Digital Gee

Just got to wondering what people's favorite distance is when you're out for a ride. Sure, it's all good. But if the weather is right, and the time is available, and the road is calling you, what would be a good distance?

Of course you could go longer, and often have to go shorter, but I'm just wondering what people see as the right distance for a good, regular ride.

For me, it's something between 20-25 miles. I often can't ride that far because time won't permit it, and I sometimes go longer, but I would say my weekend rides of 20-25 miles are just about perfect in length. For me.

What about you?

John E

25 miles / 40 km sounds very good to me, as well, and is my typical recreational distance. I did 30 mi / 50 km of utility/transportation cycling today, on-road but on the mountain bike, in three separate stages: 25% to the office (Carlsbad Airport Centre business park), 50% office to father-in-law's house (Solana Beach, for his 85th birthday luncheon), 25% back home.

Artmo 

Where I live there is a straight, flat (well, this is FL) run of 10 miles of bike path each way which is used by a lot of paceline riders, including myself. I really enjoy doing this 20 mi blast at speed a couple times per week.

Tom Bombadil

My favorite distance is being 10' from the fridge. And I really need to change this!

As far as rides go, it depends on the weather and surface. Most of my riding is on rail trails. When they are soft, then I really don't enjoy riding that far, only 6 to 8 miles. When dry, about 12-15 miles. Hope to up that this summer.

Don't know what it is for pavement, I rarely have an opportunity to ride more than about 5 miles on paved trails.

Floyd

My rides are usually in the 10 - 15 mile range because of time but do enjoy the 20-25 too as an ideal ride for fun...don't really have much of a chance for the longer ones. Even though Kansas is not as flat as Florida, where I am don't have too many hills to climb. Bike ride is a chance to get away from the work for a while.

Red Rider

Fifty and up. My shortest ride is 30 miles. It takes me about 20 miles just to warm up (especially since winter roared back into Northern CA). Today I rode 54 miles under threatening gray skies, the last 8 in rain. Had it not rained I was game for tacking another 20 onto my ride.

Any day I can get out on the road is a great day.

Retro Grouch 

If the weather is nice, I like rides in the 30 to 50 mile range. Less than 30 seems a little wimpy and I'm pretty much ready to get off of the bike and do something else at around 50.

Hermes

+1

Big Paulie

30 miles is perfect for pure fun. My mood is always at its peak at 30 miles. But, I like to ride 50 to 100 miles because I really need the work, health-wise, and long rides are very satisfying.

MichiganMike

50 is about right for me if I am just out enjoying myself.

jppe

For me the various lengths each have their own purpose. Right now a 100k with a group is a really good ride. It only takes a few hours, there's no need to stop, you get in an excellent workout and you don't feel all beat up afterwards. The legs and body recover very quickly as well.

nmichell

DG, I was expecting a poll! Okay, I'll say 30 miles. Longer if the weather is really nice.

SaiKaiTai

During the week, 11-12 miles but on weekends I clock in with a 15-20 mile ride.
When I get back home, I always feel like I want more.

I'm working my way up. Ultimately, I'd feel pretty good with a 25-30 mile ride.

megaman

If I had good weather, I'd ride about 8 or 9 hours including stops, which would translate to about 100 miles.
Mileage of less than 30 miles on a day off feels like a waste.

Bud Bent

My weekday rides are always 25 miles or less. On the weekend, I'm wanting a 50 mile ride, and I plan on doing quite a few rides long than that this year.

Jet Travis

I'm all over the lot. The ideal ride usually gets longer as the season progresses. I've learned that even a short ride is much better than no ride.

luv2cruz

25-30 miles is the range my training rides usually fall into. Can get that in after work from early spring to late fall, and the guys I ride with generally do these lengths, too. I enjoy doing metrics, but too many time constraints make them infrequent unless planned well in advance.

Terrierman

20 to 25 seems near perfect to me with my current set up. I hope when somebody asks this question next year, I have a different answer with larger numbers involved in it. Time does limit what I'm able to do more than getting tired does these days. That seems to be a good sign.

Lion Steve

Being retired, time is usually not any consideration for me, so I would have to say that about 30-35 miles several times a week is about right. That distance takes me to some of my favorite destinations. Weather permitting, I try to ride everyday.

RoMad

Through the week when I don't have much time I like to ride 20 miles at a good pace. On the weekends 30 is a nice ride. Still being new at this I can see it getting easier to ride farther as I get in better shape.

centexwoody 

+ 1

stonecrd

After work during the week about 21mi is all I have time for. On the weekend when time is not a limt 40-60miles.

stapfam

How true. At this time of year with fitness lacking, I do not wish to do much- 30 miles offroad is about my limit or 40 on the road- less If I can get away with it. Problem is that it takes me about 10 miles to settle into a ride, but when I do- I could keep going for a higher milage- but as I say- my fitness wil make me pay for it the next day. Today I did not want to have a hard ride so took it steady all the way and still did not enjoy it. Then from about Easter- the Fun begins starting with a 40 miler that I take as a sprint. From then on it is metric and imperial centuries every month till October. Then it is "Just a short ride today lads"

Red Baron

Heck I'm happy anytime I can "Go the Distance"

p8rider

My morning exercise rides are almost 16 miles, but on weekends when I have time I like to ride between 30-40 miles. In season when I'm in better shape I extend that to 50. I do ride longer for a few times a year, but I view those as atypical requiring real planning on food water etc.