Guys,

I am preparing for my biggest ride, 160km next week.

How do you guys prepare before the long hours ride? Do I need to take electrolite tablet or anything the night before, etc? Any other tips?

Thanks.

Personally I don’t bother about electrolytes or salt tablets, a bottle of coke or 100 plus during the stops does the job well done as well. The most important thin are:
Money
Phone fully charged and kept inside a waterproof plastic bag
2 spare tubes / sealant if tubular
Tyre levers
Pump
2 bidons for water
Don’t do it alone unless you are very familiar with the route and it’s safe to do so

Remember to eat well in each stop but do not overeat. Have fun!!!!

I’ve never done tapering for rides unless it’s a race but I do know some cyclists do taper a day or two before a hard ride.

This post has been edited by rads78: Sep 17 2018, 10:22 AM

You have to remember to feed yourself. By the time your body tells you to feed, it's already too late. Make a habit of feeding every 30 minutes or so, depending on the effort you putting in. Same applies for hydration.

Typically you would also want to build up to your biggest ride. For example, a few weeks before your big event, do a ride that is 40% of the length, then the week after that do a ride that is 50%, then 60% and so on. Your body will gradually get used to the length and be more efficient during your biggest ride.

Check bike. Check gear. Fill your bottles with water. Makan makan makan. Sleep well before ride. Pack bike and gear into car the night before to avoid kelam Kabuto in the morning.
Make sure you do adequate mileage before embarking on your century ride.
Good luck!

Lots of reason for your speed higher by 3kph.

Wheels
Bike weight
Your fitness that day
Bottom bracket
Or maybe ospw

Price? Convince me before I grab silca

What I did was

Day before, dinner take carbs, then have longer rest than usual.
Wake up, take up my daily nutrients before buy a not so heavy breakfast with coffee or sugar based hot drink.

During ride, enough water and 100+. Once refill, I took some carbs again eg oat biscuits with chocolate, coke and again enough water.

Then I pace myself using heart rate monitor as well as how much power I can output troughout my ride. Power meter helps me in this.

If climb, follow your heart and breathing. I do 60-70% of my HR zone. And most importantly, don't compete with others. Know what you want to achieve.

Lastly, Rapha bib, jersey and base layer to make me as comfortable as possible

This post has been edited by KTCY: Sep 17 2018, 02:15 PM

Thanks all for the advise. I usually ride 70-80km most of the time and sometime do slightly more. Yesterday I joined the GCE Duathlon where I ran 5k, rode 27km and another run for 5k. Man, I tell you this duathlon is alot harder than my 70-80km on bike! I cramp till night! Never thought it was too hard to run and ride at the same time. This make me think again to ride this weekend for 160km. Haha. I read about rocktape, energy pil or tablet, to avoid cramp. Not too sure if it Gives good benefit as their claim.

@KTCY, talking about Rapha allergic, I have bought many since such as Rapha, Jakroo, Specialized, Plan A and a fake specialized from Lazada. I would say that the material on Rapha and Jakroo are more to my preference while specialized RBX Comp has good cutting (abit loose). A fake specialized is nice design but the material is bad and feel very hot.

This post has been edited by Seng_Kiat: Sep 17 2018, 02:28 PM

I have the highest range of spez n Rapha pro team. Prefer the latter. Now got 4 of it. Lovin each of them. #rapharocks

just take plenty of water, keep yourself hydrated. those rocktape and salt pills or energy drink doesnt prevent cramps, they only reduces the chances of getting cramp by creating higher blood pressure to push more blood that carries oxygen through(exclude rocktape).... a simple keeping oneself hydrated is more than enough to reduce cramps.

there is always a simple trick to know you are dehrydrated, pinch your own hand and see how long does the skin goes back to shape. if your are hydrated, the skin goes back to shape less than a 1s, if it take a small while, your body (and blood) are lacking of water, which make your blood pressure is higher and harder for the blood to carry oxygen over which trigger cramps (sign of cell dying).

thats the issue with cramps. riding or running or swimming.


This post has been edited by edpaul: Sep 17 2018, 03:12 PM

I think your legs / muscles are not use to running after cycling or maybe you pushed too hard during the race

Can incorporate brick workouts! Congratulations on finishing!

I did the 37km fun ride yesterday during the GCE duathlon-I wasn't expecting so much elevation during the ride - first time taking the bike out of my local taman and the longest time sat in the saddle.

Highlight was trying to drink from the bottle while cycling and nearly crashing into the road railings. lots to learn lol.

The spez jersey material is a bit thicker compare to rapha and it holds more sweat than rapha. Spez have higher material but the cutting is not to my liking. Too tight for my big tummy. Haha.

Yeah, the muscle cramp yesterday was from running, not cycling. It started with slightly above ankle, and when finish everything become cramp. Worst! Should have trained runninv but I underestimated it. Thought my 70-80km ride is harder or equal to this duathlon.

Yes bro. The elev is crazy on the car road! I also shocked. I regularly train at GCE but never thought it looks so high from the car road. At motor lane, it is not that struggle but from strava elev report, it is about the same. Maybe the mind shock with the view. Lol

I have no idea how to keep myself hydrated. I drink 1L of water before sleep night before and then on the morning, 500ml of water with 2 slices of bread with butter.

I really worry if the cramp comes again during this long 160km ride. 😭

Everything begins with your mind

This post has been edited by KTCY: Sep 17 2018, 07:05 PM

having bloated with water before a workout is nouse (my case), coz it will end up losing all of them during the workout as sweat... some ppl told me about heat resistant training, but my other friend told me ignore heat training as its all BS, keeping yourself hydrate is the key~ some distance runner grab ice pack and put on their back to keep the body cool. i did that once during a century ride, and it really helps my last 40km during the hot 11-1pm heat.

peanut butter jelly (PBJ) bread is best pre-workout intake. give a lot good calories. (i tried carbo load but didnt work that well for me).

160km ride, go buy some salt pill, seriously it helps, but try have plenty of water with u too or hopefully they have water stops, worst to worst, bring the 2L backpack

Yes, they have 3 water station every 40km at km 40, km 80 and km120. I think 1 bottle is enough as I can refill at waterstation.

get it, silca looks awesome