Century ride
Encyclopedia
A century ride is a bicycle
ride of 100 miles (160.9 km) or more within 12 hours, usually as a cycling club-sponsored event. Many cycling clubs sponsor an annual century ride as both a social event for cyclists and as a fund-raiser for the club’s other activities. A sanctioned century ride is organized and conducted under the rules and liability protection of a sanctioning organization, such as the League of American Bicyclists
. Sanctioned rides typically have rest stops every 25 miles or so, where water, food and toilets are available for cyclists. On a supported century ride, the route is patrolled by a sag wagon to assist riders with bicycle maintenance, or provide transportation back to the starting line for those unable to ride the entire course. Sanctioned rides are almost always supported.
Club-sponsored century rides typically offer several options for cyclists of varying abilities, such as…
Double century rides are usually scheduled near the summer solstice
to take advantage of the maximize daylight, and begin at or before dawn.
The larger, more unusual and better known annual century rides in the United States and Canada include:
Many multiple-day group rides
include a century ride in one or more segments of the course. Ride the Rockies in Colorado often includes at least one century-optional day, as a detour from the shorter main route, as does the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia
.
The origins of the century ride are obscure, but Dora Rinehart
did century rides in Denver, CO, in the 1890s. The TOSRV began in 1962 with two riders. The Apple Cider Century dates back to 1974.
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
ride of 100 miles (160.9 km) or more within 12 hours, usually as a cycling club-sponsored event. Many cycling clubs sponsor an annual century ride as both a social event for cyclists and as a fund-raiser for the club’s other activities. A sanctioned century ride is organized and conducted under the rules and liability protection of a sanctioning organization, such as the League of American Bicyclists
League of American Bicyclists
The League of American Bicyclists is a non-profit membership organization which promotes cycling for fun, fitness and transportation through advocacy and education....
. Sanctioned rides typically have rest stops every 25 miles or so, where water, food and toilets are available for cyclists. On a supported century ride, the route is patrolled by a sag wagon to assist riders with bicycle maintenance, or provide transportation back to the starting line for those unable to ride the entire course. Sanctioned rides are almost always supported.
Club-sponsored century rides typically offer several options for cyclists of varying abilities, such as…
- Quarter century, 25 miles (40.2 km) in 3 hours
- Half century, 50 miles (80.5 km) in 6 hours
- Metric century, 100 km (62.1 mi)
- Double metric century, 200 km (124.3 mi)
- Double century, 200 miles (321.9 km) in 24 hours.
Double century rides are usually scheduled near the summer solstice
Summer solstice
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
to take advantage of the maximize daylight, and begin at or before dawn.
The larger, more unusual and better known annual century rides in the United States and Canada include:
- Apple Cider CenturyApple Cider CenturyApple Cider Century is a bicycle ride of 15, 25, 37, 50, 62, 75 or 100 miles around Three Oaks, Michigan, in the USA. It was started by the Three Oaks Spokes Bicycle Club in 1974. More than 5,000 riders take part annually. It is held on the last Sunday of every September....
in southwestern Michigan in late September, 5000 riders. - Hotter'N Hell HundredHotter'N Hell HundredThe Hotter’N Hell Hundred is an annual bicycle ride in Wichita Falls, Texas. It is held each year on the 4th or 5th Saturday in August and includes professional as well as amateur riders. The professional racers ride a 100-mile road race, as well as time trials and criterium...
in Wichita Falls, TX, with some 14,000 cyclists in 2009. - Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (RAMROD), hosted by the Redmond Bicycle Club in Enumclaw, WA.
- Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and PartyRide from Seattle to Vancouver and PartyRSVP - Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party! is a two-day, 186 mile bike tour from Seattle, Washington to Vancouver, British Columbia, along scenic backroads of Washington and British Columbia. One of the most anticipated cycling events in British Columbia, RSVP is held in August...
(RSVP), hosted by the Cascade Bicycle ClubCascade Bicycle ClubCascade Bicycle Club is a nonprofit 501 community organization based in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest bicycling club in the United States with more than 13,000 members. It is run by unpaid directors, professional staff and volunteers...
. - Seattle to Portland Bicycle ClassicSeattle to Portland Bicycle ClassicThe Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic, or STP, is an annual one- and two-day supported bicycle ride from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon in the United States. The STP "is considered one of the 10 biggest recreational bicycle rides in the country, drawing riders from across the nation and...
(STP), hosted by the Cascade Bicycle Club, with as many as 10,000 riders every July. - Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRVTOSRVThe two-day bicycle Tour of the Scioto River Valley is better known by its acronym, TOSRV. It began as a father-and-son outing in 1962 before quickly growing into the nation’s largest bicycle touring weekend...
) in Columbus, OH, organized by Columbus Outdoor Pursuits, which drew about 3000 cyclists in May 2011 for the two-day, 210-mile round-trip to Portsmouth.
Many multiple-day group rides
Bicycle touring
Bicycle touring is cycling over long distances – prioritizing pleasure and endurance over utility or speed. Touring can range from single day 'supported' rides — e.g., rides to benefit charities — where provisions are available to riders at stops along the route, to multi-day...
include a century ride in one or more segments of the course. Ride the Rockies in Colorado often includes at least one century-optional day, as a detour from the shorter main route, as does the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia
Bicycle Ride Across Georgia
The Bicycle Ride Across Georgia is an annual road-cycling tour across the US state of Georgia. It began in 1980 as an offshoot of RAGBRAI. Between 1,000 and 2,000 riders participate in this great ride every year....
.
The origins of the century ride are obscure, but Dora Rinehart
Dora Rinehart
Dora Rinehart of Colorado, gained a reputation as "America's Greatest Cyclienne" for her long-distance riding in the mid 1890's.Rinehart took up cycling in 1894, even though society at that time discouraged female riders. In 1896 she famously rode more than 100 100-mile rides...
did century rides in Denver, CO, in the 1890s. The TOSRV began in 1962 with two riders. The Apple Cider Century dates back to 1974.
Further reading and external links
- Ride of the Century, a directory of annual century rides.