Fifty Plus (50+) - Bike Ride Stamina Consistency

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TromboneAl
11-19-08, 09:09 AM
I went for a 40 mile ride yesterday over part of the same route as this 80 mile (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=480561&highlight=river) ride I took a few weeks ago.

I seemed to be more tired at the 40 mile ride than I was at the end of the 80 miler. I'm surprised there's so much inconsistency in my endurance.

Differences:

Colder
No sunshine
Carried U lock
Rode with wife
Stopped for light lunch mid-ride
Hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before

gcottay
11-19-08, 09:12 AM
Colder
No sunshine
Carried U lock
Rode with wife
Stopped for light lunch mid-ride
Hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before

Those would do it for me too, Al. In fact, just cold weather would be enough.
Allegheny Jet
11-19-08, 09:15 AM
I went for a 40 mile ride yesterday over part of the same route as this 80 mile (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=480561&highlight=river) ride I took a few weeks ago.

I seemed to be more tired at the 40 mile ride than I was at the end of the 80 miler. I'm surprised there's so much inconsistency in my endurance.

Differences:

Colder
No sunshine
Carried U lock
Rode with wife
Stopped for light lunch mid-ride
Hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before

That would sum up the difference in how I would feel.:roflmao2:

Hermes
11-19-08, 09:49 AM
That would sum up the difference in how I would feel.:roflmao2:

Fast women are tiring.:D
10 Wheels
11-19-08, 09:54 AM
You ARE what you EAT.
I eat for Energy.
Road Fan
11-19-08, 10:15 AM
Fast women are tiring.:D

I tell that to Mrs. Road Fan but then she gives me one of these :notamused: looks.
Bill Kapaun
11-19-08, 12:51 PM
Cold seems to decrease my "performance" noticeably. Kind of like the "internal friction" of my muscles & joints has increased.
Garfield Cat
11-19-08, 01:29 PM
Also the aging process.
Rick@OCRR
11-19-08, 01:41 PM
Differences:
Colder
No sunshine
Carried U lock
Rode with wife
Stopped for light lunch mid-ride
Hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before

Colder shouldn't matter if you were dressed for it (were you?).
Sunshine shouldn't matter, as long as it was light enough to see.
Riding with the wife shouldn't matter (unless she rides dramatically faster).
Stopping for lunch could cause the blood to rush to your stomach (and away from your legs!), but after just 20 miles (you said you stopped 1/2 way) you shouldn't need food (or at least not a whole lunch worth).
Sleep the night before isn't so important as sleep 2 nights before, which you didn't mention, but I guess it must have been okay.

So the culprit, obviously, is the U-Lock! I don't get tired on 80 mile rides, but then I don't carry a U-Lock. It was definitely the U-Lock!

Rick / OCRR
Monoborracho
11-19-08, 01:53 PM
[QUOTE=10 Wheels;7879761]You ARE what you EAT.
QUOTE]

If this were true I would be a grape, probably of the Merlot variety.
spoke50
11-19-08, 02:15 PM
Some days I feel stronger at the 50 mile mark than I did at 20 miles. Metabolism is a very complicated thing.
Mojo Slim
11-19-08, 11:28 PM
Some days I feel stronger at the 50 mile mark than I did at 20 miles. Metabolism is a very complicated thing.

This just happened to me today. Kinda sluggish for about 45 miles then when one of the guys took off for not-quite-a-sprint-from-the-stopllight-from-where-someone-always-takes-off-in-not-quite-a-sprint, I followed. Six of us hammered (for me, anyway) for about 4 miles (except for slowing for lights to change) and I suddenly felt great.