FreddyV

As Botto can confirm, snow is melting pretty quick here now. Can't say the weather is great yet, but at least it's not raining. Temperatures are coming up again a bit, and I'm feeling more and more like grabbing my bike and checking out the scenery a bit further from home.

I feel like riding and doing at least a metric century...

How was your first (metric) century? Did you ride alone? Did you build up the distance gradually untill you knew you could do a 100 or just got out, got on, and did it?

Just curious

Pedaleur

My first comment is: It's just 100km; don't overthink it. Especially in Holland.

To answer your question, my first "official" century was the Blue Ridge Extreme, which included one very nasty climb, and several moderate ones. I was pretty beat at the end, but it wasn't outrageously hard, even for not really being trained. In fact, I would joke about having set the course record, even though it was the first year it was timed, it's not actually a race, and all the "accomplished" cyclists did the imperial century.

RacerOne

I've never done a metric century, I've ridden a littles over 60 miles plenty of times though.

Machka 

I don't remember my first metric century ... it was a non-event.

I do remember that in 1994, I was aiming to do my first imperial century (162 km), and I was "scheduled" to do an 80 mile ride on a particular weekend, but when I reached the 80 mile point, I decided to finish it and do the whole century. I might have done my first metric the weekend before ... or maybe I did it earlier than that. I know I rode a 50 mile ride in 1990 with my father ... maybe I did a 60 mile (100 km) ride that year as well, I'm not sure. I'd have to dig out my old paper records, but they're back in Canada.

^oZ

28th Feb is a good opportunity.

rollin

...

FreddyV

Sorry, I don't ride Sundays

^oZ

Figures

DXchulo

It shouldn't really be very difficult unless you've been sitting on your ass all winter.

You're always better off slowly building up to the distance, but that's easier said than done sometimes when the weather is nice.

Arkansan07

A metric isnt bad, but my first one was a baptism of fire. I had been riding about a month and decided I was ready haha. Well I strugled and got dropped by the few people I knew in the event. Well I reached a 10mile flat stretch and hammered it trying to catch up. I got to the next rest stop and they said I was about 30 seconds behind. So I took off again trying to catch them. Well that 10mi ended straight into the meanest hills in Greene County. I spend the last 24 miles with cramps in my quads and hams in both legs. I havent cramped since. My avg speed was 17mph (very surprising) my second metric century was much MUCH better, Me and two other riders crossed the line first with a time of below 3 hours. Stopped at zero stops and avg speed of 21mph. I was very pleased. I just hope to do better than that when I try racing this season. For your first metric century just take it easy and have fun. Thats what I should have done.

bobthib

I did my first metric quite by accident after riding 2 or 3 x per week for about 2 months.

We visited some friends in Winter Springs. FL last May. I researched some bike paths in area and found one near by. Rode about 13 miles and found the broke at Ronald Regan Highway with signs to follow to the next segment. As I was tooling along I happend on a peloton, so I asked if I could join. They said "Yes this is the A group, 23 -25 mph." I said, "Thats too fast for me" but they told me to hang on for as long as I could and that the B group was 10 min behind.

I hung with the A group for about 12 miles and got dropped. As promised the huge B group came along after about 10 min. I stayed with them for about 25 more miles. When they turned west and I knew I had to go east to get back, I bid them Adieu and set out. I had my phone GPS with me so I set a course for "home" It was about 13 more miles back to our friends house. I did a couple of laps to bump up the miles.

Got done at 63 mi and ave a blistering 18.4 mph ride time. That speed record for distance would stand for quite a while for me. My two other metrics fell short speed wise. It is still my fastest Metric ride time, and bested only by my first real Century in December at 19.0 mph ride time. I'm not sure I'll be able to top that one for a while.

I got a metric coming up next week, but it will not be a hammer fest. Save that for later.

Mr. Beanz

My first metric was on a Target Huffy with big knobby tires, no big deal! I know way too many riders with carbon bikes and bars that that won't do more than 25!

Arkansan07

very good point.

fskywalker

Mine was on a charity event, on a hilly (mountain) route, felt like more than a metric century.... By the way, some people here don't like metric centuries since they say is not a "real" century (see link below)


https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=metric

banerjek

I tricked my wife into doing her first metric century. She didn't even know about it afterwards (it was just me an her riding unsupported).

The most she'd ridden before was 25 miles. The most she'd ridden before then was 5 miles. She did great.

I have no idea when my first metric century was. When I first started riding centuries, I'd never heard the term. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I heard the term until I was in my 30's, but I didn't really do group rides before.

mike868y

62.5 miles != a century.

The Weak Link

It was painful but he said he really loved me and that he would call me the next day.

JoelS

I don't remember. I was 10. Did my first 100mi ride at 11. I'm 41 now. It was quite a while ago.

halfspeed

It was early in the morning after a tornado producing storm passed through. Winds were still blowing hard all day. When it was a cross wind, I had to lean in to it to keep on the road. When it was a head wind, it was just suffering. I don't remember there being a tail wind, but it was a loop so it had to be there for at least a little while. The ride was actually 68 miles and the longest I had ridden previously was thirty.

Nachoman

I remember my first half metric century. It was a day like any other day . . .

hairnet

I did mine pretty soon after getting my first road bike. I had a friend that kept trying to get to do more serious rides instead of just riding around the city for fun. I hadn't done any cardio workout for 6 months at that point. I went with a group, which was my first roadie ride, at only like 17mph. I went pretty well for the first half, but was left to fight the wind as the group started to draft and pull away. I was in totally dead on the 2nd half and I was fortunate enough that the group wouldn't drop me.

I was in running shoes with toe clips, a T shirt, regular spandex shorts, a skate helmet and bag on my back. fffrrrrrrrrreeeeeeddd

BarryJo

you don't look as "fred" as the dude in the flannel, jeans and black sneakers. How'd he do in the ride?
BTW - you keep good company, that's the most eclectic group of riders I've ever seen.

edit: the guy in the flannel isn't "fred", he's "grunge" all the way!

BarryJo

My first metric was in on a Giant Cypress sx (toe clip pedals, straight bars) with several other guys riding Allez, Lemonds and a Univega with downtube shifters.
I think we spent more time for coffee and pastry stops than actual riding.
That was good fun!

youcoming

Did my first with a group, no big deal heck I didn't even realize till someone said there goes a hundred.

kindablue

did he?