General Cycling Discussion - Yearly mileage goal

So, I have this goal... 3500 miles before the end of the year. I started riding on March 28th. I'm 250 miles short. I have tomorrow (Sun) off, Tues and Weds (24th and 25th) off, plus next Sat, and Sun off. Looks like 50 miles per day... :)

Anyone else getting close to their goal? or short of it? or already blew it away? I really thought I would make this goal easy... in fact, I thought I would have already gotten to it. :) Snow kinda put me off track, plus some travel... oh well.

I was over 300 miles short this morning, but I went out and did 53 miles today.

PBW

My goal was 5000 miles this year, I hit that the last week of November, but have only managed to put on another 270 miles all of december.

I am bummed that i didn't do a single century ride this year! I had a dozen or so 80+ mile rides, and one 92 mile ride (solo, thats worth 150 in a group, right?!), but did not hit the century mark. I had the chance to go on a few organized century rides, but timing was always bad with my odd work schedule.

I'll be going back to school in 2003; I'll have to drop my goal back down to a reasonable level. It is amazing how much free time you have without school or a significant other. :)

Good luck on the last 250 miles!

I did 3 centuries... 2 organized, and 1 with a friend up the C&O Canal Towpath just to show we could do it. :)

Centuries are cool. I'm definitely doing the same 2 organized centuries this next year.. and hopefully a few more.

My goal for next year is 5000.

PBW

My goal was for 10 000 km (6250 miles) but it looks more like I'll get to around 9 000 km (5625 miles).

I'll update the thread on the 31st of this month.

Next year's goal is 15 000 km.

I have around 13,500km since April 27 (i.e. when I bought this bike). Of course, that doesn't include anything I've done on my old bike since then, or anything I did on my old bike before then. Hence it doesn't include the 293km day last February. I have absolutely no idea what my total for the entire year is. All I know is that it would have been a lot more if we'd had some rain, and hence not so many bushfires.

I have no idea how many miles I've racked up this year. I've got three computers on my three bikes, and two of them have around 600 and then the one on my road bike....I don't know, before I was keeping my log I didn't write down my mileage, and when the battery went out..POOF! I probably have 3500-4000 so far. My goal right now is to do 1000 by the end of x-mas break(I have 550 right now)

last count on my odometer was at 10,000 km before I throw my computer coz, it was giving mix heart rate reading, will try to ride 10,000 km this new year 2003

My mileage goal for this year was 12,000 km [7456 mi]. As of this week, I have 11,861 km [7370 mi], not counting commuting, utility and trainer rides. So figure, with all that added in, I have my 12,000 km.

I've been running lately, and I doubt I'll get out on the road before 2003.

I had so counted on getting 9,000 miles or 15,000 Km.. Right now, I sit about 8,450 miles. My best year ever was near 8,700 miles.. I must not let that go unchallenged, even if I do not make the 9,000.. So the last couple days, when I get up, Iget into my rain gear and at least do errands and get about 30 miles in the rain. Gear is pretty good, so was not too miserable; even though riding in rain, is a bummer, compared to a sunny, warm ride. I have a couple days off for the holidays and with the rain rides at least hope to top the 8,700 miles..

I've only done 2,200 miles this year :o I have had two bad accidents this year with the horse riding which had me out of action for 8 weeks this year my ankle was still bad when I started cycling again but it seems to have helped get the strength back in it again :D

My yearly milage goal for 2003 5,000 miles and I am gonna have to get a new road bike 2!! the cheapest Giant road bike which will be fine for me is about 500 pounds!! need a job quick
:D

Well I was aiming for 3,000 miles - I might have made it, but the first bike was stolen - so I have done at least 2,800 miles

thats what puts me off buying a new bike getting it nicked!!! well my bike is valuable but only to me lol!!!! :D

Has anybody here(besides Lance) ridden 500 miles in one week?

200 but 500 in a week I would be dead!! :D

The wife and I rode (a family tour) from Lake Champlain to Montreal and back July 14-20. 577 miles-it was pretty flat. So flat we rode our SS/Fixtes.

It is no big deal to get a lot of miles in a week while on tour since you pretty much plan to ride all day.

Lets see if I can get the pix of Miss M closing in on Montreal to post...

Here is Miss M on her Fuji Track Bike (running a 39/14) across the river from Montreal, it sure was a great ride. I ran a 42/16 on my Gunnar Street Dog.

Originally posted by fubar5
Has anybody here(besides Lance) ridden 500 miles in one week?
Not this year but I have in the past and will be doing it again next year a few times when I ride across Australia. I'll be riding about 1000km a week (625 miles) for just over a month.

Between my MTB and my RB I've got about 6,000 miles (but not quite) in the last riding season. I did six centuries, two of which were supported and one of those was actually a pair of back-to-back centuries. This is the most mileage I've put on in a year so far but then again, I just recently got into road biking last year. Previously I don't think I threw more than half as much onto just my MTB even when I was commuting and such. I also have unlogged miles on the trainer because my computer sensor is front-mounted. Is it fair to log trainer miles?

I'm still riding my MTB through the winter (I have trails just outside my garage door.... literally) and my RB when the weather's not too bad. It doesn't get extremely cold or snowy where I'm at... well at least it doesn't stay that way for extended periods of time. I don't really mind riding in the wet and cold (okay I do mind but I'll still do it). The only reservations I have about being out on the roads in inclimate weather is due to the drivers. They scare me enough when conditions are nice but I've seen many of them exhibit things like degraded lane discipline and disregard for extended stopping distances in slippery conditions. Also the holidays just seem to bring out the worst in drivers.

Next year, I'm hoping to hit 6,000 miles total and do more centuries on a regular basis... maybe average two per month. 'Course I say this now... we'll see how true I hold myself to it once work and other things factour into it. |8^)

Originally posted by fubar5
Has anybody here(besides Lance) ridden 500 miles in one week?

Closest I can come to this was 460 miles in 5 days pulling a BOB trailer on a solo unsupported tour.

The last year I set a mileage goal was 2000, the goal was 2700 miles and I rode 3033, funny thing is I've ridden more miles each year now that I don't set a goal, go figure.

5253 miles YTD for 02'.

Originally posted by fubar5
Has anybody here(besides Lance) ridden 500 miles in one week?

As a matter of fact, yes.

my goal is always to have more mileage on my bike(s) than on our car. We didn't travel to Italy this year, so even though I got biffed in April, I might have done it!

This is not including the driving we did in the USA, however...:(

Happy holidays,
Tom

Originally posted by Jan Ullrich


As a matter of fact, yes.

Yeah sure, we believe you fatso...

i wanted 3500 for the year. pretty good considering i now have 3 kids, a wife and ....a life. i sit @ 3350 or so and will pull up around 3400. with the holidays i could either go all out and kill myself to reach that (with my schedule) but i thought....for what? will i become a better cyclist by ignoring my family around the holidays? the answer was a resounding no. so i am satisfied with 3400. this doesn't include the family rides with my 8 year old around the neighborhood....but i am not an engine for my bike...i am a man!!

I wanted 10,000 miles this year, as of this mornings commute I have 12,944, I may see 13,000. It's been a great year.

I am a wimp.I only do about 70-80 a week.I will try for 3000 in a 12 month period.Hope my new bike{felt SR71** helps.

A question for those of us lucky enough to put this kind of mileage on our bikes.. Commuting to work- our bikes must be reliable.. This kind of mileage causes parts to wear out like a car does.
So how does this kind of mileage effect parts needing to be replaced. I always asks my mechanic what needs to be replaced to keep the bike reliable.. My boss would like to have added ammunition to attack commuting to work, I fear.
Bikes are really pretty simple mechanical devices and certainly more reliable than cars...But, how about parts like rims, spokes... How often do you find you have to change out any given part to keep your bike reliable for the commute.?
I think most of us would like to think the bike is maintained well enough so that we don't become inconvenienced during the commute? Probably most of us commute with a given time and do not consider any major mechanical problem..?

I rackep up 2100 miles this year. I'm very happy with that, considering on my old Mtb bike I only had 600 miles on that over the last 4 - 5 years. I have to say My new road bike was the key to my mileage. and I got the road bike back in April. So maybe next year I can try to double that.

BTW I did about 300 miles within an 8 day period. 160 miles one wekend and a Century the Next Sunday plus training miles inbetween. And That was more than enough miles for me in that short period. :beer:

I commute 18.5 miles each way, things wear out, things break and tires go flat. Build a good durable utility bike, equip it with fenders and good puncture resistant tires and carry what you need for repairs. I carry 5 spare tubes and a spare tire (folding)because flat tires never come in groups of 1, I carry chain links, pins and a chain tool, spare spokes because I always ride a loaded bike, a spare gear cable, chain lube and a multitool. When you ride to work you need to get there and get there on time. If you break down, and you will, you need to be able to make the required repairs and get on your way quickly. Most bike shops cater to racers, there aren't many shops that understand and cater to the utility or long distance cyclist. We need heavy duty utility type bicycles that stand up to daily use and loaded riding. Commuting is a commitment, it's fun but it is always an adventure.

Originally posted by cyclezealot

So how does this kind of mileage effect parts needing to be replaced. I always asks my mechanic what needs to be replaced to keep the bike reliable.. My boss would like to have added ammunition to attack commuting to work, I fear.
But, how about parts like rims, spokes... How often do you find you have to change out any given part to keep your bike reliable for the commute.?

I haven't had to replace any rims or spokes on this bike yet. I do get through a few chains and cables though (mainly because of the daily afternoon sea-breeze that I get). To be honest though, I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Even worn components will do the job on a commute, they just don't give quite the same quality ride.

I insist on a carefree ride just for recreation,yet alone the work commute.. Going to work, need the ride to relax and increase my energy level; not get there frustrated.. I have not the time to be much of a mechanic.. I think in the future I will use my resources (maintenance books) to become better and might even attend a bike mechanic school.
I have my commute bike religiously maintained. Chains, tires changed at 3,000 miles no matter what.. Gets a good yearly going over. I do carry an adequate supply of tools.. Chain tool, etc..
One of most worrysome delays might be a broken spoke? Anyone have or seen the device called the "Feberax" Instant spoke.. Just thread the cam into the old nipple and you are off; I hope..

Originally posted by cyclezealot
A question for those of us lucky enough to put this kind of mileage on our bikes.. Commuting to work- our bikes must be reliable.. This kind of mileage causes parts to wear out like a car does.
So how does this kind of mileage effect parts needing to be replaced. ...
Bikes are really pretty simple mechanical devices and certainly more reliable than cars...But, how about parts like rims, spokes... How often do you find you have to change out any given part to keep your bike reliable for the commute.?



OK, my commute is a mere 3 km one way. With errands, it adds to a whopping 50 km per week. Major problem: greasing and lubricating regularly, as I commute in more difficult conditions than I may ride for fun. There is also the feeling that if I tour all day in rain or sleet, I will feel miserable and think about bike lubrication; on the other hand, after commuting, I tend to forget about those issues.

Parts that need to be replaced?
- Tires. The rear tire wears out much faster than the front one, and especially with fenders, it is easy to forget about it.
- Chain and (sometimes) cassette. Such replacements may be planned fairly easily. It's still wise to check your chain for over-elongation once in a while.
- Brake pads. Especially with V-brakes that come with thin pads. Winter riding and commuting in stop and go traffic is much harder on pads than touring in nice weather.

Spokes, rims, and the like. On my commuter, I broke its first spoke (rear wheel, drive side, narrow 126-mm wheel with 7-speed freewheel) after 19 years of intensive use, including lots of loaded touring, quite a few potholes and some riding with a trailercycle. Unless you have a really long or extremely steep commute, worst case scenario is that you break a spoke, loosen that brake and continue to ride. With cassettes, it's easier to change a spoke on the road. Likewise, I suspect that you won't wear through a rim unless it's very old, ride in sandpaper, wear you brakepads until bolts show through, etc.

Other problems should be minimised with preventative maintenance, but I don't think they all can be avoided. I once had a frozen pedal, for example.

Regards,

My goal is to get at least 6,000 miles on this year, but I would really like to get 8,000.

-Matt-

Yeah I did it! 3500 miles since March 28th. Got my yearly goal. :)

Man did I have to work for it. Needed 140 miles this weekend to get it. Rode 80 yesterday, finished the last 60 on a wheel with a broken spoken. lol. Also found out that while it might say paved road on the map, doesn't mean it actually is paved... and yes you can ride on a hard packed dirt road with a road bike.

Bike shop couldn't get the bike fixed yesterday and said I could pick it up today at 1pm. So I drag out the commuter-POS-old mountain bike and head off down toward Mount Vernon. Log 41 miles in the morning, then grab some lunch and go to see the bike shop. Bike is ready, which is good because there was some trouble with my commuter, so while they fixed that, I went out and did another 22 miles. Road bike suck on packed snow/ice. Why don't they plow bike paths? You'd think one guy with a pickup could do it in now time.

Anyhoo... hope everyone else reached their goal.

PBW

Good job PBW!

I didn't really have a goal, but as the miles started mounting mid-summer I decided it would be cool to hit 6K. I did that a couple of weeks ago and am currently at 6339. I'll probably shoot for 6K again in 2003, but I was pretty pretty slack last winter, whereas I plan to train and commute this winter, so barring accident or injury, it shouldn't be a problem.

My best year up until 2002 was 2000. That year I did 8,669. I rode 78 miles on Saturday and 31 miles today.. So far the total for the year is 8,809. I had wanted 9,000. So close. Probably will have my last 2002 ride on 12-31. Doubt will get in too much on that day...

Originally posted by cyclezealot
My best year up until 2002 was 2000. That year I did 8,669. I rode 78 miles on Saturday and 31 miles today.. So far the total for the year is 8,809. I had wanted 9,000. So close. Probably will have my last 2002 ride on 12-31. Doubt will get in too much on that day...


Dang that is close...

I have a buddy that commutes almost everyday (whereas I only do 2 or 3 days a week at best). One year he had about a 25 mile one way commute. He said he did over 7000 that year. That's just huge to me...

Someday I'll start cranking out those kinda miles... :)

PBW

I don't really set milage goals but typically get in at least 6000 in a year. This year I did a little over 7000 miles then bought a new computer and have about 800 miles on it now. Granted here in Atlanta I can ride almost all year. My high milage season begins in february. By then I do around 250-300 per week. But most of my rides arew for duration. I typically ride routes on long days that will take me 3-4 hours. Anywhere from 60-80 miles.

If I worked 8 hour shifts, I would commute many more days per week. Love to put more miles on my bike over my car. Love the sound of that... But I work 12.5 hour shifts rotating days/nights.. My commute is 26 miles.. I have 4 significant climbs between here and work. 26 miles in a flat location would be faster. Since I like to commute mostly in the daylight- midnight shift is the only practical way to commute and ride primarily in the light..
Wish only public transit would get me and my bike a little closer to work- that way I would almost not need a second car.
Driving to work is crazy.. Near where I work- we had a awful auto fatality.. Kids. Think they can safely speed down windy, hilly roads at 80 miles an hour.. Very near my plant, a couple days ago, three kids went up in smoke, when they crashed on a hit another vehicle at 80 mph on a narrow road..
And my boss suggests bike commuting is not safe.. We could see the fire from where I work.. Still have yet to identify the vehicle..

I finished my last 2002 just now.. Did 47 miles to Oceanside and back.. the Grand total 8,856 miles..Or 14,760 Km.. Like the sound of Kilometers better.. New Years Day so busy. Might have to wait until Friday to get in my first 2003 ride, unless I do a night ride Jan. 1

I ended up with 5381 miles on my road bike, under 500 on my mtn bike, and 250 total miles on my city / commuter bike.

Total yearly milage: 6130 miles! I am going to try for 7000 miles in 2003.

Originally posted by cyclezealot

And my boss suggests bike commuting is not safe.. We could see the fire from where I work.. Still have yet to identify the vehicle..

I'm very lucky to have (what I think is) a very safe commute that is mostly on the bike trail. I only have 4 miles to get to the bike trail and it's mostly neighborhood roads. On the other end, I have 2 to 2.5 miles to get to work from the bike trail and while those are more main roads, they have wide shoulders for cars to park. There is one stretch of about .25 miles that is narrow with almost no shoulder and a sidewalk. The sidewalk is usually littered with crap (glass, etc). Plus people just will not move when they see you riding on the sidewalk. In the morning I just stay on the road because there are few cars. In the afternoon I stay on the sidewalk and just take it slow. It's mostly flat, just one major hill (11%, 1/3 mile). It's 12.1 miles to work and 11.5 coming home (I have to go to a gym to shower in the morning).

I am really going to try and commute 3 to 4 times per week this year.

PBW

Some impresive distances people!

But have you seen that guy`s mileage at the top of the current pro-bike log Winter challenge.

According to his resume he covered 26,000 miles last year, including 203 centuries. wow- eh that is unbelievable.

I go weak at the Knees just thinking about it.

Do any of the top pro`s even cover that sort mileage. :eek:

Is that guy for real?

I don't have a goal. I don't have a computer on my bike. My goals are all technical and single tracks I know of. When I did have a computer I was clocking around 100km a week which ended up being close to 12 to 15 hours of riding...distance isn't the issue with my type of riding. :)

I've decided to be aggressively ambitious with my mileage this year. Since I started riding year round, I can do a lot more mileage, so my plan is to ride less in the winter, then as it gets warmer, increase my mileage. By summer, I should be doing a lot of long rides, and by the end of early fall, start tapering off my mileage until I'm riding very few miles in December. Barring any injuries, I am hopeful that I can do 5100 miles (8208 km) this year. Last year was the first year I had my bike, and I did about 2100 miles (3380 km) between May and December. I think I can handle the increase in the mileage, but I will have to ride every day to achieve it, and knowing how tired I get sometimes, it may not happen. I am also considering some back surgery, and I would want to have it done in February or March, during months when I'm not logging in as much mileage.

If I hit 5100 miles by late Oct/early Nov, I would like to try for 6000 (9656 km) for the year. I am keeping my fingers crossed.


Koffee

I got 10,125 in for 2002.

My mileage goal is simply to get to the next one. ;)