Need Advice For Long Bike Rides...

The Juggler

(sorry this is kind of lengthy, but i think you need some background before giving me some advice--enjoy the novel!)

So this has been the Summer of Jeagler...allow me explain.

I was laid off from my job in the mortgage industry in June, two days after my 30th birthday. I wasnt really in a good place at the time. So I decided to, in addition to look for a new career, get my ass back in shape.

Two and a half years ago I weighed about 254. I got it down to the mid to high 230 range by June of this year. Since June, I've been working out like a mad man. I go to the gym about 5 times a week. When I don't, I'm on the trails riding my bike.

A week or two after the layoff, I decided to step it up a notch and try to accomplish something. So I tried riding my bike from my house to the Art Museum in Philly--about 35 miles or so. This was on a pretty hot and humid day. Anyway, I did it and it didnt really seem like I excerted myself as much as I had expected. However I didnt ride back. I had my girlfriend pick me up with the bike rack on the car. Anyway, I was still pretty proud of myself. Though when telling this to some people, they kind of jokingly laughed that I had the gf pick me up instead of riding home...lol...I just didnt know if I'd be able to do it considering I've never ridden more than 15 miles at one time. So it kind of motivated me to do the round trip.

SOOO....since then I have been going to the gym for longer sessions, eating better, going on hour long bike rides or so and I've gotten to a leaner 224-ish weight. I've added a decent amount of muscle and dropped some fat. Ideally I'd like to get to around 200 pds or so (I'm 6'1). But I'm in much better shape than I was when I did my first lengthy ride. I feel a lot stronger and feel I am ready to go the 65-70 mile or so journey.

I wanted to know if there are any biking enthusiasts here who can give me some advice...

-I know I should eat a lot of carbs and stuff. But what would you suggest me eating for dinner the night before and for breakfast the day of?

-Do you suggest I bring water or gatorade or something else with me?

-And at some point during my ride, I a going to have take a few breaks to get some food into my system. So what would you suggest I bring along and when do you think I should make stops for this? (I'm thinking this will take me 6.5 - 7 hrs?)

-Also, how the hell do you keep the water cool?! By the end of my first trip I was drinking hot water before I reached some the street vendors at the Art Museum!

-And based on my description above, do you think I'm ready for a ride of this length or do you suggest I build up to it more? Only reason I think I can do this, other than being in better shape, is that the first time I did the 35 mile ride, it was so hot and humid, this time I'm planning on doing it next week when the humidity and temperatures are still supposed to be pretty low.

anywho, any advice you can give thee, would be much appreciated. and again, sorry for the long post.

godspeed!

The Juggler

so can anyone help o'l jeagler out?!

eyedclaar

The Jeagler wrote:

so can anyone help o'l jeagler out?!

You need to talk to the jedigecko next time he's around. He sounds pretty hard-core when it comes to bike riding. I ride all the time but rarely over 10 miles at one time.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

I just did a 60km ride a couple weeks ago. Make sure your water jug is white...keeps it cooler.

Get saddle bags and bring some food with you....protein and carbs, (and fruit) would be wise, so would some gatorade. You can then drop in a nice cold gel pack from the freezer to help your goodies stay cold. Going that long without some refueling could start burning up your muscle tissue which is like sacred mayan gold if you want to shed the fat.

Also try to eat 6 small meals a day in your calorie zone for weight loss, and it should start to fall off..

Other than that, find some less traveled roads (traffic sucks and car exhaust saps the energy), I don't recommend listening music as it's not safe.

The seat comfort also makes a big difference...you can get gelled biking shorts and seat covers if yours is still lacking.

If you can step it up a notch to do some woods riding to where your lungs get a beating for a few minutes then relax and repeat often, you'll put your metabolism into overdrive a lot more then just eating more frequently.

Just don't over do it, and think long term sustainable goals.

gobrowns19

I've never done any hardcore biking, only about a 30-45 mile roundtrip leisure taking my time thing, so i probably dont have many valid points.

I would always prefer cold water like everyone else, but a track coach made one of my friends drink warm water, you apparently drink more that way and are able to stay more hydrated.

Also eating 6-7 times a day would be a lot better for you than 1-2 large meals.

The Juggler

thanks...yea i do eat 5-6 times per day and it is working (the cheese steak and beers tonight did not help though)...i have a regular bike trail that i use. not off in the woods or anything, its mostly gravel and paved in a lot of areas.

how often do you reccommend i eat during the ride?

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

I just did a 60km ride a couple weeks ago. Make sure your water jug is white...keeps it cooler.

Get saddle bags and bring some food with you....protein and carbs, (and fruit) would be wise, so would some gatorade. You can then drop in a nice cold gel pack from the freezer to help your goodies stay cold. Going that long without some refueling could start burning up your muscle tissue which is like sacred mayan gold if you want to shed the fat.

Also try to eat 6 small meals a day in your calorie zone for weight loss, and it should start to fall off..

Other than that, find some less traveled roads (traffic sucks and car exhaust saps the energy), I don't recommend listening music as it's not safe.

The seat comfort also makes a big difference...you can get gelled biking shorts and seat covers if yours is still lacking.

If you can step it up a notch to do some woods riding to where your lungs get a beating for a few minutes then relax and repeat often, you'll put your metabolism into overdrive a lot more then just eating more frequently.

Just don't over do it, and think long term sustainable goals.

The Juggler

gobrowns19 wrote:

I would always prefer cold water like everyone else, but a track coach made one of my friends drink warm water, you apparently drink more that way and are able to stay more hydrated.

.

warm water huh? that sounds odd.

r1vers

I only weigh around 155 so maybe I don't need to eat as much as you but I did a 100 mile ride last summer for the first time. I ate pretty consistently throughout, though no full meals. Quite frankly, on a hot day you just want to finish before you eat anything heavy. Hopefully you've got a jersey or a bento box (little velcro pack that attaches to your frame) that you can load some food into. The night before a nice plate of pasta is always a good start to load up on carbs. Original Clif Bars are the way to go in my book for on the bike, though. They're surprisingly filling and the tastiest of all the bars I've tried. The chocolate chip peanut crunch (w/ the purple colored logo) and the normal peanut butter ones (with orange logos) are winners. For a ride like this go to a bike store or health store and get 2-3 clif bars and try a pack of Clif Block Shots - there's six in a package and they're tasty oversized gummy-bear-ish deals that are loaded with calories to give you a little push now and then. Worked wonders for me on that ride. Bananas are another great snack that are lightweight. You should be having a load of water with these products, but while you're riding you really need to be constantly drinking. If you get a polar bottle (or any other bottle that's insulated) it helps. I find loading them up entirely with ice, then filling with water the rest of the way is the best way to keep it cool for a long time. By the time you want some water, the ice will have melted a decent amount. I just have water usually as I don't like the taste of gatorade when it gets warmer..just too thick. Liquids are crucial, crucial, crucial. In general just make sure you feel comfortable on your bike and just keep moving. Don't know where you're riding but if it's in the middle of nowhere you can always bring two bottles + invest in a camelback that you can wear on your back for some more. But if you're in anywhere a little more populated just stop in a fast food store and casually fill up w/ some water. For timing of the breaks, go for one around 20 miles, 35 miles, 55 miles (if you're taking a 70 mile ride). If you get out early, those first 20 will fly by before it gets warm so it shouldn't be too rough.

Prior to this the longest ride I'd done was around 40mi, but I was riding pretty regularly in the summer to prepare for it. A 70 mile ride should take you around 5-6 hours if you keep at a decent pace. So if you are really determined to do it, the best advice is to get out early so you can finish by noon. Honestly the worst pain for me was the saddle sore, so make sure you're getting out of the saddle regularly to re-position yourself. As I said, just keep pushing along and you'll be fine as long as you stay hydrated. Then you can have a nice meal afterwards and not feel as guilty..

lephty

not much advice... but i love biking...

whenever i get a chance to go out, i usually go about 20-30 miles. most recently i took the train to NYC and biked around central park and NYC. that was fun. i always loved biking but only really started going regularly this year in June. I've lost about 40 pounds! but i still have quite a bit to go=\

what i do on my rides...

i have a water bottle and a back up bottle of poland spring in my backpack.

i try to keep a few powerbars in my bag.

tools and safety... make sure you get an all-in-one tool, back up inner tube/tire levers and a portable air pump. of course wear a helmet & bright clothes~ make sure you leave yourself enough daylight... the sun is setting earlier and earlier.

if i were to plan a 50+ mile trip, i would definitely get biking shorts for added comfort, get a camelpak backpack. they can hold up to a gallon of fluid! eat a large bowl of pasta the night before and probably have some bananas handy.

i can't think of anything else... so, goodluck and have fun

The Juggler

thanks so much. i really appreciate the words of wisdom here...

r1vers wrote:

I only weigh around 155 so maybe I don't need to eat as much as you but I did a 100 mile ride last summer for the first time. I ate pretty consistently throughout, though no full meals. Quite frankly, on a hot day you just want to finish before you eat anything heavy. Hopefully you've got a jersey or a bento box (little velcro pack that attaches to your frame) that you can load some food into. The night before a nice plate of pasta is always a good start to load up on carbs. Original Clif Bars are the way to go in my book for on the bike, though. They're surprisingly filling and the tastiest of all the bars I've tried. The chocolate chip peanut crunch (w/ the purple colored logo) and the normal peanut butter ones (with orange logos) are winners. For a ride like this go to a bike store or health store and get 2-3 clif bars and try a pack of Clif Block Shots - there's six in a package and they're tasty oversized gummy-bear-ish deals that are loaded with calories to give you a little push now and then. Worked wonders for me on that ride. Bananas are another great snack that are lightweight. You should be having a load of water with these products, but while you're riding you really need to be constantly drinking. If you get a polar bottle (or any other bottle that's insulated) it helps. I find loading them up entirely with ice, then filling with water the rest of the way is the best way to keep it cool for a long time. By the time you want some water, the ice will have melted a decent amount. I just have water usually as I don't like the taste of gatorade when it gets warmer..just too thick. Liquids are crucial, crucial, crucial. In general just make sure you feel comfortable on your bike and just keep moving. Don't know where you're riding but if it's in the middle of nowhere you can always bring two bottles + invest in a camelback that you can wear on your back for some more. But if you're in anywhere a little more populated just stop in a fast food store and casually fill up w/ some water. For timing of the breaks, go for one around 20 miles, 35 miles, 55 miles (if you're taking a 70 mile ride). If you get out early, those first 20 will fly by before it gets warm so it shouldn't be too rough.

Prior to this the longest ride I'd done was around 40mi, but I was riding pretty regularly in the summer to prepare for it. A 70 mile ride should take you around 5-6 hours if you keep at a decent pace. So if you are really determined to do it, the best advice is to get out early so you can finish by noon. Honestly the worst pain for me was the saddle sore, so make sure you're getting out of the saddle regularly to re-position yourself. As I said, just keep pushing along and you'll be fine as long as you stay hydrated. Then you can have a nice meal afterwards and not feel as guilty..

The Juggler

oh by the way...not that anyone really cares...but, yea, i did complete my 70 + mile journey on the bike a couple weeks ago. wasnt really as bad as i thought it would be...only thing is, my butt cheeks KILLED for like a week after!

thanks for the advice though guys.

stickboy

just let me know when you're ready to pull off 500 miles with me. I'll be ready and waiting

check out the links from my thread, maybe that'll help

Riverrunner

The Jeagler wrote:

oh by the way...not that anyone really cares...but, yea, i did complete my 70 + mile journey on the bike a couple weeks ago. wasnt really as bad as i thought it would be...only thing is, my butt cheeks KILLED for like a week after!

thanks for the advice though guys.

The butt cheek thing will get better the more long rides you do.....really! The key is to stand up off and on during the ride. If you ride hills that is easy to do. If you ride flats you have to remember to do that every so often. Also use chamois cream! It is a life saver...... I mean ass saver. I use Assos (yes...I said Assos....and it is for the ass, but the manufacturer is foreign - non-English so the name is just coincidental). Some people apply it directly to the chamois, but I apply it to my netherparts directly.

You were previously asking about nutrition on a long ride, and surprisingly you probably need less than you think. For long rides I take one or one-half of a ClifBar, a couple of AcelGels or CliffShots, and one bottle of water and one bottle of energy drink - currently I am using Heed Perpetuam, but I also use Accelerade. I also have a CamelPak. Between the three I rarely have to stop to re-fuel. To keep stuff cold is difficult. I use the insulated Polar bottles. I usually freeze one of them the night before so it melts on the ride. You just have to be careful to not fill it too full and lay it on its side in the freezer so you don't bust the bottle. The CamelPaks are insulated pretty good and I just fill it with ice and top it off with water. The cold water will last a long time.

Just my two cents. Sounds like you are becoming quite an endurance rider. You will have your first century under your belt before you know it.

OneLove

Good luck! It sounds like you've taken a rough situation and grown from it That takes some stones!!

I am more of a hiker than a bike rider, but I use a camelback and I love it. I know they make some for bikers, but you would also need reserves I would think.

Anyway, good luck. I would also reccomend taking a camera with you. Its always good to document these sorts of things!