have you got any tips to get us all proficient in preparation for the day in terms of training and physical preparation, we're running out of time and I am concerned that some of the team are setting themselves up for failure . . . .
Thanks in advance
https://www.strava.com/activities/1163547782
...which might be of use because it was 148 miles, I averaged just below 15 mph, and it took me 13 hours and 8 minutes (although ten hours moving time).
It was a last minute "nice day out" to see the Red Arrows at Bournemouth. Mostly solo, apart from the chunk through the New Forest to the coast, where I paired up with another rider from my town who'd started out a little earlier than me. More about enjoying it than setting records too.
FWIW I did this off the back of "just riding bikes", with no goal-specific training. I ride about 6,000 miles per year, roughly a 70/30 split favouring road bikes over MTBs. It was more like a 160 mile ride, but the Garmin ran out of juice before the end. But the numbers are close to what you are planning, although I'm not sure how the climbing compares?
Still, it might help your preparations?
I also watched a documentary about Raleigh bikes I'd recorded recently. In one of the bits, an old lady recalled riding from Huddersfield (I think) to Rhyl in a day, at the age of ten, on a 1950s bike with Sturmey Archer hub gears. She'd ridden with her dad, and made the return trip the following day. I'd say that anyone with a reasonable standard of fitness who was without existing injury ought to be able to complete such a ride on any kind of road-biased modern bicycle. Many of the problems with the distance will be psychological rather than physical in nature. I was in awe of "The Century Ride" until I went out and did one. Then once I'd got one out of the way I did more and more of them. I'm not knocking them out once a week for fun or anything, and I'm in no way a fast rider, but I aim for one per month each year, and normally get out with maybe 8 centuries completed.
Bear in mind, though, that when things begin to go wrong, they can really go badly wrong... https://www.strava.com/activities/624362929/ ...so make sure you have a back-up plan, and bail-out points on the route. I was lucky with this one in that I was aided by some really lovely people, and managed to make it all the way home under my own steam (just). Caused real ructions at home though, crawling in at 3 am, a raggedy mess with a (still) broken (now) bike.
If you're part of a team, remember to work as a team. Encourage, but don't bully, support others, and don't forge on ahead leaving the slowest rider to fall off the back. That's counter-productive if you all want to get to the end. If you're going to end up slowing later to "let them catch up" and finish together, then you might as well slacken the pace and try to carry them along with you in the first place. And if someone does bail out to the team car or a railway station, make sure they can get themselves to the meet point, or escort them there to make sure. Don't leave anyone out there unsupported unless unsupported was always the plan.
Riding one of the 100 mile sportives in April is probably a smart move. It'll give everybody confidence, flag up any issues and help you understand where the weaknesses are. You may find it sheds one or two riders who might otherwise have problems with 145. With endurance riding the head goes first so it'll really help to 'know' they can do the distance.
As above, there's no complicated trick to riding long. Pace yourself, keep the stops disciplined and keep the food and water coming. The things that are most likely to slow you down are draggy stops (the larger the group the more faff), bonking riders and conditioning problems. You can persevere through all of these for one ride but if you're keen to finish within a certain time that's where I'd focus.
In a mixed group, with riders who have never breached 50 miles, I think 15mph might be optimistic unless the route is flat and the wind is friendly. Not to discourage you, but it's worth having realistic expectations otherwise you'll find that extra pressure of 'being behind' unhelpful and discouraging. If you planned for 14mph and found you were ahead then, conversely, you'll feel like you're winning.
As above, there's no complicated trick to riding long. Pace yourself, keep the stops disciplined and keep the food and water coming. The things that are most likely to slow you down are draggy stops (the larger the group the more faff), bonking riders and conditioning problems. You can persevere through all of these for one ride but if you're keen to finish within a certain time that's where I'd focus.
In a mixed group, with riders who have never breached 50 miles, I think 15mph might be optimistic unless the route is flat and the wind is friendly. Not to discourage you, but it's worth having realistic expectations otherwise you'll find that extra pressure of 'being behind' unhelpful and discouraging. If you planned for 14mph and found you were ahead then, conversely, you'll feel like you're winning.
Between now and the event all riders should be getting the miles in; ideally on the road or if they can't face the cold etc on the Turbo but don't let anyone think that the two are the same even on a smart trainer they're very different but even so get the hours in.
Get everyone used to "gels" and "gunk in bottles", ideally the same gels and gunk as it will make it easier for the support team.
Get a few rides in together as a team, it's easier to ride close together when you all know how each other rides than with complete strangers on a bike.
With the route planning the shortest route might not be the quickest, the toughest part will be getting from the Oxfordshire plains over the Chilterns, if you can get everyone to ride that section before the proper ride, a hill ridden once is less feared than an unknown hill!
On the day; start early, start at a reasonable (not quick) pace, don't faff at all........ stopping for any length of time won't help anyone finish but will delay everyone.
If you can have "Your support team" preparing then handing out drinks and gels without stopping, get them to have spare wheels it's quicker to change a wheel than a tube on the roadside, they can then change the tube and catch you up.
Get everyone used to "gels" and "gunk in bottles", ideally the same gels and gunk as it will make it easier for the support team.
Get a few rides in together as a team, it's easier to ride close together when you all know how each other rides than with complete strangers on a bike.
With the route planning the shortest route might not be the quickest, the toughest part will be getting from the Oxfordshire plains over the Chilterns, if you can get everyone to ride that section before the proper ride, a hill ridden once is less feared than an unknown hill!
On the day; start early, start at a reasonable (not quick) pace, don't faff at all........ stopping for any length of time won't help anyone finish but will delay everyone.
If you can have "Your support team" preparing then handing out drinks and gels without stopping, get them to have spare wheels it's quicker to change a wheel than a tube on the roadside, they can then change the tube and catch you up.
Really helpful everyone, thanks for your input. I dear we have a long way to go with some of the squad so it will be an interesting couple of months seeing where we get to.
Route wise we've chosen a longer 'quieter' route but I guess there's no escaping the central B'ham / London element.
Thanks for all feedback though, greatly appreciated 👍
Route wise we've chosen a longer 'quieter' route but I guess there's no escaping the central B'ham / London element.
Thanks for all feedback though, greatly appreciated 👍
Marcellus said:
Between now and the event all riders should be getting the miles in; ideally on the road or if they can't face the cold etc on the Turbo but don't let anyone think that the two are the same even on a smart trainer they're very different but even so get the hours in.
Get everyone used to "gels" and "gunk in bottles", ideally the same gels and gunk as it will make it easier for the support team.
Get a few rides in together as a team, it's easier to ride close together when you all know how each other rides than with complete strangers on a bike.
With the route planning the shortest route might not be the quickest, the toughest part will be getting from the Oxfordshire plains over the Chilterns, if you can get everyone to ride that section before the proper ride, a hill ridden once is less feared than an unknown hill!
On the day; start early, start at a reasonable (not quick) pace, don't faff at all........ stopping for any length of time won't help anyone finish but will delay everyone.
If you can have "Your support team" preparing then handing out drinks and gels without stopping, get them to have spare wheels it's quicker to change a wheel than a tube on the roadside, they can then change the tube and catch you up.
I would reinforce the bit about getting used to gels and/or energy drinks. Long term experience has taught me 2 to 3 litres of sports energy drink gives me terrible stomach cramps, so I prefer to get my energy from a mix of food, using High5 Zero (or similar) hydration tablets for drinks.Get everyone used to "gels" and "gunk in bottles", ideally the same gels and gunk as it will make it easier for the support team.
Get a few rides in together as a team, it's easier to ride close together when you all know how each other rides than with complete strangers on a bike.
With the route planning the shortest route might not be the quickest, the toughest part will be getting from the Oxfordshire plains over the Chilterns, if you can get everyone to ride that section before the proper ride, a hill ridden once is less feared than an unknown hill!
On the day; start early, start at a reasonable (not quick) pace, don't faff at all........ stopping for any length of time won't help anyone finish but will delay everyone.
If you can have "Your support team" preparing then handing out drinks and gels without stopping, get them to have spare wheels it's quicker to change a wheel than a tube on the roadside, they can then change the tube and catch you up.
Mix up food and snacks to include savoury things, there's only so much chocolate, flapjack, energy bars and gels you can face over a long ride.
z4RRSchris said:
do some rides,
eat loads
dont go out too hard
This was good enough to get me to Paris in a day without any training whatsoever. Most I'd done was one 50 mile trip in the previous year. eat loads
dont go out too hard
I'd recommend starting the day as early as you can bear and don't rush, staying at a comfortable pace is key for longevity. I did more damage smashing the competition around the Hippodrome in Paris than the whole rest of the journey.
FWIW I'd not bother with the gels/science food, would rather a good pub lunch/baguette and a break but appreciate many dislike a heavy meal or any extended stops.
Regularly eat/drink (don't get overly hungry/thirsty, difficult to recover from).
Tribag on top tube is useful.
Longer distances don't rely on sugary food. You'll want savoury and salt (lost from sweat)
Don't stop at stops for too long.
Drafting, make sure others can, or you'll all just ride at the slowest or weakest members pace.
Consistent cadence/heartrate.
Maintenance, wornout thinner tyres more likely to get punctures?
2 spare inner tubes, pump, levers, chain splitter and link. Spare hanger (weighs nothing, but is bike specific and can ruin day)
Don't cycle 145miles (can seem daunting) cycle 30miles? to the next stop).
External battery - will your garmin/phone recording ride, last the distance.
Lights? Depending on time expect to start/finish (with mishaps).
Work out clothing...
Token padlock so you can leave bike.
Enjoy it.
If you're it for charity, sponsors may want/like pictures. Find a way to get pictures taken, that's not a flaff to annoy your mates - or alternatively on that last point...😀
For A to B routes, pick day with tail wind (or get train there instead and cycle home, (ie do London to Birmingham).
If unsupported, take disposeable clothes, so you don't have to carry them.
Tribag on top tube is useful.
Longer distances don't rely on sugary food. You'll want savoury and salt (lost from sweat)
Don't stop at stops for too long.
Drafting, make sure others can, or you'll all just ride at the slowest or weakest members pace.
Consistent cadence/heartrate.
Maintenance, wornout thinner tyres more likely to get punctures?
2 spare inner tubes, pump, levers, chain splitter and link. Spare hanger (weighs nothing, but is bike specific and can ruin day)
Don't cycle 145miles (can seem daunting) cycle 30miles? to the next stop).
External battery - will your garmin/phone recording ride, last the distance.
Lights? Depending on time expect to start/finish (with mishaps).
Work out clothing...
Token padlock so you can leave bike.
Enjoy it.
If you're it for charity, sponsors may want/like pictures. Find a way to get pictures taken, that's not a flaff to annoy your mates - or alternatively on that last point...😀
For A to B routes, pick day with tail wind (or get train there instead and cycle home, (ie do London to Birmingham).
If unsupported, take disposeable clothes, so you don't have to carry them.
I'd agree with the break it down in to chunks - everyone can ride 30 miles at a time. Also nail the savoury stuff when you stop and use the sweet stuff when riding (at least that is my approach). Too much sweet stuff gets really sickly after a full day - counter balance with scotch eggs or sausage rolls.
After that draft the weakest links and enjoy it. I'd wear a heart rate monitor and make sure my rate never went above a very comfortable limit (probably 130 for me).
After that draft the weakest links and enjoy it. I'd wear a heart rate monitor and make sure my rate never went above a very comfortable limit (probably 130 for me).
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