Visit our website at www.BackRoadsCentury.org

Our Back Roads Century website contains a wealth of information to help you prepare for the big day.  The address is

www.BackRoadsCentury.org

We have route maps, cue sheets, photos, training tips, what to bring - you name it, and it's on our website.  Please take the time to browse through the site and learn more about our event.  Just about any question you have will be answered here.

2011 Cue Sheets will be posted in late August.

Burwell-Morgan Mill

Burwell-Morgan Mill

Antique Gas Pump at White Post Restorations

Automobiles arrive at White Post from all over the world. They are meticulously cared for and restored with the utmost professionalism. Whether they leave to become national show winners or handsome motorcars for driving pleasure, every classic car is restored with the quality and care for which White Post Restorations is famous.

Our 50, 65 and 100 mile rides pass through White Post Restorations, and this is where we server our "world famous" tomato sandwiches under a grove of shady oak trees.  Read more about our tomato sandwiches below. 

Getting last-minute adjustments at the Back Roads Century

1) Tires - This is by far the most common trouble spot for cyclists   

• Inflate your tires to the proper pressure - Look on the sidewall of the tire and it will be stamped with the maximum pressure.  For example - 110 lbs.  You'll want to inflate to a pressure below the maximum.  Check with your local bike shop or fellow cyclists for a suggested tire pressure based upon your type of riding.
• Replace your tires - If you've logged thousands of miles on your tires, than it's time to replace them.  Some tires may only last 1,000 miles or less.  Installing new tires will give you a more supple ride, and your bike will roll smoother too. 
• Get more durable tires - Most road bikes come with light, soft tires to give you the smoothest ride.  However these tires are usually not the most durable.  It's often worth sacrificing a little bit of weight for a stronger tire that won't flat as often.  A very popular replacement tire is the Continental Gator Skin.  Check with your local bike shop for recommendations.

2) Chains - Your chain is likely to break when powering up a steep hill

• It's important to replace your chain before it breaks.  That's because chains will wear over time and they'll actually do damage to your drive train.  A worn chain won't mesh up properly with your cassette (gears in the back) and will wear down the teeth.  The chain can also wear down the teeth of your crank (large gears in the front).  If you damage your cassette it will cost over $100.00 to replace, and a new crank could cost several hundred dollars.  So take your bike to a shop and have them inspect the chain.  Replacing it is less than $100.00, and a new chain will help to preserve your other drive train components.
• If your chain breaks while you're on the road, a temporary repair can be made by removing the broken link and reattaching the chain.  This is a temporary fix because you won't be able to shift into all of your gears due to a shortened chain length.

• Bikes have 4 cables - 1 for the front brake, 1 for the rear brake, 1 for the crankshaft (front gears), 1 for the cassette (rear gears).  The cassette cable is the one that gets the most use while you're riding from continually shifting gears; and it's also the one most likely to break.   If you've put in a full season of riding, it's a good idea to replace your cassette cable.   
• A tell-tale sign that it's about to fail, is when your bike isn't shifting quite right and you have to make adjustments to the cable.  That's because the cable has stretched, and it will soon break.
• Consider installing a "low friction" cable such as the ones from Gore.  Your bike will shift noticeably smoother. 

• You can't really prepare for these random failures.  If something like this breaks at the Century, then have one of our SAG drivers take you and your bike back to the ride start.  We have an assortment of spare parts and we'll do our best to get you back on the road.   

We'll be mailing your bike number and wristband the second week of September, so don't plan on receiving anything from us before that date.  And no, it isn't necessary for you to have a bicycle mailbox - but it helps! 

We mail your bike number and wristband so that you don't have to wait in line the morning of our ride to pick them up onsite.  This helps to make your day more enjoyable, and you can get rolling first thing in the morning.

If you've attached your bike number on your bike, and placed the wristband on your wrist, you do not need to stop at the registration desk in the morning. 

We'll send you a notification e-mail when envelopes have been mailed. 

Enjoying a massage after the ride

You can enjoy a 15 minute massage for a $20.00 fee.

Group Rides at the Back Roads Century

Potomac Pedalers ride leaders will be leading group rides at the Back Roads Century in all distances - 25, 30, 50, 65 and 100 miles.  Each group ride is tailored to a specific level of rider which corresponds to the distance.  Whether you're an experienced cyclist going 100 miles at a fast pace, or if you're a family going 25 miles for the first time - we have just the ride for you!

Below is the full ride listing with start times, distances and speeds.  We ask that you review the rides in detail to find the one appropriate for your ability.  Then register online so that we have a firm count of Group Ride participants.   

You must be registered for the Back Roads Century in order to participate in one of these group rides.  Click here to register for the Back Roads Century   

Click on each ride leader's name to view the ride details, and to register for a group ride. 

* Staggering ride starting times is very important * 

It's important for cyclists riding different distances to start at different times.  That way you'll be paired up with riders going the same speed and distance as you.  This makes it more fun for everybody.     

Faster Century riders (20+mph) don't want to be passing casual cyclists who are riding at 12 mph.  It creates congestion.  And slower riders can become uncomfortable with groups of fast cyclists zooming by.

That's why it's best for everyone to stagger their starting time, and we've developed the following guidelines after many years of experience -  

• 7:00am - 7:30am - 100 Mile English Century Riders
• 7:30am - 8:00am - 65 Mile Metric Century Riders
• 8:00am - 8:30am - 50 Mile Half Century Riders
• 8:30am - 9:00am - 30 Mile Extended Quarter Century Riders 
• 9:00am - 9:30am - 25 Mile Quarter Century Riders 

By following these starting time guidelines, not only will you have a more enjoyable ride, you'll encounter less congestion at rest stops.  When everyone starts out early (7:00am - 8:00am) lines tend to form.   

Also, our post-ride cookout starts at noon, so you don't want to finish your ride too early; especially if you plan on doing the 25 or 30 mile rides.

We have plenty of free parking, so don't worry about arriving later.  We actually encourage it!  

Although we've already run out of several sizes, we still have an inventory of jerseys available in some of the more popular sizes.   

All orders placed online are guaranteed for pickup at the Century.  Once we run out of a size, our website will show "out of stock" and you won't be able to order than size anymore.

You can pickup your jersey in the morning and wear it during the ride, or wait until the afternoon when you've finished riding.  It's your choice. 

You'll be the envy of your fellow riders when they see you in this beautiful cycling jersey, which highlights some of the unique features of our ride.  

On the front are rolling hills, farmland, horses and cyclists.  And prominently displayed, is the White Post street marker which you'll see at the intersection of White Post Road and Berry's Ferry Road.  The post was originally placed by George Washington, under the direction of Lord Fairfax in 1750.

The # 1 question that we receive is "How hard are the routes".  The answer is "They're not easy".  The Back Roads Century is considered moderately hilly - up and down hills, however there are no mountain climbs.  Here is an overview of each route so that you can decide which one is appropriate for you.

25 Mile - Quarter Century

This is the flattest and easiest route we offer.  There's only 950 feet of climbing which makes it suitable for most casual cyclists.  Rest stop is at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill. 

30 Mile - Extended Quarter Century 

This is the same route as our 25 mile ride, plus we've added a section that parallels the Shenandoah River.  The hills next to the river could pose some difficulty because they're steep, so you want to be sure you can handle the climbs.  There's a total of 1,400 feet of climbing on this route.  Rest stops are at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill and mile 21-Church of Transfiguration. 

50 Mile - Half Century  

There are no long climbs however you'll encounter lots of short, steep hills of 5-10% or more.  The 50 mile route is also the second half of the full 100 mile Century.  Total vertical climb is 2,500 feet. Rest stops are at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill, mile 28-White Post Restorations, and mile 41-Church of Transfiguration. 

65 Mile - Metric Century 

This may actually be the the most difficult of our routes because of the climbs - and it's also one of our most popular!  The Metric Century has all of the short, steep hills of the 50 mile ride, plus one long climb between miles 27 and 30.  We have a rest stop strategically located at mile 30, right at the top of the long climb.  Total vertical is 3,000 feet.  Rest stops are at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill, mile 30-Fairfview Church, 43-White Post Restorations, and mile 56-Church of Transfiguration. 

100 Mile - English Century

The full Century has a total vertical climb of 4,700 feet which is considered moderately hilly.  The first half is 2,200 vertical, and the hills are more gradual than the second half of the Century.  Therefore the first half is the easier of the two.  The second half of the Century has lots of short, steep hills in the 5-10% range or more, so be sure to save some energy for the second half of your ride.  Rest stops are at mile 28-South Jefferson Elementary, mile-50 Clarke County High School, mile 63-Burwell-Morgan Mill, mile 78-White Post Restorations, and mile 91-Church of Transfiguration. 

Our 100 mile Century is a figure 8 course, out and back from the high school.  This makes it easy for you to change clothes or make equipment adjustments at mile 50 when you return to the ride start.

Here is a link to interactive route maps which show elevation profiles.

2011 Cue Sheets will be posted in late August.

Yes, you are free to choose any route at any time.  We realize that you may have planned on riding one distance, and circumstances now dictate that you'll be riding something different.  No problem!

During registration we asked you what distance you were riding so that we can plan food at each of our rest stops.  Different stops are on different routes.  We find that just as many riders move up in distance (65 to 100) as down (100 to 65), therefore it tends to even out.

So don't worry about what distance you told us during registration.  Just pick a route and have fun! 

We've just established a Google Group for you to connect with other Back Roads Century riders. So go ahead and start a new discussion to get the ball rolling.

This is a great way to plan a carpool, find a riding partner, or ask questions about the Century to fellow riders.

You can join the group by first signing in to your Google account.

Click here to connect

 

Is your bike holding you back from a faster and easier Century?  Then consider renting a high-end road bike to ride in the Back Roads Century.

We're offering bike rentals through our partnership with Revolution Cycles City Hub of Arlington, VA.  Revolution has an inventory of Trek 5.2 Madone road bikes for rent at the reduced rate of $145.00, for the weekend of our ride. 

You have the option of picking up the bike at their shop in Crystal City (Arlington, VA) or

they'll deliver it to you at our ride start on September 18th at no extra charge.  What could be easier?

See our website

for more details.

The Back Roads Century wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.  Please keep these merchants in mind when you're in the market for cycling products or services.

We have Back Roads Century logo gear available for purchase in our online store.  You can purchase  any of these items during registration in one transaction, or you can come back later to place your order.   

All items purchased online may be picked up at the Back Roads Century.  We will not be shipping orders in advance of the ride.

Presenting our Back Roads Century logo t-shirt.  This is the same shirt that you'll receive free with your paid registration.  Go to our online store and stock up if you would like to have more than one.

Click here to purchase or to view a larger image

Presenting our Back Roads Century long sleeve logo t-shirt.  This shirt is 100% cotton and has the words Back Roads Century, Berryville, VA and 2011 printed on the front.

 Click here to purchase or to view a larger image 

Presenting our Back Roads Century hooded sweatshirt with full zipper.  It has our logo stitched on the front for a really elegant look.

Click here to purchase or to view a larger image.   

Presenting our Back Roads Century water bottles.  This is the same bottle that you'll receive free with your paid registration.  Go to our online store and stock up if you would like to have more than one.

Click here to purchase or to view a larger image.  

All items purchased online may be picked up at the Back Roads Century.  We will not be shipping orders in advance of the ride.