Riding with bikes...

[Killian]

Okay, so maybe this has been talked about (I have seen it mentioned) but I couldn’t find any threads during my limited search.

I got a book of bike touring events in Utah the other day, and with my recent bout of 36er riding, my interest has been piqued. I’m not ready to jump right in and go touring with a bunch of bikes next week, but was curious as to whether or not it’s feasible to think by July or August (provided I train a bit) I could do one of these half centuries or 85 milers or maybe even a century? I’m not looking to be competitive at all, really just want to get out there and ride as well as publicize the sport a bit by just getting out into the community a bit.

Something like this: http://bearlakemonsterride.com/century-ride/

These aren’t races, so I wouldn’t be worried about people going crazy fast, but I am wondering if I’d be left in the dust, or even not allowed to participate.

One of our LBS’s also does ~20 mi. road rides every Wednesday that I plan to contact them about.

Have any of you guys done rides like this?

Or is a person better off doing rides like this solo, on their own time, unsupported, etc.?

Thanks.

[davidp]

Quite a few people on the forum have ridden event rides with bikes; both long road rides and mountain bike events. The one you linked to looks like a good choice; I’d register for a distance I was sure I could handle.

Group road rides starting from LBSs are a different story. These rides are usually at a faster pace than a unicycle could hope to maintain. I would focus on training with solo rides and not worry about riding with bikes before the event. Try to put together some routes that are similar to what the event course will cover. If the event is close enough for you to pre-ride the route, even better.

Here are a few event threads:

Riding in a non-uni race

Seattle To Portland

Seattle To Portland On A Unicycle (July 2009)

I am considering the STP in July 2009. I have a lot of decisions to make about training and gear. If there are any veterans of similar long distance unicycle rides that feel inclined to comment on gear and/or training and their own personal choices I would find value in it, maybe some others here would as well.

STP On A Unicycle 2011

The STP is this Saturday and Sunday: July 9,10 2011. I picked up my Registration Packet yesterday at the Seattle REI Store. I trained harder this year and participated in more events to this point than the last 2 STPs. I feel ready but, it is a very long way to go in a day and a half on a unicycle. 204 miles this year. I will need to ride my unicycle just over 100 miles Saturday and just over 100 miles by Sunday evening. I’m on the Team of Owain’s Army Rides the STP to raise money for SEATTLE C…

Black Fly Challenge:

Black Fly Challenge anyone? (12-Jun-2010: 40 mile race: Upstate NY, US)

There’s a popular MTB/CX race in upstate NY called the Black Fly Challenge. So named for the dreaded Adirondack Black Fly, particularly menacing in NE North America, in wet and mountainous areas, during the May and June months. So on June 12, 2010, this is a 40 mile race on mostly good dirt roads, through a wet and mountainous portion of the Adirondack mountains in upstate NY, US. They say there’s little or no single track, and even some paved road riding. I just got emailed permission from …

Race Repot: 2011 Black Fly Challenge, 40mi dirt road race in the Adirondacks

This year I raced my unicycle (geared 26”) in the Black Fly Challenge, a ~40mi mostly dirt road bicycle race between the towns of Indian Lake and Inlet in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Last year Steveyo was the first one to ever enter the race on a unicycle. Thus, his time of 3:58:41 was the course uni record, and my target today. I’ve taken a few other course records away from Steveyo in the past, so figured I would be able to beat his time today. I would need to average around 10mph…

Singlespeed-a-polooza:

Singlespeed-a-polooza 20-mile MTB race - 31-May - near Newburgh, NY

Singlespeed only 20-mile MTB race near Newburgh NY - $25 I emailed and the race-director said: Got your email about the uni’s at singlespeed race. Bring it on!!! go ahead and sign up! We would love to have you guys! Supposedly, it’s one 20-mile loop, and it’s a “fast, flowy course”. (guni-muni?) Singlespeed-a-polooza presented by Darkhorse Cycles Presented by Darkhorse Cycles Stewart State Forest, New Windsor, NY Sunday, May 31, 2009, 9AM This is only a couple hours’ drive from PA, NJ,…

Singlespeed-a-Palooza 2011 Race Write-up

Hey all! I just rode the Singlespeed-a-Palooza 2011 race on Sunday, April 17. It’s two 12-mile laps, mostly on wonderful singletrack. It had rained the night before, and well, it was wet. I entered once before, but had a mechanical and only completed 1 lap and a fraction of another, so this is really the first unicycle-completion of the race. Very hard (not enough training), very fun. Here’s the as-usual long writeup. Here are some pics. Here’s the text in case my link dies. Singlespeed…

There’s a bunch out there.

[Killian]

Thanks David. I really appreciate all the helpful links! Just what I was looking for.

[Milosboy]

Additionally, depending on your current level of fitness, you could very likely finish a long ride. Unlike running or other high-impact activities, road unicycling does not wear on your muscles as much and you can go much farther, but at no point would you ever need to stop riding.

Yes, you’d be very uncomfortable, but I have no doubts that a person who is reasonably fit (if they could finish a 30-40 mile unicycle ride, per se) could also finish 75-100.

[vookash]

I’ve been riding in some XC bike events and I was not last, but for my first attempt. But anyway the speed of weakest bikers is somehow similar to ours in the terrain. We are faster on uphill, they on downhill (as long as it is not very technical, then the weakest slow down). But in the road event it will be hard to keep up, especially if the bikers are on road bikes and it is not very uphill. But anyway, even if you’re riding last, they will be cheering at your attempt so go for it. Just select the distance, so that you can finish within the time frame. It sucks being taken down from the track

[WheelieDaft]

That’s what’s holding me back from the local MTB Challenge rides. Even though they’re not a race, they have a soft ‘time limit’ when the organisers will pack up, go home and award you a DNF.

I know I can do the distances involved, but, for example, on the local 30-miler the slowest bikers to finish do it in around 5 hours. I currently average around 4 mph over MTB terrain so I’m pretty certain I’d not be able to keep up with them.

I’m training hard this summer and hoping that I can join in some of those events next year, but also hoping that I make faster progress.

I originally thought it would take me a year of road unicycling before I was ready for a MUni at XMas 2013 - I actually bought the MUni in March and have been riding rougher and rougher trails ever since.

It still seems a way off, but I can see I’m improving.

[Moron]

Go for it!

The last couple of entries in the “Who has Done a Hundred-Mile Ride” thread are from riders who did it as part of MS150 rides.

Who has completed a 100 mile ride?

Yesterday I completed a 100 mile cycle race on my unicycle and it got me thinking, who else has unicycled this distance (or further)? Have I joined the exalted ranks reserved only the truly mad reach, or is this a fairly common achievement? Ken Looi is the only other NZer I know who has completed a 100 mile ride and I have a hazy recollection of reading about two unicyclists who did a double century. Who else out there has done an imperial century?

What makes these rides perfect, in my mind, for a century attempt is that the back of the pack is filled with riders for whom this is a giant goal, and who will struggle in at just about the same pace as a unicyclist. They’ll probably manage a slightly faster pace on the bike, but you can make that back by lingering less at the rest stops.

These rides are well supported, you’ll gain a LOT of motivation from the rock star status granted you for the day, and you’ll have SAG support if you have to throw in the towel early.

Can you get ready by August? Without question. The biggest limiting factor for most folks in saddle soreness, I think, so just putting in all the miles you can to get used to sitting in the saddle for long periods is key.