If you get tired on looooong rides, you haven't built a wide enough base over enough years, think loooong and slowish, and /or you aren't eating enough and/or haven't taught your body how to burn fat ( hint, don't eat and go slow then eat a little fat, adaptation takes time).
If you get "lactic acid burn" it's because you are going harder than you can buffer lactate, this requires training repeated effort at threshold. I have found that developing more powerful legs has made me far far better at going hard than all the intervals in the world, even though it took a solid 10 years of training on top of a huge volume base to get there ( I prefer climbing hills with my bike loaded with and extra 50 lbs and squats and deadlifts for power, YMMV). Think of it this way : a more powerful engine is much harder to get to redline. Notice the quads of sprinters compared to long distance riders, and yes you cannot excel at both but I am sure the vast majority of riders could gain more by building some strength and power than just adding mileage.
Most people don't go hard (or long) enough on hard (or long) rides and go too hard on recovery rides. If you are always doing the same thing you won't get better.
Food: Don't waste money on fancy special biker foods, unless you are a Cat 1 or 2 racer but otherwise average food is fine, find what works and eat and drink before performance decline. Not eating is fine too for up to 3 to 6 hours or way more if trained up to it, it takes a bit of adaptation for most before you can add a lot of intensity to it. Teaching your body to be flexible is a wonderful tool and worth the time and effort.
Winter: I have a ton of experience with this, for hands pogies are the way to go, buy or make your own. Boot covers for feet or plastic bag as a vapor barrier to prevent convective heat loss. Staying hydrated is the most under appreciated part of staying warm, thick( under hydrated) blood has a hard time warming the tiny capillaries of fingers and toes.
Ass/crotch: Once upon a time 100 miles in to a 2000 mile ride I thought I must have lost all skin in areas contacted by my saddle, turns out it was just irritated. Creams and potions are just bacterial traps IMO. On long tours clean the crotch once during the day and really well at night, add talcum powder at night to keep it dry. After 800 miles I built up some calluses. Since that ride I have never worn bike shorts again, just board shorts in summer and polypro underwear in winter, no pad( bacterial trap). My short rides are 60 miles( 5000 ft vertical gain) 3 times a week, long ones are 130 to 180 miles 15 to 30 000 ft vert ( all gravel/dirt). Harden up your ass everything will be fine. For the ladies, my wife adds that perfect seat is important and getting the angle of the seat perfect is even more important.
Bike: "It's not about the bike" as Lance would say. It's not about the drugs either but seriously ride what you have, a nicer bike is nicer for sure but whatever. If your bike doesn't get you stoked about riding get one that does. Buy a bike that fits you, if you have no idea what that means go to a bike shop, a real bike shop and have them help. Side note :Always support your local bike shop.
Weight: Can you see the outline of your abdominal wall? Don't waste money on super light weight gear until you can, and only if you are racing
Tubeless: YES. Every bike I own. I add sealant once every 6 months and no longer ride with anyone who isn't set up tubeless...they are always getting flats and having to change tubes( elitist prick, eh?). I have had dozens of things puncture my tires over the last 10 000 miles and NEVER had a flat. Besides the improved performance and handling qualities the no flats aspect of tubeless is rad.
Mind: This is what you should be training at all times, all the other stuff is to trick this thing to go. Seriously, this is key to life , bikes, happiness, etc.
I remember the first time I rode 20 miles, 3 months later I rode 50 miles. 3 months later I raced 100 miles, that next year I did 2 x 100 mile days in a row. Now it's all just "going for a ride". Start where you are and take a bigger bite when you are ready. Compare yourself only to yourself.
You should be happy riding , it is totally possible to be suffering and happy at the same time.
When riding the road, obey the rules of the road...yes I know, the infrastructure isn't made for bikes, bla,bla, bla....but you will never get car drivers to be on your side if you do not show respect for the rules they have to abide by. Plus it's bad press when a cyclist gets killed by breaking the rules, then they get to brush the bigger questions about infrastructure and sustainability under the rug.
Most riders nowadays tend to be over informed on food and bike parts and ratios and heart rates and blood PH and carbs and gluten and Strava and bla,bla,bla, bla. I would encourage them to forget it all for a month and just go ride, preferably somewhere they have never been and resist the urge to update the world on where they are and what they did.
Always wave and smile to little kids on bikes, they get stoked to be recognized by senior gang members ;)
