intransit1217

Is there any advantage or disadvantage to say, getting 20 miles in the morning then 30 in the pm as opposed to doing a whole 50 in one shot?

Or less rides more miles vs more rides at shorter miles?

Garfield Cat

Benefit depends on how much aerobic fitness you want. Maybe for overall conditioning, you really don't need to go 50 miles. It takes up a lot of time that could be used for something else.

In the summer months, you want to get in as much riding as possible. Maybe then the goal is different. Add an organized century ride as a goal, and that 50-75 mile ride is a must.

If all you do is 20-30 miles per ride and only once in any given day, then that's about what your body will become accustomed to do. Try to go beyond that like 60 at one time, and your body will let you know it.

raceboy

I agree with Garfield. Mix it up depending on your schedule. Some days I just ride my bike commute of 20 miles RT. If I have an afternoon off, I'll roll another 20-30. If I have a free day on the weekend, I'll do a single 40-70--sometimes 90+ mile ride if time and desire allow. Some days are pretty much all flat, others have 10 miles or more of climbing. I try to take one day a week off with no workouts and get a yoga and weight training session in for strength.

Basically, my body never knows what I'm going to do next! It seems to be working so far...

intransit1217

Oh yeah. I mix it up when time allows. I'm probably down on speedwork/ intervals at the moment though. But I've got 65 hilly ones coming at me on Saturday. I'll probably be pretty beat up afterwards.

spdracr39

Something is better than nothing so do what you can. Throw those long single ride days in when possible and enjoy riding !

Jim from Boston

I can think of two advantages of one long ride vs split miles. For myself, I find that to be completely warmed up, it requires about six miles, so only one warm-up is required. Secondly, I think that if training for a long ride, one has to toughen up down there where you sit, and I think that requires extended, continuous time in the saddle; I calI it…ahem...uh...“pounding the perineum.”

Little Darwin

From an aerobic benefit, probably a wash (or close enough).

But as mentioned, it depends on your goals, and also on the time you have available to ride.

Along with conditioning for longer rides, you may want to consider the time taken to change clothes, clean up, etc., which will decrease with a single long ride... but that is only relevant if you are in a time crunch.

But, you could be more refreshed and enjoy the ride more if you split it up. And unless there is a driving reason otherwise, isn't that the real reason to ride?

Steve B.

When I was training for tri's (20 years ago mind you), we were "told" that as the metabolism of the body doesn't shut of for a time after a workout, that training twice a day, morning and late afternoon, was more beneficial as a fat burner. If that's a goal.

Velo Dog

This is the key for me. I've been riding since college in the '70s, and for awhile I was speed-obsessed--if I wasn't faster than yesterday, I felt guilty. I still push occasionally, but really I just enjoy getting out on the bike.

Drew Eckhardt 

Hardly. In the absence of fit, food, and hydration issues there's a lot of latitude in how you spend your fitness.

You can go from shorter hard rides to longer easier ones. I usually rode 25-30 miles a day with three fast days a week and nothing over 50 miles when I did my first century, and followed that up with a week riding 418 miles and 28,000 vertical feet over the Colorado Rockies.

You can go from frequent shorter frequent rides to longer less frequent ones. After getting back in shape at age 42 I swapped my usual 30 mile Friday and Saturday rides for a 2400' metric century.

No problems in any of those cases.

Garfield Cat

That means the shorter must be harder and the longer must be easier. There's no other way in your scenario.

Dave Cutter

+1 to both of you!

Long rides are what it takes to log the big miles. And in the Midwest where I live... we have a limited number of decent cycling days. So good days must be taken advantage of. But... on the other hand.... a few minutes on the saddle between rain drops or before/after the midday heat... is good for the soul.

If the weather, time, and my body allows.... I go for the 40 mile ride. If limited... I'll settle for 25, 20, or even a 16 mile ride. And if I really don't have time or the weather isn't desirable... I'll grab the rain bike for a quick ride to nowhere. Because everyday is better if it includes a bicycle ride.

intransit1217

Amen brother !

Today was 63 with a bunch of 6 to 17 percent short climbs. Eighth to quarter mile in length. And the humidity was bad. I feel pretty beat up. But i'll be stronger for it. AFTER a good recovery period. Gonna pass out now.