Do you ride in the drops on a century? Century Angst Ramble
07-18-11, 03:31 AM
#27
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Good job on the 60 miles ... now spend the week doing shorter, faster rides, and next weekend, go ride 75 miles and see how you feel.
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Last edited by Machka; 07-18-11 at 03:35 AM.
07-18-11, 08:30 AM
#29
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I really doubt a flat century will take you 9 hours as long as you are comfortable riding in a paceline. You did twice the climbing on your 50 mile ride you are going to do in the 111 of the ULCER. I would bet you will be done in less than 7.5 hours. Keep getting saddle time and you will be fine.
07-18-11, 08:57 AM
#30
Professional Fuss-Budget
OK, maybe I missed someone else saying this, but...
You're not supposed to spend 90% of your time in the drops.
If you are spending that much time in the drops, then your bars are way too high. You should only use them when going into the wind, descending, or to occasionally change up your position.
By the way, when you do that century, you'll notice that the overwhelming majority spend time in the hoods.
Get a real bike fit, get your bars and saddle in the optimum spot.
You're not supposed to spend 90% of your time in the drops.
If you are spending that much time in the drops, then your bars are way too high. You should only use them when going into the wind, descending, or to occasionally change up your position.
By the way, when you do that century, you'll notice that the overwhelming majority spend time in the hoods.
Get a real bike fit, get your bars and saddle in the optimum spot.
07-18-11, 08:58 AM
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Glad to hear you got out and did a bit longer ride. I was going to say - I've done BCC myself pretty easily, but got my ass handed to me on a 60 mile ride. I dont think being able to do BCC necessarily translates into being able to ride a century, just into being able to suffer up hills.
However, my 60 mile bonk might have had something to do with the complete lack of calories I took in on the ride. Fail.
That being said, being able to do BCC would definitely translate into a much better shot at completing this:
https://myreasontoride.org/blog/events/
You should sign up!
However, my 60 mile bonk might have had something to do with the complete lack of calories I took in on the ride. Fail.
That being said, being able to do BCC would definitely translate into a much better shot at completing this:
https://myreasontoride.org/blog/events/
You should sign up!
07-18-11, 09:27 AM
#32
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07-18-11, 09:42 AM
#33
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If you're doing a 50 mile ride with 5000 ft elevation gain (that's a lot of climbing) you can definitely do a 111 mile ride with 2000 ft elevation gain (quite a flat ride), although you may be more exhausted by the end. I find flatter rides to hurt in different ways than ones with more hills as you have less of a break.
Your average will likely be 15 MPH or better because of the flat road compared to what you're doing now. If you're averaging 14.7 with all of that climbing you could probably average 17-18 on a 50 mile course of the same flatness as that century, but you will slow down due to the length of it.
I'd suggest starting out the first 1/2 of the ride taking it easy and not pushing yourself (especially up hills). Focus on efficiency with shifting, spin at a relatively high cadence, and make sure you're comfortable. At mile 55-60 start putting in a little more effort if you're feeling good, but don't overdo it. By mile 90 you'll likely be suffering but just keep going as best as possible.
07-18-11, 10:18 AM
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True dat. IMO, there's a strong time component. 5-7 hrs in the saddle is a long time and it's those last few hours that hurt the most. Did a century yesterday and figure I spent maybe 15-20% in the drops. The tops of my bars are 10cm below the top of the saddle. I find lower bars work better for my back than higher positions.
07-18-11, 10:26 AM
#36
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07-18-11, 10:34 AM
#37
ah.... sure.
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This and on decent... Oh, and for the ultimate prize. 
It's very rare when not pulling that I have a need to go to the drops... Maybe to bridge when someone leaves a gap that has to be closed quick.
When solo riding I may use the drops more if I'm beating myself into a headwind and need to get my ride done.. Otherwise I don't worry about it since I gauge my training on time in the saddle and effort and not miles.
It's very rare when not pulling that I have a need to go to the drops... Maybe to bridge when someone leaves a gap that has to be closed quick.When solo riding I may use the drops more if I'm beating myself into a headwind and need to get my ride done.. Otherwise I don't worry about it since I gauge my training on time in the saddle and effort and not miles.
07-18-11, 10:34 AM
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I_just_love_ambiguous question that get definitive answers.
There are so many variables [many of them unknown] that the only plausible correct answer is: It depends.
My personal experience is that most 100+ training rides I'll use a variety of positions that suit the moment. But......last year, after stopping for some time dealing with a sticky link, I chased the fast bunch solo for 100 of the 111 mile ride. The vast majority of time I was on the drops [10+ cm drop].
Bad bike fit, bad fitness and your ride goals will have you in a different position then good fit/fitness and different goals.
Period.
There are so many variables [many of them unknown] that the only plausible correct answer is: It depends.
My personal experience is that most 100+ training rides I'll use a variety of positions that suit the moment. But......last year, after stopping for some time dealing with a sticky link, I chased the fast bunch solo for 100 of the 111 mile ride. The vast majority of time I was on the drops [10+ cm drop].
Bad bike fit, bad fitness and your ride goals will have you in a different position then good fit/fitness and different goals.
Period.
07-18-11, 11:26 AM
#39
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I really doubt a flat century will take you 9 hours as long as you are comfortable riding in a paceline. You did twice the climbing on your 50 mile ride you are going to do in the 111 of the ULCER. I would bet you will be done in less than 7.5 hours. Keep getting saddle time and you will be fine.
Good luck!
Last edited by Clipped_in; 07-18-11 at 11:32 AM.
07-18-11, 01:05 PM
#40
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There is not big of a difference in your torso angle going from your hoods to your drops. You should not have that much pain in your legs. Your saddle may be too far back causing the angle to be sharper than it should be. When you do a hamstring stretch, can you touch your ankles? If not, you will want to stretch your hamstrings three times a day to loosen them up. Stretch each leg individually for 20 seconds and them both together for 20 seconds. Don't do any more than that in each session. You don't want to over do it. The goal is to slowly extend your ham strings, not over extend them in several long stretches.
On a century ride, you should change positions regularly to reduce fatigue. Change from drops, hoods, tops and out of saddle as appropriate to improve circulation and work different muscles. Unless you are trying for a time record, there is no reason to kill yourself. If you see a tandem in the century, then make friends with them and draft off of the tandem the whole way.
On a century ride, you should change positions regularly to reduce fatigue. Change from drops, hoods, tops and out of saddle as appropriate to improve circulation and work different muscles. Unless you are trying for a time record, there is no reason to kill yourself. If you see a tandem in the century, then make friends with them and draft off of the tandem the whole way.
07-18-11, 01:38 PM
#41
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I'll reinforce what was said earlier: use all positions as you are able, including being on the tops or hoods and then bending your elbows to get down a bit lower. Position-wise, that's kinda halfway between the tops and the drops.
Also, 9 hrs for a first 1.11x century is almost guaranteed. Those usually include lots of stopping, eating, peeing, resting, talking and just time spent scratching your head wondering what it's all about.
It's great fun! Enjoy!
Also, 9 hrs for a first 1.11x century is almost guaranteed. Those usually include lots of stopping, eating, peeing, resting, talking and just time spent scratching your head wondering what it's all about.
It's great fun! Enjoy!
07-18-11, 01:48 PM
#42
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OP, you are overthinking this.
I did a 2 day 200 mile ride a couple weeks ago. Among people I saw complete the ride were guys on knobby tired mountain bikes wearing jeans, middle age woman on cruisers that were pushing 300 lbs and one guy on a unicycle.
You won't have a problem.
I did a 2 day 200 mile ride a couple weeks ago. Among people I saw complete the ride were guys on knobby tired mountain bikes wearing jeans, middle age woman on cruisers that were pushing 300 lbs and one guy on a unicycle.
You won't have a problem.
07-18-11, 02:08 PM
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Sounds like you have the basic conditioning.
Besides mental fortitude, which may be more important than conditioning, your biggest issues will be staying properly hydrated, keeping your electrolyte balance in check and maintaining fueling.
On a recent, hot, flat 120 mile ride, I started with a banana and double oatmeal for breakfast, drank 8-9 full water bottles, had a quick Big Mac and salty fries (hey, it was trailside, about halfway in, settled fine), a 32oz bottle of Gatorade with a Snickers, and a couple salty peanut Nature Valley bars. Adjust to suite, but don't try anything radical or untested. Intake was paced fairly evenly over whole distance. Younger guy on a group ride last week yacked after a half a bottle of Cytomax and a tough hill. Just didn't sit well with him. YMWV.
Besides mental fortitude, which may be more important than conditioning, your biggest issues will be staying properly hydrated, keeping your electrolyte balance in check and maintaining fueling.
On a recent, hot, flat 120 mile ride, I started with a banana and double oatmeal for breakfast, drank 8-9 full water bottles, had a quick Big Mac and salty fries (hey, it was trailside, about halfway in, settled fine), a 32oz bottle of Gatorade with a Snickers, and a couple salty peanut Nature Valley bars. Adjust to suite, but don't try anything radical or untested. Intake was paced fairly evenly over whole distance. Younger guy on a group ride last week yacked after a half a bottle of Cytomax and a tough hill. Just didn't sit well with him. YMWV.
07-18-11, 02:12 PM
#44
Full Member
You'll probably be fine for the first 60 miles, then suffer a massive stroke and die. But you'll do fine the next time. It's how most of us learned to distance ride.
07-18-11, 02:13 PM
#45
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My first 100 mile ride was solo and took just 6 hours. It was a mostly urban ride too. If I can do that, anyone can. With a proper bike fit, good saddle and knowing it's not about being in the drops all the time you can do it with little discomfort.
08-07-11, 10:32 AM
#46
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How much time do you spend riding in the drops when doing a century?
With just under a month to go before my 111 mile ride, I'm trying to figure out why I signed up. Can I even do it? It could be 100 degrees on the hot Utah roads in August. (ULCER is the official name of the ride.)
I usually ride on the hoods. After about seven weeks of riding, I'm just now getting enough flexibility to ride in the drops for short distances (a mile or so before going back to the hoods). Hamstrings don't like the position. The top of my bars are about 7cm lower than the seat.
When I go into drop position, my speed usually jumps up .5 mph or 1 mph. But it seems to cause more stress on my legs. I'm pretty tall at 6'2" so there is a ton of wind resistance if I am too upright.
*Should I try to spend increasing amounts of time in drop mode as I prepare for the century? Are there stretches I should be doing to increase flexibility? (Can barely touch the floor with my fingertips = not super flexible.)
*Last Question for now: If I can climb 4600 feet to the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon https://www.saltlakecycling.com/showride.php?rideID=1000 on a 40 mile round-trip ride, does that relate to being able to finish a century? So far that was my longest ride, and the century will only have around 2000 feet of climbing spread out over a long distance.
With just under a month to go before my 111 mile ride, I'm trying to figure out why I signed up. Can I even do it? It could be 100 degrees on the hot Utah roads in August. (ULCER is the official name of the ride.)
I usually ride on the hoods. After about seven weeks of riding, I'm just now getting enough flexibility to ride in the drops for short distances (a mile or so before going back to the hoods). Hamstrings don't like the position. The top of my bars are about 7cm lower than the seat.
When I go into drop position, my speed usually jumps up .5 mph or 1 mph. But it seems to cause more stress on my legs. I'm pretty tall at 6'2" so there is a ton of wind resistance if I am too upright.
*Should I try to spend increasing amounts of time in drop mode as I prepare for the century? Are there stretches I should be doing to increase flexibility? (Can barely touch the floor with my fingertips = not super flexible.)
*Last Question for now: If I can climb 4600 feet to the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon https://www.saltlakecycling.com/showride.php?rideID=1000 on a 40 mile round-trip ride, does that relate to being able to finish a century? So far that was my longest ride, and the century will only have around 2000 feet of climbing spread out over a long distance.
I had the funniest thing happen. I wore my Hincapie sportswear jersey for the ride (it's a good looking jersey IMO) and some guy asked me if I was really George. My response after laughing out loud was, "Well, we are the same height, but he's much better looking, 30# lighter, 10 years younger, and a whole lot faster on a bike." It kinda made my day however.
I guess people have pro riders on the brain since Mr. Hincapie, et al. will be riding that route in reverse on Thursday in the Tour of Utah.
Last edited by Clipped_in; 08-07-11 at 10:46 AM.
08-07-11, 10:50 AM
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Drops are good. Going from the tops into a a good aero position makes a much much bigger difference than any aero frame or wheels. Practice makes perfect. Work at increasing the duration and intensity you can ride in the drops.
08-07-11, 10:55 AM
#48
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
If the 111 miles is not a race and the goal is to finish one should take a lesson from those who are used to riding long distances... if you look at most touring set ups with drops the bar position is higher which can allow one to spend more time riding in the drops.
This is beneficial when one has to spend long hours riding into a headwind and a little more aero position helps a lot and it should not have to hurt.
This is beneficial when one has to spend long hours riding into a headwind and a little more aero position helps a lot and it should not have to hurt.
08-07-11, 11:23 AM
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If the 111 miles is not a race and the goal is to finish one should take a lesson from those who are used to riding long distances... if you look at most touring set ups with drops the bar position is higher which can allow one to spend more time riding in the drops.
This is beneficial when one has to spend long hours riding into a headwind and a little more aero position helps a lot and it should not have to hurt.
This is beneficial when one has to spend long hours riding into a headwind and a little more aero position helps a lot and it should not have to hurt.
08-07-11, 11:34 AM
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That's awesome about your Hincapie jersey. I could lend you my huge seat bag, Road Morph pump and mountain-bike shoes, and then nobody would ask you if you were George
I'm looking for more centuries to sign up for--as long as they don't overlap with Utah football!