How long?

[sundial]

In thinking about Fredwina's and Mimitabby's epic adventures, I was wondering......how long was it before you could cycle anywhere and any distance you desired?

[Zen]

Who?
Those two gluttons for punishment or us slackers?

[Veronica]

In December 2005 I decided I was going to do a double century. I did my first one at the end of March 2006.

V.

[Geonz]

It was my second year in the flatlands but about my sixth year of cycling where I got to the point of being able to go out and do a century any old time.
I might have been able to condense those first four years some; out here it is FLAT... and i was unemployed (and then doing free-lance writing), so that gave me time to ride and get in shape (which I did at my own speed so it was relatively painless :-P )

[OakLeaf]

Is there such a thing? Aren't there two kinds of people - the ones who already ride as much as they desire, however much or little that may be; and the ones who will always be training for their next even longer/tougher ride?

[sundial]

Well, I fall into the I-hope-to-do-a-century- camp. So far my longest ride was 72 miles. It's only my second consecutive season, though. I was just thinking about how long, in terms of seasons, before one can do pretty much anything on a bike.

[Andrea]

My legs can take anything, but I am limited by how long I can tolerate my saddle. I can make it about 75 miles before I'm permanently standing.

Hopefully the SMP I ordered from ebay will fix that.

[Tuckervill]

Like Andrea, some of my parts can go forever--one being my legs. Butt callouses are fine, too. I think it's the upper body and neck that wouldn't last--but that's a bike fit issue, I think.

My question is how long do I put up with this bike before I can justify a new one for longer distances???

I'm not really "putting up" with it, that much. I have a steel beauty on the rack waiting for more love and attention, and that one will fit me better. I'll probably do my first century on her--the Centurion.

Karen

[GLC1968]

Well, I fall into the I-hope-to-do-a-century- camp. So far my longest ride was 72 miles. It's only my second consecutive season, though. I was just thinking about how long, in terms of seasons, before one can do pretty much anything on a bike.

I'm not sure it's necessarily how long one's been riding...but what type of riding they do. I did two centuries my second season of biking because I trained to do them. I did two my third season, because I trained a little, and because I knew I could. This year (my fourth of biking), I'm not sure I could do a century. I've been riding entirely differently (for utility), so I haven't been able to do the long rides I think I would need to be comfortable doing centuries. Could I do a long tour? Probably. Could I have done the Livestrong century this past weekend (it went right by my house!)...no, not likely. Will I be doing centuries next biking season? Probably, because I miss those long rides. After my commute changes to 40 miles a day next month, I imagine that I'll be capable of doing centuries by the end of this summer, if I have the time to spare.

I think a lot of it is the type of riding one does and a lot of it is mental.

Edited to add: Being comfortable on a bike for long hours takes conditioning too. My bike is perfectly fitted to me, but because I haven't been riding it for long hours, I'm not comfortable for long hours. My legs could do it, my butt could do it...but my body would HATE me even though I know my bike is well suited to me and long distance rides.

[Veronica]

I was just thinking about how long, in terms of seasons, before one can do pretty much anything on a bike.

What do you mean by pretty much anything - centuries? What kind of century? Flat or hilly?

I would think that if you started off in reasonable shape, one could do a fairly flat century (sub 5,000 feet of climbing is my definition of fairly flat) in your first season if you wanted to and trained for it.

V.

[Susan126]

I'm not sure it's necessarily how long one's been riding...but what type of riding they do. I did two centuries my second season of biking because I trained to do them. I did two my third season, because I trained a little, and because I knew I could. This year (my fourth of biking), I'm not sure I could do a century. I've been riding entirely differently (for utility), so I haven't been able to do the long rides I think I would need to be comfortable doing centuries. Could I do a long tour? Probably. Could I have done the Livestrong century this past weekend (it went right by my house!)...no, not likely. Will I be doing centuries next biking season? Probably, because I miss those long rides. After my commute changes to 40 miles a day next month, I imagine that I'll be capable of doing centuries by the end of this summer, if I have the time to spare.

I think a lot of it is the type of riding one does and a lot of it is mental.

Edited to add: Being comfortable on a bike for long hours takes conditioning too. My bike is perfectly fitted to me, but because I haven't been riding it for long hours, I'm not comfortable for long hours. My legs could do it, my butt could do it...but my body would HATE me even though I know my bike is well suited to me and long distance rides.

What GLC1968 said! Ditto!

[Fredwina]

I'll tell you a story, I signed up for the Grand Tour. Then I realize it had 8,000 feet of climbing two week before
So it really depends. The only two I can recall training specially for were Ride around the Bear(100 miles - 10,000 feet) and the 300K I did at Cayucos(another 5 digit climbing affair)
That being said, if you do have a goal ride in mind, it doesn't help to get prepared , so you can enjoy it. I usually try to do a metric a week(weather permitting), and found that I can usually do a 200K with much complaints.
It does help tremendously to have a bike you're happy with.

[han-grrl]

I worked backwards from my solo race date - i knew i wanted to do 10 laps = 160 km...

i knew when i started training, a 50 km mtb ride was tough...

so i added in miles each week for 4 months...

miles goal date
120.00 20-Aug
108.00 13-Aug
97.20 7-Aug
87.48 1-Aug
78.73 26-Jul
70.86 20-Jul
63.77 14-Jul
57.40 8-Jul
51.66 2-Jul
46.49 26-Jun
41.84 20-Jun
37.66 14-Jun
33.89 8-Jun


one day a week would be 30% that distance at a harder pace. and the weekends would be back to back days of that distance, followed by 50% of that distance (or viceversa depending on weather and schedules).