How far do you cycle?

[Colmcq]

>> I have a mate that commutes 70 miles a day (london-reading-london).
>
>Does he manage to do that every day?

5 days last week. he's only on contract for short period of time. Usually it's the 50 mins from
kingston-canarywharf-kingston thing.

 

[Maf]

Lee wrote:

> "maf" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>
>>That's the distance I do, for the past 2.5 years.
>>
>
>
> Im glad im not completley mad then!! Is it easyish for you to do now then?
>
> Do you still break into a sweat? How quickly do you do it?
>
>
Yes, I still get hot, especially in the evening when the ride is uphill, including Fitzjohn's Avenue
up to Hampstead and then Heath Street. The ride takes 35-40 minutes in the morning, and 40-45 in the
evening, depending on traffic lights and traffic. It's definitely less of a 'big deal' than it was
18 months ago. The main trick is to wear rather less than seems sensible for the weather. One
quickly warms up, and if one avoids overheating, the sweat is not too bad.

 

[Lee]

"maf" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> >
> Yes, I still get hot, especially in the evening when the ride is uphill, including Fitzjohn's
> Avenue up to Hampstead and then Heath Street. The ride takes 35-40 minutes in the morning, and
> 40-45 in the evening, depending on traffic lights and traffic. It's definitely less of a 'big
> deal' than it was 18 months ago. The main trick is to wear rather less than seems sensible for the
> weather. One quickly warms up, and if one avoids overheating, the sweat is not too bad.
>

Well i managed my fastest time ever this morning - JUST over 35 mins, usually takes me 3 or 4 mins
on the way home despite me taking a different route that knocks off nearly 1/3 of a mile!

I think the trick is getting the balance right on the clothing side of things - currently I wear
a t-shirt and a windproof jacket which is fleece lined - I sweat like a pee eye gee but at least
i am not cold - even in the drizzle this morning - mind you, i was wearing waterproof leggings
which helped.

To be fair, im doing much better than I ever thought I would and I am still as enthusiastic as ever
about cycling - hopefully Ill be celebrating my first year commuting in August ;-)

 

[Son Of Fundin B]

On the flat I'd agree - maybe even four or five times the regular distance. However, a couple of
unfamiliar hills are a killer - as I found out last weekend! BSOF

"Christopher Mahon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, CannondaleRider
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Generally speaking if you do 10 miles a day, you should be able to do a 30 miler (of the same
> > terrain)no problem. The general rule of thumb that I have heard repeated over my 17 years of
> > riding and have had the same results is; in a one off ride you can do 3 times what you normally
> > do. So your 10 miles a day should allow you to do 30 or so with some relative ease.
>
> My round trip is 10 miles, but I have managed 50 ish in a day. But I won't do that in a hurry
> again! 30 is indeed about right, for me anyway.

 

[Drinky]

[Snip]
> > I have heard repeated over my 17 years of riding and have had the same results is; in a one off
> > ride you can do 3 times what you normally do. So your 10 miles a day should allow you to do 30
> > or so with some relative ease.

Next year's Etape is about 150 miles.

Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it with 'relative ease' if they
normally do 50 miles?

 

[Velvet]

Balin, Son of Fundin wrote:

> On the flat I'd agree - maybe even four or five times the regular distance. However, a couple of
> unfamiliar hills are a killer - as I found out last weekend! BSOF
>
> "Christopher Mahon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>In article <[email protected]>, CannondaleRider
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Generally speaking if you do 10 miles a day, you should be able to do a 30 miler (of the same
>>>terrain)no problem. The general rule of thumb that I have heard repeated over my 17 years of
>>>riding and have had the same results is; in a one off ride you can do 3 times what you normally
>>>do. So your 10 miles a day should allow you to do 30 or so with some relative ease.
>>
>>My round trip is 10 miles, but I have managed 50 ish in a day. But I won't do that in a hurry
>>again! 30 is indeed about right, for me anyway.
>
>
>
Blimey.

I don't cycle anywhere on a daily (or even weekly) basis, yet I can manage a 30-miler fine. Tired
after, yes, but I'd expect that. This is, however, not really over hilly terrain at all, which may
have some contribution to things.

I'd have expected if I could do 10 miles a day on a regular basis to be able to do much more than 30
miles as a one-off, to be honest.

Velvet

 

[Dave Larrington]

Drinky wrote:

> Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it with 'relative ease' if
> they normally do 50 miles?

I should imagine that somewhere was left unsaid something like "over similar terrain". If one
normally does a weekend 50 in the Fens, mountains may present a few problems...

I do 27 km most weekdays, and managed a 375 km round trip in about 21 hours during the summer.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Dave]

"Drinky" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> [Snip]
> > > I have heard repeated over my 17 years of riding and have had the same results is; in a one
> > > off ride you can do 3 times what you normally do. So your 10 miles a day should allow you to
> > > do 30 or so with some relative ease.
>
> Next year's Etape is about 150 miles.
>
> Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it
with
> 'relative ease' if they normally do 50 miles?
>
>
Should be able to without too much problem. I was doing approx 100 miles per day in March. First day
was actually 130 (although that was a real killer, one or two serious hills included). My training
for that had been a few,
i.e. less than 10 rides out, furthest was one of 65miles. Admittedly I was running 12 miles at least
once a week and swimming 3 or 4 miles a week too, so I had a fair bit of stamina (whatever that
is?!!?) ready for the big ride. If someone is regularly doing 50 mile rides (normal = regular
?), then they should have no problem with a 150, it's just a matter of pacing oneself, getting
into the stride and taking a short break every couple of hours for light refreshment and to
allow a little different movement to remove muscular stress and fatigue that builds up over
time with repetitive exercise. Dave.

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Drinky wrote:
>[Snip]
>> > I have heard repeated over my 17 years of riding and have had the same results is; in a one off
>> > ride you can do 3 times what you normally do. So your 10 miles a day should allow you to do 30
>> > or so with some relative ease.
>
>Next year's Etape is about 150 miles.
>
>Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it with 'relative ease' if
>they normally do 50 miles?

If they normally do 50 miles a day _on the same terrain_ (which was stated earlier in the thread),
that sounds plausible to me, looking at some training web sites. Of course if the 50 miles takes all
day there could be a problem with 150 miles, but I doubt anyone who is doing 50 miles a day does
take all day to do it.

 

[Arthur Clune]

Drinky <[email protected]> wrote:

: Next year's Etape is about 150 miles.

: Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it with 'relative ease' if
: they normally do 50 miles?

I've always heard twice your normal daily daily max as the possible for a one-of (with some pain).
So if you can do e.g. 50 miles in comfort you should be able to do 100 miles though maybe with some
aches, pains and extreme tiredness.

The previous post was 3*daily distance. Not quite the same as "longest day trip". I don't think the
former is much use after a while - not many people can do more than 20-30 miles day after day.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

 

[Stuart McCorkel]

On Wed, 29 Oct 2003 13:21:47 +0000, maf <[email protected]> wrote:

>Lee wrote:
>
>> "maf" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>>
>>
>>>That's the distance I do, for the past 2.5 years.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Im glad im not completley mad then!! Is it easyish for you to do now then?
>>
>> Do you still break into a sweat? How quickly do you do it?
>>
>>
>Yes, I still get hot, especially in the evening when the ride is uphill, including Fitzjohn's
>Avenue up to Hampstead and then Heath Street.

Might see you in the mornings then. My daily commute (20 miles each way) takes me up Fitzjohns Ave &
then out along the rolling hills of the A1000.. Mind you have to confess I don't ride if it's peeing
with rain or I'm knackered. 200 miles a week commuting means I don't really fancy riding much at the
weekend either.

 

[Terry]

> > Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it with 'relative ease' if
> > they normally do 50 miles?
>
> I should imagine that somewhere was left unsaid something like "over similar terrain".> I do 27 km
> most weekdays, and managed a 375 km round trip in about 21 hours during the summer.

I do 2/3 of that at the moment, but when I get the chance I go out for 5 to 7 days and expect to do
80 to 100miles per day if it's not through the pennines or similar hills. I think the technique for
a comfortable 100m is to set off very early and know that you can finish very late if need be. Keep
the speed down and steady, stop little, find the gear that your legs feel just about ok with then
change down one, and drink and nibble constantly about a pint an hour according to weather. I take
water purifying tablets and lights and spare batteries and some salt.The hub dynamo is great for
this. If you are thus prepared all you have to do is keep going as slow as you like.I bet most of us
could average 8mph , and that will get you there under 13 hrs.In practice I find I do 15mph with
little difficulty provided I control the urge to overwork on the hills which will threaten cramps in
the quads later on.And I'm not fit at the moment. I get my weight off the saddle at every
opportunity from the very start.Saddle pain is what usually spoils the fun if anything does.

TerryJ

 

[Dave Kahn]

[email protected] (Terry) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > > Are you seriously suggesting that it riders will be able to complete it with 'relative ease'
> > > if they normally do 50 miles?
> >
> > I should imagine that somewhere was left unsaid something like "over similar terrain".

And probably "at a similar intensity".

> I do 2/3 of that at the moment, but when I get the chance I go out for 5 to 7 days and expect to
> do 80 to 100miles per day if it's not through the pennines or similar hills. I think the technique
> for a comfortable 100m is to set off very early and know that you can finish very late if need be.
> Keep the speed down and steady, stop little, find the gear that your legs feel just about ok with
> then change down one, and drink and nibble constantly about a pint an hour according to weather.

If you're going to go at a sufficiently leisurely pace the only real limit is how long you can last
before falling asleep.

--
Dave...