Need some help-new to cycling :) and about to bike 4000 miles..

[tulip]

yup. the org is not a professionally led cycling tour and it is mostly amateur cyclists who are all new to cycling. we do have one leader who has made the trip before and another who is an avid cyclist. (there are four leaders). the organization benefits affordable housing and I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity full time for five months last year---so I'm leading but my knowledge lies more with the building aspect. We will start out at 50 miles or so/ day and build. We average around 70 miles a day with the longest ride being 110 miles.

That's admirable (I work with nonprofit organizations to develop affordable housing), but...

Doing a 4,000 mile tour with beginning cyclists with inexperienced leaders somehow doesn't seem like a very good idea. I mean, I wish you the best of luck and everything. Keep your sense of adventure and humor, and hope that everyone else does, too.

First, I hope the bike fits you. Go to a good bike shop and get it professionally fit. It will cost you $100+ and it's well worth it.

Channelluv has really great advice. You'll want to be as prepared as possible. You'll need to know how to fix bikes (flat tires, broken chains, loose headsets, broken spokes, brakes, derailleur cables at the very minimum). You'll want to educate yourself on proper bike fit because I imagine that alot of these riders will have ill fitting bikes, which will result in aches and pains and sores that will send some home. You'll want to educate yourself on nutrition and fueling and hydration, and learn to recognize signs of bonking before they happen. I assume you'll be certified in CPR--if it's not required then do yourself a favor and get yourself certified. Wear your helmet and make sure everyone else does, too. Have lights for low-light riding (night, dawn, dusk, fog, rain).

You might want to check out Selene Yeagar's book on cycling for women. It has a good century (100 mile) training plan that you can start now to be ready for the start of the tour.

Good luck and let us know if you have any questions as you get closer to the start of your ride.

[Melalvai]

Doing a 4,000 mile tour with beginning cyclists with inexperienced leaders somehow doesn't seem like a very good idea.

Well, I'm all for it. They will sure learn a lot in a hurry. They'll be experts by the end. I did a 744 mile trip solo, and had never done anything like it before, and I learned a whole lot. Some things would have been easier if I'd had someone experienced with me, but what an adventure it was!! Though at the time "adventure" wasn't quite the word in mind.

The most important lesson was that 50-60 miles per day is a reasonable expectation. Even if you have biked a century once, don't expect to go 80-90 miles every day with a loaded bike. Wind, hills, road conditions, physical, and mental state all play a big role in how far you can go.

There's a fine balance between lightly traveled roads, and roads that go anywhere useful, such as past a water source.

Missouri has awful roads. But I hope you come through Missouri anyway, and I hope your route takes you near me.

To get in shape--the most important thing is that you ride EVERY DAY. It is not as important how FAR you ride. Even if you can only get in a 5 or 10 mile ride, or even less. Do some longer rides too but get those daily rides in.

I love that you and your group are doing this. Keep us posted on how it turns out!

[indysteel]

I'll try not to repeat what others have said. In addition to simply riding as much and as often as you can until your trip, I would try to find a bike maintenance class. Many bike shops offer them. I would also find, if you can, a bike safety class. Short of that, you would be wise to find some experienced riders to show you the ropes of riding in traffic and on busy roads. You need to know the rules of the road, along with the protocol of riding with other cyclists, down solid before you leave.

For gear, I would get the best shorts you can afford, a couple pairs of gloves, sunglasses, a good fitting helmet, bike jerseys, waterproof jacket, gear that can help you through chilly mornings like arm warmers and knee warmers, cycling shoes (along with clipless pedals), a bike bag (or two), and water bottles and/or a camelback, and plenty of socks. You'll also likely need some chamois cream, sunscreen and ideally a summer weight long sleeve jersey. The chances of you getting a saddle sore are high, so you'll likely need something for that. I use benzoal peroxide (zit cream) for mine with good success. I'm sure I'm forgetting other pieces of gear that would be helpful.

From a training perspective, try to do back-to-back long rides to get your body used to, not only riding, but riding when tired. You're also going to have to learn on the fly how to hydrate and eat when riding that much. It is SO easy to get dehydrated on a multi-day tour. You absolutely have to drink on and off the bike ALL the time. Once you get dehydrated, it's really hard to get out of that hole. Eat regularly on the bike and you should be okay.

I see that you're riding east to west. Yike! Is there a reason for that? Wind is not going to be your friend. Most xcountry bike tours go west to east for a reason.

Good luck. I hope you enjoy it and are safe.

[Kiwi Stoker]

Having a few multi day rides I have a suggestion.

Do buy the best shorts you can BUT buy two different brands. And maybe you might want to buy an extra (different to what you currently have) saddle.

I find that even with training, chamios cream etc you still will get chafing and soreness in certain places. And the last thing you need to do is put on the same type of short which rubs in the same places. I found having different brands shorts meant the different designs allowed for the sore spots to have a break. Also it takes about half and hour to an hour for the pain of getting on a saddle again day after day to go away.

In regards to the saddle if you have room/sag wagon, do take another saddle for the same reasons as above. A friend who did a 24 hour windtrainer charity ride changed his shorts and saddle in his alloted breaks.

[Tuckervill]

Sounds like fun. It is fully supported. As a ride leader, she will be driving the van sometimes. This is from the wiki:

Most days during the 8–9 weeks of each trip are spent riding. Participants ride an average of about 70 miles per day. Overnight stays are arranged in advance of the trip, and are usually at churches or other community centers. Occasionally, the overnight stay will be outdoors. After breakfast and packing up, riders perform a quick cleanup of the overnight location before heading out. Each ride has a van and trailer to carry the riders' gear. Once the trailer has been loaded with everybody's gear, one of the trip coordinators (the duty of driving the van is rotated between the four coordinators) drives it out and sets up a rest stop on the route where riders break for lunch. After all the riders have eaten lunch, the van and trailer continue on to the destination for the day, or to set up a second lunch stop, on longer days.

I think she'll be fine. Wish I was 18-24! I'd try it.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

Cassie, which route are you doing?? The NC to San Diego route goes right through my town! I'll have to keep a lookout.

Karen

[tulip]

I understood the original post to be one inexperienced leader and alot of inexperienced cyclists. But having four leaders, two experienced, and a sag wagon is a different story.

Have fun and consider the suggestions given here. I still hope the fits (mail order bikes make me nervous).