Long training rides solo??

[gabriellesca]

Good point Veronica - you must be very confident with fixing a flat and bike repair?

I figure if I want to do longer rides I could do the same 10 mile loop 4x - so I'm never more than 10 miles from my car - as long as its hilly enough to be a challenge!

[Veronica]

Good point Veronica - you must be very confident with fixing a flat and bike repair?

Yeah... I guess. I've been riding for a long time.

Veronica

[ny biker]

Good point Veronica - you must be very confident with fixing a flat and bike repair?

You should really learn how to change a tire, and practice it at home a few times. Flats happen to everyone and they're generally not a big deal.

If you keep your bike in good working order, you shouldn't have many problems with major mechanical breakdowns while riding. Clean and lube the chain regularly. Pay attention to changes like shifting problems and unusual noises, and have them checked out at your LBS if you can't figure out and resolve what's causing them. Take the bike to the LBS for service (overall clean and lube) at least once a year, or more often depending on how much you ride. That should be sufficient to prevent most major breakdowns during your rides. Then have a backup plan if something does go wrong that prevents you from riding back to your starting point -- enlist a friend or relative that you can call for a ride, have taxi numbers ready, be aware of nearby public transportation options, etc.

[SadieKate]

I go for a ride knowing:

I can change a flat
I can deal with basic mechanicals
I have a flight plan filed with someone
I have a communication device appropriate to the flight plan (cell phone, SPOT)

[beccaB]

I'm not good with a flat yet, oddly enough I have not had one in 5,500 miles. And I've said that out loud too and not had one. I just arrange to have a friend know I'm out and I try to do a loop where the friend would not have to drive more that 10 miles or so to come get me if something happens. I try to have the friend be someone who lives in the general direction I will be riding.

[Karma007]

I used to go on 50 miles rides solo, but after a crash last year, I'm not so bold. I'll go about 30 miles these days. Any farther, and I find a group ride, and with my schedule it can be pretty difficult.

One thing I DO plan to try soon is to ride a riding/walking trail with no cars out and back, which will take me 50 miles. I'm a little more confident out of traffic, and it's still pretty urban, so I can get help if I need it. It wouldn't be such a big deal, but I work weekends, so my husband, etc. is at work when I ride solo during the week.

[indysteel]

Good point Veronica - you must be very confident with fixing a flat and bike repair?

I figure if I want to do longer rides I could do the same 10 mile loop 4x - so I'm never more than 10 miles from my car - as long as its hilly enough to be a challenge!

I really like riding by myself. I ride in familiar areas and make sure to carry a cell phone, my Road ID, cash, food and sufficient water.

The fact of the matter is whether you're 5 miles from your car or 30, you need to know how to change a flat and make basic repairs. The same holds true for personal safety. Regardless of how far you're going, make sure someone knows where you're going to ride and what time you expect to be home. Ride safe, pay attention to your surroundings and know the area.

[malkin]

If you don't like riding alone, find someone to ride with.

[channlluv]

I've had two flats. One happened as I was heading out on my final circuit of my favorite 5-mile route, and I was only a quarter mile from the car, so I just walked her back and fixed it at home.

The second happened about a half hour before my very first tri experience. I'd over-inflated my tire and it blew while Sparrow (my bike) was on the rack, waiting to go. Thank goodness the bike shop sponsor had a booth with mechanics and spare tubes at the ready, because even though I can change a back tire, I wasn't comfortable with the pump I had used, and it was 0'dark thirty and I didn't have enough light to do the job well, so I headed over to their tent and they did it for me.

I tend to do my long rides on closed circuit cycle-friendly routes around lakes and small islands designed for recreation. If I have a problem, there are usually lots of other cyclists who are available to assist.

I do it a lot like ny biker. I load up everything I'll need for a long ride (longest to date was 50 miles), and I ride the loop and come back to my car as a rest stop. It's much safer to me than riding on regular streets, although I'm interested in what beach-side bike paths LizzyBee is cruising on.

Roxy