FMadridRN

The mind is willing. Im just nervous with what I would need to survive. Extra tubes, Tire pump, snacks, water....but they have rest stops, road mechanics etc. So really I just need to ride, right? They have a 75, 45, and 25 mile run. Would love to just do the 25 mile one but the 75 mile starts 5 minutes from my house lol. The only thing i know in my mind which makes it easier is that I know that the elevation is all down hill. City to Shore. Thought and tips? It's a Month away so Im mentally preparing.

VegasVic

What's the furthest you've ridden? I you can do 40-50, then 75 will be relatively easy if you hydrate, eat, and ride at your own pace.

The rest stops make all the difference in the world.

PhotoJoe 

How far can you ride now? If the elevation is all downhill, you'll be amazed at how far and how fast you can ride! I know nothing of what I speak, but I'm positive you could nail the 75 with no problem! Why else would the start it so close to home for you? Have a great time and we want a full report!

RichardGlover

What's the furthest distance you've ridden recently in a single ride?

Increase that by 10% per week... riding at that at least 2 days per week. If you can get to 50, 30, or 15 by the week before the MS Ride, then take most of that week off and go for the 75, 45, or 25 mile distances, respectively.

I think that works out to:

Currently doing 35+, train up to 50 by the week before the event, then do the 75 on event-day.
Current max is 22-35, train up to 30ish, and do 45 event-day.
If you're currently doing less than 22ish, I'd stick with the 25 mile option on event day.

grueling

tubes, pump, water, snacks, are all a good idea. Along with knowing how to change a flat. Many organized rides have mechanics but they may not be close if you do flat.

Go for it and enjoy the experience

TrojanHorse

I would plan your ride as if they are providing no support (for things like flats and mechanical problems).

I would add in single serve electrolyte mix (gatorade, cytomax etc) in case they only have water at your rest stops.

Bring SOME snacks but not as many as you think you might need, and make sure you eat at the rest stops.

Other than that - have fun. Riding downhill is awesome.

mikehattan

You'll be able to go farther than you think on a charity ride like this. Bike MS rides are pretty well organized and have good support from my experience.

At a minimum, bring spare tube, patch kit, water bottles, and maybe a cliff bar or snack. There're be someone to help if you need it.

FMadridRN

Thanks for the tips. From what i'm reading .......... Im going to die. lol. I got some training to do.

Rwebb

I agree with mikehattan. The MS rides are great fun. Just enjoy the ride and camaraderie. You will be surprised at what you can do surrounded by 1000 or more bikes.

jeneralist 

City to Shore is great. I did it last year for the first time, and I'm heading back this year. The support is amazing: I somehow managed to break the bolt that held my seat to the seatpost (!), and they had me back on the road in 15 minutes. Bring what you need to fix a flat (tube and/or patch kit, pump and/or CO2). Last year, I saw lots of people with race bikes with skinny tires over on the side of the road with flat tires or broken spokes who had packed so lightly they couldn't even fix their own flat; this year, you need to get your bike inspected at a local shop before the ride if you want to be able to have their SAG team help you out (they send you a coupon for the inspection when you sign up, it's free).

They have amazing amounts of food, water, and electrolyte drinks on the way. If you have some particular brand of magic food, you will want to bring your own; otherwise, don't feel like you need to bring enough food for the whole distance.

For the 75 mile ride, the only hill to mention is at the very end, when we cross the bridge to Ocean City. We get routed on the sidewalk, not in the car lane, across the bridge. Folks wind up going basically single file, and when the person in front of you can't handle the hill anymore and stops suddenly, it's not fun. (It's really not fun when the person in front of you stops suddenly halfway up the slope to take a picture!)

Rhodabike

My husband does a two-day MS bike tour every year. He just takes his pump, patch kit, and spare inner tube, as there are plenty of rest stops for food, more than enough really (every 8 kilometers). He only stops at about every third one. They will almost certainly have electrolyte drinks at the rest stops, which saves you having to clean it off your bike the next day. (No bottle seals completely).
As for distance, he does the challenge loops to bring the first day up to 90 kilometers, but rarely rides farther than 40 in training. Mind you, he's retired, so has the ability to do 2 hour rides in the middle of the day on a fairly regular basis. Consistency is probably more important than huge distances at this point.

indyfabz

This will be my 21st consecutive City-to-Shore. Thanks for the chuckle. Cherry Hill, NJ sits at an elevation of about 82' above sea level. As such, the 75 mile route is a slight net elevation loss, but the ride is not all down hill. If you live in the area you should be familiar with the rollers on Kresson Rd. Not long after you cross NJ 73 you start a sustained, but relatively gentle climb which ends with a short, steep section going to Atco. There are several other sections where you have gentlle slogs up hill. Then there are the two bridges near the end. I usually see people walking one or both of them. And, of course, if you ride both ways every hill you go down on Saturday you have ride up on Sunday. Then there is the potential for wind, especially crossing the final last two bridges.

Don't ride on worn out tires. Bring at least two tubes, a decent pump and the know-how to change a flat, especially if it rains during or the day before the ride. (I put out road signs last year the day before the event and it had rained pretty good.) You might get fast assistance from a mechanic or a volunteer with a floor pump, or you might not. The odds of getting fast service decreease dramatically if a lot of people are flatting. Bring two water bottles. I usuaully bring some Gu, but there are usually plenty of snacks available at the numerous rest stops. Gator Ade is also plentiful, but don't overload on that junk. Water is the best.

Ride to the right and ride defensively. Don't get caught up the moment and ride dangerously and in a manner that hinders faster people (e.g., in the middle of the road). There could be 6,999 other people out there. "On your left" means two things. 1: If you are riding where you shouldn't be, move over. 2: Don't pull out to pass anyone because you are about to get pased. Obey traffic laws and don't hinder motor vehilce traffic. When you cause traffic back ups, it affects those behind you in a negative way.

Show up to the start early if you are driving or else risk sitting in traffic for a relatively long time. Pace yourself while riding. One of the worst things you can do is hook up with people and try to ride faster than you are really capable of over that distance. A lot of people burn themselves out doing so and either don't finish or finisdh in misery. Some people injure themselves doing so. While you can rest, don't dawdle at the rest stops.

There is a rider expo on Wednesday. I recommend attending. Details on the web site.

nkfrench 

Cellphones are really handy if anything goes wrong or get lost off course.
ID, insurance card, money
Spare tube, tire irons, CO2 inflator+cartridges for a couple of flat changes. $1 bill for booting a damaged tire
Sunscreen/lipbalm
Don't know what weather you expect, dress in layers if it will be cold at ride start. Have a plan for how to carry unneeded layers when it warms up. I've used a drawstring backpack when temps start in 40's and end in mid-70's.
I like bringing a 3-oz container with chamois butt'r and some wet wipes to tidy up and reapply lube after pitstops.

indyfabz

With 7,000 riders, road markings and arrows on poles, etc,. if you get lost you probably shouldn't be riding a bike.

FMadridRN

Thanks for the heads up Indy.