Just signed up for my first century ride. Am I crazy?
#26
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I may have missed it, but how long do you have before the event? It would be good to figure out your food / fluid intake needs. The weather can also have a huge effect on this. I did the Hotter than Hell this past weekend and went through 5 bottles (2 with electrolyte mix and 3 of water), 3 gels, a bar, and some banana. One thing I learned from others -- and my own experiences blowing up in a few longer events -- is that if I don't start drinking and eating early, I find it hard to process food later. For example, I did an 80 mile event earlier this summer on a really humid day that started kind of hard. I wasn't drinking or eating very much for the first hour and a half. By the time I started trying to take gels / bars, it was too late. I went from the front group averaging close to 23 mph at mile 50 to barely finishing. During the HHH, I drank and ate early and often, and handled the hard accelerations at the end pretty well. No soreness or exhaustion after.
So... you aren't crazy for doing this. Trying hard things is fun! But I would recommend sorting out how to change a tire as well as a nutrition strategy, even if it's just stopping at rest stops (assuming there are enough).
So... you aren't crazy for doing this. Trying hard things is fun! But I would recommend sorting out how to change a tire as well as a nutrition strategy, even if it's just stopping at rest stops (assuming there are enough).
#27
Blast from the Past
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.
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.
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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.
#29
Newbie
Thread Starter
Yes, if it's an organized ride with sag, they will help. You are expected to have tubes. You may have to wait awhile for the sag to reach you. It's more concerning that you ride alone w/o having mastered this essential skill. Take a couple of hours, learn and practice. You may have been lucky so far but flats happen.
#30
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Thread Starter
If this is a paid event ride, with rest stops and sag drivers, they should have the ridewithgps route on their website. Some rides wait to post it just before the ride, but if it's been run in previous years, I usually can do a Find search on ridewithgps, with the starting location there, and a word or two of the ride name in the search. It might be a different route each year, but that's rare. (I won't even consider an event ride that won't show the route before I sign up. I want to know if it's a ride I'll like.)
Even with painted route markings and lots of riders on the course, I still like to load the route. I can see how many miles are left, how far to the next turn, and usually the rest stops show up on the device cue sheet. I'll download the route into my phone too, so I can call it up instantly if I want to review at rest stops.
But the main advantage is the Garmin Elevation screen, on fairly new Garmins. This shows the next couple of miles as a rolling elevation chart. Is this big hill a steady climb, or does it get steeper? What's over the crest--more rolling hills or a downhill?
I find event rides easier than trying to do the same route solo. The rest stops help, and the other riders are some good motivation. It seems like the miles just roll by.
BUT, on a 100 mile ride, I always seem to look down at the Garmin after it feels like I'm way into the ride, and the distance traveled shows: 21 miles, 23.5 or similar. What! I expected 35 or 40 miles! Still got 75+ to go!! But then, around 40-50 miles, I still feel good, and the ride seems very doable.
Yes, you need to be able to change a flat, anyway. Get two Pedro levers--these are the best for changing without accidentally pinching the new tube. Use up a few CO2 just to know that you can do it.
Even with painted route markings and lots of riders on the course, I still like to load the route. I can see how many miles are left, how far to the next turn, and usually the rest stops show up on the device cue sheet. I'll download the route into my phone too, so I can call it up instantly if I want to review at rest stops.
But the main advantage is the Garmin Elevation screen, on fairly new Garmins. This shows the next couple of miles as a rolling elevation chart. Is this big hill a steady climb, or does it get steeper? What's over the crest--more rolling hills or a downhill?
I find event rides easier than trying to do the same route solo. The rest stops help, and the other riders are some good motivation. It seems like the miles just roll by.
BUT, on a 100 mile ride, I always seem to look down at the Garmin after it feels like I'm way into the ride, and the distance traveled shows: 21 miles, 23.5 or similar. What! I expected 35 or 40 miles! Still got 75+ to go!! But then, around 40-50 miles, I still feel good, and the ride seems very doable.
Yes, you need to be able to change a flat, anyway. Get two Pedro levers--these are the best for changing without accidentally pinching the new tube. Use up a few CO2 just to know that you can do it.
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.
#31
Newbie
Thread Starter
I may have missed it, but how long do you have before the event? It would be good to figure out your food / fluid intake needs. The weather can also have a huge effect on this. I did the Hotter than Hell this past weekend and went through 5 bottles (2 with electrolyte mix and 3 of water), 3 gels, a bar, and some banana. One thing I learned from others -- and my own experiences blowing up in a few longer events -- is that if I don't start drinking and eating early, I find it hard to process food later. For example, I did an 80 mile event earlier this summer on a really humid day that started kind of hard. I wasn't drinking or eating very much for the first hour and a half. By the time I started trying to take gels / bars, it was too late. I went from the front group averaging close to 23 mph at mile 50 to barely finishing. During the HHH, I drank and ate early and often, and handled the hard accelerations at the end pretty well. No soreness or exhaustion after.
So... you aren't crazy for doing this. Trying hard things is fun! But I would recommend sorting out how to change a tire as well as a nutrition strategy, even if it's just stopping at rest stops (assuming there are enough).
So... you aren't crazy for doing this. Trying hard things is fun! But I would recommend sorting out how to change a tire as well as a nutrition strategy, even if it's just stopping at rest stops (assuming there are enough).
Last edited by Porknz; 08-29-21 at 10:54 PM.
#32
Newbie
Thread Starter
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.
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.
#33
Newbie
Thread Starter
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.
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.
Is it worth investing in something like this to go over my top? https://www.twinsix.com/collections/...39344535994465
Last edited by Porknz; 08-29-21 at 11:05 PM.
#34
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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.
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.
#35
don't try this at home.
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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.
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.
Last edited by rm -rf; 08-30-21 at 06:51 AM.
#36
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Centuries are for those who have nothing better to do with than ride their bikes 100 miles. You will learn this in time.
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#37
don't try this at home.
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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.
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.
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.
Last edited by rm -rf; 08-30-21 at 07:52 AM.
#38
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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
Is it worth investing in something like this to go over my top? https://www.twinsix.com/collections/...39344535994465
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.
#39
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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.
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.
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#40
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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.
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.
#41
Newbie
Thread Starter
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.
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.
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?
#42
Newbie
Thread Starter
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.
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.
#43
Newbie
Thread Starter
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.
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.
#44
Newbie
Thread Starter
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.
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.
#46
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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?
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.
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#47
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I'm so frustrated with goos an gels that I just use Kind bars. It's nice to actually EAT something.
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#48
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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.
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.
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#49
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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.
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.
#50
Senior Member
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.
- 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.