Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Ive been challenged!

I have been challenged by a member of this forum who shall remain nameless. My challenge is to complete a 21 mile ride. My plan is to go out on Sunday and do 25. I really think I can do 25. I HOPE I can do 25. LOL.

The challenge is ON!

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

Easy peasy, just limit it to small or no hills and pace yourself. Take breaks often if need be and lots of water. My first 25 was about 2 years ago and it felt good.

I know you can do it.

You and that little Train Engine can do it. I know you can, victory cigar tomorrow.

The trick is to not psyche yourself out. Just ride further. And know you can do it.

You gonna name the othr challenges? Recipe coming your way by the way. Sorry it took so long.

You got this... have fun.

Stop and rest every 5 miles.

My first 25 was 5 years ago, started out cycling to a neighboring village and kept on going. You can do it. Believe in you, believe in your bike.

The trick is to not psyche yourself out. Just ride further. And know you can do it.

On a similar note...

If you have a cyclocomputer, turn it upside down on the bar so you can't see the distance. I recently started doing this, and last weekend I ended up being at 80 miles when I thought I was at 50. It's a great way to lose track of distance and go further than you intended.

thats a really good tip Mith. Its funny, especially in the wind, how you put so much energy out and feel like you have gone miles to just find you have only gone 8 miles.

I have been challenged by a member of this forum who shall remain nameless. My challenge is to complete a 21 mile ride. My plan is to go out on Sunday and do 25. I really think I can do 25. I HOPE I can do 25. LOL.

The challenge is ON!

And?

Woke up sick today. Migraine kept me in bed most of the day. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow and can get the ride in.

I tried one time riding with a headache and it is NOT a good thing to do. Thought it would clear up but it just made it worse. I find I have more headaches in summer time. Yuk.

Good to rest up.

Migraines suck!!!!

I don't get them often but when i do,good god all i want to do is die.If you have never had a true migraine you are so lucky.

Hang in there Allen.

I'm just getting started and road 25 miles a couple of days ago. Lost 3 pounds and I had kind of hit a wall before that. I hope you can get out and ride soon. Good luck.

Migraines suck!!!!

I don't get them often but when i do,good god all i want to do is die.If you have never had a true migraine you are so lucky.

Hang in there Allen.

I only ever had one, and yes, I wanted to die.
You can do it Allen!!! Its alot easier that you think. My longest has been a little over 30. All this cold weather and snow has been keeping me from those long rides lately. :(

Go you!!

Hey Allen - How'd it go? :)

It hasn't yet...Ive been pretty sick. Will try it this weekend.

If I were in GA, I'd join ya to help you make the distance. You can do it, though.....just pace yourself and it ain't a race.

It hasn't yet...Ive been pretty sick. Will try it this weekend.

Sorry to hear that. Keep your chin up and you will be spinning along before you know it... :)

I don't see 25 as a distance that should be a problem, unless someone is so unfit it is a danger.

Barring weather and/or your own mind working against you.

I have been out some places where for someone where 25 is a reasonable goal where I can see how the wind could sap their will.

So try to plan so you should not get a headwind on the way home, make sure yuo won't fry, freeze or get drenched and then just remember it is not a race. See what there is to see as you ride. 25 miles is at least twice as long a ride if you are not having fun.

keith: that was a real rude comment

"I don't see 25 as a distance that should be a problem, unless someone is so unfit it is a danger."

it is something you grow into. His last ride was 11 miles.

I remember when 10 miles took when hours to recover from.

My first "regular" ride was 11 miles and leg cramps and knee pain took 2 days to recover from.
This year I did a 61 mile birthday ride and a sore butt was the only problem.
The more you ride the more you can ride.

keith: that was a real rude comment

"I don't see 25 as a distance that should be a problem, unless someone is so unfit it is a danger."

it is something you grow into. His last ride was 11 miles.

Someone said something similar when I was starting to bike in April and having a real hard time. There is no way in the world I could have done 25 miles. It took me a couple of months to work up to 25. I remember when my longest ride was 16 miles. I was very proud of myself. And then that night I had trouble going to sleep because my whole body felt so jagged and uncomfortable from the ride. I finally took a xanax so I could sleep. :(

keith: that was a real rude comment

"I don't see 25 as a distance that should be a problem, unless someone is so unfit it is a danger."

it is something you grow into. His last ride was 11 miles.

I don't think Keith99 is the one being rude. The quoted comment is an expression of opinion. And what's more it's one that I agree with. I seem to recall riding with someone in July for 25 miles or so..... and it was his first time. That person survived, if I recall correctly.

Some people are getting hung up on numbers. Allen55, just ride. The only magic in a number is the magic you give it.

Good Luck! You'll do great!

Some people are getting hung up on numbers. Allen55, just ride. The only magic in a number is the magic you give it.

+1.

And keep in mind that it's the same on the "other end." I will never forget watching a guy circle the grounds of a college campus after a very hard 97.5 mile day 5 of Pedal Pennsylvania. Hilly, rainy for the first 20 miles and then warm and very humid for the remainder. I thought he was lost and could not find the right dormitory. Another rider who had finished before me told me the guy was doing the extra miles so he could say he rode a century.

Re: 25 miles.

The problem I see with using mileage and mileage only is that it doesn't really give a good indication of the effort involved in traversing it. A mile is not a mile. 25 miles on a -1% grade with a tailwind is a heck of a lot different than 25 miles on a 4% grade with a headwind, for example.

But generally speaking, I agree with the sentiment that pretty much anyone should be capable of biking 25 miles unless they have a severe health condition or physical disability... provided it's a flat 25 miles in mild wind, on a 70-degree day.


Here's the mileages of my first few rides of the year, to give you an idea of how easy it can be to progress to 25 miles:

5/9 - 10.39 miles
5/12 - 8 miles
5/14 - 23.25 miles
5/16 - 9 miles
5/19 - 17.78 miles
5/20 - 8.19 miles
5/21 - 27.53 miles

So on my 7th ride of the season, I broke 25. Nearly hit 25 on my 3rd ride. Now keep in mind I hadn't biked in 5 years at this point in time, so I was not very acclimated to cycling. Plus I was running on Mountain Bike knobby tires, using a drivetrain that skipped due to wear on the chain... which hadn't been greased in about 15 years. The bike was a wreck and probably far less efficient than it is now. Averaged about 10mph... but I made it. As I recall the 27 mile ride required breaks approximately every 5 miles... but I made it.

And so can you. :)

It hasn't yet...Ive been pretty sick. Will try it this weekend.

You'll do it. No doubt in my mind.

what kind of bike are you riding ? 25 miles should be well within your power to do. if you are worried pace yourself, 10 mph or something, that's still only 2.5 hours. a good trick i use, fight the wind on the way out, so you can have it easier on the way back in , wind at your back !

Re: 25 miles.

The problem I see with using mileage and mileage only is that it doesn't really give a good indication of the effort involved in traversing it. A mile is not a mile. 25 miles on a -1% grade with a tailwind is a heck of a lot different than 25 miles on a 4% grade with a headwind, for example.



One of the tougher rides I used to do was just over 25 miles. It had a couple of hundred yards of flat. Otherwise it was eitehr going up or going down.

For Clydes the issue of verticle feet is often far more important than the horizontal miles.

th the sentiment that pretty much anyone should be capable of biking 25 miles unless they have a severe health condition or physical disability... provided it's a flat 25 miles in mild wind, on a 70-degree day.


When I started I was not able to do it. Not on the flats. Not with a tailwind. Not on a 70 degree day. Certainly not at 10 mph. I still remember the push I did to do 16 (and that was't right away); I was miserable for a few days afterwards and miserable for the last few miles of that ride. I averaged something like 8 or 8.5mph. I do not have a severe health condition or disability. Instead, I was 56 years old and seriously out of shape and a third of the way through a weight loss plan. I also had fit problems which seem fairly common for new riders. I had neck problems but I wouldn't call that a serious health condition. I found comments that anyone can do 20, 25 or whatever miles to be demoralizing as well as wrong.

People should not assume that because they can do something anyone can.

Now of course, Allen isn't me and he may do great on a 25 mile ride. He seems strong and has done over 10 miles in a ride already.

When I started I was not able to do it. Not on the flats. Not with a headwind. Not on a 70 degree day. Certainly not at 10 mph. I still remember the push I did to do 16 (and that was't right away); I was miserable for a few days afterwards and miserable for the last few miles of that ride. I averaged something like 8 or 8.5mph. I do not have a severe health condition or disability. Instead, I was 56 years old and seriously out of shape and a third of the way through a weight loss plan. I also had fit problems which seem fairly common for new riders. I had neck problems but I wouldn't call that a serious health condition. I found comments that anyone can do 20, 25 or whatever miles to be demoralizing as well as wrong.

People should not assume that because they can do something anyone can.

Now of course, Allen isn't me and he may do great on a 25 mile ride. He seems strong and has done over 10 miles in a ride already.


I bolded the bit that stuck out to me the most. Fit problems of course are a show-stopper, as they can cause some serious damage to your body if you push it, and can also greatly hamper your efficiency. The same applies with saddle choice. I became extremely limited in my distance past 25 miles for a time, because the saddle I had would force me to get off every 5-10 miles to stop my buttocks from hurting. Past 40 miles, the fit problems hit home and caused my right knee to be in so much pain that I couldn't even pedal in the lowest gears without feeling it. So of course, these issues can easily cause someone to not be able to bike 25 miles.

However. Bicycling is a highly variable sport. You can push yourself more than on foot. But you can also push yourself less. You can even rest in the saddle for long periods of time, "craning" along pedaling a few turns every few hundred feet or so. To do 25 miles in 3 hours you just need to maintain 8.3mph. That's basically the same amount of effort as walking, except your body will be in better shape because you're not constantly shocking your joints. If you can walk for 3 hours, you can bike 25 miles. I'm not one of those people who say you can't take breaks either; I said before my 27 miler had about 5 breaks because I was stopping every 5 miles to rest my butt.

So, given a properly fitted bike, being able to take breaks off the bike, a nice comfortable saddle, some food if you're not used to biking that long, a flat course, a moderate temperature, and light-to-no winds, I sincerely believe that nearly anyone can bike 25 miles within a 4 hour period of time after a few weeks of moderately regular cycling.

Besides the saddle and the knee pain, my biggest obstacle 5 months ago was mentally psyching myself out, telling myself that I couldn't do it. The funny thing is, once I reached a new milestone for the first time, every ride below that mileage level suddenly seemed like it was a piece of cake. 4 months ago, 50 miles seemed impossible. 2 months ago I did my first 100 mile ride, and literally after that, suddenly 50 mile rides have become "easy as pie" to me. I don't even flinch when thinking about riding 50 miles anymore. It's all mental. My fitness has not improved so much over this time period, my mind just suddenly decided "oh, you're not afraid of that anymore".

So, given a properly fitted bike, being able to take breaks off the bike, a nice comfortable saddle, some food if you're not used to biking that long, a flat course, a moderate temperature, and light-to-no winds, I sincerely believe that nearly anyone can bike 25 miles within a 4 hour period of time after a few weeks of moderately regular cycling.



With these caveats I might buy it. But because there are so many variables I am hesitant to assume any particular person can ride that far in early on. I understand the desire to motivate and push ourselves and others. I pushed myself to go from 25 miles to 37 miles to 50 miles. But I couldn't have done it without first a change in bikes, then a bike fit, a new saddle, other modifications to my bike, physical therapy so my shoulder and arthritic neck didn't stop me, and a fair number of miles in the saddle.

Any particular person's mileage may vary. I wonder about all those who started posted here, all gung ho to ride hard. And then we hear nothing.

I wonder about all those who started posted here, all gun ho to ride hard. And then we hear nothing.

Many people start gung-ho on a hobby and give up when it gets tough. Call it the Mr. Toad effect.

But I think the suggestion was that 25 miles isn't that hard. I seem to recall I was riding 25 miles or so after a short time, and unlike the OP I had to teach myself to ride. Oh, and it was winter up here in PA, so I lost time to cold and snow. Allen55 is ahead of the game.

We all have walls we hit. Mine is currently 50km or about 30 miles, but mainly because I tend to drink all my water in the middle portion of my rides.

Might be time to bust out the Camelback or get a different style of one just to have some extra water...

I recently rode my first 25 miles, big milestone for me. I had to stop a few times, mostly at the tops of some fairly steep hills. I didn't have to walk the bike at all. When I got back near my house, I was about a mile and a half short, so I rode down a dead end street and back for a total of about 26.5 miles. It took me about 3 1/2 months to work up to 25, but it felt great to get it done. Good luck, and try to plan a route that maybe goes by a store so you can get more water if you need it. Also, sorry about the migraines, I get them occasionally, serious stuff. I have some prescription meds I can take if I feel one coming on and it helps, but once I have a migraine, only resting in a dark, quiet place will help.

We all have walls we hit. Mine is currently 50km or about 30 miles, but mainly because I tend to drink all my water in the middle portion of my rides.

Might be time to bust out the Camelback or get a different style of one just to have some extra water...


I have hydration issues as well. For the first 20 miles of any ride I tend not to drink any water because I don't feel thirsty, and then it suddenly hits me after that, so I start drinking everything then I feel sick. A large part of the issue is bottle management I think, it's such a pain to carry 4-5 bottles and get off and switch them.

I thought about Camelbak but I can't stand backpacks in summer, so I'm going to try out a novel approach. I bought:

1: A Tangle Bag

https://www.revelatedesigns.com/layouts/revelate/files/store/large/revelate-5-4.jpg

2: An MSR 4 Litre Dromlite bag (5.6x24oz)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31PDrdf5cEL._AA300_.jpg

3: An MSR Hydration Kit

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q8MX2v2%2BL._AA300_.jpg


This is something I learned that mountain bikers use all the time when they do all-day trips to places where you cannot buy water, and MTB's typically do not have bottle cages or racks to carry the water. So I'll fill the reservoir with water, attach the drinking tube, put it in the tangle bag, and route the tube up the fork and stem to have it easily reachable at any time. Hopefully it'll work well, this could go a very long way towards solving my hydration issues.

mith: did you get one yet?

mith: did you get one yet?

Bladder and hydration tube came last night. I spent all night drinking out of it as a test... accidentally over-hydrated :D

Tangle bag has been shipped, has not arrived yet.

got a website for it?

Many people start gung-ho on a hobby and give up when it gets tough. Call it the Mr. Toad effect.



As in Mr. Toad's wild ride? :)

I agree that there are those who become obsessed like Toad and then lose interest. Outsized plans can fall flat.

got a website for it?

https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.catalog&CategoryID=1&ProductID=5

A little on the pricy side, but they're made in America, so I don't mind.

As in Mr. Toad's wild ride? :)

I agree that there are those who become obsessed like Toad and then lose interest. Outsized plans can fall flat.

Well, Toad did have a wild ride when he stole the motor car and then had to escape from prison to rescue Toad Hall from the weasels.

But perhaps I've made a bad comparison. Mr. Toad, Esq., of Toad Hall, was too conceited when he undertook his various hobbies. It's not that the plans were too big, it's that his ego was too big. As Toad himself learns in the end:

"'It's no good, Toady; you know well that your songs are all conceit and boasting and vanity; and your speeches are all self-praise and — and — well, and gross exaggeration and — and — '
'And gas,' put in the Badger, in his common way."

While some of the drop outs you've mentioned might have given up for Toad's reasons, it could be simply they found cycling boring or too much trouble or not as interesting as another hobby. For instance, as I've mentioned here and elsewhere, If I were able to hike and backpack, I'd probably sell all my bikes. I've been described as "gung ho" before.

While some of the drop outs you've mentioned might have given up for Toad's reasons, it could be simply they found cycling boring or too much trouble or not as interesting as another hobby. For instance, as I've mentioned here and elsewhere, If I were able to hike and backpack, I'd probably sell all my bikes. I've been described as "gung ho" before.


It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said `Bother!' and `O blow!' and also `Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat.

mith: sorta pricey, I agree. Nice that it is made in America. When added up with the bladder and hose, I hope it is worth it.

Question: Where is the drinking end of the hose going to connect to?

Please report back and let us know what you think.

While some of the drop outs you've mentioned might have given up for Toad's reasons, it could be simply they found cycling boring or too much trouble or not as interesting as another hobby. For instance, as I've mentioned here and elsewhere, If I were able to hike and backpack, I'd probably sell all my bikes. I've been described as "gung ho" before.
Don't forget that cycling is sold as a magic pill to lose weight and get fit. The dropouts are caused by various factors -- the need to work at it (as with any physical fitness improvement), the need to match it to a change in diet, and a lack of skills and knowledge that cover things like fit, handling road conditions, and so on.

The excuses come thick and fast when the challenges increase in difficulty. But really, the first challenge is to get out and do it... An attempt that falls short by half is better than no attempt at all.