Bike guys, can I jump from 40 miles to 100

You run the other days & then do 1x 50-60k on the bike each week? You could do it. Wouldn't advise it but bring proper fuel/hydration, take it controlled, & you can cross it off your bucket list. When I first got my bike, I hit an 80 mile/4+ hr long ride after 6 weeks. But I also built up to 200 miles/week pretty quickly and was riding almost every day. Had been dealing with achilles issues so just hit the bike a ton. Did the 100 miler at the end of week 7 to cross off the century. I would maybe take a month, even just 2-3 weeks, where you bump up the cycling frequency a bit. Even just 3ish rides/week where you're getting to 100 total miles. Do 2.5 & 3 hour long rides. It'll make the century a lot easier & take down the injury risk.

most i have done is about 125k but that was on a heavyish MTB bike in 33C heat and after a marathon (I was cycling back home), which i guess is more or less equivalent to 160k on a beasty road bike. took most of the day for me but i stopped for lunch and various other short breaks.

if no breaks, very tough, and more likely to get aches and pains. i thought knee problems with cycling were mostly a result of the seat being too low or the bike not being set up correctly.

the best way to finish something like that is to do a point to point route. if you are doing laps around your town and you need 10 laps, it's easy to stop after 7 because you're tired. but if you've got an appointment or hotel booking 160km away the next day, you'll have to get there one way or the other so you may as well finish cycling there.

Don't just worry about your knees- your penis, testicle, whole groin area could go numb from sitting for so long.

You won't hurt your knees if the bike is reasonably well fitted to you and in good repair. Age of the bike is pretty much irrelevant if it's in good shape.

The issues with a century ride vs 30-40 miles is that your butt will get sore and you will potentially bonk. The former you can probably tough out if you take some breaks. The latter you deal with by nutrition, hydration, and setting an effort level that's more modest than you think it needs to be.

The terrain you'll be riding matters a great deal. If it's hilly then it becomes much harder to keep the effort level easy throughout which greatly increases bonk potential.

What you can't do without appropriate training is "race" a century any more than you can race a marathon without appropriate training.

I've been doing more biking the last couple years can knock out 30 to 40 without an issue. Like you I am planning do a century soon as well. Having recently done a 65 mile ride for the first time I would advise to try something like 60-70 before making the full century leap. I was spent the same way I would be from like a 20 mile run. Good practice for the logistics and nutrition, and starting to see the outer edges of what that absolute exhaustion will look like if you keep going, but not dead. You wouldn't jump straight from a half marathon to a full marathon so I wouldn't do that cycling as well. Good luck.

Yes I think you could do it if you took it at an easy pace and brought some nutrition and definitely water. Plan out your route in advance and I would recommend avoiding big hills if you're going for distance. When I got into cycling I would do frequent 30-40 mile rides on the weekend like you do, and then I did one 65 miler a couple weeks out from doing a century ride and felt reasonably ready on the day. I think the main advantage of doing an intermediate distance between 60-70 miles beforehand is that it will help prepare you mentally for longer hours riding and let you know of any physical discomfort that might come with that.

I did this last week. I rode my bike I think twice in about 10 years, then got a bit serious and took about 6 weeks to build up to doing a century. Running endurance translates extremely well for something like that, but as I'm sure you know, running power doesn't. So just take it easy especially for the first 50. By that I mean 1-2mph slower than you'd do on your typical weekend ride.

The one thing that I can't recommend enough is EAT A CRAP TON. This is coming from someone that rarely if ever fuels for 20+ mile runs. I'm a believer in training the body to burn fat vs carbs. But when you're out there for 6 or 7 hours, you have to eat EARLY and often. I had a goal of replacing half the calories of what I burned while riding, and I think that set me up well to finish the ride (104 total) quite comfortably.

I just have an older hybrid as well. I'm sure a decent road bike would have been 1-2mph faster. But it wasn't a race, so no big deal. I finished in just over 6 hours. And again, that's coming from someone who's cycling fitness is awful compared to running fitness. So you can do it.

You can do it, remember to bring alot of energi (gels etc.) for the ride and start eating it early!

Take it easy the first couple of hours to not burn matches too soon!!!!!!!

Bvllsh!t. You rode home from a marathon on a heavy mtn bike?? Rright bro.

yes pattaya marathon 2023, then rode back to bangkok.

I'd also recommend some solid foods too, like cliff bars, honey stinger waffles, or even PBJ sandwich. Start eating the solid foods early and supplement with gels.

Plot out a place or places along the route to replenish fluids. Rule of thumb is that you'll go through a 20oz bottle of fluid each hour.

You can also stop somewhere halfway and get real food if you want. If you didn't eat any solids earlier, an egg and cheese sandwich and a coke can do wonders at the midpoint of a long ride.

I'd advise building up a bit more before 100, but if you're going to do it, keep that stuff in mind.

If you don't enjoy it, why do it?

Do you enjoy hiking and live near good hiking trails? Spend the day going on a long hike instead. Go kayaking, water skiing, play tennis. Roller blading isn't as popular as it used to be but it's a great workout. Do stuff that's fun and you enjoy.

Absolutely, assuming you aren't going into a headwind and don't care about speed. Do the first 60 miles at like 13mph or less, extremely easy, almost coasting. Eat gels or something every 60 min. Easy peasy. Shoulders and lower back might not be ready for 7 hours or so on a bike, but you'll feel that more the next day.

I do like cycling, I just hate all the fast traffic. But I'm getting better at it

Thanks for the advice, taken on board!

I'll aim for a couple of 100k/62mile + rides first then. It was probably a bit of a bad idea.

Yes I fill factor in a break and decent food rather than gels. My cycles are currently max 3 hour so I just take a gel or two.

Thanks

Not doing it next weekend?

100 miles is no problem. Cycling isn't like running and jumping up volume won't injure you. Get off the bike every 30 miles to stretch the back, stay hydrated and fueled and just take it easy and enjoy the day. Better yet, find someone to ride with and it will go by quickly.

To avoid injuries, take one or two days off after the century, and then follow with easy running for a few days.

Riding double your usual riding distance is doable since you also run. Riding with a group would make it easier though and having a proper road bike as well with clip in shoes and pedals. Years ago I road with a Seattle group for awhile, shorter trips 30-40 miles; then tried a 100 miler with hills. My 26 lb Schwinn made keeping up with the 17 lb Treks, Davis, Bianchi type road bikes tough though. Had to bail out at 96 miles though since my legs couldn't handle more hills the last 4 miles. Also take some critical spare parts and some tools for a long distance.