Any tips for first long distance ride?? 24h alleycat

Take as little stuff as possible but don’t forget hydration and food. Where is the Alleycat?

When I have done [non-fixed] long distance rides I *really* appreciated having food readily accessible via stem/ handlebar mounted feed bags, gummy bears are typically straight glucose, same as many sugar based bike centric snacks, but way cheaper. Would highly recommend Hammer Fizz Endurolytes or Nuun tablets in your water to reduce muscle issues. A very minimal water bladder backpack that is basically only able to carry the full 1-2L bladder is really convenient for straight water.

If you will ride in the dark, get a really good quality 1,000-ish lumen light that will last a long time. Recommend you remove the chair or at least strap it to the handlebars with a spacer so it doesn’t hit your hands/ brake lever. A front bike bag could be worth having, maybe with a basket, maybe a soft bikepacking style nylon one that uses straps. Keep the weight off you and have a way to securely attach it to the bike.

May want to consider getting a smaller chain ring & larger cog depending on your fitness & ability to stave off fatigue, long mile and long hour rides often see you averaging slower speeds anyways. On geared bikes I have done several 200mile days with around 14hrs moving, mostly non-paved crushed limestone though, so not too fast. It’s been a while since the last time but it’s a mental game after the first 100miles or so, maybe bring some bone conduction ear buds or a small Bluetooth speaker for some motivation.

If you feel pains, stop & evaluate. It is far better to drop out with serious discomfort instead of finishing with an aggravated injury that will stick with you for weeks or months. Personally I’d only do ultra distance/ time on clipless these days, but use what you are familiar with and use broken in shoes.

Pack any extra socks/ clothing in a zip-loc bag with the air squeezed out, or vacuum seal it if you have bags & a sealer. Padded gloves can be a game changer for longer rides, as can cycling bibs worn direct to skin with no underwear (Mad Alchemy chamois cream is good stuff as well)

Basic repair tools, 2 spare tubes, a patch kit & a pump even if you normally use CO2. Should wear a helmet for long events, between fatigue and slowed reaction time it isn’t worth the risk, and get some yellow or lightly tinted glasses you can wear in the dark if you will ride then (bugs in the eye while night riding sucks)

Lastly, do a couple of small shake down rides, adjust loadout/ equipment as needed.

front rack with a bag