Longer cycling prep

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cbs2002
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by cbs2002 »

One thing I have not seen addressed - how fast do you want to ride 70 miles? There is no right answer. If you want to ride 14 mph and take 5 hours, that's fine. If you want to ride 20 mph and take 3.5 hours that's fine too. But they require different training approaches. I think you could get to 70 miles comfortably in the time you have just by riding regularly and doing longer distances each weekend, but I don't think you could get to 70 miles AND increase your pace substantially.
cbs2002
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by cbs2002 »

Boulder92 wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 11:02 pm 1) Spin more, especially on the hills, use a slightly lower (easier gear) than you think. It can save a great deal of energy for later in the ride.
Great advice. I learned this the hard way on my first longer tour with hills (big for me), and was always "saving" a couple rings during climbs. Unless you are riding for time, it's a waste of energy. Just go low and spin deliberately to save power.

Also, gummi bears/worms/whatever + water are great.
livesoft
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by livesoft »

jumanji454 wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 9:24 am[...]

2. Get a powermeter. It will give you an understanding of what effort you are capable of now and what effort you should target for the "big day."
The OP stated they averaged 11 mph on the ride they wrote about. But maybe they took an hour off for lunch. There is no reason to get a power meter until they do a lot better than that.

Basically, they don't need to do anything special except ride more and they will be fine because improvement will come quickly.
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shess
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by shess »

Lot's of good advice in here.

In my late 30's to late 40's I did a lot of long-distance riding, and I've also done a lot of long-distance hiking/backpacking. A thing that "normal" people simply do not realize is that a 6-hour effort is NOT the same as 3 2-hour efforts. At any given time, most people have about 2 hours of glycogen loaded into their muscles. Glycogen is basically a sugar which can be quickly and efficiently combined with fatty acids and turned into effort. So most people can get up and go for a 2-hour bike ride or hike, then grab a snack, and they will be just fine. It's a +/- thing, if you are more fit you have a bit more stored, so maybe you can go 3 hours and be fine.

If you deplete that glycogen without replenishing it, that is called the bonk. Once you have reached the bonk, even if you eat immediately, it takes time to recover. Like an hour or so. So, for any effort over a couple hours, you simply MUST take in nutrition, and the longer the effort is, the more proactive you need to be. You can finish your event even while bonking, but you'll be miserable, and the people you're riding with will think you are miserable company. I've bonked in the middle of an 80-mile ride, it is really not pleasant.

The trick is, you can't just do a bunch of 3-hour rides with no nutrition and then plan to do better on the big event. You'll probably have indigestion and nausea. You need to experiment with different things on your shorter rides, to see what works. It can be Gu and Skratch and Clif bars, but it can also be PBJ sandwiches and baby potatoes and bananas. Doesn't matter, just needs to be things you are comfortable carrying and eating on the road. Also keep in mind that for long efforts, your tastes change. On a century ride, for me nilla wafers transform from "meh" to "OMG, these are divine!" But a snickers bar becomes overwhelming. So just practice it.

Hydration has similar aspects - if you're used to short outings, you might get into a deficit and recover after the event, but for longer outings you need to plan ahead. I aim for two birds with one stone, I'll have two bottles, one with 2x hydration drink, one water, and I'll replenish the water as I go. That way I'm staying hydrated AND getting calories and electrolytes. In general, if I'm going on a 6-hour ride, I'll go in with a plan for eating and drinking, structured around likely regroup points. Like I'll eat an oatmeal while dressing, then note that 1h15m is about the top of the ridge, so by then I'll plan to eat a breakfast bar and have drank at least half a bottle, etc. It doesn't have to be 100% precise, I just need to make sure I'm trickling those calories in early so I don't bonk later, and that I either have the calories I need in my pockets, or I know where I'm going to buy more.

At least to my mind, the simplest way to prep for an endurance event is long and steady distance. Add 10% per week, aiming to get your weekly mileage to 125% of the target distance. Also aim to get your longest weekly ride to 2/3 of your target distance. So for 70 miles, get to doing 25-mile rides on Tue/Thu and a 50-mile ride on Sat, for instance. And make sure your riding is comparable to the event (rides around here involve 45-minute sustained climbs - flatland riders come out for a ride and give up after 10 minutes of that).

WRT hills, as LeMond said, "It never gets easier, you just go faster". IMHO with a June target, your goal should be to endure hills, not to attack them, so just make sure you're climbing a lot of hills. Maybe go on Strava and see if there are any local benchmark hills (like OLH for the SF Bay peninsula).

Core and resistance work are obviously useful, but often people have troubles making time for them. Arguably, if you have 8 hours to workout, 6 hours riding plus 3 40-minute core/resistance sessions would be better than devoting the entire 8 hours to riding. But often people CAN get themselves out for 8 hours of riding, but they'd just skip the 2 hours of core/resistance work, so ...
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quantAndHold
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by quantAndHold »

Have a bike that fits properly, good shoes and shorts (and helmet!). Then get in shape.

As a couple of people have mentioned, getting in shape is not just going longer and longer distances, but working on getting faster. Add in some speed training.

The main thing about eating is just remembering to do it. If you’re going to burn 3000 calories on a ride, you also need to consume an extra 3000 calories somewhere along the way, before, during, or after. Which is a lot of food.

I used to carry those gel things when I did that kind of riding, and it seemed like they helped, but I was never sure if it was the sugar, or the fact that I stopped riding and rested for a few minutes to slurp them down.

As I’ve gotten older, I find that I need electrolytes more than I did back in the day. I don’t notice it when I’m working out, but I sure do afterwards. I have a sugar free powder that I add to water. It’s cheap and I can more easily control the carbs (I’m diabetic).
livesoft
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by livesoft »

shess wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 2:15 pm [...]
Thanks for that longish comment. I agree with all that you wrote. :thumbsup :thumbsup

It makes me want to go out right now and pop off a 40 mile ride. :)
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jumanji454
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by jumanji454 »

“Don’t buy upgrades.
Ride up grades.”
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krafty81
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by krafty81 »

ktdintex wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:58 pm I’m an avid cyclist as well as a triathlete. The nutrition part is huge for cycling, especially anything much over an hour or two. That means calories and electrolytes. There are a lot of ways go ingest those, so experiment with what you like, but you definitely need to be eating / drinking calories continuously on bike rides. Personally, I like Skratch Labs for liquid nutrition along with Clif Bloks (kind of like gummy bears). Try different stuff and see what works for you.

You’ll naturally get stronger as you continue group rides, and it’s fun being in the draft and taking turns at the front pulling the group. Keep it up and I hope you enjoy the new hobby.
I am a tri guy too, concur that Clif Blocks and Sdratch work great for me.
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Great posts folks. Thank you. This will be useful now and as I reference later, hopefully useful to others as well.

Tested my new clips out today locally. All good, starting/stopping etc and then fell flat on my inclined drive. Lol. SMH. :oops:

I guess I’ve got to practice starting and stopping on inclines with these clips…
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getthatmarshmallow
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

The stupid slow motion fall is a rite of passage!
helloeveryone
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by helloeveryone »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 8:32 pm Great posts folks. Thank you. This will be useful now and as I reference later, hopefully useful to others as well.

Tested my new clips out today locally. All good, starting/stopping etc and then fell flat on my inclined drive. Lol. SMH. :oops:

I guess I’ve got to practice starting and stopping on inclines with these clips…
on my 2nd ride with SPD pedals I did a great 25 mile ride, as I pulled up to my car I tipped over in slow motion b/c I didn't unclip fast enough :oops:
shess
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by shess »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 8:32 pm Great posts folks. Thank you. This will be useful now and as I reference later, hopefully useful to others as well.

Tested my new clips out today locally. All good, starting/stopping etc and then fell flat on my inclined drive. Lol. SMH. :oops:

I guess I’ve got to practice starting and stopping on inclines with these clips…
It takes quite some time to get through the falling phase. At first, it's like this, you fall in obvious places. Later, you're riding more, and you'll simply forget to twist your heel outward because you're tired :-). Eventually it becomes second nature. IMHO bike commuting helped, because I would have to make a stop every two or four blocks rather than every ten miles.

I think you said SPD? I have dual-entry SPD multi-release cleats, and basically I can simply rip my foot out if need be, though it's easier to do it "right" by twisting my heel outward. The consequence is that I can't pull hard on the upstroke, which isn't a huge issue for me since I'm not a racer.
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

30 miles today. No falls! Like these SPD clips (not shimano) and 2 bolt Giant MB shoes. Feel much better this week than last. I think Gatorlyte helped me a lot too! No cramping or similar fatigue this week.
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Elysium
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Elysium »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 8:32 pm Great posts folks. Thank you. This will be useful now and as I reference later, hopefully useful to others as well.

Tested my new clips out today locally. All good, starting/stopping etc and then fell flat on my inclined drive. Lol. SMH. :oops:

I guess I’ve got to practice starting and stopping on inclines with these clips…
Well of course the key is not needing to stop on the hills, as you'd want to keep the momentum to get up and over, but it's nice to prepare in case of emergency. A lot is already said about other things so I won't repeat. If you just started then it just means putting in a lot of miles incrementally until you can ride that 70 comfortably. I used to ride 100s with a lot of hills every year until the last couple of years, and still can do it with a couple of months of conditioning, but I don't need to prove it to myself anymore. If you want to ride a 100 in one stretch then make sure you ride 100 -120 a week for several weeks, with at least one ride incrementally getting close to 100. When we trained for events the last ride before the big one topped at 80, but it was a harder effort with more hills that makes it equal to the final 100 in effort, then taper off for last week.

Once you are conditioned up to 50-60 miles is easy, there is nothing much needed, and up to 70 again is fine. I never used to cramp until I get over 70 miles, and the key is just to take enough nutrition. You got to listen to your body on what works and what does not, as it varies. I use about 100-150 calories an hour no more, and for the last several miles of a 100 the intake comes down to just electrolytes and liquid gels. I could finish a 100 in 6 hours with several short stops, spaced at least 25 miles. Keep moving at a good pace as much as you can works the best, the slower you go, the more stops you take there are chances of cramps. The key is to listen to your body and understand when you're likely to get cramps and stop that from happening. Salt tabs helps with that, or pickles with salt, as you lose a lot of body salt after 4-5 hours on the saddle. I do some carb load the day before a very long ride in excess of 70 miles, sometimes in the morning, but it has to be done at least 2 hours before to help with digestion, that's about it.
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Elysium wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 6:40 pm
Wannaretireearly wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 8:32 pm Great posts folks. Thank you. This will be useful now and as I reference later, hopefully useful to others as well.

Tested my new clips out today locally. All good, starting/stopping etc and then fell flat on my inclined drive. Lol. SMH. :oops:

I guess I’ve got to practice starting and stopping on inclines with these clips…
Well of course the key is not needing to stop on the hills, as you'd want to keep the momentum to get up and over, but it's nice to prepare in case of emergency. A lot is already said about other things so I won't repeat. If you just started then it just means putting in a lot of miles incrementally until you can ride that 70 comfortably. I used to ride 100s with a lot of hills every year until the last couple of years, and still can do it with a couple of months of conditioning, but I don't need to prove it to myself anymore. If you want to ride a 100 in one stretch then make sure you ride 100 -120 a week for several weeks, with at least one ride incrementally getting close to 100. When we trained for events the last ride before the big one topped at 80, but it was a harder effort with more hills that makes it equal to the final 100 in effort, then taper off for last week.

Once you are conditioned up to 50-60 miles is easy, there is nothing much needed, and up to 70 again is fine. I never used to cramp until I get over 70 miles, and the key is just to take enough nutrition. You got to listen to your body on what works and what does not, as it varies. I use about 100-150 calories an hour no more, and for the last several miles of a 100 the intake comes down to just electrolytes and liquid gels. I could finish a 100 in 6 hours with several short stops, spaced at least 25 miles. Keep moving at a good pace as much as you can works the best, the slower you go, the more stops you take there are chances of cramps. The key is to listen to your body and understand when you're likely to get cramps and stop that from happening. Salt tabs helps with that, or pickles with salt, as you lose a lot of body salt after 4-5 hours on the saddle. I do some carb load the day before a very long ride in excess of 70 miles, sometimes in the morning, but it has to be done at least 2 hours before to help with digestion, that's about it.
Thanks for the tips Elysium!
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dcabler
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by dcabler »

Been riding off and on for years, but got serious about it about a year ago. 25 pounds lost! Anyway, can't add too much other than to reinforce:

1. Good shoes and learn how to clip on clip off. Can't stress this enough. Even then you will likely still have a fall at some point, especially early on. For me it happened, when, for different reasons each time, I was in denial that the bike was going too slow for me to stay upright and I waited too late to clip off.
2. A helmet is a must. And if you ever have a crash where there was even a question about whether your helmet received an impact, then just replace it. Don't even think about it. I had one last summer when I was cycling at 5:30am and hit a curb and went head over feet into the grass on the side of the road. Bike ended up upside down against a road sign and I have no idea how my body didn't also manage to hit the sign. Got up, cleaned up, straightened out the handlebars and limped back home.
3. Not sure where you live but acclimate yourself to the weather there. I'm in central TX and even today, on 5th May it's going to get up to 100F this afternoon.
4. +1 to the poster to recommended short rides during the week and a long ride on weekends. I have a straightforward 20 mile route that I try to do 2-3 times a week and then a long ride that's anywhere from 45-65 miles on the weekend. I try to put 1 day between the last 20 mile ride and the long ride. When I do that, the longer ride tends to be longer. No issue, though with a short ride the day after a long ride.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...
6. I switched from a bike app to a bike computer late last year. One interesting feature is that it can detect a crash and send texts to whomever you set up to receive them. I had a small crash (same reason - in denial that I could stay upright), and it sent a text to my wife and to my daughter. I didn't quite know how the feature worked, but once I saw that I could abort it before it sent the text, it was too late. So followed it up immediately with an "I'm OK!" text.

Enjoy!
cheers
Desert
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Desert »

shess wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 12:20 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 8:32 pm Great posts folks. Thank you. This will be useful now and as I reference later, hopefully useful to others as well.

Tested my new clips out today locally. All good, starting/stopping etc and then fell flat on my inclined drive. Lol. SMH. :oops:

I guess I’ve got to practice starting and stopping on inclines with these clips…
It takes quite some time to get through the falling phase. At first, it's like this, you fall in obvious places. Later, you're riding more, and you'll simply forget to twist your heel outward because you're tired :-). Eventually it becomes second nature. IMHO bike commuting helped, because I would have to make a stop every two or four blocks rather than every ten miles.

I think you said SPD? I have dual-entry SPD multi-release cleats, and basically I can simply rip my foot out if need be, though it's easier to do it "right" by twisting my heel outward. The consequence is that I can't pull hard on the upstroke, which isn't a huge issue for me since I'm not a racer.
I have the same. You can purchase these SH-56 cleats and they're compatible with nearly all SPD pedals. They allow for a "panic" release from the pedal with no thought to the correct twist of the foot. I wish these were recommended to all first-time cleat users, there's really no need to be falling down and scratching up knees and bike components.
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Scott S
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Scott S »

I've been using clipless pedals for a long time, and still prefer the SH-56 multi-release cleats and pedals with the tension turned almost all the way down. Good balance of keeping my feet in place on the pedals while still being able to unclip quickly and easily.
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Scott S wrote: Mon May 09, 2022 10:37 am I've been using clipless pedals for a long time, and still prefer the SH-56 multi-release cleats and pedals with the tension turned almost all the way down. Good balance of keeping my feet in place on the pedals while still being able to unclip quickly and easily.
I got the issi trail 2 ‘SPD like’ pedals. Giant mtn bike shoes. So far so good.
One of my primary goals is to not get injured and be comfortable!
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

35 mile last week and 45 mile this week. Nice rides. Great support.

I may look into a better seat. Maybe. Current one seems ok.
Bike envy with some of the other riders is high! Some very cool, carbon fiber bikes out there!! I’m officially tempted by my n+1 bike! 🚴 🚲
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livesoft
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by livesoft »

Nice progress! As for bike envy: Aim for this: Keep your bike and improve your body, so that they have body envy instead. As in, "Wow, how can you ride that 75 miles without a breaking a sweat with that bike!?"
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Normchad
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Normchad »

livesoft wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:16 am Nice progress! As for bike envy: Aim for this: Keep your bike and improve your body, so that they have body envy instead. As in, "Wow, how can you ride that 75 miles without a breaking a sweat with that bike!?"
I love it! So much cheaper to lose a pound in the kitchen then it is at the bike store.

Be like Shirtless Keith. https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2017/03 ... ess-keith/
shess
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by shess »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat May 21, 2022 11:36 pm 35 mile last week and 45 mile this week. Nice rides. Great support.

I may look into a better seat. Maybe. Current one seems ok.
Bike envy with some of the other riders is high! Some very cool, carbon fiber bikes out there!! I’m officially tempted by my n+1 bike! 🚴 🚲
Very few people nail the intersection between "Can afford a nice bike" and "Fitness investment justifies a nice bike". There are many jokes about cat 6 dentists showing up to rides with their expensive crabon fibre rocket on the back seat of their convertible.

IMHO it's a really good idea to hang out at the $1500-$1800 range for a few years to get a sense of what kind of riding you like, and what you care about. You can get in at $1200 or so, if you're selective. Then when you upgrade you can make good choices and land a really sweet ride in the $3500-$5000 range. It's wasteful to spend much more than that without putting in a good amount of time in the saddle to isolate what you really want, and to dial in your fit needs. And in many cases the money would be better spent on core workouts. I say this even if money is no object, it's really easy to spend a lot of money on a bike which is a terrible fit for your riding style or your body size or shape (and, unfortunately, there are bike shops which will go right ahead and sell that bike to you). Apologies if my numbers are a year or two behind the times.

My main ride is a custom Ti frame with Ultegra, which would probably cost in the neighborhood of $9k new today. My spouse literally said "You have been riding a lot, you should get a nice bike". A good part of the cost was in working with the frame builder to dial the fit in for my body and style, and in just buying their Ultegra package rather than building the groupset out myself. I think it was well worth it, but I can tell you ... I still miss my steel Bianchi Eros with Campy from 1999, THAT was a sweet ride, and it only cost $1100. It was too small for me, but I still really miss it. *sniff*

[OK, that does it: I'm sitting here on a Sunday morning writing a post about riding instead of riding. No wonder my pants are so tight. I'm going out for a ride!]
livesoft
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by livesoft »

shess wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:56 am[...]
My main ride is a custom Ti frame with Ultegra, which would probably cost in the neighborhood of $9k new today.
My only ride is Ti frame with Ultrega which I bought off of craigslist for $500.

I think @Wannaretireearly can just buy a bike from one of those people they ride with in the group ride. I'm sure someone else in the group wants to upgrade!
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shess
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by shess »

livesoft wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 12:21 pm
shess wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:56 am[...]
My main ride is a custom Ti frame with Ultegra, which would probably cost in the neighborhood of $9k new today.
My only ride is Ti frame with Ultrega which I bought off of craigslist for $500.

I think @Wannaretireearly can just buy a bike from one of those people they ride with in the group ride. I'm sure someone else in the group wants to upgrade!
I mean, that is 100% the way to go, you can get GREAT deals by helping someone keep under s (the number of bikes at which the owner finds themselves divorced).

In my case, a lot of the value was in having the expert consultation back-and-forth to really dial in the fit. I have terrible self-perception on this front, I rode the Bianchi I mentioned for 8 years before I realized that a large part of my terror in descending was simply because the bike was too small for me. Whereas on the custom frame, on my first long descent I consciously decided to slow down, because riding at the same level of "feel" left me carving corners significantly faster than I was used to. The builder did a really good job and I feel like I got great value for my money. No references because they are in the process of retiring and their waitlist is already full.
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

livesoft wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:16 am Nice progress! As for bike envy: Aim for this: Keep your bike and improve your body, so that they have body envy instead. As in, "Wow, how can you ride that 75 miles without a breaking a sweat with that bike!?"
👍 🙏
Yep, exactly what my coach said! It doesn’t seem carbon fiber bikes are *that* much lighter. Some quick research had my alum bike at around 21-22 pounds. Carbon at around 19-20?

Health wise, if I lose 5-10 pounds I’ll be in the normal category, more importantly getting from 23-24% body fat to under 20% is going to be my main goal now!
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
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Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

dcabler wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 11:35 am Been riding off and on for years, but got serious about it about a year ago. 25 pounds lost! Anyway, can't add too much other than to reinforce:

1. Good shoes and learn how to clip on clip off. Can't stress this enough. Even then you will likely still have a fall at some point, especially early on. For me it happened, when, for different reasons each time, I was in denial that the bike was going too slow for me to stay upright and I waited too late to clip off.
2. A helmet is a must. And if you ever have a crash where there was even a question about whether your helmet received an impact, then just replace it. Don't even think about it. I had one last summer when I was cycling at 5:30am and hit a curb and went head over feet into the grass on the side of the road. Bike ended up upside down against a road sign and I have no idea how my body didn't also manage to hit the sign. Got up, cleaned up, straightened out the handlebars and limped back home.
3. Not sure where you live but acclimate yourself to the weather there. I'm in central TX and even today, on 5th May it's going to get up to 100F this afternoon.
4. +1 to the poster to recommended short rides during the week and a long ride on weekends. I have a straightforward 20 mile route that I try to do 2-3 times a week and then a long ride that's anywhere from 45-65 miles on the weekend. I try to put 1 day between the last 20 mile ride and the long ride. When I do that, the longer ride tends to be longer. No issue, though with a short ride the day after a long ride.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...
6. I switched from a bike app to a bike computer late last year. One interesting feature is that it can detect a crash and send texts to whomever you set up to receive them. I had a small crash (same reason - in denial that I could stay upright), and it sent a text to my wife and to my daughter. I didn't quite know how the feature worked, but once I saw that I could abort it before it sent the text, it was too late. So followed it up immediately with an "I'm OK!" text.

Enjoy!
cheers
Nice work! Missed responding earlier. Great tips
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
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Wannaretireearly
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

dcabler wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 11:35 am Been riding off and on for years, but got serious about it about a year ago. 25 pounds lost! Anyway, can't add too much other than to reinforce:

1. Good shoes and learn how to clip on clip off. Can't stress this enough. Even then you will likely still have a fall at some point, especially early on. For me it happened, when, for different reasons each time, I was in denial that the bike was going too slow for me to stay upright and I waited too late to clip off.
2. A helmet is a must. And if you ever have a crash where there was even a question about whether your helmet received an impact, then just replace it. Don't even think about it. I had one last summer when I was cycling at 5:30am and hit a curb and went head over feet into the grass on the side of the road. Bike ended up upside down against a road sign and I have no idea how my body didn't also manage to hit the sign. Got up, cleaned up, straightened out the handlebars and limped back home.
3. Not sure where you live but acclimate yourself to the weather there. I'm in central TX and even today, on 5th May it's going to get up to 100F this afternoon.
4. +1 to the poster to recommended short rides during the week and a long ride on weekends. I have a straightforward 20 mile route that I try to do 2-3 times a week and then a long ride that's anywhere from 45-65 miles on the weekend. I try to put 1 day between the last 20 mile ride and the long ride. When I do that, the longer ride tends to be longer. No issue, though with a short ride the day after a long ride.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...
6. I switched from a bike app to a bike computer late last year. One interesting feature is that it can detect a crash and send texts to whomever you set up to receive them. I had a small crash (same reason - in denial that I could stay upright), and it sent a text to my wife and to my daughter. I didn't quite know how the feature worked, but once I saw that I could abort it before it sent the text, it was too late. So followed it up immediately with an "I'm OK!" text.

Enjoy!
cheers
Nice work! Missed responding earlier. Great tips
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

shess wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:56 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat May 21, 2022 11:36 pm 35 mile last week and 45 mile this week. Nice rides. Great support.

I may look into a better seat. Maybe. Current one seems ok.
Bike envy with some of the other riders is high! Some very cool, carbon fiber bikes out there!! I’m officially tempted by my n+1 bike! 🚴 🚲
Very few people nail the intersection between "Can afford a nice bike" and "Fitness investment justifies a nice bike". There are many jokes about cat 6 dentists showing up to rides with their expensive crabon fibre rocket on the back seat of their convertible.

IMHO it's a really good idea to hang out at the $1500-$1800 range for a few years to get a sense of what kind of riding you like, and what you care about. You can get in at $1200 or so, if you're selective. Then when you upgrade you can make good choices and land a really sweet ride in the $3500-$5000 range. It's wasteful to spend much more than that without putting in a good amount of time in the saddle to isolate what you really want, and to dial in your fit needs. And in many cases the money would be better spent on core workouts. I say this even if money is no object, it's really easy to spend a lot of money on a bike which is a terrible fit for your riding style or your body size or shape (and, unfortunately, there are bike shops which will go right ahead and sell that bike to you). Apologies if my numbers are a year or two behind the times.

My main ride is a custom Ti frame with Ultegra, which would probably cost in the neighborhood of $9k new today. My spouse literally said "You have been riding a lot, you should get a nice bike". A good part of the cost was in working with the frame builder to dial the fit in for my body and style, and in just buying their Ultegra package rather than building the groupset out myself. I think it was well worth it, but I can tell you ... I still miss my steel Bianchi Eros with Campy from 1999, THAT was a sweet ride, and it only cost $1100. It was too small for me, but I still really miss it. *sniff*

[OK, that does it: I'm sitting here on a Sunday morning writing a post about riding instead of riding. No wonder my pants are so tight. I'm going out for a ride!]
Great post! Enjoy your ride!!
Core workouts are definitely something I need to work on 👍
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

livesoft wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 12:21 pm
shess wrote: Sun May 22, 2022 11:56 am[...]
My main ride is a custom Ti frame with Ultegra, which would probably cost in the neighborhood of $9k new today.
My only ride is Ti frame with Ultrega which I bought off of craigslist for $500.

I think @Wannaretireearly can just buy a bike from one of those people they ride with in the group ride. I'm sure someone else in the group wants to upgrade!
I’ll start fishing for said bike 😂

In no rush. Wife’s response was get giro bello (Napa target ride) done this year (June) and next first, before any upgrade! Plan is set ;)
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

First 50+ mile ride last week, and first 60+ mile this week!
Never thought I could do this. Amazing and supportive biking group 🙏.

I’m slow on the hills, but don’t stop, clips help. Usually trodding in the lowest gear.

Bike experts talk to me about front to back gear ratios, aiming for 1 etc. Apparently my bike seems quite good for hill climbs. Sora group set. I’m wondering what group set is best for hill climbs 🤣🤪🤣?
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
getthatmarshmallow
Posts: 1171
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

It's more gear inches than the group set. With Sora you have probably a 50/34 compact set up front, and an 11-34 in the back with 9 gears. The 34/34 will allow you to climb up walls.

More gears just makes the jumps between gears smaller, which is easier for maintaining a steady pace in group rides. Some cassettes have a smaller range for even smaller jumps, but lose the easy climbing gears. But 34 is where most road cassettes max out.
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

getthatmarshmallow wrote: Sat Jun 11, 2022 6:28 pm It's more gear inches than the group set. With Sora you have probably a 50/34 compact set up front, and an 11-34 in the back with 9 gears. The 34/34 will allow you to climb up walls.

More gears just makes the jumps between gears smaller, which is easier for maintaining a steady pace in group rides. Some cassettes have a smaller range for even smaller jumps, but lose the easy climbing gears. But 34 is where most road cassettes max out.
Thanks!!! Great info
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
shess
Posts: 2164
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by shess »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:17 pm Bike experts talk to me about front to back gear ratios, aiming for 1 etc. Apparently my bike seems quite good for hill climbs. Sora group set. I’m wondering what group set is best for hill climbs 🤣🤪🤣?
It kind of depends on fitness/build and local terrain. I'm a clydesdale living in an area where the best rides often involve a couple thousand feet of climbing, and have always ridden a triple. I had an Ultegra 6700 triple, 3x10, my lowest gear was something like 30/28. This gave me the granny gears I needed for climbing and the close gearing for rolling hills, but Shimano stopped making 105/Ultegra triples. I once spent a month riding without my easiest cog so see if a compact double was doable, and while I could do it when I was at my fittest, it really converted enjoyable rides into miserable slogs. Due to challenges acquiring an adequate replacement crankset, I converted to a 2x11 Ultegra drivetrain last fall, with the easiest gearing at 34/32, which is actually slightly easier than before.

When I say 30/28 above, I am referringing to ratio of front/back, not the range of the front (50/34t) or back (11/28t). 30/28 gives better mechanical advantage than 34/25, for instance. When you turn this crankset once, it will shift 30 sprockets of chain, which will turn the back when a full revolution of 28 teeth plus two extra teeth. Whereas if you were in the 50t chainring in front and 11t cog in the rear, one revolution of the crank will cause more than four full revolutions of the wheel, so it much harder. So given the same wheel size, you can just compare the ratios of different drivetrains to get a sense of how hard they are to pedal. To compare across wheel sizes, you'll need to convert to gear inches to account for wheel diameter.

There are still Shimano triples available in the Tiagra and Sora range. Unfortunately, Tiagra triples aren't compatible with 105/Ultegra. Campagnolo also has triples, and I really miss the Campy triple I started road riding with, but I don't miss having bike shops always telling me they'd need to special-order parts, and then worry about whether they had sufficient experience to do a good job.
KneeReplacementTutor
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Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by KneeReplacementTutor »

whodidntante wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:38 pm In my opinion, training/conditioning is more important than what you do around the edges. So if you want to stretch to do a 70-mile ride without feeling miserable, you need to be doing 45-mile or more training rides at a pretty good clip. Also, you might not be a great cyclist no matter what you do. Learn your limitations and strengths. There is always someone faster.

In my opinion, you don't need special cycling food. Just eat something that is easy to digest and high in carbohydrates. Munch your favorite type of cookie if you want. That would probably be rich in sodium as well. Well-trained people can store significantly more glycogen than untrained people.
Great advice. Conditioning can't be overstated. Neither can sleep, hydration and, for me, lots of Haribo Gummy Bears!
freckles01
Posts: 314
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:43 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by freckles01 »

WhyNotUs wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 8:32 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 3:19 pm
Any advice on:
1. Prep/stretching/strength (leg) training etc etc
2. Breakfast on the day of the ride
3. Salts/electrolytes to bring. A few folks had salt pills (?). I had a couple of those. Others brought gel packets, some combo with caffeine which looked interesting.
I only took a bottle of water. I need to get another holder installed so I can take two.
Any advice? The hills killed me today. Lol.
Feel free to point me to biking specific sites too.

Thanks!!
Lifelong biker, now more of a gravel bike or touring bike rider.
1.) If you look on youtube, you will find some good stretch routines, a properly fitted bike is a great way to stay ahead of issues.
2.) Complex carbs in any form that you like are helpful, since each of us is a bit different, keep an eye out for how you feel after different meals to learn what works for you. Eventually you will find the best for you
3.) A controversial topic to me, there are lots of mixes and bottles. Bike shops are full of gels and drink mixes. I sometimes do distance but am not looking for speed and caffeine makes me enjoy my ride less so I am a water, banana, fig bar find of guy. For a big day I might take a energy bar and gatorade. For me, long rides are likely as part of a touring experience. A daily type of ride is rarely more than 40 miles.

Hills are a great place to be in the pack rather than in the wind. I prefer to downshift rather than stand up to try to push it but if you are riding with a group you may not have a choice.

FWIW, I would focus on the feeling of grace and rhythm rather than becoming a slave to Strava. I see lots of riders who do not seem to be having fun and are inconsiderate to other riders. One of the reasons that I still enjoy riding is that I look around, I listen to my body, and I try to relax my body as much as I can during a ride. If you can quiet your mind, relax your body and find the rhythm (rpm) that works for your body, magic things can happen.
Zen biking.

A classic tale:

A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”

The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying the sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the first student, “You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do.”

The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!” The teacher commended the second student, “Your eyes are open, and you see the world.”

The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”

The fourth student replied, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings.” The teacher was pleased, and said to the fourth student, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”

The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said, “I am your student!”
Find a group that rides at a party pace :sharebeer
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

shess wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:32 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:17 pm Bike experts talk to me about front to back gear ratios, aiming for 1 etc. Apparently my bike seems quite good for hill climbs. Sora group set. I’m wondering what group set is best for hill climbs 🤣🤪🤣?
It kind of depends on fitness/build and local terrain. I'm a clydesdale living in an area where the best rides often involve a couple thousand feet of climbing, and have always ridden a triple. I had an Ultegra 6700 triple, 3x10, my lowest gear was something like 30/28. This gave me the granny gears I needed for climbing and the close gearing for rolling hills, but Shimano stopped making 105/Ultegra triples. I once spent a month riding without my easiest cog so see if a compact double was doable, and while I could do it when I was at my fittest, it really converted enjoyable rides into miserable slogs. Due to challenges acquiring an adequate replacement crankset, I converted to a 2x11 Ultegra drivetrain last fall, with the easiest gearing at 34/32, which is actually slightly easier than before.

When I say 30/28 above, I am referringing to ratio of front/back, not the range of the front (50/34t) or back (11/28t). 30/28 gives better mechanical advantage than 34/25, for instance. When you turn this crankset once, it will shift 30 sprockets of chain, which will turn the back when a full revolution of 28 teeth plus two extra teeth. Whereas if you were in the 50t chainring in front and 11t cog in the rear, one revolution of the crank will cause more than four full revolutions of the wheel, so it much harder. So given the same wheel size, you can just compare the ratios of different drivetrains to get a sense of how hard they are to pedal. To compare across wheel sizes, you'll need to convert to gear inches to account for wheel diameter.

There are still Shimano triples available in the Tiagra and Sora range. Unfortunately, Tiagra triples aren't compatible with 105/Ultegra. Campagnolo also has triples, and I really miss the Campy triple I started road riding with, but I don't miss having bike shops always telling me they'd need to special-order parts, and then worry about whether they had sufficient experience to do a good job.
This is a great post, thank you so much for taking the time. It will take me some time to read & digest!
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
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Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:57 am
whodidntante wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:38 pm In my opinion, training/conditioning is more important than what you do around the edges. So if you want to stretch to do a 70-mile ride without feeling miserable, you need to be doing 45-mile or more training rides at a pretty good clip. Also, you might not be a great cyclist no matter what you do. Learn your limitations and strengths. There is always someone faster.

In my opinion, you don't need special cycling food. Just eat something that is easy to digest and high in carbohydrates. Munch your favorite type of cookie if you want. That would probably be rich in sodium as well. Well-trained people can store significantly more glycogen than untrained people.
Great advice. Conditioning can't be overstated. Neither can sleep, hydration and, for me, lots of Haribo Gummy Bears!
Agreed, thanks. Currently I’m following this kind of food/drink plan:

1. Peanut butter toast/banana for breakfast
2. Start hydrating. Esp this past week being so hot.
3. Carry two bottles. Start with Gatorlyte and another with a nuun electrolyte tablet
4. Refill at SAG stops
5. Eat something at SAG stops
6. Carry Gu gummies. Pop as needed
7. Clif bar with coffee/Caffeine before last 10mile push/last hill

Did ok given heat yday, I think
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
KneeReplacementTutor
Posts: 674
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:52 am

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by KneeReplacementTutor »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 2:04 pm
KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:57 am
whodidntante wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:38 pm In my opinion, training/conditioning is more important than what you do around the edges. So if you want to stretch to do a 70-mile ride without feeling miserable, you need to be doing 45-mile or more training rides at a pretty good clip. Also, you might not be a great cyclist no matter what you do. Learn your limitations and strengths. There is always someone faster.

In my opinion, you don't need special cycling food. Just eat something that is easy to digest and high in carbohydrates. Munch your favorite type of cookie if you want. That would probably be rich in sodium as well. Well-trained people can store significantly more glycogen than untrained people.
Great advice. Conditioning can't be overstated. Neither can sleep, hydration and, for me, lots of Haribo Gummy Bears!
Agreed, thanks. Currently I’m following this kind of food/drink plan:

1. Peanut butter toast/banana for breakfast
2. Start hydrating. Esp this past week being so hot.
3. Carry two bottles. Start with Gatorlyte and another with a nuun electrolyte tablet
4. Refill at SAG stops
5. Eat something at SAG stops
6. Carry Gu gummies. Pop as needed
7. Clif bar with coffee/Caffeine before last 10mile push/last hill

Did ok given heat yday, I think
How hot is hot?
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:53 pm
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 2:04 pm
KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:57 am
whodidntante wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:38 pm In my opinion, training/conditioning is more important than what you do around the edges. So if you want to stretch to do a 70-mile ride without feeling miserable, you need to be doing 45-mile or more training rides at a pretty good clip. Also, you might not be a great cyclist no matter what you do. Learn your limitations and strengths. There is always someone faster.

In my opinion, you don't need special cycling food. Just eat something that is easy to digest and high in carbohydrates. Munch your favorite type of cookie if you want. That would probably be rich in sodium as well. Well-trained people can store significantly more glycogen than untrained people.
Great advice. Conditioning can't be overstated. Neither can sleep, hydration and, for me, lots of Haribo Gummy Bears!
Agreed, thanks. Currently I’m following this kind of food/drink plan:

1. Peanut butter toast/banana for breakfast
2. Start hydrating. Esp this past week being so hot.
3. Carry two bottles. Start with Gatorlyte and another with a nuun electrolyte tablet
4. Refill at SAG stops
5. Eat something at SAG stops
6. Carry Gu gummies. Pop as needed
7. Clif bar with coffee/Caffeine before last 10mile push/last hill

Did ok given heat yday, I think
How hot is hot?
It was around 90F riding thru Los Gatos (CA) downtown yesterday
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
hunoraut
Posts: 1741
Joined: Sun May 31, 2020 11:39 am

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by hunoraut »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:17 pm Bike experts talk to me about front to back gear ratios, aiming for 1 etc. Apparently my bike seems quite good for hill climbs. Sora group set. I’m wondering what group set is best for hill climbs 🤣🤪🤣?
On a road bicycle frame with 700c wheels and 2 chainrings, if you have 10 gears on the cassette, and the largest cog has as many teeth as the smallest chainring (i.e. "1:1"), that's as much equipment as 'needed' for hill climbs.

Theres no groupset that allows one to climb better, or a bike that makes one ride faster. It's incompatible with the laws of physics/energy :).
The bike cannot add power beyond what you exert - it can only lose some through hysteresis when transmitting it through the frame. On a bike marketed as 'stiff' and 'efficient', the differences between a normal one is basically below measurement error.

The gearset translates the rotation speed and torque from your legs to appropriate ones at the wheel. Humans pedal most efficiently at 70-100rpm. Basically, if the bike is geared for more mechanical leverage (ratio shorter than 1:1), it will feel 'easier' to pedal, but the bike will be moving so slowly, it might be faster to walk. Having a higher number of gears covering the same range of ratio allows for a smoother spread, but after a certain point the net advantage is negligible.

The fastest way to improve overall bicycle fitness is specific high-intensity training plan, rather than just riding aimlessly. This works with most folks schedule by SHORT but HARD riding on the weekdays, and then a longer recovery ride on the weekend at normal pace. keep in mind that resting is a part of the training, so riding every single day is detrimental.

this might look like: M, W, F -- 10 minute warmup; pedal as hard as you can for 15 seconds, pedal soft for 45 seconds; repeat 30 times. Sunday -- multi-hour leisure ride.

There are various twists on the exact regiment but that's the gist.
KneeReplacementTutor
Posts: 674
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:52 am

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by KneeReplacementTutor »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 6:13 pm
KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:53 pm
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 2:04 pm
KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:57 am
whodidntante wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:38 pm In my opinion, training/conditioning is more important than what you do around the edges. So if you want to stretch to do a 70-mile ride without feeling miserable, you need to be doing 45-mile or more training rides at a pretty good clip. Also, you might not be a great cyclist no matter what you do. Learn your limitations and strengths. There is always someone faster.

In my opinion, you don't need special cycling food. Just eat something that is easy to digest and high in carbohydrates. Munch your favorite type of cookie if you want. That would probably be rich in sodium as well. Well-trained people can store significantly more glycogen than untrained people.
Great advice. Conditioning can't be overstated. Neither can sleep, hydration and, for me, lots of Haribo Gummy Bears!
Agreed, thanks. Currently I’m following this kind of food/drink plan:

1. Peanut butter toast/banana for breakfast
2. Start hydrating. Esp this past week being so hot.
3. Carry two bottles. Start with Gatorlyte and another with a nuun electrolyte tablet
4. Refill at SAG stops
5. Eat something at SAG stops
6. Carry Gu gummies. Pop as needed
7. Clif bar with coffee/Caffeine before last 10mile push/last hill

Did ok given heat yday, I think
How hot is hot?
It was around 90F riding thru Los Gatos (CA) downtown yesterday
In the summer I try to ride as early as I need to in the day to avoid temps ≥ 90. Otherwise, for me, general heat exhaustion, dehydration, etc. become obstacles to being able to push either long enough or hard enough to maintain, let alone, improve strength, endurance and cardio.
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

hunoraut wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 7:53 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:17 pm Bike experts talk to me about front to back gear ratios, aiming for 1 etc. Apparently my bike seems quite good for hill climbs. Sora group set. I’m wondering what group set is best for hill climbs 🤣🤪🤣?
On a road bicycle frame with 700c wheels and 2 chainrings, if you have 10 gears on the cassette, and the largest cog has as many teeth as the smallest chainring (i.e. "1:1"), that's as much equipment as 'needed' for hill climbs.

Theres no groupset that allows one to climb better, or a bike that makes one ride faster. It's incompatible with the laws of physics/energy :).
The bike cannot add power beyond what you exert - it can only lose some through hysteresis when transmitting it through the frame. On a bike marketed as 'stiff' and 'efficient', the differences between a normal one is basically below measurement error.

The gearset translates the rotation speed and torque from your legs to appropriate ones at the wheel. Humans pedal most efficiently at 70-100rpm. Basically, if the bike is geared for more mechanical leverage (ratio shorter than 1:1), it will feel 'easier' to pedal, but the bike will be moving so slowly, it might be faster to walk. Having a higher number of gears covering the same range of ratio allows for a smoother spread, but after a certain point the net advantage is negligible.

The fastest way to improve overall bicycle fitness is specific high-intensity training plan, rather than just riding aimlessly. This works with most folks schedule by SHORT but HARD riding on the weekdays, and then a longer recovery ride on the weekend at normal pace. keep in mind that resting is a part of the training, so riding every single day is detrimental.

this might look like: M, W, F -- 10 minute warmup; pedal as hard as you can for 15 seconds, pedal soft for 45 seconds; repeat 30 times. Sunday -- multi-hour leisure ride.

There are various twists on the exact regiment but that's the gist.
Thanks for the tips!!
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 8:30 am
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 6:13 pm
KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:53 pm
Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 2:04 pm
KneeReplacementTutor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:57 am

Great advice. Conditioning can't be overstated. Neither can sleep, hydration and, for me, lots of Haribo Gummy Bears!
Agreed, thanks. Currently I’m following this kind of food/drink plan:

1. Peanut butter toast/banana for breakfast
2. Start hydrating. Esp this past week being so hot.
3. Carry two bottles. Start with Gatorlyte and another with a nuun electrolyte tablet
4. Refill at SAG stops
5. Eat something at SAG stops
6. Carry Gu gummies. Pop as needed
7. Clif bar with coffee/Caffeine before last 10mile push/last hill

Did ok given heat yday, I think
How hot is hot?
It was around 90F riding thru Los Gatos (CA) downtown yesterday
In the summer I try to ride as early as I need to in the day to avoid temps ≥ 90. Otherwise, for me, general heat exhaustion, dehydration, etc. become obstacles to being able to push either long enough or hard enough to maintain, let alone, improve strength, endurance and cardio.
Yep. 100% agree. We started riding at 6:30am, yet factoring 2-3 20min stops, we still hit the heat around 11-12pm for the final 10 miles or so.
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
trinc
Posts: 152
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:09 am

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by trinc »

I do not group ride. Riding another persons pace i find is inefficient to becoming a better rider.

When started i wasn't strong enough to stay with a group so i rode solo the first year. As i progressed, i found or developed my cadence and really don't like to deviate from that, a faster pace is destructive and a slower pace just seems to zap my energy. I enjoy just zoning out and spinning and not having to worry about another rider. I do ride with my wife often, but that is just leisure ( for me ).

No bike envy:
2009 Specialized Allez triple - Converted to 105 compact double (50-28)
Fulcrum racing wheels - ceramic bearings.

Tim
matti
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:17 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by matti »

As other suggested, putting more saddle time in can really help. Hills are good, too. 15 years ago or so, I won a 12-hour bike race, a 200-mile bike race, and had some other good results. I didn't do any speedwork or intervals (I hate them!); I simply rode a lot. (I had the luxury of lots of free time; I understand that many (most?) don't have this luxury, however.)
Sagefemme
Posts: 352
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:31 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Sagefemme »

DH and I have done tons of recreational riding over the years, also multi-week touring in France and Britain. His must-have cycling food: Fig Newtons. Mine: Swedish fish (red). I don't have any idea where these habits got started.
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Sagefemme wrote: Tue Jun 14, 2022 12:15 am DH and I have done tons of recreational riding over the years, also multi-week touring in France and Britain. His must-have cycling food: Fig Newtons. Mine: Swedish fish (red). I don't have any idea where these habits got started.
Sounds fun!! And not just the fig newtons and Swedish fish ;)
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
Topic Author
Wannaretireearly
Posts: 4880
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:39 pm

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Completed my first metric century:
https://girobello.com/home/routes/

Last few hills were a grind! I’ll need to make some changes if I want to go from 2K (my ride yesterday) elevation climbs to 4K (second target ride around Lake Tahoe in the fall).

Appreciate the advice in this thread!!
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
shess
Posts: 2164
Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 12:02 am

Re: Longer cycling prep

Post by shess »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:05 am Completed my first metric century:
https://girobello.com/home/routes/

Last few hills were a grind! I’ll need to make some changes if I want to go from 2K (my ride yesterday) elevation climbs to 4K (second target ride around Lake Tahoe in the fall).

Appreciate the advice in this thread!!
My primary advice for a ride around Lake Tahoe is to use more sunscreen than you think you need, and consider other sun protection (arm sleeves, a head cover under your helmet, etc). Other than increased UV, expect a 10%-15% bump in difficulty due to altitude.
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