ka0use

"We've got a few members who've ridden their bikes just 10 miles in a day and a few members who've even ridden 300 miles in a day, but the majority of us have managed to ride a Century---an annual tradition in cycling where thousands ride 100 miles in a day."

from bicycle mobile hams of america's website.

the above quote is from the group's now-deceased founder.

DO folks ride 300/day?

is this tdf or gdi riding?

apparently i only LIKE to died just thinking of 100/day. with 300 staring at me now i AM dead.

jimc101

Thats 482km, would be suppised if many people could do that in a day (world record is 890.2 km in 24 hrs unpaced), if riding constantly at 25kph for 19 hours you would do it, but that's is more than most could probably do.

It is definitely not tdf type riding, as that is stage racing of 100-250km (ish)

ka0use

merciful heavens.

thanks for the response!

rodney

Homeyba

It's not that big of a deal. I've ridden over 400miles in one day (24hrs). There is a triple century called the Grand Tour and 20-30 people do it every year. I know there are a number of people on this forum who've done it.

ks1g

In spite of it being on the BMHA site, the folks doing >> 100 miles were probably not carrying HF rigs & heavy SLA batteries! HT and a water-bottle-size LiFePO4 pack are the most I want to carry on a hilly century. At some point, not lugging the extra weight around trumps trying to combine to activities (biking & hamming) into one. Also, my air intake is a finite resource, any allocated to yakking on the radio is unavilable for pedaling.

73 de KS1G

Steamer

Go to a 24hr race and you'll find LOTS of folks who break 300 miles. That's a fairly low bar for those. 400 miles is the much more prestigeous distance.

Crikey, I broke 200 miles in a 12 hour race and I suck!

Machka 

+1

I'm a really slow, lantern rouge randonneur, and I came close to 300 miles on a 24-hour race ... 287.3 miles (462.4 kms)
https://www.machka.net/24hour/2006_UMCA24hour.htm

Anyone who is just marginally faster than me should be able to do it.


(I have done rides of more than 300 miles, but took a little bit longer than 24-hours to do them.)

lonesomesteve

I'm not particularily fast and I've done over 300 miles in the first 24 hours of a couple of 600k brevets and a 1200k. It's really about staying awake and on the bike.

Look at this way: In order to cover 300 miles in 24 hours you only have to average 12.5 mph. Sounds easy, huh?

George

I don't think I could stay awake that long.

StephenH

At the Texas Time Trials, I hit 311 miles at the 24-hour mark. And that was with about 3 hours of sleep.

You also have to be careful how you define a "day" when you get into that question. For example, 600k/374 miles is a standard randonneuring distance. Most riders take longer than 24 hours to do it, but it'll often get entered in ride records like it was one day because it was just one ride.

Chris516

Hmmm.....I am thinking I would have the same problem.

Machka 

It's not that difficult to stay awake for 24 hours ... it becomes more difficult if you're trying to do a 600K straight through with no sleep, and finish in 36 hours (like I did for my first 600K).

Dudelsack 

I just read my copy of American Randonneur (I am not yet a randonneur as the definition is to have completed a 200 km brevet, I'm just a wannabe) and there was an interesting article by someone who wanted to qualify for RAAM by doing a 500 mile course in 39:53. People will do all sorts of impossible stuff if motivated enough.

The Octopus 

Not a lot of people do 300 in a day, but mostly, I reckon, because not a lot of people try to do it. It's not that tough to manage, even time-trialing, over tough terrain, and in lousy weather. Done it many times, and there are a whole lot of folks faster than me out there.

As you get much north of 300, though, things get exponentially more difficult. I agree with Homey: cracking 400 in a day is rather elite, and being about to do that in a time-trial is exceptional and takes a lot of training, resolve, and usually involves an extraordinary amount of suffering.

DXchulo

I agree. It's kind of in no-man's land between doubles (very popular in CA) and a 600K. It would seem that most people who do 300 in a day are doing it as part of a larger goal- either a 600K or an attempt at 400 miles in a 24-hour TT.

Most fit long distance riders could accomplish the task. 12 hours is a reasonable goal for a double and that would leave 12 more hours for an extra 100 miles.

unterhausen

I did it once on a 600k. Probably would have been faster had I slept a couple of hours

I'd like to be able to do a 600k in 24 hours. I'm pretty sure if I get my act together on eating and not goofing off at stops I could do it.

znomit

Did it.
Oh, I came in last too
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/105845469

Rodimus_Prime

I wont pretend to downplay 300 miles in a day at all. I think most people that ride frequently can do a century, they may not think themselves capable of it but most can. However with that being said the hardest ride I ever did this was this summer 96 miles on the Livestrong Philly Challenge, over 6500+ feet of climbing. I hurt for a week after that, granted I spent 8-9 years off and only trained for 2 months prior to it. I did a training day of 100 miles earlier in the year and really didn't feel that bad. I'd like to do 120 miles over the course of a day, Id be quite happy with that. My ass can't tolerate a bike seat for more than 5-6 hours comfortably.

StephenH

I was just going back over that article- some interesting points there. Greg came in 3rd, he says, I was 5th, about 2 hours behind him. He was in the next pit area over from me, and Debbie crewed for both of us as well as several other self-crewing riders.

lhbernhardt

The only 1,000 km brevet I did, I rode straight thru. I forget how far I got in 24 hours, but I wasn't really sleepy until about 30 hours had elapsed, when I took a half-hour nap. This brief rest allowed me to continue straight thru to the end, just over 45 hours.

But I found that this is where the hallucinations start. I was OK at the finish. It was only after the ride was over and I was in the car for the drive home that I started hallucinating!

So yeah, 24 hours straight, no problem. 300 miles, piece of cake for 24 hours.

- L.

bobbycorno

Well, I did 440k (275 mi) in 22 hours on the Rocky Mountain 1200k in 2008. Is that close enough?

SP
Bend, OR

Dudelsack 

You gots mad skilz. I can't believe you came in last with numbers like that.

sakeed123

I have been riding for about 6 months now and have averaged 100 miles per week minimun now for the last 3 months. Average ride for me is about 30-40 mikes in about 2- 3 1/2 hours depending on rest stops or if I stop for a long breakfast. I do 20 mile workouts in 1 hour no problem averaging about 20-21 mph. With that said, I have done two rides over 50 miles (one was 62 and the other was 75 miles) and at the end of both I was cold and shakey like I was hypothermic but in 70+ degree weather in Sunny So California. The 75 miler I stopped twice to eat at about 1 1/2 hour intervals (Tuna Sandwich and an apple each stop). I do not know how on earth anyone could do 200 or more in a day. My back starts to hurt as well as my ass.

ps(edit) I am 6'4"- 230 lbs on a 23 lb bike and a 9lb backpack (at the start, about 4 when finished)

Machka 

You're just getting into it. Most people don't attempt a double century or longer ride in their first 6 months. Remember that many of us have been riding for decades.

A tip ... lose the backpack. Try a trunk bag instead.

And if your butt hurts, you might want to check the fit and setup of your bicycle, and if that seems right, then you might want to experiment with other saddles.

Regarding the difficulty you have had with your long-ish rides, you don't mention hydration. I'd guess that you need to drink more. You might also need to ensure you consume electrolytes. And you might need to experiment with your nutritional intake ... perhaps you need to consume more.

Two of the main reasons for gradually building up your distance are to get your bicycle setup right, and to nail down your hydration and nutritional intake.

Dudelsack 

Do the veterans think this cyclist would benefit from LSD rides?