With Spring upon us and the weather warming, many of us who ride bikes will be doing longer rides. Before we head out on the roads there are a few things that we should do to make sure that the ride is as enjoyable as possible.

In my mind, a long ride as anything over fifty miles. That seems to be the distance that in order to do comfortably, the rider needs to prepare, not just go out and “ride”. That doesn’t mean that the ride is necessarily hard, just that it requires some more preparation.

In my years of riding I have done quite a few long rides, including about 12 centuries (100 miles). But, I haven’t done many long rides in the last year or so. So, one of my goals for this year is to get back into doing long rides and I am signing up for a century ride taking place on May 3rd which is one month away. The last century ride I did was in August of 2005 so it has been a while. Here are some things that I will be doing to make sure that the ride is as successful as possible. Remember, all of these tips assume that you have done enough training in order to safely do a long ride. If you are just starting out, take your time and build your fitness before attempting a 50+ mile ride.

  1. Make sure that my body is used to the longer distance- In the last year and a half I ridden a lot but haven’t done many long rides. So, in order to get my body used to the longer time on the bike I will be doing several rides before the century that will help me get used to spending an extended period of time on the bike. This weekend and next I plan on doing a ride of 60-70 miles on one day and a ride of 40-50 miles on the other. Two weeks before the century I will ride a little less and the week before I will do 1 day with a ride of 60 miles or so. I have found that I can comfortably ride up to twice the distance of my “regular” long ride if I give myself enough time, so the 60+ mile rides should be enough preparation.
  2. Eat enough during the ride- This is something that I have ignored in the past and paid for big time. I have bonked (run out of energy) on several occasions and let me tell you, it is not fun. This happened because I didn’t eat enough during the ride. On rides over two hours or so you really need to be eating on a regular basis. You don’t need to eat a ton of food, just enough to keep you energy level consistent. For me, and a lot of people, that means around 400 calories an hour. Most people will use energy bars, granola, or energy drinks to get the calories they need during the ride. My favorite energy sources on longer rides are Cliff Bars, Hammer Gel, and Hammer Perpetuem. There are lots of other good “fuel sources” out there as well. The main thing is to find something you like. Also, on your “trial run” long rides make sure you get used to eating while riding and that the food you eat doesn’t upset your stomach.
  3. Drink enough liquids- Adequate hydration is vital when exercising for extended periods. Even in cooler weather most cyclists should be drinking 1 standard water bottle (about 20 oz) each hour. In hot weather you could need twice that amount or more. On rides over two hours drinking enough fluids can be the difference between success or failure. I carry two large water bottles on my bike and fill them up when needed along the way. If I am in a ride that has aid stations I refill there, or at a convenience store if I’m out by myself. I usually mix in some electrolyte powder into the bottles. I like Hammer Nutrition’s HEED as it has a mild taste and includes a good mix of electrolytes.
  4. Make sure your bike is in good repair- The last thing you want is to have your bike break down so before you head out on the road make sure your bike is tuned up and working properly. Have your brakes and shifting adjusted, make sure your chain is clean and lubricated, and that your tires are properly inflated and in good shape.  You should also carry a spare tube, patch kit, pump, and some wrenches to adjust your bike.
  5. Dress for the weather- Make sure you dress in layers to allow for changes in temperature.  If rain is predicted be prepared to get wet and carry a waterproof windbreaker.  Also, have a change of clothes back at your car.
  6. Carry a phone and wear an ID tag-  Carry your cell phone with you on every ride, not just the long ones, just in case you need it.  Also, everyone should have some type of ID on them, like Road ID, in case you are injured and can’t communicate.

If you follow these tips before your next long bike ride you should have a good time and actually want to do another one :-)

I’m sure I have missed one or two things so if you have a useful tip please let everyone know.  Have fun riding!

Creative Commons License photo credit: circulating