# Training for First Gran Fondo - Giro d'Bello. Any SF folks riding this one?



## bowbafet (Jan 21, 2013)

I've signed up for my first gran fondo - The Giro d'Bello (Northern California) at the end of June. Was curious if anyone on the forum has done this ride and what general advice experienced riders can give. 

I've been riding regulary now for over a year - I'm coming off of major knee surgery so I'm still in rehab mode. The most I've ever ridden in one day is 63 miles. 

Any SF based cyclists riding this one?


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

The important things are to not go too hard early on, and keep hydrated and fueled. Get your food and drink figured out now. I have food allergies and restrictions so I often bring my own food since I can't depend on the organizers' food.

Since a lot of the ride is flat there will be pace lines. You don't have to participate if you don't want to. If you do, don't go too hard. It's easy to get sucked into riding harder than you should. If you don't know how to ride a pace line try some group rides. You may find a HRM to be useful for pacing. 

The climbing is all at the end. So you need to save more energy than if it was all flat. It may be a lot of climbing for you, I don't know. If it is then you need to do more climbing in training. And it'd be a good idea to figure out what sort of gearing you need for different grades and then check the profile of the ride to see what you will need for it. Generally its better to have low gearing and not need it then to need low gearing and not have it.

It's not a race. Don't act like you're racing people. Be nice and work with them rather than sucking wheels. Say hi or whatever.

As far as training goes, ride lots. You don't have to do intervals unless you like them.

Last, have fun! It's supposed to be fun, although there may be times when you're wondering why you signed up for it. But when you finish you'll have forgotten those.


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## bowbafet (Jan 21, 2013)

Thanks for the good advice, much appreciated!


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## Mckdaddy (Feb 8, 2014)

I'm riding my first fondo at Tulsa Tough. The Sat ride is 39-miles and the Sunday ride is 36-miles. I don't really know what a fondo is. The TT site talks about it being what you make of it...that you can ride fast, slow, or however you want so long as you have fun. It doesn't sound like something overly serious. 

Any rules of thumb for fondos?


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## bowbafet (Jan 21, 2013)

HI - Fondos or Gran Fondos are usually longer rides usually around a 100 miles, but they don't have to be. They're about getting alot of cyclists together to share in the energy and comraderie of cycling. I belive they started in Italy to give petty civilians, non-pros a taste of what a long distance bike race would feel like. 

I am going to go with the advice of starting slow, conserving my energy. Not treating it as a race but to enjoy it. For me just to ride a 100 miles in one day will be an achievement in itself. Good luck in Saturday!


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## Mckdaddy (Feb 8, 2014)

bowbafet said:


> HI - Fondos or Gran Fondos are usually longer rides usually around a 100 miles, but they don't have to be. They're about getting alot of cyclists together to share in the energy and comraderie of cycling. I belive they started in Italy to give petty civilians, non-pros a taste of what a long distance bike race would feel like.
> 
> I am going to go with the advice of starting slow, conserving my energy. Not treating it as a race but to enjoy it. For me just to ride a 100 miles in one day will be an achievement in itself. Good luck in Saturday!



The Tulsa Tough offers a 100-mile version each day, as well as something in between the short distances I'm doing each day. 

As as with any ride there will be some people racing, but it sounds like a fondo is (or can be) a generally more easy going ride.


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