Most Miles in a day?

[Warden11]

I've got a cousin that swears he is going to ride from San Francisco to Kansas City in 6 days. That's about 1500 miles! He swears he can do it, my brain is saying not a chance in hell. Not with the mountains and desert in the middle.

I figured this was the place to ask, is this possible? Not to mention the amount of miles he'll have to put together for 6 days in a row.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

That's about the pace of RAAM. It's doable, if he's in preternatural shape and has a SAG crew to address all his needs and rides light.

[ken cummings]

Of course it is do-able. As the man said Under RAAM conditions. I crewed for a lady in 1988 when we went from San Francisco to Washington, DC in 12 days and 5 hours. We passed north of Kansas City at day 7 1/2 on Hwy 36. Almost all of the men still in the race were 12 to 36 hours ahead of us and would have passed Kansas City by day 7. A fully faired recumbent and again RAAM level support might get him there in 5 or 6 days.

Oh yes, Cindi Staiger won the Women's Division by about 24 hours over the next woman and was about 24 hours behind the last man. Back then people were eliminated if they fell 48 hours behind their division leader.

[Warden11]

I believe it is just him and a buddy. Nobody else involved.

[Blue Jays]

If they're doing the ride unsupported they'll need to carry food, water, tents, sleeping bags, and spare bicycle equipment. It's certainly possible, but very unlikely. When RAAM riders stop for a few winks of sleep, their mechanics are working on the bike...

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Frankly, without full support, IMHO, it's not possible.

[TomM]

That's 250 miles a day. Which is very doable even with no support.

[Blue Jays]

Hi TomM-

It's not so much the first day...it's the fourth day of riding that's a killer! :) That goal is unrealistic.

~ Blue Jays ~

[TomM]

Hi TomM-

It's not so much the first day...it's the fourth day of riding that's a killer! :) That goal is unrealistic.

~ Blue Jays ~

Depends on the riders experience level. Besides, it is only for 6 days.

[Machka]

1500 miles is about 400 kms a day. I'm a really slow rider, but I do 400 km brevets in 21-22 hours including all breaks. If these guys are faster than me, and they quite likely are, they could probably knock off a relaxed 400 kms, including all breaks, in 16-18 hours. That would leave them 6-8 hours for sleep, which is ample.

As mentioned above, the first few days would be fine, the last few days would be tough.

[Portis]

I am not sure of your experience, but in case you don't know, that would be an astonishing feat. Not that it can't be done as noted, but that is a lot of miles per day. More than most average riders could handle, especially with repetitive double centuries.

[Richard Cranium]

I figured this was the place to ask, is this possible? Not to mention the amount of miles he'll have to put together for 6 days in a row.If you knew anything at all about your cousin, you wouldn't be asking. Since you don't know anything, who cares?

[Warden11]

If you knew anything at all about your cousin, you wouldn't be asking. Since you don't know anything, who cares?


You're right, I know very little about him. He lives in San Francisco and I live in Kansas. I've seen him probably 10 times in my life.

The reason I'm asking is because it sounded like an incredible feat to pull off, I thought that's what a message board was for. Am I wrong? I was just curious. Something wrong with that?

[supcom]

Nothing wrong with asking. And it would be an incredible feat. And, unless he is one of the top Ultracyclists in the world, one that he cannot possibly achieve.

But, if he's keen to attempt it, please keep us posted. We'd love to monitor his progress.

Maybe your cousin said "bike to Kansas City" meaning to ride a motorcycle?

[Hezz]

If he is as fit as the Tour de France cyclists he will be able to do it. Lets put it into perspective. He will have to average 20 mph up hills and down for 12-13 hours a day. Or average 18 mph for 14 hours a day. Or average 16 mph for 16 hours a day which is more realistic. This is doable, but difficult, for even the most elite cyclists.

[ubbaken]

The most I have done in a day, without support, is 250km. It was at the beginning of the season and I only rode in the light (06h30-19h00). I made a couple 30 minute stops along the way. This is on a nice Bianchi road bike.

Next month I plan to do a 300km+ in one day, hopefully 12 hours.

[Brinehawk]

It is doable the trick is in not setting daily time/distance goals but ride at a comfortable, brisk pace. if you only do 75 one day and get tired, stop. make it up the next when you are fully rested and refreshed. the mental aspect of forcing yourself back on the bike is the most difficult, it takes mind prep before you even get on the bike. Some people need more time to psych themself up than others you also need to train for it.

[donrhummy]

That's about the pace of RAAM. It's doable, if he's in preternatural shape and has a SAG crew to address all his needs and rides light.

That's NOT the pace of the RAM. It's half the pace. The record is 8 days for 3100 miles! But most of the top guys are in the 9-10 day range for DOUBLE the distance your cousin is doing.

That said, it's still a pretty insane and VERY impressive goal.

[BrooklynRider]

By the sounds of these replies, you might offer him some advise to set waypoints along the way that intersect with train or bus stations. (And to be sure he/she has passes for bike passage/portage.)

Taking a train is also a nice way to see the terrain! Not as personal as riding it of course. In this case, a wise contingency plan for part of the way. Touring is about flexibility. Racing is more about hardcore and segment times. Then again, you can offer the suggestion that bakeries dispose of nearly perfectly good food at closing, so he can find free carbs along the way!

I've done tours that were beyond my capacity. I didn't know it until I found myself hitch-hiking a ride on a fishing boat or taking a bus or calling someone nearish to pick me and my exhausted body up... Nothing wrong with blind ambition, but that ambition should provide for some contingencies just to be smart.

If your cuz is really young, he/she might not know any better and could get in real trouble. For instance, riding those lonely highways at night to make up for lost time is a great way to find a drunk driver who's also riding the same shoulder of the road. Those highways can be very lonely stretches for folks going 15mph on a loaded bike. Drivers in such conditions may be literally drawn to the red flashing light on the back of a bike.

You could phrase the problem as take the bus/train "In case your bike frame cracks or you or your partner get sick..." and NOT "In case you realize you're fairly out of touch with the actual magnitude of your goals in the endevour."