What bike would you recommend for a century?

[sundial]

Starfish, I'm like you--I would use it on a long stretch of road. I don't cycle around the homes without being on alert status and hands on the hoods. I'm a solo cyclist and would probably enjoy riding more aerodynamically. Right now I keep tucking in the elbows and knees a little.

Why kind of aerobars do you use? Are you happy with what you have?

How long did it take you to build up to 80 mile ride?

As for going uphill, that's pretty impressive. If I attempted that I would look like this--

I'm being a little conservative with my mileage at first because I don't want to overtrain--and I'm bad about overdoing it initially. I try to take days off in between the 15-20 miles I ride. I would like to do 30 tomorrow, weather permitting.

[Starfish]

Starfish, I'm like you--I would use it on a long stretch of road. I don't cycle around the homes without being on alert status and hands on the hoods. I'm a solo cyclist and would probably enjoy riding more aerodynamically. Right now I keep tucking in the elbows and knees a little.

Why kind of aerobars do you use? Are you happy with what you have?

How long did it take you to build up to 80 mile ride?

As for going uphill, that's pretty impressive. If I attempted that I would look like this--

I'm being a little conservative with my mileage at first because I don't want to overtrain--and I'm bad about overdoing it initially. I try to take days off in between the 15-20 miles I ride. I would like to do 30 tomorrow, weather permitting.

I've got a pair of Syntace bars, but honestly I can't remember right now what model. The elbow pads are adjustable for width, but they don't flip up out of the way. But, I have tiny hands, and I can actually grab the regular bars right under the elbow pads, so I don't feel like the aerobars are ever in the way. I do like the ones I have, but I am not experienced with any others.

As for your training schedule and building up, it is really hard to know what to tell you since we don't know how long you've been riding, what your fitness was before you started, and all those kinds of things.

You will find that you can glean a whole lot of info by using the search function here on TE to check out a lot of older threads. And, of course, by all means post your own questions!

What I would say is that in general, you are wise to start conservatively and learn how your body responds to the training. You get stronger and faster during recovery times, when your body mends itself and makes the adaptations to the stresses you put on it through training.

As for me, I spent a year or two on a paved trail riding an old steel mountain bike, and doing up to about 50 miles. After that came the Sequoia and into 60-70 mile rides. First flat century was, I think, 2005. Yesterday's ride was 80 miles and 7300' climbing, and my goal event this year is the Shasta Summit Century with 100 miles and 10,000' climbing. It is a hard, worthy goal for me for this year, which has been very personally stressful. Just getting to the ride is my victory, really. It is all so individual, and so dependent on personal details of fitness, training, other stresses in life, joint health, SO many things. I know a friend who started biking one April, and by that July she rode 130 miles in one day. She joined a racing team in September (5 months after starting to ride), and hasn't looked back. She just took to it! Everyone's different.

It sounds like you're doing great!

[sundial]

Starfish, I can empathize with your health issues. Part of the reason I haven't been riding as much as I used to is because I have a really bad knee. I've visited 2 orthos this last year to get an opinion and they both said I'm really limited with options other than a total knee replacement in the near future. But being the stubborn gal that I am, I'm determined to keep my original equipment, even if the warranty has expired.

So far I haven't had knee problems. I am actually more concerned with my good knee because of over-compensation. I'm fortunate that the LBS has access to a young prominent orthopedist that is a pro cyclist and I can meet with him to see if I need to shim one of my shoes as well as fine tune my fit.

Prior to cycling (just within the past 3 weeks) I walked the dogs 45 minutes most evenings. That was about all other than riding my bike on the trainer occasionally. My dogs take me for a brisk walk so I'm getting a good cardio workout. Now if I can get them to pull me on the recumbent, lol.

[Fredwina]

Fredwina, I've put in 20 miles or so in one sitting so I am still breaking in the bike so to speak--and me. I am considering a century in October if I think I'm up to it.

I would try and work my mileage up to where you can do a metric(62 miles) w/o difficulties. Your avg speed sounds good.

[Starfish]

Starfish, I can empathize with your health issues.

Thankfully, no health issues here. More the mental game with some stressful circumstances a couple years in a row...but, I really have learned there is a physical toll on recovery times, etc, during times of high stress.

[sundial]

I would try and work my mileage up to where you can do a metric(62 miles) w/o difficulties. Your avg speed sounds good.

That sounds like a good plan. I'll start working toward that goal.

[Aggie_Ama]

I agree with Fredwina work up to a metric. It is a big accomplishment in itself if you have never done one and FUN!! It is my favorite distance, so I am biased.

You can ride any bike for a century. I rode a heavy steel Fuji for my first and a couple MS150's. It was a more upright and a proper fit. This weekend I road my Cannondale, similar material and geometry to the Ruby. I had the same level of comfort as the old Fuji.

My husband rides a race, aggressive geometry bike. He was a little more sore at the end of the century even though he is in excellent shape and a stronger rider.

We were both well trained, so the next day just a little tightness in the quads. No real complaints.

[Tri Girl]

When training for my IM last summer, I did an organized century. I had my aerobars on my bike. No, I didn't use them when in big groups and I only got down in them when it was safe. To be quite honest, tho, I'm a far more stable a rider in aero position. The center of gravity is so different, and I'm very safe and stable when in that position. I'm more wobbly when I'm upright (except when cornering- then I'll sit upright). It was a small ride, and most of it was a solo effort anyway, so it's not like there were scores of people all around to make it unsafe.
Use them if you need to. Don't use them when you're unsure of others around you. Roadies always scoff at me when I show up to rides on my tri bike. It's the only bike that's truly comfortable to ride (and climb) on, so I'm riding it whenever I want. I'm not stupid and I know when to be in aero position. Sorry-that was a minor rant from the ride I did on Saturday. Like I'd be so stupid as to endanger others.... I think those men were just mad because I was passing them going up a hill in aero postion while they were struggling upright. Oh, the ego sometimes...

[mimitabby]

Some organized rides specifically forbid aerobars. SO you might check..

[sundial]

Thanks guys for the tips.

Tri Girl, I don't know why, but men are so competitive. And they don't want any help, even as their tongue is hanging out a mile back. They might be built for power, but we're built for speed AND endurance.

Aggie, I could see where your hubby might be more sore than you. Ouch! There's something to be said about sitting more upright, eh?