21 Feb 2023

Everything you need to know to do a 100km ride

What is long distance cycling really?

I think an easy answer to this question is anything that makes people go on your cycle????, when you tell them the distance.

But honestly that’s (maybe) the endgame! The first & correct response to this question is anything that makes YOU go in your head - on my cycle?, when you plan the distance.

Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get into this piece. I have been doing long distance cycling for 2+ years now, and have completed three 100km rides, along with many in the 30-100km bucket. I got into the sport primarily because I hated going to the gym and wasn’t that much of a runner. Cycling, on the other hand, was something that I was able to start enjoying, felt very low intensity (so lot less friction) and a great way to get some decent 1 hour workouts under my belt.

Having been at it for a couple of years now, here’s why you SHOULD enter the world of cycling:

• It’s the perfect low intensity cardio. Agree that the calories to time RoI is not as good as running, but it’s comparatively very easy to extend the # of hours and is really really easy on your joints

• It’s extremely therapeutic. Open road, great weather, your thoughts and you - cycling is the perfect sport for you to really spend some time with yourself and just process everything in your mind. It’s not as intense as running, or as heavily concentrated as weight training, and gives you a perspective like none other.

• It’s the race of you against yourself. Like most endurance sports, cycling is extremely non-competitive. Therefore, you are only racing against your self, pushing your boundaries and stretching your limits. One of my most favorite things about the sport is the courtesy smile that almost all cyclists share when they cross each other - knowing that each of us are going through our own hell and being supportive about it, is just a beautiful feeling!

The rest of the article will discuss the basics of long distance cycling: beneficial if you are an amateur cyclist or a newbie motivated to try out the sport.

Let’s start with the obvious one, what cycle should I use?

A question since time immemorial and something that keeps getting asked as new variants of cycles keep entering the market. We now have mountain bike, road bike, hybrid bike and even something called a gravel bike .

I highly recommend something that suits your personal preferences and use cases. I currently have a road bike because I love the speed that thinner tires provide and the ergonomic shape needed for longer rides. However, this decision was reached after a year of testing hybrid and mountain bikes - renting and borrowing from friends and family. Definitely suggest doing the same. Think what will you use your cycle for (long distance, recreational, commute etc.), what kind of terrains do you have access to, how comfortable are you with thin tires, how long is long distance in your head etc.

To be true to the spirit of this article however, I would suggest getting a road bike, for the same reasons that I purchased mine - ergonomics and speed. Also, preferably get a bike with gears, if you can afford it. It genuinely makes life much much easier.

Moving next to the path to the 100k ride. How the hell do I even think about achieving this?

The basic rule of ramping up in cycling is to put in the kilometres - slowly and steading. A 10-20% increase in activity every week or 2 weeks is okay and recommended. It won’t be too heavy on your body and more importantly, it will give your bum the time it needs to adjust to the long rides. The limiting factor in most cases, apart from the obvious mental and physical exhaustion, will be your bum literally just dying.

Bottom rule (no pun intended :P) - take care of the bum, go slow!

What gear will make you not worry about going long-distance? Some cycling essentials

• Lights: You are the most vulnerable vehicle on the road. Your safety is your responsibility. Get a good pair of front and back lights, ideally with a horn. (Suggest what you have or lumination minimum requirements). Also suggest a reflective vest, and a pair of leg clip-on reflectors. You can never be too safe in this department.
• Helmet: again, a MUST have. Never ever go out without a helmet. Take one depending on your bike and trail (e.g. mountain v/s road bike helmets are different)
• Small cycling bag (with a transparent phone pouch): to keep anything and everything and not have to carry a bag. Plus the phone for navigation. Here’s what goes in the bag:
  • A small Allen key tool kit - for those last minute adjustments, if ever needed
  • Puncture kit
  • All nutrition items (covered in the next section)
  • A power bank and charging cable, always assume that your phone WILL die. The GPS + Music + Bluetooth will eat away the battery, be prepared. You don’t want to be lost in the outskirts of the city somewhere asking people how to get back (speaking from personal experiences lol)
• Bodycare
  • Get a sunscreen on - it’s hot af!
  • A long sleeves trainer jersey, padded shorts and any normal shoes (clip ons can be worried about later). You can also alternatively get some padded seat covers on, if the shorts feel uncomfortable.
  • Photo-reflective pair of goggles (confirm that you like the sport before you invest in them) - feels like a luxury item but game changer in the sun

Then comes the nutrition and hydration bit.

Often ignored, especially by newbies. But very very important - your body is a machine, treat it with the respect it deserves.

• Hydration “If you thinking you are feeling thirsty, you are already dehydrated”. Long distance cycling is brutal to the fluids in your body - do yourself a favour and stay hydrated. Here’s what I recommend:
  • Get 2 bottle holders in your cycle. Trust me you will need it as the distance increases and the alternative of finding a refuelling centre is just not worth the trouble or the time.
  • Salt is the one of the biggest things lost with excessive sweat, so either fill one bottle with basic salt water or any other electrolyte.
  • Take a sip/gulp every 5-10kms (use an automated distance alarm in your watch/phone/tracking device). Follow this till 50 kms and increase it to 1 sip every 5kms post that. Drink from the get go - don’t wait to get thirsty.
  • Additionally, learn how to sip from your bottle while riding the bike, or get one of those water sipping backpacks. An important skill to get a hang of!
• Nutrition Taking carbs is the only recommended rule here. For everything else - play around and understand what works for you.
  • Given the intermittent intensity nature of the sport, carbs is the preferred form of nutrition that can give sustained energy but also provide bursts, when needed. Carbs help us in sustainable power, short bursts of peak power and increase the time to exhaustion for the body. Fats/protein/fibres, on the other hand, typically slow digestion and either make you feel too full or take longer to digest, therefore not giving you the energy boost as and when needed.
  • If you are the hungry types, 50-100 calories per hour is also okay. Experiment and play around, to find what works for you. Having said that, under-eating is better than over-eating, so don’t start hogging in the middle of a ride
  • For any ride above ~70 kms, I typically do the following:
    • Small carb item, before the ride: typically a banana
    • Mini-food break at the half way mark: banana, dry fruits mix, energy bars (yoga bar or whatever you like), granola bars, dates etc. Concentrated calories item is the focus point here.
    • Slightly longer food break at the 70-80% mark: mostly due to exhaustion, typically at the first South Indian restaurant I find for a plate of steaming idlis :) And a hot cup of filter coffee, just to indulge myself!
  • Here’s what not to do:
    • Never ride on an empty stomach
    • Avoid non-carb heavy items (e.g protein bars, protein shake etc.)
    • Always keep some backup food handy

What pace is a good pace?

The race is with yourself. Having said that, a 3-4 mph pace below your short distance pace is recommended. I personally am able to manage an avg. of ~20kmph on my 100km rides, which is decent given the traffic during re-entry to the city. If you are just starting out, aim to manage anything between 17-24kmph, on an average. But no speed is less speed, so you do you!

Finally, my prized possession - some suggested cycling routes in Bangalore, for you to get started:

Google Maps list - go kill it!

Additional stuff you should know:

• Use gear changing effectively, as and when needed. Go back to normal gears when the slope is over or you feel that you have regained energy. If you don’t do this, your body gets used to the easier gear combination and then that eventually becomes tougher, so you have to keep moving to easier gear combinations, as a never ending slope.
• Breaks: every 1 hour or so, if you want. And/or have a break at the mid-way point. Completion is the first step, you can then progress to tougher levels like non-stop completion, avg speed above xx mph and so on. Be kind on yourself and start normally
• Warm up (or just start slow), but definitely definitely COOL DOWN. It’s tough - you are almost dead and it’s very easy to just come to your bed and crash away. But take out the time for an easy 5-10 mins stretch - your body is in it for the long haul - give it the stretch it deserves
• Training type: Go long at a pretty easy pace OR intervals at high intensity. Basically long - very long Z1-Z2 OR short Z4/5. Don’t do “sort of hard” middle distances
• What to do while riding: Audio books/podcast/songs or just nothing at all - you and your thoughts, so therapeutic
• Punctures: It will happen. Get tubeless tires if you can. Otherwise it’s an absolute mood killer.
• Ride in groups: Match speeds - never leave anyone behind!

Detailed post coming up next on how to maintain your bike (bike fit, tools to have, maintenance cadence to follow etc.) ***

Most importantly, if you are ready to start your journey, or are already on the path - be proud of yourself! It’s a great feat, give yourself some credit and unlock the next level - let’s goooo 🚀

And remember: It never gets easier, you just go faster!