Riding Long Distances?

DL121004

Yeah, I know -- "long" is subjective.

I put in some reasonable distance (for me) over the course of the year (e.g., last year was about 3500), but I rarely go beyond 30/35 miles. For me, after about 2 hours of riding I just want to move on and do something else. My normal ride is 25-30 miles. I know others love riding 50+ miles. Heck, I've never done a century as I just don't feel like being in the saddle for that amount of time.

You?

dcmat

I finally broke through the 100 mile mark last year (4 times), taking around 7 - 7 1/2 hours. Looking for a 150 this year

chezmoss

Like you DL over the year I will rack up the miles.
For me a ‘long’ ride is more about context, content and company.

Frankly the appeal of 7+ hrs, 4mountains and 80+ miles is far more appealing in the sun of Majorcca with friends on a training camp, earning good food and wine, than an 4 hr Sunday Winter club run in the rain and cold of Blighty.

For me anything over 2 hrs I have to answer the question, what is the purpose of this ride?

DCmat- good luck with the 150 miler! And ps, you cant be the fat one on the club run- that’s me!

DL121004

Frankly the appeal of 7+ hrs, 4mountains and 80+ miles is far more appealing in the sun of Majorcca with friends on a training camp, earning good food and wine, than an 4 hr Sunday Winter club run in the rain and cold of Blighty.

Good point. I've told people that if/when I ride a century it would be part of an overall cycle tour -- where cycling was secondary, not primary. I'm going to cycle tour in Umbria this year, and then I can ride all day. Of course, there won't be massive miles on a daily basis -- the riding is more casual and you stop to smell the roses.

jrrflr

2010 was my first year of cycling. During that year, I rode exactly 4,000 miles which included four century rides. My longest ride was 123 miles. It was on gravel on with 20mph winds. It was a miserable, but very memorable, day. During 2011, I rode 4,479 miles and only did two centuries. I usually ride in the mornings before work and generally depart before daylight. My standing morning ride is usually about 35 miles, but on Fridays during the Spring and Summer, we ride 50 miles before work. During the winter, my regular rides are 25-30 miles in length. During the warmer months, I usually get about 150-180 miles per week.

bethlikesbikes

Do you ride with a club or a group? I find that riding with others is a huge motivator to put in the longer miles. It's really hard to do more than 30 by myself. I usually stick a century in my summer calendar just to set a goal and then slowly increase my long ride each week before the century.

Short rides are great, but there's something magical that happens when you break through a metric distance and then a century. It's like breaking through to a new level, the "hey, I did 100 miles, so why should this little hill get to me!?" It's a nice feeling of invincibility.

DL121004

Do you ride with a club or a group? I find that riding with others is a huge motivator to put in the longer miles. It's really hard to do more than 30 by myself. I usually stick a century in my summer calendar just to set a goal and then slowly increase my long ride each week before the century.

That's another great point.

For many years I was a member of the PPTC, but rarely rode with them. Why not? Two primary reasons. First, I'm not much of a morning person and their rides tend to be early in the morning, especially in the summer months. Second, many of their rides would require a substantial car ride to the ride start, and I'm not much for driving 1.5 hours to ride 50 miles and then drive 1.5 hours back home.

I do agree with you, though. The times I ride with others just floats by. Maybe I should push myself to ride with them more often...

Having said that, a LBS has begun some rides and they often start right from the shop, which is less than five miles away, so I could ride my bike to it. Also, a friend mentioned that there is a loose association of cyclists who use social media to coordinate rides that tend to not be as early in the morning.

I would like to ride with others more often.

DL121004

2010 was my first year of cycling. During that year, I rode exactly 4,000 miles which included four century rides. My longest ride was 123 miles. It was on gravel on with 20mph winds. It was a miserable, but very memorable, day. During 2011, I rode 4,479 miles and only did two centuries. I usually ride in the mornings before work and generally depart before daylight. My standing morning ride is usually about 35 miles, but on Fridays during the Spring and Summer, we ride 50 miles before work. During the winter, my regular rides are 25-30 miles in length. During the warmer months, I usually get about 150-180 miles per week.

Nice, and congrats!!

dcmat

I ride with a CTC local group and our idea of a club ride is a pace which isn't so fast you can't have a chat and be social, riding a snake doesn't interest me! So I will tend to have a fast (extended) 25 mile ride to the start, slow down for the club ride (av. 12/13 MPH) then up the speed again on the (shorter) way home....mainly due to a tailwind.

We have a weekend 40, so I tend to do around 75 miles, although the last ride of the month is a longer one - today is around 63 miles (+too and from).

I am no longer the lardy cake at the back, but have come a bit of a mountain goat on the climbs....the 11500 miles last year did a lot towards the loss of 5 stones.

That all said, the important thing is that you enjoy riding whatever you do, otherwise it is pointless

dcmat

100.77 v. windy miles, 471 mins

chezmoss

Respect- dcmat!
Did you have to go around the block, to get the .77?
It was well windy out there today- that 's assuming you are in the uk?! ( you mentioned the CTC)
Enjoy eating those well earned calories.
We managed 52 very windy, very hilly in 184mins- i'm happy with that today.

jrrflr

Do you ride with a club or a group? I find that riding with others is a huge motivator to put in the longer miles. It's really hard to do more than 30 by myself. I usually stick a century in my summer calendar just to set a goal and then slowly increase my long ride each week before the century.

Short rides are great, but there's something magical that happens when you break through a metric distance and then a century. It's like breaking through to a new level, the "hey, I did 100 miles, so why should this little hill get to me!?" It's a nice feeling of invincibility.

Yes, most of my rides include at least one riding partner. It helps the miles and hours go by easily when you've got someone to talk to.

dcmat

Respect- dcmat!
Did you have to go around the block, to get the .77?
It was well windy out there today- that 's assuming you are in the uk?! ( you mentioned the CTC)
Enjoy eating those well earned calories.
We managed 52 very windy, very hilly in 184mins- i'm happy with that today.

Yes Chez, in the UK and yes enjoyed a lot of yummy cals!

KitTheRoadie

Hey cycling peeps!

I go out on my own and do 3 - 4 hours which equates to about 30 - 40 miles, I am not sure if I could cope with any longer than that on my own. I live in quite a hilly area so am generally pretty shattered which doesn't help with the motivation to stay out.

I have started to look for local groups to ride with as this will help greatly with the miles/motivation.

This year is my first year for 100 miles, I have a 118 miler lined up for the begining of May and another 100 at the end of October.

Hopefully all being well I will be ready fitness wise by then?! *gulp*

TravisBikes

Aiming to do a 50 mile race in June, 100 mile in 2013. This past sunday got up to 25.5 miles in 3 hours on some local trails and some paved trails mixed. Starting this weekend I'm pushing for 15 more minutes on the bike vs miles and go from there. Its insanity, but I love it.

DrIanKellar

I've done loads of 200km (125miles) rides, 2 300km rides, and 2 600km rides. In February, I did my first fixed gear 200km. I do them with audax uk -

I love long distance stuff. 600s are great. I did my first one in 32 hours, with 4 hours sleep. Brilliant experience. I've got another 600 coming up, and my first 400 later in the year. 400 is a nice distance because you don't need to sleep. You don't need to sleep on a 600 if you are quick. I'd like to do my next 600 sleepless too.

As long as you are comfy on the bike, I think anyone can to a 200km. After you've done that, a 300 is just riding a bit further, and a 600 is just 2 300s with very little sleep. Doddle!