What is your weapon of choice for a century ride?

I did this as part of a 7 day trip around parts of Europe. It was by no means intentional, we thought it would be around 70miles, but clocked in at 106. I did it on a hybrid - specialized sirrus with a carbon forks etc, so pretty close to race bike spec, but with flat handlebars. Also had a weeks worth of gear in the panniers, and was riding up and down hills. We actually cycled in belgium, luxembourg and germany all in the same day. The whole jaunt took around 10 hours, but we weren't racing, stopped for a good long lunch, and got lost once or twice.

Doing it on a single speed would certainly be interesting. I haven't had enough experience to give a definite answer, but if you are fit enough and the bike is comfortable enough, why not?

Good luck

I managed this challenge 8 days in a row on a LEJOG ride this month - completed 999 miles in 9 days:  used a 20 year old time trialling bike with an old Brooks B17 leather touring saddle and wide ratio freewheel to adapt it for the challenge. My longest day's ride - 152m from South of Gloucester to Northwich - rolling countryside through Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire . Tips for a road ride are are:  use a saddle you are used to and comfortable with, ride as light as possible but carry water and food, use 700c 23 or 25 tyres at full pressure (100+psi), avoid very steep terrain but take gears for what you do expect (14- 32 T freewheel/52/42 chainrings in my case) so you  do not push too high a gear but keep it rolling comfortably.  Would only recommend a fixie if you were travelling through East Anglia/Linclolnshire for this distance.  Use a cycle computer (aim for 12 - 13 MPH) and if you wish a HRM to ensure you keep comfortably in your aerobic limit: oh, and train adequately and carbo load for a couple of days before you set off.  Good luck, and Enjoy!

choose your bike to suit the ride, i have done this distance on a touring bike, which was needed to carry kit. if it was a one off i would borrow a road bike from a friend and strap on some spds, of course if it was on the trials then some kind of light weight hard tail fitted up for comfort not speed.

The distance took me around 8 hours, it was very flat - quintanroe mexico, but 50oC (low humidity), at the end of the day my cycle computer blacked out as pretty much did I.  I ate on route and drank around 10-12 liters of water (and some salt+sugar). cashew nuts and dried fruits are also a good idea.

If i were to do it again, i would definitely do it off road and take my time and end in a pub.

Thanks for the great responses, I will almost certainly be doing it on 18:42 and 700c wheels (might need some wider tyres for comfort). I think I might do a 100 km first. I think the longest ride I have done was 85 miles in northern France on a fully loaded mountain bike but it that was a long time ago. We cycled to Font from Canterbury to go bouldering:)

I would give this a go on the new single speed!

@stuart - I will plan a route.

opps, reminder that I need to be carefull what I say in future! I need to sort my gearing out before I don to much of an adventure.

Done it on nearly all my bikes - Fixed;*Sunday Best* racing bike; tandem and touring bike. Main advice is something that is mechanically sound.

Fixed is fine with the right gearing although your knees may be a little raw from just spinning for so long unless you ride fairly long distances on a regular basis...

Haha this sounds like a summer job for my 10 year old Mongoose mountain bike :D

Do all those that claim there going to attempt this on a fixed gear bike realise how long it would take you, 100 miles is not for the fair hearted.

Even on a proper Road bike with a decent riding ability your looking at 7 hours, it's not the legs that will get you but everything else, lower back, wrists , bum , I'd love those that have completed it to put some times up.

I have so I know it was hard, give me a month ill let you know if it gets easier, I'm doing 4 (at least)

in April