First 30 Mile Ride - Things To Know?

[Velocivixen]

I do not yet have a cycling jersey, a saddle bag (no room on handlebars for bag there), and no bottle cages (don't want too much cr@p attached everywhere). So drinks, snacks, patch kit/tube, optional clothes are in the relatively small pannier. I've been riding only 6 months and am still buying things. I need some sporty sunglasses with the rubber on the nose- I have long lashes and they rub against the lenses!
Thanks and I will post photos tomorrow. Hope you're all out having safe rides.

[Catrin]

If you don't have water bottle cages on your bike, how do you drink enough on your rides? Do you wear a Camelbak instead? The longer your rides get, and the warmer the temps get, hydration becomes VERY important! If you have to stop and dig through your panniers every time you need to drink - and please note that you need to drink frequently and before you get thirsty, you will wind up not drinking enough.

[DarcyInOregon]

You must be referring to Sauvie Island. It as flat as it can get for cycling, and you are right, the motorists are locals who are aware of the cyclists. You don't need the lights. All you need are water bottles and an energy bar of some type and the other regular bike stuff.

Be sure to get some practice on short hills and rollers over the next few weeks as the Petal Pedal is not on flat terrain, even the short route that you will ride. It is flat terrain for an experienced cyclist, but for a beginner, some of the small rollers can look like Mt. Everest.

You will have fun. Sauvie Island is a fun place to ride the bike. There may not be too many cyclists tomorrow on Sauvie Island as May 1 is the first metric century of the season with the Salem Cycling Club, from Salem to Champoeg Park and back, and where I will be with my training group and another cycling friend as will over a thousand other local cyclists.

You might think about signing up for the short route of the Pioneer Century on June 4 with the Portland Wheelmen out of Canby. The route will go over similar terrain as the Petal Pedal. I can also recommend the Vine Ride out of Newberg in August; the short route is quite hilly but gives a beginner cyclist a goal to aim for so as to ride the hills and get stronger to be able to do the ride.