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Enjoying shorter rides....

Old 07-27-21, 12:09 PM
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pgjackson
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Enjoying shorter rides....

I got into cycling in 2010 at age 40 after a knee surgery caused by running. Back then I wouldn't get on the bike for anything less than 20 miles and would often go on 40+ mile rides every Saturday morning. Then I moved and stopped cycling for 5-6 years and just now got back into it. Where I live now there aren't many great routes or bike lanes, however there is a really nice 10 mile out and back loop (5 each way) right from my driveway. When I was doing the longer rides I really had to prepare and set aside 2-3+ hours, but now at age 51 with my new 10 mile loop it is easy to just hop on the bike after work or get in a quick ride on Saturday morning. I find that I am more motivated now for a 40 minute ride than I used to be for the longer ones. The thought of doing a 20+ mile ride just doesn't appeal to me any more. Anyone else experience this?
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Old 07-27-21, 02:00 PM
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I've never felt bad about short or long rides. I just do what I have time for. Thankfully I've been getting in 40+ mile rides every other day for the last three weeks. Though there might be a 14 or 22 miler in the mix too.

Other than getting more mix to put in my bottles or carrying extra bottles, ride prep is the same for me. It's the making time for longer rides that is the b-word.
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Old 07-27-21, 02:43 PM
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51 years young here too. I use to go for PR's on my rides but now I just try to get as much milage as I can at a steady pace. I don't even worry about the young ones that fly by me anymore. If I can hit 30-50 miles per ride then I am happy.
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Old 07-27-21, 02:49 PM
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I currently try to do at least four rides per week, each 10 to 20 miles in length, with a couple of decent hill climbs.
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Old 07-27-21, 03:11 PM
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I have a 20 mile route laid out just off my driveway. Its mostly up and down on torn up pavement and small gravel. It's in the country and no traffic even though more houses are coming in and to me it feels like its getting crowded. I ride at least every other day. Five miles, two miles, ten miles, eight miles... I just turn around and head home when ever because its all the same route. Also, some times I reverse it, or start in the middle. There is always something new to see. Man I feel so lucky to have settled in Bastrop Texas.



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Old 07-27-21, 04:22 PM
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I recently turned 70 . I try to ride everyday .
Most of my rides are between five to seven miles , with an occasional 10-11 miler .
I’d love to ride longer rides but my knees won’t let me anymore.

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Old 07-27-21, 04:26 PM
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I'm finding that the shorter rides are easier to get motivated for and fit into my schedule. If I knew it was going to be 2+ hours minimum I'd never get a ride in after work.
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Old 07-27-21, 04:26 PM
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20 miles is for me the goldilocks distance. im now 55 and even when younger and racing 30 was a high mile day.
i find that intensity is key. id rather go fast push hard for 20 and call it a day than go for hrs and hrs.
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Old 07-27-21, 04:34 PM
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I don't care for rides that short but I don't often plan for anything other than riding on a ride day. OP, I feel your pain about routes. You've got a 50+/- out the beach road to Navarre and back or a too short ride the other direction to Ft Pickens. Lots of traffic. Anything more interesting and you have to drive an hour up to Munson, right? It's a lovely place to live in many respects but it's not a cycling paradise.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:01 PM
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
I don't care for rides that short but I don't often plan for anything other than riding on a ride day. OP, I feel your pain about routes. You've got a 50+/- out the beach road to Navarre and back or a too short ride the other direction to Ft Pickens. Lots of traffic. Anything more interesting and you have to drive an hour up to Munson, right? It's a lovely place to live in many respects but it's not a cycling paradise.
The beach road out to Navarre is nice, but it has many sections where sand covers large section. That's the most scenic ride in the area. My main ride is from my neighborhood in Gulf Breeze near Tiger Point and down the bike path in the National Seashore. It's pretty boring, but it's clean and safe.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by thehammerdog
20 miles is for me the goldilocks distance. im now 55 and even when younger and racing 30 was a high mile day.
i find that intensity is key. id rather go fast push hard for 20 and call it a day than go for hrs and hrs.
Yeah, instead of a a casual 20+ mile ride, I treat this 10 mile loop as a TT. I really try to push it hard the entire way.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:15 PM
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location, Location, LOCATION and being retired provides roads and the time for riding and a crappy cancer diagnosis/treatment plus aging provides incentives to go biking. I really enjoy getting out even though I'm riding in pain.

Shorter rides for errands on my utility bikes are enjoyable but kitting up and going out on my better bikes is what bicycling is all about for myself.

e.g. -- Today's ride was a 3 mile round trip for food shopping on my #1 Grocery Grabber bike. Yesterday's ride was a 101 mile Memorial Ride for a friend who was hit and killed by a semi 9 years ago.

My Birthday Ride 17 days ago of 115 miles was a DNC because my goal for years has been to double my age and add 1 mile for GOOD MEASURE. Wound up 28 miles short of goal. My catchy mantra for next year's Birthday Ride is 145 if still ALIVE.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:18 PM
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I do lots of 10-ish mile rides, most of my weekday rides are like that. I feel like a wuss compared to other riders I see on Strava, but I don't let that get me down too much. Power to the wusses!

I also go much harder pace on those rides, my NP is usually around my FTP. All the routes have lots of hills, 750ft vertical climbing is my minimum requirement before I can go home.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by pgjackson
Yeah, instead of a a casual 20+ mile ride, I treat this 10 mile loop as a TT. I really try to push it hard the entire way.
i have a sweet 10 mile route that goes around lake i use it to test fitness as i know it so well.
30 plus minutes if healthy and strong....
​​​a good swift workout.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:27 PM
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I need to do shorter rides. I commute 20 miles a day then hop on the tandem and do 10 to 20 miles. then 30+ on Saturday and Sunday. over 200 miles a week is starting to wear me out.
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Old 07-27-21, 05:32 PM
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I no longer have an interest in riding over 30 miles of 3 hrs. In my youth I did centuries and rides from ME to CT or the like. but, I really enjoy riding 15-20 miles with burst of hard effort. It just suits my psyche.
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Old 07-27-21, 06:22 PM
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I'm back to the hard/easy routine. Hard for the shorter ones (approx. 30 k). Nice and steady for the longer ones (up to 60 K). Up to four days a week with rest days in between.
Yes, despite being 76 I like steady improvement during the season and if possible hold or beat last season's times.

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Old 07-27-21, 06:58 PM
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My take at 53 is just keep riding, short or long rides, hard or casual, doesn't matter. I work full time so during the week anything more than a few hours is tough and then I do a long ride on Sundays. I've been riding over 100 km every week now since the start of the year and made that my goal.
Sometimes they're a slow, scenic 20 km's and sometimes they're a fast 30 km's, just so long as I meet that distance goal. For me, it's not as much about the work out but enjoying the ride and settling into the motion meditation that keeps me going.
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Old 07-27-21, 07:44 PM
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Prior to the pandemic I'd ride 10 miles almost every weekday. My reasoning was that somewhere I'd heard that people should get 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. When the pandemic hit, I found myself with a little more time and now ride 15-20 miles almost every day. I started riding for the exercise, and a 15-20 mile ride seems to agree with me. Occasionally i'll go longer, but 15-20 is typical for me and seems to satisfy the daily exercise recommendation.
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Old 07-28-21, 02:50 AM
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I cannot do short rides like that. However, I live in the country where you can rack up the mileage fast. On some routes I can do a 40 mile ride without coming to a single stoplight, just some stop signs which I usually don't have to come to a complete stop for. A 15-20 mile ride would go by too quick. If I was living back home in DFW it would probably be a different story but my town doesn't even have a stoplight. On one hand it's a wonderful place for a cyclist but on the other I have no one to ride with. Have to take a 40 minute drive for a group ride.
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Old 07-28-21, 04:32 AM
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This is a typical ride w/GF that we did yesterday. It's on the shorter side. Our typical ride would be around 20 miles. I should mention that I'm 75 and she's 68.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5695907966
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Old 07-28-21, 06:48 AM
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Originally Posted by bruce19
This is a typical ride w/GF that we did yesterday. It's on the shorter side. Our typical ride would be around 20 miles. I should mention that I'm 75 and she's 68.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5695907966
Wow that's a solid ride, good time and speed. I would call that a work out!
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Old 07-28-21, 02:08 PM
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Whatever the length of the ride, the ride will be good for your health. I'm not convinced that riding 30 miles regularly is better for your physical condition and overall health than riding 20 regularly. You will be in better cycling condition, I imagine, but riding the longer distances really only gets you in shape for riding longer distances. But, whatever feels good is the right distance unless you are purposely training for some athletic event.
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Old 07-28-21, 05:11 PM
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I just turned 60 in May and, with the exception of a few test rides, haven't been on a bike since late May. As I get older I can no longer handle hot weather doe to overheating and breathing problems so in the spring and autumn I have to cram in as many rides as I can. I'm going to start looking into more appropriate cycling clothing for cooler temperatures (high 30's-40F) so I can extend my cycling season.

As far as club cycling goes I've pretty much given up on that. Rides are too far away and scheduled too early (or too late during the week). Beginner and "old people" rides are no longer being offered. Frankly I can no longer keep up with the group on regular rides. However I still enjoy "invitational" ride events where I can ride at my own pace.

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Old 07-28-21, 05:41 PM
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When I go for "shortish" (~20km) rides I always take one of my single speeds....
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