Diegomayra

First off congratulations on your hard effort.

I ride solo all the time and do flat 50's in under 2:30 (20-21mph pace), it requires a consistent effort and some gear grinding/tooth mashing. I really do not think I could do a 20mph avg. 100 mile ride solo anytime soon, too painful.

gregf83 

That's a solid ride. Out of curiosity what was your best marathon time?

znomit

I have a mate who used to regularly ride 100km in 3 hours.

Then he got a computer and now on a good day he rides 90km in 3:15.

billyb0b115

Diegomayra

If you can pull off a near 27mph effort over 20miles, regardless of how flat the course is, you really need to be racing.

Perp

how about 222km @ 20mph solo https://app.strava.com/rides/1892508... followed with a 40 min run

Rowan

This. No computer, no Garmin, no data, and yet everyone is effusive with their praise as though this guy is the next Lance Armstrong.

I'm suggesting the OP posts a mapmyride or bikely route, and details his training regimen including the dates of his previous century attempts. Plus his best time running over a marathon course.

Those improvements he details just seem too astonishing in a season, solo.

gregf83 

That's very good. It would be outstanding if it was based on total time (not moving time) and on a road bike (no aerobars).

kbro1986

some people are just fast responders.... this scenario does seem unlikely, but it is possible to see that kind of improvement (that quickly). the OP does sound like he has quite a bit of athletic history, so who knows.

sqharaway

Awesome!

hhnngg1

I agree that the 27mph avg for 20 mi eith no aero gear is pretty suspect and makes me doubt all this.

That would be near 29mph with aero gear which is seriously fast.

Op should go pro if hes done that as a nonracing solo training cyclist. I have some 2:36 marathon friends becomw cyclists who cant come close to doing that.

DropDeadFred

5 tries and you did it with 15 minutes to spare..thats a hell of an increase in effort! Awesome

kr32

that is scootin!
My best solo is 5:48

good job.

learnmedia

Congrats on a considerable effort and an outstanding accomplishment.

MrTuner1970

While I do think a GPS would "improve" the data somewhat, it's possible. There's a guy I ride with (he's 28--I'm 41) who began cycling this February. I think he could get close to a 5-hour, flat, no-wind century. We don't have flats for very long around here, so it's hard to know just what we could do.

My most recent solo century was 5:33 ride time/6:05 total, with winds 6-10 and 4,100 feet of elevation gain (mostly rollers). So, yeah, I could possibly do a sub-5 (ride time) if it was flat. ??? At least, I like to think I could.

rdtompki

FWIW, Drag (wind resistance) goes as the square of speed, but power (Force times Velocity) goes as the cube of speed. The difference between 20 and 25 mph is almost a 2X increase in power required all things being equal. Records and such are no doubt set with purpose-built bikes, aero positions and aero gear.

When I was in my late 30's I was a reasonably strong, 190 lb. marathon runner (2:42) and did some cycling. While I'm certain I could have ridden a good distance at 20 mph, the muscles required to run marathons are very different from those required to cycle even though all we did was run hills which at least does something for the quads.

OP, if he is a talented athlete, could well have broken 5 hours, he would certainly have the aerobic capacity if he's a fast marathoner

svtmike

I just don't really care whether he really did it or not. He had a good fast long ride and he's been working toward having a good fast long ride so congrats are in order whether the data is perfect or not.

MrTuner1970

Very true!

dayday82

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/122038242
Here is my ride data from Yesterday's Seagull Century. It was my 2nd century as I am a fairly new rider. Only been riding less than a year.

Was doing well the first 62 or so miles with an average of 21 mph, but then going back was major headwinds that destoryed me. You can see my average dropped significantly after the 12th lap (laps are 5 miles). I have never suffered so much in a ride before and was riding with my legs cooked the whole time. I've never experienced winds like that and it was brutal. In the end, I averaged 19.6 mph.

KendallF

5 mile laps for 100 miles?! Ack!

Slightly on topic for this thread: I have done several sub-4 hour centuries with a group (3:47, 3:59, yada yada). I don't know if I could do 102 solo in 4:45. Maybe. I couldn't do 20 flat, no wind miles in 45 minutes on my TT bike with full aero gear, I know that for sure. With full aero gear, breaking the hour for 40k for me (24.8 mph) requires approximately 260 watts average. To go 26.67 mph, I'd need approximately 320 watts, maybe a bit more. It's the difference between do-able and "boom".

Matt Gaunt

Awesome job. That's some amazing speed. Congrats

Tell me about it.

kbro1986

hmmm... this thread is starting to smell like B.S. OP - Are you sure that it was 100 miles? How do you know how far you went without a GPS?

hhnngg1

Yup. Seems like remarkably impressive numbers for a nonracing cyclist to put up. While the 100 in sub-5 is impressive enough, OPs claim of 20 in 45min for 27mph is ridiculously fast, even for a competitive racing cyclist. Posting such impressive numbers as a nonracing cyclist is just asking for scrutiny in a road bike forum.

Regardless, I'm still with everyone else that numbers aside, props to the OP for a fast century for himself (whatever the actual speed) and just as impressively, riding 200-250mpw consistently. That's great stuff and certainly makes great performance possible if you've got the genetics.

kbro1986

I agree. Don't get me wrong either. GREAT JOB OP! -but- someone who can do a 20 mile ride in 45 min (like you said) **should** be capable of a century much faster than 4:45. The numbers just don't make sense here...

thump55

I read this entire thread in 4 min 45 sec. (total time, no breaks)...and I don't care if you believe me or not.

A slight headwind on page 2 slowed me up a bit, but the downhill at the end made up for it.