Notices
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Looking to lose that spare tire? Ideal weight 200+? Frustrated being a large cyclist in a sport geared for the ultra-light? Learn about the bikes and parts that can take the abuse of a heavier cyclist, how to keep your body going while losing the weight, and get support from others who've been successful.

Solo Century

Old 10-07-19, 08:21 AM
  #1  
Podagrower
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Podagrower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 678

Bikes: Giant Defy Composite, Spechialized Ruby (hers), Niner RLT9, Miyata 712, Condor ??

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 31 Times in 19 Posts
Solo Century

Nothing on the club list caught my interest for Saturday, so I decided to ride solo. I decided I wold retrace last weekend's 70 mile ride and turn around when I got tired since the wind was supposed to be the same as last weekend and having a tailwind on the way in sounded good to me. I like group riding, the chatter, the shared work and the bigger the group usually the less work to go around. But I also like the small group ride, way easier to get 5 or 6 people in and out of a SAG stop than 20. The solo ride is another animal completely. It's just you and your bike against the wind. You decide on the pace, you decide on the SAG stops, it's all on you whether the rides gets done or not.

At mile 50, I felt good and had the wind at my back, so I started looking for short segments to add distance. Five miles here, take the loop around instead of the straight road. At mile 75, the most direct route to the truck was 9 miles and being 16 miles short of a century was just not tolerable so I put in an 8 mile out and back on a trail section.

It's been a few years since I did a solo century and I've been itching to do one since about June, but timing and weather haven't cooperated. My average speed wasn't going to win any records, but with almost 40 miles of trails instead of roads I'm not mad about it either.
Podagrower is offline  
Likes For Podagrower:
Old 10-07-19, 08:37 AM
  #2  
MattTheHat 
Senior Member
 
MattTheHat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,624

Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 3,982 Times in 1,415 Posts
The only century I've ever ridden was solo. There was a head wind for the last 12 miles or so. That was a rough 12 miles.

Sounds like a very nice ride!
MattTheHat is offline  
Old 10-07-19, 10:21 AM
  #3  
jsigone
got the climbing bug
 
jsigone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,204

Bikes: one for everything

Mentioned: 81 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 632 Post(s)
Liked 908 Times in 273 Posts
you're lucky to have a trail network that has that many miles to offer.
__________________
Rule #10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster.
jsigone is offline  
Old 10-07-19, 11:09 AM
  #4  
Podagrower
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Podagrower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 678

Bikes: Giant Defy Composite, Spechialized Ruby (hers), Niner RLT9, Miyata 712, Condor ??

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 31 Times in 19 Posts

Originally Posted by jsigone
you're lucky to have a trail network that has that many miles to offer.
Absolutely! The State has a grand plan for a 250 mile trail from the East coast to the West. My house is about 15 miles north and the county level plans include a spur of the trail that will go right past my office and a bike lane along the 2 lane 55 MPH road I live on. There are places where riding on the trail isn't a better option than riding on the road, but the thought of knocking out a 200K from home without being on the road makes me salivate a lil bit.
Podagrower is offline  
Likes For Podagrower:
Old 10-07-19, 02:41 PM
  #5  
NomarsGirl
Senior Member
 
NomarsGirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Easton, MA
Posts: 632

Bikes: Specialized Ruby Sport

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 318 Post(s)
Liked 314 Times in 165 Posts
Great job! If I ever do a century, it will likely be solo. I can't find any group rides near me that I could keep up with or that ride at a time that works for me. I did my first half-century last weekend. Next up, metric century. Not sure I feel the need to do a full century.
NomarsGirl is offline  
Likes For NomarsGirl:
Old 10-07-19, 03:38 PM
  #6  
Milton Keynes
Senior Member
 
Milton Keynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947

Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times in 936 Posts
I did two centuries which were organized rides. Not exactly solo, but I wasn't riding with anyone, either, at least for the last 50 miles each time. I might pace myself with other riders and strike up a conversation here or there, but I was basically going at my own pace the whole time. But the longest I've ever ridden solo was probably about 75 miles, one year when I was training up for said century ride.
Milton Keynes is offline  
Old 10-21-19, 06:30 AM
  #7  
Podagrower
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Podagrower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 678

Bikes: Giant Defy Composite, Spechialized Ruby (hers), Niner RLT9, Miyata 712, Condor ??

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 31 Times in 19 Posts
And this year's third century is in the books. I made a lot of mistakes yesterday-it was overcast early so I didn't drink, when it did get hot, my hydration was problematic. Helping a (faster) rider out with his first century, which was fine unless there was a hill or headwind (and it was windy all day). My legs wanted to cramp, my asthma wanted to pounce. And I almost wound up as a hood ornament when I screwed up the apex to a corner and the bike went way wide. Not my greatest day on the bike, you can't win them all.
Podagrower is offline  
Likes For Podagrower:
Old 10-23-19, 09:33 AM
  #8  
Podagrower
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Podagrower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 678

Bikes: Giant Defy Composite, Spechialized Ruby (hers), Niner RLT9, Miyata 712, Condor ??

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 31 Times in 19 Posts
And now I know why I struggled so hard on Sunday. Some MFer gave me a cold. Started with a sore throat Monday afternoon, went home early yesterday and slept about 12 hours. Always a good sign when you get winded taking a shower.
Podagrower is offline  
Old 10-24-19, 10:01 AM
  #9  
TheDudeIsHere
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 467
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 188 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times in 161 Posts
One year I did 23 centuries as part of a century a month challenge. Got so that I could ride a century fairly easy. I would do 100 solo miles in 5:45 with a 30 minute break to munch on a sandwich. Some were organized rides but after spending money to go ride around people, I figured why not just do it myself?

Some flat centuries with 2,000 ft (?) 5:45 including an organized ride Palm Springs, easy century.

Then some that were more fun like 10,000 ft. 7:10 ride time, 7:38 official time as it was a timed event. Not bad for a 230 pound Clyde.
TheDudeIsHere is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.