PeteHski

This is a great point to make. Basically if you are riding pretty hard, 90 mins is about when you run out of gas without topping up on fuel. So it's a good strategy to start taking on fuel early and often. I just nibble and sip pretty much the whole ride on the go.

Voodoo76

As some above have mentioned, better to start out easy and finish strong. Given that you are in control of the pace & have plenty of fueling and hydration in an organized century, much easier than a solo ride.

My opinion longer rides are as much a test of bike fit as anything else. How do you feel after 2 hours? Any focused pressure points? Do you move around on the bars? Stand up & stretch? Any mild chafing? Foot numbness or discomfort? All of these get significantly magnified as time increases.

big john

Maybe, depends on the event. Some don't have anyone to pick people up and the ones that do can be overwhelmed.

I did the Solvang Century 9 times. Big event, 1000s of riders. One time it started raining, like torrential downpour. I told my friend we should go to the next sag stop and wait for the truck. When we got there it was packed with people waiting for a ride. We just finished the ride, it wasn't so bad when the rain let up.

Porknz

I know. Apparently bike shops sometimes have classes? I've watched videos on youtube, so I think in a really bad situation I could figure it out. I feel more comfortable on a long ride like this, where I don't know the course, that someone would be there to help me if I get a flat.

Porknz

So many questions here!

1. I have a little experience with the free services offered by the garmin app, and the strava app. Can you tell me more about ridewithgps? I really want to have the map in my 530 because I'm not used to riding in a group.
2. Does my 530 have the elevation functions you mentioned?
3. This is the 22nd year of this event, but it appears to be starting and ending at a brewery, which is new this year. I asked an organizer about the routes, but haven't heard back yet. Hopefully this week.

Porknz

Event is 9/19. I think my plan is to stop at most of the rest stops. Not worried about speed, and I kind of suck at drinking and riding so far. I'm thinking of making myself pull over at stops to drink. When I ride solo, I typically stop for a minute or two at the half way point to drink half a bottle, but I know that's no plan for an event like this. What do you use for electrolyte mix? When I ride solo, it's just water for me, and before and after usually a protein granola bar.

Porknz

A good pair of gloves with gel padding stopped the numb fingers I was getting the first few months I rode. Allowed me to use many more positions comfortably and to quit gripping so tight. Only other bother is when I get riding four or five days a week, the bottom of my left hammy sometimes get a sore spot. Not sure if it's the seat, or my bibs, or my legs that were built for soccer for 35 years vs the four months I've done cycling now. Any suggestions for something to bring with in case I start to get a saddle sore at some point in the ride?

Porknz

If I can cram one in somewhere, do you pack a raincoat? I wear bibs, a base layer, and a cycling shirt. Extra socks or anything like that if weather looks sketchy? I hadn't thought of that.

Is it worth investing in something like this to go over my top? https://www.twinsix.com/collections/...39344535994465

ericcox

So you have about 3 weeks - you can absolutely practice some of the skills. In answer to some of the above.

1)The 530 has the elevation screen someone mentioned above. You can also set up a screen that shows distance and elevation remaining.

2) I find it easiest to download Ride with gps routes as files to my computer then load them to Garmin Connect. I'm happy to share how to do this if you are not sure.

3) For drink mix, I use liquid IV personally, but there are lots of good ones. If there are rest stops every 10 miles or so, you should be fine. If you aren't comfortable drinking and eating on the bike, a large group ride isn't the place to practice :-). That said, on a solo ride, start getting comfortable reaching for a bottle or getting food from a jersey pocket. It becomes second nature very quickly. It will be a big help in the future.

rm -rf

ridewithgps.com
All the local ride leaders use ridewithgps to create routes.
Sign up for a free ridewithgps account. I have the pay version, which adds some features useful for planning group rides. And I want to support the site, since I use it so often. But the free version is fine for most riders. The have an app for smartphones, too.

Viewing a route on the web page, I see the red elevation chart at the bottom. I can drag a section of the chart, and it highlights on the map, and shows stats for that section--length, grade%, max & avg. Change the map pulldown to Terrain to see the topography.

It's easy to make a route. browse to the start point, click the map. Now click down a road, and it'll draw to that point. You can undo/redo or drag the white control points to a different road. Save it, and give it a name. Easy.

Download to the Garmin: see the Export FIT file button. It puts a named .fit file in my Downloads folder. Plug in the Garmin, and it acts like a USB drive. Copy the .fit file(s) to the Garmin's Newfiles folder. I always "eject" attached USB drives, so do that, then unplug it. It reboots, and converts the import .fit file into a Saved Course. On the Garmin: Navigate--> Courses --> Saved courses.

I could link my ridewithgps to Garmin Connect, but that never worked reliably with my old Garmin 705, around 2010-2015. Yes, I have ride history from Sept 2010 to now! I plug it in anyway, and I just use the Newfiles method.

indyfabz

Centuries are for those who have nothing better to do with than ride their bikes 100 miles. You will learn this in time.

rm -rf

Elevation charts only work with loaded routes--it has to know where you are going, and the elevation data is embedded in the route file.

The 830/1030 models have both Climbpro that pops up when the rider approaches a climb. Your 530 has it too.

I prefer the Elevation chart that always displays what's coming up. It's good for small rolling hills along with climbs. I think your 530 has it--go into settings-->profiles and Data Screens-->Add New. look for Elevation!

Garmin help page: Using Climbpro
I find this less useful for my local rolling hills with some 300 foot, 1 mile climbs. It did work great for me when I did a mountain ride with 1000 foot climbs that were miles long. It counts off the remaining distance and elevation.


Elevation chart page
I use this all the time. It's so helpful to see what's coming up, and to gauge my progress up a climb.

The Elevation display on my 1030. It appears this is available on your 530. I know it works great on 830 and 1030 models. The 830 is the same, with a screen that's not as tall.

A route with a steep climb about 1/8 mile from the start (as an example.)



Note the scale in the top left and bottom right. Each vertical tickmark line is 200 feet "200 ft". Each horizontal tickmark line is 0.5 miles "0.50 mi". (it can be scaled differently, but this works great, giving good detail on the grades, but enough mileage to be useful.

While riding a route, the rider's current position is a dot at the bottom left tickmark crossing point. So it shows the previous .5 mile and the next 1.5 miles of the route. The graph scrolls along as I ride, of course.
Here, I haven't started the ride yet, so it just shows the beginning portion.

After a few rides, it's easy to get an idea of the grade steepness. rwgps says the hill reaches 10%. I can tell that the steep part is around 110-130 feet high, since it's part way to the next 200 foot mark. It's steepest at the bottom, then eases a bit--good! At the top of the steep climb, it still heads upward, but the grade will be easy, and there's a level portion for 1/8 mile or so. A short 30-40 foot dip, then more moderate climbing at a consistent grade.

Climbpro wouldn't show these small climbs, but I want to see them too!

The notches in the graph are due to fairly rough elevation data points in this area. Some roads will show very smooth, and even 10-20 foot tiny hills show up. Other roads are more blocky, like this.

big john

I dress for the temperature and rarely wear any rain specific clothing. A vest like that will be fine if it's a light rain and if it rains hard you are going to get soaked anyway. I've tried a plastic rain jacket and I sweat so much in it I'm wet from the inside.
I like a vest that I can roll up and put in a jersey pocket.

When riding in cooler conditions I use clothing made for cycling. Wicking material, starting with a baselayer, then a breatheable jersey and finally a wind vest. Cold weather I use wool socks and toe warmers and if it's freezing, chemical warmers inside the toe warmers. A skull cap is nice if it's cold or wet.

genejockey 

You can find videos or articles online about riding your first Century, often with training tips for building up. I'd suggest maybe two weeks out, try doing a 60+ mile ride, with a bit of climbing, because fit issues that don't manifest on a 50 mile ride might become really bad by the time you get to 100. For example, I had built up to riding 50+ miles routinely with no problem, but once I started doing a lot more climbing, and riding 60+ miles I started having slight knee pain and saddle-induced numbness in the nethers. A new saddle and a bike fit later and those problems went away. If it bothers you at 60 miles, it'll kill you at 100.

If you have the opportunity to ride the climbs on the course, do it. You'll know how hard you can push without blowing up.

Learn how to fix a flat, and my advice is DON'T depend on CO2, especially if you haven't practiced. I've TWICE blown out 2 cartridges and had to make the Call Of Shame, because I didn't have a pump. Sure, MAYBE sag will help you, but it would be better not to need them.

surak

I'm not sure you can do a century by only drinking at the rest stops. How far apart are they? If it takes you an hour between each stop, you'd be chugging roughly an entire bottle every time to not get too dehydrated over the course of 6-7 hours of riding. You definitely need to get more comfortable drinking on the bike or figure out an alternative strategy like carrying a hydration pack.

On an organized ride there will likely be other riders around you. Do you have experience riding in groups? If not, you ought to learn how. Otherwise you should immediately drop back if someone gets in front of you. Knowing how to call out road hazards is also important, unless you expect to tell anyone who gets behind you to keep their distance or pass you. These are all skills to prevent you from being a danger to yourself and others. Especially if you don't figure out how to drink on the bike and instead plan to randomly stop for hydration breaks, there'd better not be anyone on your wheel not expecting that to suddenly happen.

Porknz

I'd love whatever info you have on learning to get the pdf map I got today (I think an organizer had mercy on the new guy. Sounds like they don't give the map out until the morning of otherwise.) into something I can use on my garmin.

I think I'm fine with going for water, but I've never eaten on the bike before. Maybe there are some cycling products that aren't that tough to open and consume compared to whatever protein bars I'm used to grabbing at the local grocery store. An experience friend said he wasn't that enamored with gels because he didn't like the consistency, but he said he liked chews?

Porknz

I think I have done something like this once before, just to see on a route how it worked with a nice color map and audible turn directions. Will I be the odd, annoying one if I have turn by turn directions going quietly?

Porknz

I'll look into this when I get my map uploaded then. I remember this climbing feature being a big deal when trying to decide between a 520 and 530 if I remember correctly.

Porknz

Good advice. I haven't ridden in a group, but don't really plan to in the event. I mean a couple people sure, but large group inches away from another tire, I'll be avoiding that as best I can. In riding with one riding partner, he was pretty good about letting me know if something big was in the road. I'll have to be conscious of that as I'm used to just focusing on my own cadence etc.

Porknz

Looks like over the course of the 101 miles...4 rest stops, and two additional water stops. Starts and stops at a brewery.

surak

One tip is to open the products beforehand, rather than while you're riding. Although if there are enough rest stops, it's far less important to eat on the bike than to remember to eat enough (but not gorge yourself) at every stop.

I'm also not enamored with gels. Chews like Clif Shot Bloks or the equivalent from other brands are less messy and you don't need to eat them all at once (I wouldn't advise pre-opening gels!). Even still, I almost never eat any, as I find them to be overkill for an endurance-pace where not taxing one's body so much that normal food can't be digested.

Bah Humbug

I'm so frustrated with goos an gels that I just use Kind bars. It's nice to actually EAT something.

*TWSS

genejockey 

I've started taking scissors to the top of my Clif Shot Bloks packages and cutting them JUST above the bottom of the seal. That way they're still sealed but if I put the end in my mouth and bite down between the 2nd and 3rd Blok from the top, the end opens and I can squeeze them into my mouth. I started doing this after not being able to open a package of them on the fly, and having to pull over to the side to get the damn thing open.

rm -rf

PDF map:
It's interesting that they only hand out a (paper?) map the day of the ride. I assume the roads are marked with spray paint.
I suppose it's to keep "pirate" riders away, somehow? I don't get it. Many event rides have bracelets to show at the rest stops--that's good. A few pirates on the road won't affect anything.
If the route is similar year-to-year, there will be garmin recordings of the ride route from previous years.

You could make your own ridewithgps route with the pdf as a guide. It would be good practice, anyway.

Bottles
Years ago, I practiced grabbing my water bottle, taking a drink, and putting it back in the cage without looking. (I have springy stainless steel cages that help make this easy--no precision needed to put the bottle back in the cage.)
It's useful for any kind of a group, to keep my eyes on the road.

Drinking while riding is a necessary skill, I think, especially in hotter weather. The no-look method is good, but not required. Most of the other riders that I ride with can't/don't do that.
I can drink a full bottle in hot weather in 15-20 miles. It's not too practical to chug all that at once. A few swallows at a time works much better for me.

~~~
It's good to carry an energy bar on event rides, as a backup in case a rest stop runs out of food temporarily. I've seen it happen occasionally.

aliasfox

Caveat here is that my experiences don't come from century riding as much as metric-century riding.

- If you can figure out how much elevation you're gaining on the ride ahead of time, do it. I've ridden Levi's Gran Fondo twice - the Medio, 63mi course both times. My typical rides were 50-55mi, and I even popped in a 75 miler for good measure one day. Levi's still took it out of me, mainly due to having 2x the altitude of my typical 50 milers. I can do 50mi at 2k of elevation change pretty easily, but 64mi and 4k of elevation was apparently another matter.

- I would suggest doing a longer ride (maybe two of your 40mi loops), if only to understand how much you'll need to eat/drink. I've underestimated that, and bonked with (no joke) less than 3 miles left in the ride because I decided to skip my last snack break (I'm 30mins from the end, I feel fine!). I would say at a bare minimum plan to have a Clif bar and a gel (or your snack of choice) every hour - and don't forget to eat the night before, too.

- I'm sure SAG or one of the other riders will help you fix a flat or other minor mechanical, but would definitely help things if you have your own tire levers, tube, and pump or CO2. And in this day and age, I imagine having a facemask on-hand might be appreciated, too, if someone else has to be in close-quarters with you. And yes, being able to pop your own wheel off the bike (and tire off the rim) will make things go quicker, even if someone else can help.

- Depending on where you are and when you start, a thin jacket might be very, very, nice. For me, both starts for Levi's were about 49-50F, climbing to mid 80s and sunshine by 11am. The first year, I wore a jacket and took it off at a rest stop, shoving it into a jersey pocket. The downside of this was that now I had a relatively bulky/floppy thing in there that was annoying anytime I got out of the saddle. The 2nd year I bought a cell-phone sized top-tube pouch. This way, I could shove the outer layer into the top tube pouch and be much more comfortable the 2nd half of the ride. A bonus here is that you now have one more spot to stash an emergency snack. Another option is one that runners use - get an inexpensive/free/disposable outer layer to start, and tossing it when it's no longer needed (lots of sweatshirts within a few miles of the NYC Marathon start). Wasteful, but an option nonetheless.

- If the ride is somewhere new, don't forget to look up and snap a pic or two. I live/ride in the New York metro area, and Levi's, which is in Sonoma, CA, had some absolutely breathtaking scenery. From riding through vineyards to the 800ft, 9.5% cliff-face overlooking the Pacific Ocean... definitely check out your surroundings.