Advice for my first long distance ride

[Bodhbh]

I'm only a newbie myself, but I would think you need to do a 100 miler to test the water before doing back-to-back 100 milers and certainly 150 miles back-to-back.

First time I did 100 miles I also did my first 75 miler the day before (from 60 previous). In the scheme of things wasn't so ridculous a jump, but a couple of days later the right knee swelled up for a few days and I was off the bike. I think you might be risking some trouble just piling in like it, then won't end up finishing anyhow.

I carry a bag of museli and some dried milk + bowl, a Snickers bar or two, or just whatever, supermarket sandwiches etc., but prefer stop alot of cafes (good for moral!). I stop to eat and enjoy, but many prefer to get on with it and not risk getting stiff.

It's pretty flat from Darlington right down to Peterborough/Leicester would think you could get your highest milage there. Surely all the London sprawl would slow you down the day after? (150 miles)

 

[Chris James]

Bonj, is that you, are you feeling OK?

I assumed that Bonj was just taking some sadistic delight in recommending a Brooks to break in the original poster!

First mudguards (albeit he is falling out of love with them) and now Brooks saddles. He has even started a thread about saddle bags - what's going on???

 

[Greenbank]

It's certainly not impossible. What you lack in physical preparation you're going to have to make up for with grim mental determination and, trust me, it's going to be hard at times doing that kind of ride solo, especially given your minimal preparation.

This was my route from London to Edinburgh (GPS stopped recording on the A7 on the way in to Dalkeith) done in 3 days (320km from Putney to Thorne, 220km from Thorne to Alston and 210km from Alston to North Berwick).

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/266092

I'd avoid the A66, that was just laziness as I couldn't be arsed to backtrack after going to Scotch Corner Services. Same with the M18/M180 services at Thorne, that was getting in via an access road and a field to get to the Travelodge.

I'd also stay on the A7 from Langholm to Longtown. That B6318 via Claygate and Canonbie is unnecessarily hilly.

Top section is lumpy (through the Moorfoot hills), flat between Longtown and Brampton and then the climb up to Alston and Yad Moss. Lumpy the other side of Yad Moss all the way to Thirsk. You might also want to avoid Coxwold and Crayke as they're unnecessary hills. It's flat from just south of Thirsk (the B1363) all the way to Gamlingay (with the exception of the brief down and up of Lincoln). It's then lumpy into London and out the South over the North and South Downs.

Multiple day rides are all about pushing on steadily (not quickly), eating and drinking regularly and getting up the next morning and starting again.

Front-loading is probably the best strategy psychologically although it may not feel like it on day 1 or 2. You'll be more likely to give up on day 2 but if you get through it you should be fine.

If you're not toughened up for time in the saddle then it'll hurt however you plan the days. You toughen up by spending time in the saddle. You can either do that before the trip (ideal) or on the trip itself (not ideal).

P.S. I found that 3 day ride to Edinburgh easy. Not really a challenge at all, but then I've been doing Audax (Long Distance Cycling) for more than 2 years now and consider a 200km ride a nice spin out on the bike. In the next 5 weeks I've got a hilly 300km ride (4720m climbing), a hilly 600km ride (8300m climbing) crossing Wales twice in 40 hours from Chepstow to Menai and back, and a hilly 430km ride from London to Cornwall (5000m climbing) via Dartmoor.

 

[mearle]

Edinburgh-Darlington is about 118miles as the crow flies, so I'd be surprised if you can get there in 127miles on the road if you avoid main roads at all.
For example, a long point to point ride that I recently did, was 232km, about 1/3 more than the straight line of 175km. This was avoiding main roads, but still as direct as possible.
So even to Newcastle at about 90 miles straight, can easily become a 120+miles ride (a friend doing it last year did it in 130miles).
As for food and drink....
Obviously have a largish breakfast and drink enough to hydrate yourself, but don't overdo either.
On the bike, I would take two decent sized water bottles, and add your favourite energy powder.
I find that 2 bottles + initial hydration can last upto 100 miles of riding.
A plastic bag of energy powder to add to your bottles when you re-fill them is handy.
Otherwise, I might add fruit juice diluted with water.
For food, I might carry a selection from Bananas, dried figs, flapjack, energy or cereal bars.
The potassium in Bananas is supposed to be good for avoiding cramp.
On a very long ride, I tend to start nibbling at my food after about an hours riding, and take regular sips from the bottles to keep hydrated.
A stop for some normal food, and maybe a caffeinated drink around 1/2 way will perk you up.
Coke is a good drink to give you a quick boost, due to its sugar and caffeine.
Decently padded cycling shorts can make a big difference to comfort, and applying savlon or vaseline down below before you put your shorts on can help prevent saddle sores.

 

[littledan77]

Thanks for all your input guys, this is really good of you. I've been using the viper drink already. Once you get used to the slightly weird orange taste it's not really that bad I've thought about dried bananas for on the go. Would that be much worse than fresh ones.

@greenbank - thanks for the route tips. that will certainly help in my planning.

@bodhbh - Yes the London sprawl will cause a problem I haven't fully decided to go through London yet. As the original reason for doing this was to make a great effort in the name of friendship I feel I ought to go through London to say a fly by Hi to a friend but I need to think about how detrimental that might be to my time plans.

@jimboalee - I'll give that a read, thanks.

Is there such a thing as a folding tire and is it necessary on this type of journey? Is is necesarry to carry a spare spoke? Are the Slime filled inner tubes good or bad? Am I micro-managing potential mechanical faliures too much?

 

[Greenbank]

Is there such a thing as a folding tire and is it necessary on this type of journey? Is is necesarry to carry a spare spoke? Are the Slime filled inner tubes good or bad? Am I micro-managing potential mechanical faliures too much?

I carry a folding tyre on long rides (300km+) as I've had a tyre go from seemingly good (before the ride) to http://www.greenbank.org/misc/reartyre1.jpg on a 200km ride on good roads (but it was nearing the end of its life having done about 4000km which is all those tyres last). At a minimum I'd carry a tyre boot. Without either it could mean a long walk to the nearest bike shop and/or completely screw up your timings especially if it happens at 5pm on a Sunday night when nothing will be open.

Spare spoke, probably a good idea. I don't because I've never broken one, one benefit of buying quality handbuilt wheels. I keep meaning to buy one of the "kevlar spokes". If a drive-side spoke goes then you'll probably need also need a hypercracker or similar to get the cassette off to fit it.

I don't bother with slime filled tubes, I just go for good quality tyres. Schwalbe Marathon Plus are the near bomb-proof but quite heavy so they'll be harder work for touring. Panaracer Stradius Elite TG or Conti GP 4 Seasons are my choice of tyre for long distance (I use the latter and they come in a folding version which means I carry one as a spare).

It's better to have a plan for all mechanicals, even if that plan is "give up because there's nothing I can reasonably do" or "I could carry a spare bottom bracket but it's just too heavy, so sod it."

 

[littledan77]

I've just completed 180km Edinburgh to the Scottish border and back (8.5hrs cycling, 11hrs total journey time). I found that my base fitness was well enough to do the distance. I also found that lack of preparation will kill your chances at completing the course comfortably.
I bonked 22km from the end because I'd left too late when I started and found myself coming home at night in the freezing cold, also didn't drink or eat enough during the ride; however aside from the fact that I really didn't think this last night at 10pm on a cold Scottish A road approaching a 300m ascent, this morning if asked "would I do the distance again?" I'd say "yes" in a heart beat.

Lessons learned, I am now more confident than ever that I can do this Edinburgh to Paris trip.

 

[littledan77]

That's true, but I don't expect the terrain to be quite so punishing further into the journey than what I experienced going to the border and that may help raise my average speed. According to my GPS logs I averaged 20km/ph during the ride, which I find encouraging having been my first long ride and over some quite big hills.

Regardless, there were lessons learnt there. Most important of which was re-hydrate regularly and refuel regularly because, like a car, you can't cycle on an empty tank, and if you try you'll just damage the machine.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I hope I can get to chat to you again for more of it!