What is a challenging road ride for you?
I just started biking this summer. My fiance bought himslef a Cannondale R7000 this spring, so I started riding with him on my cheapie Target mountain bike until I decided I liked it enought to get a real road bike of my own. So, about a month ago, I got a Trek Pilot 2.1. I love the bike, and I especially LOVE how much better and farther I can ride on it. So, that leads me to my question...what do you consider a challenging ride? How far do you go? How much of your ride is flat or has hills? I have been riding 20 miles pretty consistently at about 17 mph with mostly flat and some hills.
Love my Pilot bike it has a very smooth ride
So happy to find someone else with a Trek Pilot!! Mine was a gift from Hubbie this spring. I have enjoyed this bike it is awesome. I ride in the western Mountain region of Maine and along the coast. This bike climbs hill and mountains like no other!! It is a smooth ride (we have pot holes that can eat motorcycles never mind bicycles)!! The pilot rides along so smooth my teeth are no longer chipped from bump vibrations!!
Ok about a challenging ride. 35-50 mile ride on the weekend with lots of rolling hills at average speed of 13-15mph is a good challenge for me. Weeknights 20 miles fairly flat 1hr and 15 minutes before dark is a good challenge for me. If I can sneak in 1/2 day of riding during the week I like a good 40 mile ride with some steep hills.
I have never completed a century day event but would like to. I may try before my big 50 coming in less than 2 years!!
Pilot is not really fast downhill?? Think it may have to do with the weight. Prior bike Specialized Seqouia reached downhill at 41 mile per hour before I decided to grip the brakes. The Pilot top downhill this year 35 mile per hour. But what it loses in downhill it makes up for in uphill.
Ok enough about the Pilot!!!
I usually ride towing my kids in a Burley,
so anything over 20 miles and 13mph is a challenge to me. My kids don't want to ride for too long, so usually the challenge is more speed than distance. When they are older I look forward to getting in longer rides. Also, because I am limited to trails with my Burley ( I wound't want to take the kids on the road), everything is flat. I'm actually looking forward to hills and I'm sure they will be a big challenge. BTW - I've only been riding for 1 1/2 months, so I'm sure things change with time.