The Metric Century

How to complete The Metric Century

A 100km ride is the threshold where cycling stops being a hobby outing and becomes an endurance event: roughly four to six hours in the saddle that test your fueling, pacing, and contact points as much as your legs. Finishing one proves you can manage your body and your bike over a long, uninterrupted effort.

1. Build your long ride gradually over 6-8 weeks, adding about 10km to your weekly longest ride until you reach 70-80km comfortably.
2. Dial in your bike fit and saddle before race day, since small discomforts become injuries at hour four.
3. Plan a flat-to-rolling route with refill points, or carry two bottles plus a multi-tool, tube, and pump.
4. Eat 30-60g of carbs per hour starting in the first hour, not when you feel empty.
5. Hold an easy conversational pace for the first half; negative-split by going slightly harder only after 60km.

Tips

• Bonking is a fueling failure, not a fitness one, eat early and often.
• Draft behind others when you can, it cuts effort by up to 30 percent.
• Test every food and drink on training rides, never try new gels on the day.

What counts as done

You roll past the 100km mark on your bike computer or GPS in one ride without breaking it into separate days.