momof4greatkids

I really like this distance, in the 60 mile range. It's challenging, but not grueling and painful, like an imperial century. It's the sweet spot for me.

Today we did 62.2 w/an AVS of 16 mph. That is my best ride of the year and I feel very happy about that!! Just thought I'd share.

I am going to a party later, and I sure hope they have pie.

What have you found to be your "sweet spot" for distance?

Digital Gee

I kind of agree with you, now that I think of it. Haven't done the full enchilada yet, however. But 60 is nice and long and doable all at the same time for me.

bcoppola

16.2 average?? Was it all downhill? Good going! I think an "imperial" century is in your future.

My first and only metric last year nearly killed me (stop here if you've heard this story already) because I got cocky about midway through and joined in a paceline with some Turks. Limped back to the start after getting dropped and wound up with an average of barely 13mph. Or was it 12? Memory's kinda hazy...not sure how I made it home!

Most of the group rides I do are 30-35 miles, 2-4 times a week, so I guess it's what I'm used to -- if not my "sweet spot".

momof4greatkids

if memory fails always round up

that sounds awful, though, I'm sure it was very painful. I did ride a full century last weekend and I lost almost a full mile on my average speed on the last 50.........definitely did not pace myself properly.

Jet Travis

A metric century is a great distance. You know you've done a very good day's work, but there's a big, big difference in the the mileage it takes to get to 100.

Greyfox2

I'm glad others feel the same way I do. I'm good up to 60, in pain at 75, and near death by 100. I don't learn, though. I still try. The comments on average speed are interesting. I did a real century a couple of weeks ago and had an average speed of 14.3 at the 50 mile mark and 12.7 by the finish. I guess the gas tank went empty.

stapfam

Hate to say it but OF COURSE a metric is easier. But I have done a couple of metrics in foul weather that have been harder than any ride I have ever attempted. One was a road ride in 2001 where torrential rain and high winds turned it into a night mare and the other was offroad with foul weather again and was supposed to be 100 miles. We abandoned at 65 miles and the organisors awarded the full distance medals to any one that got to the 65 mile mark.

To me- A metric- although not easy- Is not that difficult either. Especially now I am road riding and most of my weekend rides are pushing 100Kms. It is that extra distance up to the 100 miles that make a true century a challenge. Haven't done a 100 miler on the road bike yet, but subject to weather in the Autumn- a couple are planned.

Just hope I will be as blase about distance riding in a couple of years.

jppe

Great observation and I agree wholeheartedly. After doing a good number of 80-100 mile rides, doing a metric century is an excellent distance. I suspect if we did a number of 120-130 mile training rides, 100 milers might feel a tad easier as well.

oilman_15106

Just reset your computer from mph to kph and you will fly.

tsl

After about four hours saddle time, I'm bored, sore and ready to stop. When the pleasure is done, so am I. At my average speed, that's right around a metric century. I have no interest in going past the point where I'm ready to stop.

BluesDawg

+1
Metrics are challenging and often enjoyable. Centuries are challenging and often painful (and occasionally somewhat enjoyable). I will continue to do both, but I usually feel a lot better after a metric.

Sorry, I just can't go for the "imperial" thing. To me a "century" is a 100 mile ride. A 62 mile ride is a "metric century" or just a "metric". "Imperial" just sounds dangerously close to politically correct.

Yen

Our longest distance so far (since re-entering cycling in March) is 27 miles last weekend. We feel good upon our return and the next day, so I guess we are doing this right (no knee pain yesterday!). We add a few miles each week, and would love to do a century maybe next year, but for now we are enjoying feeling our heart rates recover faster, getting up the hills with a little less effort each week, and returning home feeling refreshed.

When I wish we could go further now, I remind myself that 99.99999999999% of people would be astounded at the thought of riding a bike 20 miles.... 60 miles would blow their minds... 100 is just plain crazy (to them). I don't ride anywhere near as far or as often as many of you, but my clothes are fitting looser, I can easily climb multiple flights of stairs with a fast heart rate recovery (and without huffing and puffing like the 20-somethings walking with me), and I feel like a kid again. From only 20+ mile rides. So, my sweet spot is whatever I am comfortably doing now that makes me feel that good.

I'll tell you how I feel after 60 miles when we get there.

stapfam

A century to me is 100 miles. A metric century is a lot less. In fact here in the UK Metric centuries are not in common parlance- It is a 65 miler. (I know that is not a metric century but 65 miles is an easy number to remember.)

rck

To me a century is 100 years and while I'll give it a try, I'm not sure I can ride that long.

Jet Travis

Awhile back, when I was in Canada, they sold gasoline by the "imperial gallon," slightly larger than a traditional gallon. I thought it meant I could drive at an "imperial speed limit." The cop did not agree.

az_cyclist

A metric century is a nice distance. I live just over 6 miles from the park where our club meets for our Saturday ride. If he club ride is 50 miles, then I get a metric every Saturday. Sometimes I ride some extra to get in 70+. I do agree an imperial is more of a challenge.

Artmo 

I've done many centuries, but at the 80 mile mark I'm always asking myself "Why am I doing this?" (It's normally for charity). A metric is a nice ride without the mental and physical stress of the imperial. In fact I've vowed never to do another imperial, as I have nothing to prove to myself any more!

hockey

I've ridden both but I still think it depends on the number of "uphills".
Hockey

BSLeVan

Me too. Everytime I ride an "Imperial" century it seems that I somehow complete a "metric" century the same day. I can't quite figure out what's going on with that....

pgpdlr

I've done many metrics-hilly and less so. Have done the same, FLAT, imperial three times now. On the second go round I learned what the term "bonk" means at about the 75 mile mark. Was dehydrated, probably close to heat stroke. Rested for about 20 minutes before I realized I still had to finish( to get to the car). That was the hardest 25 miles(again, dead flat terrain) I have ever done. Forget the overall average speed. Plan to do the same ride tomorrow, forcast is for 90+ heat-I AM a bit apprehensive-but am committed to do it. Will leave early to try to beat some of the heat-and will stay hydrated. 100 miles is (and feels) a lot longer than 62.

hockey

I don't know "pqpdlr". I've ridden many a century, both metric and imperial. I have ridden a few metrics that are really, really, difficult, depending on heat and hills. A flat 100 miler on a cool day is a pleasure.
Conditions should not be underrated!
P.S. An American gallon is approximately 4 litres. An Imperial gallon (Canadian) approximately 4.5 litres.
Hockey