Machka 

I would really like to do the Century-A-Month challenge next year, but I'm getting tired of bitterly cold and slippery centuries, so ... over in the LD forum ... I've been trying to get ideas for other options I might have. https://www.bikeforums.net/long-distance-competition-ultracycling-randonneuring-endurance-cycling/368304-question-century-month-riders.html

Today, I had an inspirational idea ... if only it would be allowed.

I ended up sitting in my local mall for a while early this morning and I was watching the mall walkers. I think it is a great idea to allow people inside the mall, before the stores are open, to walk around and around the mall. It's nice for the walkers because they can walk in comfort (rather than out in the cold, and on ice), and it's good for the retailers too, because there is a reduced chance of vandalism when a bunch of elderly people are hiking up and down, plus they look at the sales etc. in the stores and may be tempted to buy things once the stores open.

So ... why not have something like that for cyclists too? Wouldn't it be great to have a large indoor mall-like area where we could ride around and around? Maybe it could be like a large recreational complex with things like a swimming pool, skating rink, wave pool, climbing wall area, racket sports area, golf area, running track, weights room, etc. ....... and with an indoor bicycle path (not a MUP!!) surrounding it all in such a way that the cyclists could see the things that were going on in each area, and cover a minimum of 3 kms on each lap.

<<sigh>> Wishful thinking ... or is it ... does something like this exist??

ChunkyB

If they've got an indoor ski slope, they've gotta have an indoor cycling center somewhere.

yonderboy

https://www.fixedgearfever.com/module...op=list&cid=ca

Edonis13

ive never heard of anything like that. but it would be cool.

haimtoeg

I keep having the mall scene from "The Blues Brothers" play in my head, can't think how the lawyers and insurance companies will approve riding in a mall. Why don't you treat yourself and visit Southern California at the end of January, do two centuries back to back and be done with it?

Little Rider

Indoor Velodrome?

Machka 

Too small ... they're only 300-400 metres. I'd like something 3-5 kilometers.


But ... do they allow just anybody to come in and ride during the winter?

Dubbayoo

We have an indoor velodrome but doing a century on that would be the pits. 643 laps....ugh.

Machka 

That's why I'm saying it's too small for my purposes ... HOWEVER, would they allow someone to ride a century there?

Dubbayoo

Training time is broken up into two hours blocks so you'd have to be pretty fast. I can imagine finding land to support a building with a 3-4km course inside would be difficult

bac

I know this isn't really what you're looking for, but it's close and I've ridden it. If you're a mtbr also, there is NO WAY you cannot have fun here:

https://www.raysmtb.com/



... Brad

scotch

it would be great to be able to ride in a huge indoor space in the winter. i wonder if people who work in the Pentagon ride around in there...there's like 20 miles of hallways in that place.

Yoshi

Something like this?

Machka 

See ... that's what I'm talking about!!! Except more for roadies.

And a roadie indoor cycling route could be included with several other sports so that the cyclists could ride around and up and down while watching everyone else do their thing. The recreational complex where I live sort of has the idea by putting their stationary bicycles and treadmills in a place where the rider or runner can see the pool area, the running track, the weight room, and have a little glimpse outside. Only it would be better if the cyclists could actually ride around these areas.

huerro

Apparently at the close of WW2 people couldn't imagine that the War Department would need a building the size of the Pentagon in the future. FDR wanted to move the national archives there, but among the other suggestions was using it for bike riding. The outer ring is abut 5000 feet around.

2manybikes

A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/...way_tunnel.jpg

Machka 

That would work if it were long enough. I should just go back to Belguium!


I have heard that some Winnipeg cyclists ride the indoor parking garages to get hill climbing practice ... maybe that would work for winter cycling too.

2manybikes

That's a good idea. Too bad you can't ride a bike through the Chunnel.







or can you?

Machka 

No, I don't believe you can cycle through the Chunnel. I think I've heard that the exhaust levels from the cars would be at dangerous levels for the length of time a cyclist would be down there. They've got ventilation, but I think it has been designed for the estimated length of time a car would be down there.

2manybikes

That sounds familiar to me too.

Boudicca

Some of the really big convention centers are almost a mile from end to end. In theory they could open them up to bikes if there are no conventions going on. But I can imagine a gazillion liability issues, not to mention complaints about skid marks on the floor of gouges in the carpet.

Did anyone see the movie Manufactured Landscapes? It started in a really, really vast Chinese factory. Shame that it was so full of people and equipment so wouldn't have room for a nice bike track.

Squint

Particle accelerators may have service tunnels that you could ride in. They're like 21 miles. I don't know if you'd want to be in there when it's on though.

2manybikes

only once!