going long

Distance Riding

By Eric Muhler

Over the last two years I have begun riding my mountain bike in an excursion mode. I consider any ride over approximately 24 miles, depending on terrain and amount of elevation gain, to be a distance ride. The Forest Knolls Freewheelers have an "epic" category defined by 35 miles of distance combined with over 5500 ' of elevation gain. I do a lot of these rides, but a ride doesn't have to be an epic in order to be a distance ride.

The type of riding I used to do was more geared to riding as fast as possible for 12 to 18 miles of cross-country mountain biking. Typically, these rides would have from 1500 ' to 2200 ' of elevation gain. My experience was that I could do this type of ride without resting, and without food supplements. That is the first thing about riding for distance. You must bring food!

I like to carry five Clif Bars, five GU's, 100 ounces of water or Cytomax, and a sandwich for lunch. I won't need all the Clifs and GU's but I like to have extras in case a friend needs some or on the very off-chance that I might get stuck with an extremely long hike-a-bike and/or bivouac.

The second thing about distance riding is that, depending on your level of fitness and other factors, you simply can't sprint the ride. One well known rule is "It's not who's fast at first, it's who's fast at the last." Start slow, use level and downhill sections to stretch your body, take weight off your butt, and plan several rest stops for views, snacks, lunch, hydration, and conversation. I tend to love a nice nap in the middle of a ride, weather permitting!

As distance traveled increases, the possibility of losing "legability" increases also. Cramping, bonking, exhaustion, heat exhaustion, and all the negative possibilities become increasingly possible with distance. This is why pacing, hydration, nutrition, and rest are all essential elements of any distance ride.

I've found that in order to prevent the possibility of that nasty hike-a-bike, a good supply of tools is in order. Here's a list of what I carry.

1. Topeak Alien - This multi-tool has most of what you will need.
2. A full length Philips head and flat blade screw driver. The long shank on the flat blade makes an excellent prying tool if you have something severely bent, like your derailleur cage, for instance.
3. Mini Vice-Grip - Sometimes you need a grip to really torque on something broken, or for pulling cable. This model is also shaped like needle-nose pliers and makes getting into some tight areas possible.
4. CO2 inflator and 7 cartridges - This is much faster and easier than pumping and many mini-pumps hardly work at all, although I hear they are improving them. If you don't carry CO2 you must have a working pump.
5. Small bottle of Tri-Flow or lube of choice.
6. A patch kit with real glue, sand paper, and plenty of patches. I also have "speed" patches (pre-glued) but they don't seem to work nearly as well as glued patches.
7. A toe-clip strap - I use this for a portable bike rack. You hang it around the nose of your seat or top tube and hang your bike from a low-lying tree branch.

Additionally I carry emergency parts and supplies for bike repair. Here is a list of the parts I carry.

1. Two tubes - Even though I rarely flat, I carry enough for a partner and myself so I won't have to walk with them!
2. Derailleur and brake cables.
3. A set of replacement brake pads.
4. Park tire boots - If you slice a tire, duct tape won't always do the job. These tire patches are thick and rubbery.
5. Velox canvas rim tape - This can be used for tire boots, or anything where a sticky tape is needed, even for rim tape!
6. A spoke and several spoke nipples.
7. Extra chain links. Be careful that you have eight speed width if that is what you ride or nine-speed width if that is what you ride.
8. Speed links - These "toolless" chain links are super handy. However you will still need to have a chain breaker to prepare your chain to use one. They come in eight and nine speed widths.
9. Shimano breakable chain pins - These pins are much easier to use than replacing a used pin.
10. Duct tape - a 36 " roll of duct tape is good for many conceivable emergencies.

Needless to say, knowing how to use these tools and parts is essential. It is somewhat lame to have to rely on others to keep your bike running. The first time you get in a bind by yourself, you better be able to do something about it besides push your bike.

For trail comfort and first aid I carry a tidy arsenal of products , including the following:

1. A full first aid kit which includes Tylenol and Aspirin for any serious biffs. I got mine at REI. Some riders carry a Vicodin or two for emergencies, but this is a prescription drug that you must get from your doctor. A friend recently needed one after a very painful back injury where he needed to continue riding for several miles before he could bail on the ride.
2. A nylon arm sling - This is indispensable if you break your collarbone (common) or worse, your arm. Separated shoulders need support if you have to hike out. I got mine from the hospital where they fixed my broken collarbone. Any medical supply store and many drug stores carry them. If you don't have the sling an inner tube will do in a pinch.
3. Sun block lotion.
4. Lip balm & sun-block .
5. A Space Blanket - This is for an emergency bivouac or if you had to try to stay warm ( in shock) after a serious injury. Mine is from REI. Michael Kelley recently used his to stay dry on a ridge high in the Rockies during a rain and lightning storm. Mylar is metallic, so this is not a recommended usage.
6. Toilet paper - Leaves are an option, but not the preferred one by a long shot. REI has small cellophane-wrapped camping sized rolls.
7. A Butt Pad - A foam roll of ensolite about 18" by 12" is indispensable for dry, cushioned, sitting (or napping) during food and rest stops.

Clothing is one of the big items required for distance riding. With increases in distance comes the clear probability of encountering varying weather, and significant changes in speed and temperatures. Here are the basics. Of course, some of these are going to be season-dependent.

1. A good Gore-Tex, rain parka. I have a Performance full -length parka with an extra sized hood that goes over a helmet.
2. A nylon windbreaker. I have a Hind that stuffs into its own back pocket. Very compact and easy to carry.
3. Arm and leg warmers. Mine are Pearl Izumi.
4. A hat or knit beanie for keeping your head warm on rest stops. When your hair is sweat-wet, your head chills very quickly in the slightest breeze.
5. Sweat band and an extra one for starting the second half of the ride dry.
6. A terry towel for drying off sweat or rain.
7. A long sleeved wool jersey for winter or night riding.
8. Extra sunglasses and changeable lenses for my regulars. I like the variable lenses because they allow you to adjust for time of day (dusk or night) and changing weather conditions. If you break your glasses in a fall, a second pair is a lightweight luxury.
9. A fleece jacket or vest. I prefer long sleeves to vests because if it's cold enough to warrant fleece it's my arms that suffer the most. Many riders swear by their vests however, so I mention them here.
10. Neoprene rain and mud booties - Mine zip up, cover my entire foot up to the ankle and leave openings in the bottom for pedal cleats, and some of the sole cleats to be exposed to aid in mud traction when walking.
11. Winter gloves - At the least, a second pair of gloves for starting dry after the first half of a long, rain, ride.

I've saved the best for last. That would be the accessories that make for value-added fun on the ride. Between my partners and myself, we carry all of the following. Only somebody as compulsive and sick as myself would carry them all, (and regrettably, I don't) but they each add many facets of enjoyment to a ride.

1. A good, full function, cyclometer - How else will you know that it's a distance ride?!
2. Altimeter - Mandatory for garnering that elevation gain data! Inaccurate enough to provide a constant source of argument and yet, accurate enough to provide highly reliable data.
3. Heart rate monitor - Its nice to see how much you can slow your heart rate (and suffering) by slowing your pace up a long, steep, climb. It's always good to know if your heart stops, as well!
4. Camera - A PHD (Push Here Dummy) 35 millimeter is a great way to save the views and memories of the ride. Digital cameras are handy, and free of film and developing, but not quite the photo quality of film, and two, three, or four times as expensive. Be sure the camera has a firm, padded carrying case.
5. Binoculars - Excellent optical quality, mini-binocs are super handy for bird and wildlife viewing and searching for landmarks to argue over.
6. Maps - Don't underestimate the value of knowing where you are going, and how to get back!
7. GPS - Despite the built-in inaccuracy, these are great route finders and savers. Download your route into TOPO software and make maps of your favorite rides.
8. A small, foldable, branch saw - Excellent for clearing small, downed trees, or for putting together some firewood in a bivouac. REI has a great one for $16.
9. Waterproof Matches - (See #7)
10. Money - Five to twenty dollars, in a waterproof, ziploc, bag, is a great comfort under certain circumstances. A Visa or Mastercard extends this concept to almost limitless (credit limit) possibilities! I've seen the plastic replace an entire wheel in the middle of a 37-mile epic that only stayed epic because of the plastic!
11. Cell phone - Indisputably THE thing to have in a serious emergency or just if you are running late (typical as distance increases) and have to call someone to pick up your kids for you.
12. A good night-light system.

Obviously, a hydration system is a must for distance riding. Which brings us to the pack that accompanies most hydration systems. I switched to the Camelbak Trans Alp last spring. Several of my riding partners prefer it for their winter pack to accommodate the extra clothing required for winter. This pack has an excellent rain shield, cover, which packs into a bottom, zippered, compartment. Summer 2000, I plan to use my Camelbak HAWG for riding shorter rides and distance rides that seem to indicate less weather changes, etc. For the 1999 Giro-nimo, a 37.5 mile, 7,500 ' elevation gain ride, I took most of my supplies out of the Trans Alp and put in two 100-ounce bladders with 100 ounces each of water and Cytomax. This was because I knew it would be demon-hot (it was 95 degrees or so) and because I knew I'd be in a large group where I could probably find somebody with what I would need in an emergency, forgoing the need to carry everything myself.

On any distance ride common sense is your most valuable pack-in.

1. Check the weather the night before and/or morning of the ride and pack accordingly.
2. Eat and hydrate thoroughly, well before the ride.
3. Bring your light if you might get stuck out after dark.
4. Check your bike carefully for brake adjustment, true wheels, frayed cables, derailleur adjustment, clean chain, tire air pressure, and for those of you with titanium frames, a thorough check for those nasty recurring cracks and broken welds is a good idea.

One of the great pleasures of distance riding is the camaraderie that develops as your riding group goes through an intense, long ride through varying terrain, changing forests, and perhaps sees a mountain from several different perspectives. There is a great sense of accomplishment that comes from traveling far and sustaining long climbs and long downhills. Perhaps the biggest reward is having the experience of seeing so much territory in the course of a day's expedition. Hikers never have it this good!