Ever get an idea to jump on your bike and pound some long miles? Be it dirt or road, preparedness can make or break your trip. After personally completing a few gran fondos, gravel days, racking up miles crossing states and even circling the Hawaiian island Oahu I feel qualified to suggest these simple yet oftentimes overlooked tips. And while these tips are true for almost any ride, they very much matter on longer distance journeys!
1. Know your capabilities– Don’t just jump in with plans of putting on 50 miles if you have only ever pedaled around the block until now, plan your trip for completion and within your personal physical limits. Riding across the USA sounds amazing, but physical and mental strength definitely need to be earned to complete such a journey. Pushing yourself for longer distances is a good thing, but don’t go cliff diving, step up small so you don’t run in to burnout or even worse injury.
2. Have a plan– Any long trip should be backed with an escape plan, a meeting place, an exit route, or even a friend waiting at a 1/2 way point to boost your spirits. When possible always ride with a friend or group, this can greatly reduce the chance of injury in case of an accident, and accidents can happen! In this modern day, not carrying a cell phone would be ridiculous to say the least, cell service is available pretty much everywhere these days so calling for a ride when you break a chain can prevent a long walk in the rain on a cold dark night, and who doesn’t want to post about their trip in real time to social media- Insta or it didn’t happen! Not only carrying a phone, but letting someone reliable know when and where you are going is also a great idea.
3. Know your route– Carrying over from step 2 make sure you know the route you are taking, and also is your bike capable of this route, barreling down paved backroads on your roadie only to end up on pothole filled dirt can make for highly uncomfortable miles, Plan your route around your equipment, you don’t take rollerblades to the ski slope! If off roading/single track, try to find out before you ride what kind of trails to expect, this can also help with initial bike setup and make trail miles happen more smoothly with less stops for tire pressure/ shock adjustments
4. Hydration– Running out of water with 60 miles to go is a real buzz kill. When road riding this isn’t normally a very large issue as gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores and restaurants are found dotted all over the map almost anywhere you go. When mountain/gravel/trail riding, this can be a big issue as at times the closest place to grab some water might be hours away, a clean running stream is a good second choice if you have a water filter or bleach tablets, just practice using either and I prefer to carry both, ripping a filter sucks, but water purification tablets can be had for cheap and take up barely any room in a pack or bag. A good rule is to carry 1.5 times the water you plan to use before your next water stop, Then if the weather turns warm there should be no worry of making it to your next water stop and still have a buffer. Cycling for extended hours can really take a toll on hydration, carrying some electrolyte replacement can be a life saver, Gatorade, PowerAde, drink mixes, honey, pickles, power gels etc.. There are many options Find out what works for your body and your taste, and a 100 mile gran fondo is not the place to try a new energy gel.
5. Be Ready for breakdowns– If you have biked for any length of time, you know the importance of having that patch kit or master link when needed, however, the further you plan on going from access to more parts or bike shops, the more you should pack with you. If running tubeless tires be sure you are able to reseat a bead on the trail if needed and have a proper hand pump or cO2 for re-inflation. On the road be sure your hand pump is capable of the higher pressures normally seen on road bike tires. A patch kit is lite and small to carry but, do you know how to use it? While tubeless technology has come a long way with materials and sealants, carrying a tube zip tied to your frame can save the day if a flat ends up in sidewall or rim damage. Carry a proper multi-tool like THIS and Tire Levers. Some tire and rim brands mix very well and tools are not needed, and others are so tight you swear they sent you a 27.5 tire to squeeze over a 29er rim. The market is flooded with multi tools and gadgets, buy one of high quality and one that contains the proper sizes for the bolts/screws on your bike, this is a great generalization as tools to carry from a road bike can differ from tools needed on a mountain ride. A tool had, is a tool not needed, a tool needed is an end to the ride and nobody wants that.
6. Equipment condition– Did you just ride your roadie on 30 miles of gravel and without even looking at it and head out to pound on the road miles, or did you just head down 5 miles of railroad tracks on your trail bike to get to that sweet sweet single track, either way a before and after ride inspection is always a good idea. Bikes take a beating it’s amazing they handle what they do, a little maintenance here can go a long way. Vibration is the biggest culprit of equipment failure, bolts get loose which can result in threads being worn and components being loose, loose components can cause frame damage, component failure or total loss of control! If you are not comfortable with bike maintenance and adjustments yourself have a qualified friend or bike shop check your bike for you. Losing a derailleur screw at even the beginning of a ride can make for a lousy weekend of parts searching when most bike shops are closed, having spare parts or a backup bike can make all the difference. When preparing for a long ride, check things you might normally overlook, are you tires aged and cracked? Is your chain stretched beyond useable service? Are your gears wore thin from miles and miles of shifting? Are your shoes up to the task? Maybe now is the time to fix that clicking bottom bracket or replace those pedals that no longer spin smooth. The more you and your equipment are prepared, the better chance you have at not only completing, but enjoying every ride you experience.