Jumbos

Newb. After 30+ years of running I'm following the advice of many including my ortho (knee and foot issues) and starting regular biking this summer. Picked up a Specialized Expedition Sport for fitness and I'm doing 6.5 miles every other day and did 8 last Saturday. I know this is not a road racer (suspension fork on the bike as I do some trails) and have felt great so far (seat's ok, etc.). I read about some of the mega miles people post and was wondering if I'm ok to keeping pushing past 10 miles+ with this bike. I love the bike and don't care to purchase a new one so how far can I go? Thanks for any advice/thoughts.

beechnutC23

Well, I've done about 80 miles on a Rocky Mountain hybrid much like yours. What will determine how far you can go isn't so much the bike but the engine riding it! Mind you there are bikes that surely are more efficient to go 80 miles but my Rocky (since handed down to my youngest son for transportation to/from university and the town he lives in) was plenty comfortable for the ride. I also have a fairly low-end cross bike that I've done a century on. But mostly for the longer rides I prefer one of my road bikes. I think you should be OK going *well* past 10 miles on that bike, to up to about 60 quite comfortably and maybe beyond that you'll start wishing for something more efficient.

StanSeven

There's no limit. Discomfort might hurt at some point like a poor fit, saddle, or something like that after 2 or 3 hours on the road and cause riding to not be as pleasant but that's about it.

dieselgoat

It's not so much about the bike. It's more of the size of your engine. If you are strong enough, you can ride just about anything. I would advise anyone to wait a very long time before investing in another bike. Too many people by expensive bikes early on and wind up not sticking with the sport. How far you go is really based on how much you are willing to work.

Jumbos

Thanks. I push pretty hard on all of my rides without any adverse effects during or afterwards so I'll keep after it. I do feel I've benfited from all of the running miles for all those years but now my feet and knees don't hurt when I'm finished!

kermie

Yeah, unlimited. Try going 15 miles next, then increase. Just have fun

Retro Grouch 

There are gizmos for your bike that will measure how far you go, how fast you go, how fast you pedal, calories burned, whether you are at sea level and all kinds of other "stuff". The thing that none of them measure is how much fun you are having.

Now - what is it that you're trying to accomplish again?

canklecat

Just ride. Your body will let you know when it's had 'nuff. Since you're already in good shape you'll probably be riding longer distances than I am now, and it took me months to get into reasonable condition.

I got a very similar comfort hybrid last year, a Globe Carmel (Specialized now-defunct entry level bike sub-company, since absorbed into the larger Specialized lineup). First time I'd ridden in 30+ years. And after a 2001 car wreck that busted up my back and neck, I was surprised to be able to ride at all. I knew a road bike like my old Motobecane was out of the question.

I rode one mile that first day last August before I collapsed. Gradually I worked my way up to five miles, but it took a month. Then 10-12 miles. And since March, my rides are usually 20-40 miles, about three days a week.

I'm finally at the point where I can feel some loss of efficiency from the suspension fork, padded comfort saddle, and other little compromises designed to make these bikes comfortable for folks who usually ride them less than 10 miles once or twice a week, or only a short distance more often.

When the weather got hot and muggy this summer after an unusually warm, wet winter, I added some padded bike shorts that I wear under baggy shorts. And some lightweight poly cycling jerseys. Both handle perspiration better so I can enjoy longer rides without feeling soggy.

But I still like the bike just fine because it's comfortable on busted up pavement, pebbly chipseal and rutted gravel. This morning I rode 30 miles, including some rough gravel, and got a kick out of bombing downhill on some rutted gravel trails that I'd have avoided like the proverbial plague-cliche even when I was younger. I'm still impressed by how much rough terrain a compact frame bike with 700x38 or 700x40 all terrain tires can handle, uphill and down.

Eventually I'll add a lighter weight bike. It'll make longer rides on good roads more comfortable because I'll be expending less energy on a heavy, squishy bike. But I plan to keep this bike. I like it for casual group rides, visits with friends, and not having to worry about locking it up where I can't watch it while shopping, having a beer or going to a museum.

raceboy

I've ridden several 90-100 mile rides on a hybrid-style bike. I'm not bragging or claiming to be a macho rider in any way, I just fell in love with riding and built my way up from 15-20 mile rides. The hybrid bike was what I had so that's what I rode. No big whoop.

Just ride for smiles and the miles will come. (c) 2016 raceboy!

Gerryattrick

You can ride as far as you want to if the bike fits, your arse is saddle trained, and you are not trying to race.

It helps, of course, if you have built up a good base of regular miles, so perhaps don't go for that century quite yet.

rhm

If you take a look at the long distance cycling forum I think you'll see that most people posting there are in the over-50 age group and many have been there for many years. Most are riding distances of 200 or 300 km in a day, while longer rides --400, 600, 1200 are the ones they talk about-- take longer, but we're not taking about race speeds here.

If you've been running for 30 years I don't imagine you'd have any engine trouble to speak of, but above 50 miles or so bike fit and efficiency may become more important.

Northwestrider

Yes +1 on there being no real limit , your mind will let you know. Stop just before the riding is not enjoyable. Your body will tell you if there is an issue with your bike fit .

Rick@OCRR

There may or may not be a "real limit" but I ride double centuries and I've seen riders finish doubles (that's 200 miles in one day) on bikes similar to yours . . . even though I wouldn't consider that the perfect bike for these distances.


If you're looking to go further than 200 mi. in a day, there are organized triple-centuries and brevets up to 1200 Kilometers to go for!


Rick / OCRR

BlazingPedals

It's really up to the engine. If the lack of multiple hand positions eventually bothers you, you can always get bar extensions.

Jumbos

Thanks for all of the positive feedback.......I hold off on the century for now but will just keep "the engine" moving forward.

canklecat

Yup, the hand positions and weight are the main limitations I've encountered with my comfort hybrid on longer rides. I miss the versatility of drop handlebars when my back and neck are cramping up a bit. For now, I just pull over and take a few minutes to stretch, then get back at it.

I can see why the traditional road bike paradigm remains popular for cyclocross and gravel bikes, with more relaxed frame geometry and a few other concessions. I'm leaning toward something like that, with the bar elevated to at least saddle height, as my next bike. That's more of a want than a need.

But I'm really nowhere close to having outgrown my comfort hybrid for the casual riding I do. The main concession I've made to getting more efficiency is to flip and reverse the upright handlebar to get it lower to saddle height (it's still an inch or two above the saddle). Helps lower my wind resistance, and gives me a stronger position for hill climbs. But I rode for at least six months before I flipped the bar.

Daspydyr 

Your question is now your carrot on a stick. Everyday you ride, go where you have never been before, just a little farther. I started out on a 20 year old Hardtail Brick of a bike. I was up to 50 miles a day when I broke down and got a 3 year old Specialized Roubaix.


Now I feel lazy if I don't get 60 miles in. My wife considers my bikes as the other woman in my life.


But all is good!

guybierhaus

I haven't posted for a couple years. Trapped inside due to too hot and humid weather for me. If you are traveling over 10 miles, surprised nobody mentioned need for a water bottle. I can usually do 15 miles without a drink, but have been carrying a bottle if I plan over 10. Straight water ok up to 15 miles. Gatorade over 15. My limit has always been my butt. Twenty five seats later and it's still my butt.

kermie

I agree with guy, hydrate. Also, I use the water in the bottles to ward off crazy dogs

Wildwood 

Welcome to the Forum.
N+1 for bike happiness.
Get a proper road bike for the road.
You bad joint, 'late-to-cycling', hard headed, runners need all the help you can get. I was one 30 years ago. We were joggers back then. I listened to a cyclist Dr. who described various knee operations if I continued 'running'. No looking back.


It's your future health.


edit: if you think you need suspension on a road bike, get a roadie that will take fat tires. 32mm is pretty cushy.

Viking55803

There are a lot of "tweaks" you can make to any bike that will improve the comfort of the bike. A comfortable bike can be ridden more miles with less pain. A good bike fit is the most important thing. How your hands interact with the handlebars is a big deal. And, of course, the cursed saddle. It seems our butts are like fingerprints; every one a bit different, and saddles have to accommodate that.

I'm 67 and just came back from a 55 mile ride today. After going through many saddles, I've stuck with a Brooks Cabium. The back is hard as a a rock, but it just works for me.

TGT1

What he said!

My first 100 mi ride was on a 30 year old Schwinn High Plains 35 lb tank. Just keep upping the miles until you decide an upgrade is a prerequisite to your next goals.

GravelMN

You could tour the country on that bike if you wanted to.

I did my first century, and several since, along with 50-mile gravel grinders, on a 1993 steel framed Trek hybrid (Multitrack 720). As long as you have a decent quality bike in good working condition, there is no limit on how far you can go (short of actually wearing out consumable parts which then need to be replaced before you go some more). Different bikes might make the going easier or faster, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a good hybrid that would limit your distance traveled.

Look up Fred Birchmore and the monstrosity of a bicycle he toured the world on (it's now in the Smithsonian).