dja1

I've really been enjoying my bike recently. I'd stopped for years, only really doing a few hundred mi each summer. Guess it lost its magic one day with my poor mental health but things have really been on the up. Back in 2019 I was doing 130-140mi a ride and it felt like nothing, oh how things have changed.

like I say though, things are on the up and I've been enjoying riding my bike a lot the last month, usually do 20 mile every day without fail and done 35 with a couple of little hills the last 2. I've been feeling good on the bike if not a bit slow which is pretty understandable.

I realise that my next step will be getting back into group rides as this will really help me physically and mentally. I have an opportunity to do just shy of 100mi, with some real decent hills on Sunday. Seriously considering it, but wondering if I'm biting off more than I can chew much too soon, or if I should just back loads of sugar and carbs into my jersey and just turn up. WWYD, should I be capable of such a ride even back to basic fitness?

RB1-luvr

I'd be worried about comfort. Will your butt/neck/shoulders/wrists etc be ok with that much time in the saddle.

shelbyfv

If you were regularly doing 60 milers I'd say give it a try. With your lack of base miles you will likely both suffer and fail. There will be another chance.

dja1

Could certainly be true. The club do have another shorter, flatter ride on that day of 60-70mi. Maybe that would be a better idea l, just for the one week, then I could go from there depending on how it goes. It's just the fact that the big hitters who I want to see will be on the longer ride!

Barry2 

Take your 35 mile route and do it twice, how’d that feel?

It’s fun to go with the group, but not exactly encouraging to get dropped.

Barry

rsbob 

If you are contemplating doing the Flying Wheels century ride, with 4000’ of climbing, it is one of the toughest century rides around. Personally I would reconsider unless you have been doing 70 mile rides without issue. I have done it a few times and it was tough even when having a pace partner to trade off with. The 70 mile ride will be plenty challenging. I would do that instead. But even if it’s not Flying Wheels, I would still not recommend making the leap from 35 to 100. Too big a leap unless you are in your 20s or 30s.

Iride01 

If you ride with a group you'll save quite a bit of energy. Even just one person trading turns on the front will help, but more up to a point will be better.

1 mile pulls for each person and rotate out. If you have a PM, glance at it some. You'll be amazed at the difference of being behind someone as opposed to on very front. Even a way smaller person in front gives a decent draft.

And there is no shame in not making it all the way.

dja1

It would be hard working doing it 2x but I reckon I could.

Sunday's are slower cafe rides so I wouldn't get dropped.

Did do a 20mi chainy, it was very hard work and I was at my absolute limit but I just about kept up. Not dropped.

My only concern is my legs handling the distance.
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CAT7RDR

For me that would be a big jump at 60 y/o when my most recent ride was 60 miles.
There are too many variables that we do not know about you to know what you are entertaining versus your limitations.
Stress can be good, but it can also derail you for a bit.

There are relatively easy rail trail type centuries and mountainous major sufferfests that require great fitness.

t2p

great to see you are back on the bike and enjoying it

( I was off bikes for a while and it’s been great to ride again)

have you gained weight since you were riding longer distances / hills ?

weight is an absolute killer for climbing ... (unfortunately currently have firsthand knowledge)

Iride01 

You have to find the people that ride at your ability. Sounds like the group you were with was riding a little more than what you are capable of comfortably doing at this point in time.

Watch those around you during the first miles of the start and assess whether they look like they ride about the same. Then pedal up next to them and say "hi". You might find yourself in a small group of new-found friends and go the distance or at least twice as far as you expect to go solo. I did that a couple months ago when I didn't feel up to riding with my normal group for that particular ride.

t2p

you know the drill ... start out slow / proper warm up and hydrate properly

spin on the climbs

I’ve done tough centuries (8800+ ft climbing) when some did not follow that advice - and they looked so bad at the later rest stops I could barely recognize them

dja1

Small amount, maybe like 10-15lb. At 135lb I was one of the best climbers in the group back when I was well into riding and would usually be waiting at the top of climbs. I'm sure that wouldn't be the case now (yet) but it wouldn't be weight holding me back, just a lack of training since then!

PeteHski

Given that you are an experienced rider who knows what it takes to do a hard century ride, you would be the best judge of your current fitness and ability. A lot will depend on the pace of the ride and your comfort on the bike. It will also be harder if there are hard climbs near the end.

FWIW I can do hard century rides off low volume training, but I do train consistently. If you have been doing a lot of 20 mile rides at a decent pace then you may well be able to tackle a century ride with the right preparation (good nutrition and rest beforehand) and a good in-ride fuelling strategy. But it will likely show up any bike fit issues that may not be apparent on short rides. I would also try not to be too ambitious with your carb intake during the ride as your gut won’t be acclimatised. Eat and drink little and often with simple carb sources that you get on with, along with plenty of water.

t2p

that’s good news - you are ready to go !

pdlamb

I lost a lot of condition over the winter, and I'm slowly trying to get it back. While my numbers look similar to yours, I won't be trying to ride a century this weekend.

You may well be in better shape, and/or younger, than I am. So you might be able to do it. But why? It's just the beginning of the summer, and I'll go out on a limb and guess you'll have more chances for a century group ride. Why not try a step up, say 60-75 miles? If that goes well, grab the next century chance that rolls around. Otherwise, continue to extend your long rides until you can do it easily.

dja1

I do think that this is the best option realistically. A second group is doing an easier ride of about 65 mi, maybe some small hills. If I can do that with a group (I'm 99% sure I can) then I'm sure the century should be doable when it next comes a few wks later.

1989Pre 

It sounds like you are doing the right things for yourself. A "hilly" 100 (with over 5000 ft of climbing) could de-spirit you, though.
Instead of riding this century that you spoke of, arrange some 40-50 mile solo rides and then register for a moderate-topography century for the fall. It is good to have a goal to compel you, but you need to have the training beforehand, to rely on and refer to.

79pmooney

Look carefully (and objectively) at the ride. It's a group ride. Riding with a group offers 1) companionship and incentive and 2) the draft. But - you have to ride group speed. Say at mile 40 (or 70 when you are past the point of no return) you find the ride just a little too hard and fast and know you will be playing the fool if you continue at the group speed. So what you need to look at is - can you drop out of the group, proceed alone and finish the ride OK or are you setting yourself up for a nightmare. And, if this ride turns into an epic (as in so hard you never want to do that again) ride, is that OK or will it turn you away from riding?

Epic rides can be both good and bad. A very honest look at yourself may suggest whether such a risk is worth it. When I was 25 I just went. Now at 70, far easier rides can be epic. "It's just not worth it" comes to mind more than occasionally. I still do rides that are near too much. Now I pay with injuries that often drag out a long time.

dja1

Done 75mi/2500ft. Not a struggle or hard work at all, I was a little tired towards the end but I could have pushed on and done a century.

Mostly just saddle sore, slight neck discomfort but that should all dissipate soon enough as I get conditioned to the bike again.

Roll on next weekend 👍

shelbyfv

Good job!

Pop N Wood

Just try it and find out. You will do what you do regardless of how fast the others do. Just don't let youthful pride push yourself into exhaustion.

Having survived a hip replacement and open heart surgery in back to back years I've found the only thing that matters is how well I did compared to the day before. We all get older and slow down, just keep pushing the limits.