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
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.
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:
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 …
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 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,…
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.