Road Cycling - Longest Ride Yet

Today I did 32.8 miles. Longest Ive ever gone...for the moment. Took an hour and 45 minutes or so. I live in AZ and its supposed to push 100 this week but today was great. No wind, 80 degrees or so, found me a new route. What a day! Now a question, at a few points in the ride I would kind of slow down and just pedal real easy because I was getting a little tired. After a minute or two of easy going I would be fine for another 25-30 minutes. Does anyone else do this? or even get off their bike for a few minutes to eat a power bar or something than hop back on?

There is no shame in taking a breather now and then. Sometimes just feels good to stop take a drink relax for a few min then continue on. Congratulations on you're long ride!!

I did 72 today. On schedule for a century June 1. I stopped at 36 miles and took a short rest and eat my energy bar. I usally stop for a few at the halfway point. I am still making a few adjustments to the bike after the big upgrade.

Congratulations on your longest ride. I'm sure it's just the first of many long rides.

As for easing off the pedalling, I'm sure you will need to vary your effort but you will also get better at setting a pace that you'll be able to maintain for longer periods.

By the way, for those of us who don't live where you are, can you tell us where AZ is? I hate to be a pain but so many people just use initials in their information assuming that everyone knows what they're talking about. This is a "World Wide Web" and so a little more information would be helpful.

Again, congrats on the ride.

Arizona State I'm guessing?:D

I’m happy for you dude, I know the feeling. I did my longest ride 2 days ago and I did 35 miles, just couldn't take the ass pain any longer. It's my second seat in 2 weeks. Tolerance for stock seat was only 25 miles, so it's an improvement of 10 miles but still. I felt like going for another 20, accept for a sore ass nothing else was hurting, my legs were fine and I almost wasn’t tired. I usually take brakes when drinking, I just stop pedaling while getting my fuel and off I go again.:beer:

Hey Folks,

Well, I haven't been in the saddle nearly as much as I'd like. It's May 12th and the warm weather still hasn't hit...53 degrees and raining as I type this. I haven't experienced an "eternal spring" like this one in several years. My longest ride this season was 46 miles, according to my Cateye. Now, if only we'd get some decent weather! :mad:

Steve

mediacreations, AZ is Arizona, southwest united states. Im going to college here, yes arizona state university if thats what you meant chuvak. Its pretty flat out here and I can ride year round in shorts and short sleeved jersey, very nice! yet the soon to be 100+ temps might move my rides to early morning. whenever I grabbed a drink I started riding no handed and just sat upright to stretch out the back and let the legs go easy. Thanks for all the posts

tridevil: i'm guessing you ride mostly for your tri training? if you keep logging in the long slow distance miles on your bike, you will develop an incredible base for all three events.... so keep it up!!!

Originally posted by Breckbiker
...On schedule for a century June 1.

100 Mile Elephant Rock Ride on June 1?

- Paul

Tri-Devil,
Cool summer mornings in the valley (Phoenix, AZ, Southwest USA) are sweet. The nice thing is it is nice and cool when the sun rises between 4 and 5 am and no one is on the road that early!

deliriou5 yes I am into triathlon and thats the reason Im cycling. I come from a running background so I have a plenty big base for that, biking Im still working on the base, getting there. Paul L., do you ride in the morning here? I think Im going to start to on the days I dont have work at 6am. Went running today at 11am or so, definetly hotter than it has been, heard its going to be pushing 100 here real soon. Here comes the part of AZ I dont like, the summer!

that a good ride, but when I am going uphill, I don't want to dismount and rest. I just push the limit

So far 50 miles in 3 hrs 15 mins. I didn't take a break until the 25 mile mark. Then stopped for about 15 mins. This weekend I plan on going 60 - 65 miles. I would like to do a century sometime this summer. If I could do it in 6-7 hrs I would be very happy.

You southern Arizonans bother me, what with your no wind in the spring. I rode yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks. The winds are calm(er) today, too, so I'll hit the bike again. Might rain tomorrow, and the wind will be back over the weekend.

I'm supposed to be riding upward of 50 miles at a time by now, and I've been on the roadie bike all of one week's worth of time since February because of the crazy winds up here. Ah, well, more time on the mountain bike.