1st Long Bike (160 mile) Ride questions

Okay, is it possible?  Yeah.  Is it smart?  No.

I bought my bike in April 2002 and in June 2002 I did a 136 mile one-way-one day ride through the VERY hilly New England Countryside (it rained cats and dogs for 50 miles too).  But I managed to work up to an 80 mile ride before the thing and I still suffered horribly.  I cannot imagine trying to ride that far after only riding a long ride of 50 miles.  The poster earlier who talked about the 80/120/etc. mile barriers is very right.  80 is a big mental block for me I know.  Being on your bike that long is not easy.

But as for your questions on the actual distance.....stopping for long periods of time to "rest" is the worst thing you can do.  Not only are you eating into your ride time making yourself have to ride faster, but the longer you are off the bike the less you'll want to get back on it.  Rest stops should be no longer than 5-10 minutes.  Enough time to scarf some food, reload your water bottles, restock your pockets, and pee.

As for speed/pace.  Don't blast yourself early trying to keep up with the fast people.  I did that one year in that 136-miler trying to hang on the paceline.  But I was putting out WAY too much effort and it made me suffer later.

Your own sag support is not required, but helpful.  Three rest stops and a lunch?  That's a restock point every 40 miles.  You'd either have to wear a camelback for extra water or hope there are gas stations along the way.  Don't plan on only gels.  You'll be sick of them after 80 miles.  The year I had my own sag vehicle I had a lot more fun.  My two friends who drove it were long drunk by the time I finally finished, but they kept driving up alongside me at various points during the day (before the drinking) and made me smile a lot.

No, there is really nothing you can do in two weeks to prep for that.  I guess if you did 80 miles this weeked and 100 the next you might survive it.  But any less than that and I wouldn't even consider it.

There had better be beer at the end or it isn't worth it.

Gina (grvfrog) is the site's resident long-distance biker and your best bet to answer endurance cyling questions...she is GOOD.

Ironically the ride ends at Earlham. It is a Quaker college, and as such does not permit alcohol on campus.   How cruel is that?  That might just be a deal killer as I will be wanting a cold one for sure.

I hope she responds; I am hoping to look at this from all angles.  I'd probably have my Dad as SAG support, so I'd hate to flame out and have to quit.

I would say no.  You're tripling your longest ride and that is hard to do.

Last year I had some rides of about 30-35 miles and then did a 55 mile organized ride.  You'd think that 20 miles more wouldn't be that big of a deal, but I actually had to bail at 50 miles and get a ride back to the start.  I was just wiped out and I couldn't keep going.

However, it does depend on the course profile.  Is it mostly flat, or is it "challenging" (euphemism for - let's add some - Lots! - of really steep hills!)  If it's flat I'd say maybe.  If it's challenging, I'd say no way - on the 3rd monster climb you will be hating life.

Do a 100 mile ride this weekend and then decide. 

That's not a bad idea.

Thanks for all of the replies.  I guess my normal ways of "winging it" won't work here.  I have no clue on how to address the nutition issues.  I was hoping a flatter course would equate to a easier albeit longer ride. Looks like I have many more issues to consider.

I guess I'll just stick to my goal of getting a century ride in sometime this year and mark my calendar for RAIN next year. But man I wanted one of those jerseys