Originally Posted by
sirjag
wow man! great job!
I'm a Clyde myself, and started biking for the first time ever back in April 2017. 3-6 miles at a time on a $100 Walmart hybrid Schwinn at a 13mi/hr pace is where I started...at 225lbs...
I am now riding two 42-mile rides a week (16.5-19.0 mph pace with 1500 ft elevation ,(have upgraded to a Giant Contend 1 SL Disc in June of this year) and am down to 195lbs.
My goal is to get to 100miles in < 5hrs, but right now that looks impossible. I have also read that a new person to biking will take 3-5yrs to reach century rides (at sub 5hrs)....
Do yall/OP think 3-5yrs is typical? Can you share some more personal training stories OP?
JAG
Thanks guys....means a lot to hear all the positives.
I started out about 3 years ago, doing 2 mil rides on a 2nd hand Giant hybrid - that was too small, but I had no idea it was. Built up slowly. Just went out as many evenings and at weekends, as I could. Very quickly I was up to 7 miles. Then 10. Then 15....and so on. At that point, I started to do bigger miles at weekends.....30 to 40 miles. I managed some organised rides, 60 miles, 70 miles. I then had a bad fall....had been riding for 2 seasons at this point. Damaged my right knee. Had 8 months off the bike. Lost the desire to go out. Put 4 stone back on of the 5 stone I had lost.....demoralised.....totally. But, then a friend organised the 100 mile charity ride. Not too hilly. So, I agreed to do it. after only 3 weeks back on bike, I did it. Was a struggle from 70 miles to the 90 mile mark........or there abouts. Last few miles were nice.....we took it slow and enjoyed it.
To everyone out there who thinks the cannot do 100 miles or feel that it is way beyond them, I say this, I did it....so can you. I say that, as I know me. I was the total couch potato. Home from work. Sit. Eat.....very little activity. I went from struggling to cycle 2 miles....to 100 miles.
To quote the great Coppi, "Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike”