140 miles in one day?

as said build up to it. having done it on a few occasions geared (and off road more than once) take a few weeks before hand and cycle 60,70,80,90 etc. to reach you goal. if you aclimatise you should not have any problems. i regularly put in +60 miles on a relaxing ride but know that +100 takes alot of extra effort.
everybody is different with how far they can ride straight off you need to find you limit then work on it to extend your stamina.

eat lots of fast burning foods like fruit and glucose whilst riding and build slow burning carbs from pasta in advance of cycling. if your going over the 6 hour limit (which you are) stop and have some proper food dont just depend on sugers.

+lots not riding it alone.

I've done a few longer cycles, mostly about 80-90miles but one was a double century (200miles) with a friend. We did it for fun (!).

We averaged just under 17mph (12hrs of cycling time) but then we were doing it as a challenge. I'd say that bike fit is incredibly important - mine is not the best and I had various numb bits afterwards. I had a problem with numb toes since I was using SPDs and touring shoes so the cleat was pressing slightly into my foot. I also got bad shoulder ache from just letting my back rest forward on my arms.

Planning a route that goes past several villages with shops is a very good idea so you can refill water bottles and food supplies.

A few useful points.
I used GPS to navigate (much easier).
I broke 3 spokes on my rear wheel - check it before you go, maybe take some spares too.
I couldn't go near sweet food by the end of the cycle.
Padded shorts = essential.
Repair kit = essential.

(If you're interested http://www.jwshale.com/cycling/doublec/doublec.html )

Hope this is useful.

Looks like a good route.... quite flat where I used to live in Willingham. I take it this wasn't single speed?

No, it wasn't single speed - most of it would have been fine, but there are a few hills at the start/finish that might have made it more difficult - particularly the finish...

+1 to eating lots during the ride.

The most I've ever ridden is 30 miles.

First time I did the route, I didn't take any food, was on my own, and just as I started to get 3-4 miles from my destination I think I bonked. It was not pleasant. When I arrived I then ate a horrific mix of chocolate soya milk and some salad thing from sainsburys really quickly and felt really sick. Not something you would want to do on a 140 mile ride!

Now I eat these vegan raisin/nut bar things and they sort me no problem.

as said build up to it. having done it on a few occasions geared (and off road more than once) take a few weeks before hand and cycle 60,70,80,90 etc. to reach you goal. if you aclimatise you should not have any problems. i regularly put in +60 miles on a relaxing ride but know that +100 takes alot of extra effort.
everybody is different with how far they can ride straight off you need to find you limit then work on it to extend your stamina.

eat lots of fast burning foods like fruit and glucose whilst riding and build slow burning carbs from pasta in advance of cycling. if your going over the 6 hour limit (which you are) stop and have some proper food dont just depend on sugers.

What is the six hour limit?

i find nuts and bananas good but really found that the cafine *sp bars that cycle shops helped me with the two distance trips i have done.

sorry. i have a limit at around 6 hours at a reasonable pace on most rides before i really need to eat something proper. other people have different levels.

I rode from North Walsham (just north of Norwich) back to London, and from London to Waxham (about 15 miles north of Yarmouth), both times with luggage. It's pretty flat, once you are out of Essex, there are virtually no hills.

I went Great Dunmow, Sudbury, Rickinghall, Kenninghall and then into Norwich (where you find the steepest hills in Norfolk!). To get to Yarmouth, go out on the old Acle Road to Acle and then you will have to use a trunk road for the last 10 miles.

You don't need GPS, but I would def get Klickfix map-holder (fits on the stem or bars and holds the map.

I am not sure if it is 140 miles - but it did take all day. If you are lucky, you might get a tail-wind, and then it is a very pleasant ride. The route above is really pretty quiet, and although quite flat, still quite scenic. It is eminently fixable, as I said, almost no real gradients, but I would like to do it on a fixed into a head-wind or into bad weather.

Riding far isn't difficult, especially if you eat. What makes it hard is trying to do it fast. So take it steady, eat and drink frequently, i.e. ever half hour or so, and you should be fine.

+1

If you have never ridden over 100 miles, then I wouldn't try and knock this off casually. As Winston says above, average of 10/12 mph will get you there in around 12 or so riding, without spanking yourself.

being fit from riding 8-10 miles is not the same as being fit for riding 100+ miles.
when i first got my fixed road bike i would do a lap of richmond park flat out and then think is that it? am i supposed to ride for longer? now i'll pop out for a couple of hours and do 50miles without really feeling it when i get back. a fast commuter doesn't make you a long distance rider.
but then plenty of people do the dynamo or LtoB with little or no medium distance riding under their belt. they just do it slower than everyone else :-)

That is a long way to go for your first big outing.
When staying at a weekend cottage in the norfolk broads I thought about doing a similar thing but the distance was just too far for me (and I regularly ride 50+ rides at the weekend). So I got the train to Ipswich and cycled from there.It basically cuts out the crappier bits of the route when you are trying to get out of London. It was a very nice part of the world to cycle in. But quite windy due to its very flat nature. Get some os maps and take a while to plan a route. You can take some very nice back roads around there.
All the stuff about food regular stops and a good well padded pair of cycling shorts is worth listening to.

Just remember that country miles are very different to city miles. It'll seem nice at first but then it'll seem like a relentless slog.

+1

very good point. it gets dull out in the country, and lonely

You can hear the voices in your head better in the country. They'll keep you company.

Yeah, but the man at the hospital told me that if i kept doing what they said i'd have to go back there..

Get someone to ride with you. Start discussing some of the heated rants on the forum (See DHSE1 ) and Bob's your fathers brother, before you know it you'll be there! Oh and don't try it before you do probably 1x80k and 1x 120k......... that would be madness! Bon chance. FE

Im plannin on cycling from london to Hemsby in Norfolk (Great Yarmoth). Going on google maps and clicking 'avoid highways' tells me that its around 140 miles. I was hoping to do it in a day (gettin up eeearly). recon its possible fixed? dont think the routes too hilly and i like to think im pretty fit, ride every day around 8-10 miles, but it will be my first real trek. will it happen?

I did London to Wells-next-the-Sea (about 140 miles) with gears a couple of years ago and then came back the next day. It was OK, though I was ready for my tea at the end. The flatness was what made the difference. Wouldn't much fancy doing it fixed, though.

ha, ha , ha everyone thinks its flat up here in norfolk..... try riding south out of weybourne, or out from salthouse up bard hill...... would not do london to norfolk fixed unless unless just done giro de italia !

I would surgest a good pair of shorts, a freewheel on the other side of your hub for when you tired and find out where the train stations are on route so you don't have to do it if you can't.
Also I rode from braintree to cromer in about 6 hours a few years back and it was about 100miles (that was on a slicked , geared mtb) the roads i took weren't the nicest tho

ha, ha , ha everyone thinks its flat up here in norfolk..... try riding south out of weybourne, or out from salthouse up bard hill

Yeah, but a vertical gain of 50 metres hardly requires a compact chainset, does it? I mean, there are some bridges with more vertical gain than that.

Not to say that Norfolk is totally flat, but I have seen pancakes with bigger lumps.

i get bored doing a 10 mile TT, i hope you dont go insane, oh and dont get a shit song in your head 'cause it will follow you all day

i do about 30 miles a day (with "rest" days every 5 or so) on a geared bike with a max of 300m hills - if i was going to do a 140 mile ride i'd put a couple of 50 mile rides in the previous week, and rest for at least 2 days prior, maybe some very short "sprint" rides cos my legs feel weird if i don't.

i'd work out the route to ensure that there are plenty of places to buy water and food, nothing worse than being stuck 20 miles from the nearest village at mid day with no water

should drink at least a bike bottle an hour imo

and i'd pace myself throughout, don't sprint up the hills, keep a bit back until you're nearly there

i'd expect to be totally done in by the time i arrived ;)

i would not attempt it on a fixed bike with a shit saddle and (presumably) no padded shorts! but good luck!

Im plannin on cycling from london to Hemsby in Norfolk (Great Yarmoth). Going on google maps and clicking 'avoid highways' tells me that its around 140 miles. I was hoping to do it in a day (gettin up eeearly). recon its possible fixed? dont think the routes too hilly and i like to think im pretty fit, ride every day around 8-10 miles, but it will be my first real trek. will it happen?

So did you make it then???