when to stop

[shades.5]

Hi all

im doing my first little tour next weekend ,
1st day 70 miles
2nd day 70 miles
3rd day 65 miles

any suggestions of when i should take breaks/rests and for how long

im no super cyclist , even though have done a 100 miler and about 3 x 60 milers in the last 6 months , i also do a 20 mile round trip to work most days , im not a racer just steadily get on with it on my hybrid claude butler urban 200 , also has n e body heard of a tyre called a kenda , if so are they any good

thanks all

 

[Randochap]

You should do fine.

Kenda are run-of-the mill tyres found stock on many bikes. They are Ok, depending on the particular model, if you will.

I make a habbit of carrying a spare folding tyre on any tour or brevet. Look for some kind of protective belt -- kevlar, vectran, what have you. It's more important to have a reasonably wide tyre -- 28-40 -- on a touring bike, especially if loaded.

Top notch tyres are made by Continental, Schwalbe, Vittoria, etc.

 

[shades.5]

i will be travelling very light , 2 water bottles , 1 with water , 1 with energy supplements , various gells , jelly babies , and quite a few energy snack bars , 1 pair of jeans, a tee shirt , light pair of trainers and a light waterproof jacket , spare inner tube and a multitool , prob a spare chain link , anyone think of anything else which may be important , accom is b&b by the way,

 

[Rhythm Thief]

If you're touring, stop when you feel like it. This is important, as the point of a tour is not to go balls to the wall everywhere, but to see things and do things and mingle with the locals and check out any good pubs. At least, that's what touring is all about for me.

 

[jimboalee]

Now if yall had taken me seriously , I'd given Shades some useful info on calorific expenditure and how often to eat.., and maybe some reasonable cruising speeds and ETAs to get maximum efficiency....

Its often said in this game "Eat before you are hungry, and drink before you are thirsty", BUT WHEN? I'M A BEGINNER !!

If you stop because you feel hungry, you're going Ketogenic, and that's BAD! You've run out of gas, and scoffing quick will get you Gastro Intestinal Distress, and you might puke.

Start carboloading on Wednesday and your first day will be OK. The second day's ride will be fueled by what you ate during the first day's ride.
The third day will be fuelled by what you ate during the second day. Make sense?

 

[Noodley]

Have a pie or two he day before, then at least a pie a day during it as well.

Not sure if it will help, but you'll be happy.

Pies = happiness.

 

[fossyant]

Yeh..chill.......I assume you have accommodation booked....

Well you could ride hard out and be at each destination in 3 hours... and twiddle your thumbs all day.....

Otherwise, as it's a Tour - ride along and see what about, stop and have a mooch..if there is an nice pub, well... have a good lunch.... that's the point of a tour....

 

[fossyant]

Jim...that sh!t goes out of the window on a tour...yeh a sub 5 hour 100 might do....it...

 

[fossyant]

PS Jim...I sh!t faster than your carbo loading plan..... so that's no good !!!!!

 

[Noodley]

If you stop because you feel hungry...

I stop when I feel hungry. I stop before I start sometimes.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hi all

im doing my first little tour next weekend ,
1st day 70 miles
2nd day 70 miles
3rd day 65 miles

any suggestions of when i should take breaks/rests and for how long

im no super cyclist , even though have done a 100 miler and about 3 x 60 milers in the last 6 months , i also do a 20 mile round trip to work most days , im not a racer just steadily get on with it on my hybrid claude butler urban 200 , also has n e body heard of a tyre called a kenda , if so are they any good

thanks all

Hi Shades
Sounds a nice tour... where?
70 miles per day with a light load is very doable. I'm with Rhythmn Thief.

I did a similar 2 days of 95/100 miles per day a couple summers back with a road bike and a large saddlebag.
Firstly I like to have a decent lunch stop over the half-way mark, pub, burger/pie, fully leaded pint of coke or 2. Important that it's over half way so when you get back on the bike with legs like lead you know you don't have too far to go. Take it easy after a good lunch. I'd then plan to divide the morning and afternoon into 2 sessions, again, the first half slightly longer than the second. These stops should be no more than 5 mins unless there is something interesting to see/visit/loiter. I find that if I stop more than 5 mins, I start to sieze-up and find getting going harder.
Finally, try to plan stops on top of hills with good views, by rivers, castles, in interesting villages, church yards etc. Take a camera and document your journey, adds some extra interest.

On the subject of tyres, Kenda are generally pretty basic fayre, common on most lower end bikes, they're OK, but nothing special. Good Tyres are a relatively cheap way to transform your bike making it feel more comfortable, faster and livlier. However... there is often a penalty to be paid in lower durability and P*ncture protection. If your pootling along I'm sure the Kenda's are fine, if you want a bit more zip then as suggested tyres from Continental, Vittoria, Scwalbe and some Michelins are good. I've recently switched to Michelin Pro-race 3's on my Giant TCR and they're a bloomin revalation, so fast, so comfortable, so grippy and so far... really tough. Look at the latest C+ mag for tyre tests.

Enjoy your tour, full write-up required!

 

[Bodhbh]

Think saw your post on the touring section, similar to myself in that have started this year but done first 100 miler etc. Did similar miles as you say for my first tour 'okay' on the back off doing about 20 miles 2-3 times a week. Later I did it again after my first 100 miles...not sure I'd go as far as saying 'easy' but wasn't a problem physically. Just a question of getting up early enough and planning the day, time, daylight tbh. I just stopped when I felt like it and carried some spare food for emergencies when got hungry on the move.

 

[Bodhbh]

And having a couple of pints at stops magically summons hills in the distance.

 

[jimboalee]

Lads. This is shades FIRST 3 day 200 miler.

I remember going on the B'ham - Oxford charity ride. 65 miles. Although they had done some 15 - 20 milers in training, the inexperienced riders suffered. They went OK until they got to the Brailes on the 'foothills' of the Cotswolds. They struggled up the hill and some even ditched out to Banbury.

I was going to suggest a 6 1/2 hour day, at just over 11 mph.

I find in these situations the best advice to tell is what NOT to do. Some inexperienced riders get into a rythm and just keep riding, and then when the hills start.....

 

[shades.5]

Hi Shades
Sounds a nice tour... where?
70 miles per day with a light load is very doable. I'm with Rhythmn Thief.

I did a similar 2 days of 95/100 miles per day a couple summers back with a road bike and a large saddlebag.
Firstly I like to have a decent lunch stop over the half-way mark, pub, burger/pie, fully leaded pint of coke or 2. Important that it's over half way so when you get back on the bike with legs like lead you know you don't have too far to go. Take it easy after a good lunch. I'd then plan to divide the morning and afternoon into 2 sessions, again, the first half slightly longer than the second. These stops should be no more than 5 mins unless there is something interesting to see/visit/loiter. I find that if I stop more than 5 mins, I start to sieze-up and find getting going harder.
Finally, try to plan stops on top of hills with good views, by rivers, castles, in interesting villages, church yards etc. Take a camera and document your journey, adds some extra interest.

On the subject of tyres, Kenda are generally pretty basic fayre, common on most lower end bikes, they're OK, but nothing special. Good Tyres are a relatively cheap way to transform your bike making it feel more comfortable, faster and livlier. However... there is often a penalty to be paid in lower durability and P*ncture protection. If your pootling along I'm sure the Kenda's are fine, if you want a bit more zip then as suggested tyres from Continental, Vittoria, Scwalbe and some Michelins are good. I've recently switched to Michelin Pro-race 3's on my Giant TCR and they're a bloomin revalation, so fast, so comfortable, so grippy and so far... really tough. Look at the latest C+ mag for tyre tests.

Enjoy your tour, full write-up required!

Hi Fab

Thanks to you and everyone else for your comments and advice , i will certainly o a write up when i return on my little adventure , but for anyone whos interested heres my itinerery

start DAY 1

Leave bristol

drive car to mumbles bay ( swansea )

cycle from mumbles bay to pembroke dock 70 miles

ferry from pembroke dock to rosslare
DAY 2
cycle from rosslare to wicklow town 70 miles

DAY 3

Cycle from wicklow town to dublin town 35 miles
ferry from dublin to holyhead
train from holyhead direct to newport
cycle from newport to bristol ( where i live )

DAY 4

Get train with my good lady to swansea to do a days xmas shopping (the price i have to pay to have my little tour away ) and collect the car