Many years ago, I used to participate in the Multiple Sclerosis charity rides here in the Bay Area (CA). I started out with my mountain bike with the knobby tires, then I graduated to using slicks for efficiency on the road. What a difference that made. I finally broke down and bought a road bike- which made all the difference in the world compared to riding a mountain bike on the road. I rode a total of 200 miles; 100 on Sat. and 100 on Sun.

If I had one one choice, I'd keep my mountain bike because of its versatility and ruggedness. However, on the road, the road bike is KING.

To do a long distance ride, and everybody has a different definition of long distance, I would:

1) Train- Work up to the distance by putting miles on. I find that you have to earn "bike butt", that is, being able to stay on the saddle for long periods without ill effects. Believe me, biting off too much (as far as time/distance) can be a deal breaker. Incidentally, a soft wide seat will only prolong the period to earn "bike butt."

2) Keep eating and drinking- I can't stress this enough. Electrolytes and food in constant supply will help keep you from "hitting the wall" (aka "bonking"). Drink before you're thirsty.

3) Knowing how to make common repairs to your bike- You'll find that as your mileage goes up, you sometimes find yourself quite a ways from help. Being that you're on this website, I won't go into being prepared. Know how to fix a flat tire, put your chain back on, field fix a bent rim, etc.

4) Know the proper riding position- It's very common to see people with the seat too low, which is hard on the knees after a while. Mass produced bikes aren't set up for everybody. A good bike shop will show you a good starting point, but mileage will give you experience, and experience will help you with the fine adjustments.

5) Learn pedaling technique- You'll end up with your shoes somehow attached to the pedal (clipless pedals or clips). I learned this the hard way. For a long time, I did not use any type of attachment to my pedals. I ended up with a phantom pain in my knees that doctors could not explain, and the pain went on for months. I was finally referred to a sports doctor who figured it out in 10 minutes after asking simple questions. Turned out that I only used the down motion of pedaling, which developed only my hamstrings. This caused my knee to somehow be tensioned to the point that it caused the pain. By building my quads and learning proper pedaling, I became pain free.

"All you gotta do... is do it"