How far do you cycle?

In the summer I ride about 30 miles one evening a week with some pals. I commute 24 miles in to work(very) occassionally and take the train home. I go on 2 or 3 touring long weekends a year with the kids, covering about 40 miles a day. I did one Audax of 65 hilly miles (and wished I had done some training for it) and the odd triathlon (ditto). Other than that I use the bike for short trips of less than a mile getting around my home town when I am in a hurry or can't be bothered walking.

Not a high milage compared to most on this forum I am sure, but I enjoy every mile and enjoy being part of the cycling community. Don't get out much in the winter due to having a cold/ darkness averse wife and kids.

I ride about 10 miles round trip daily on my work commute. I don't ride otherwise unless I make an errand trip for some reason in the evening or weekends, but that is rare. I also don't ride for leisure otherwise, so I too am wondering what a good amount would be that I would expect to be able to cover if I chose to do so. I have ben commuting for about 6 months now and feel pretty good physically, should I be able to do 30-40 miles on a weekend trip or more?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by franklen
I ride about 10 miles round trip daily on my work commute. I don't ride otherwise unless I make an errand trip for some reason in the evening or weekends, but that is rare. I also don't ride for leisure otherwise, so I too am wondering what a good amount would be that I would expect to be able to cover if I chose to do so. I have ben commuting for about 6 months now and feel pretty good physically, should I be able to do 30-40 miles on a weekend trip or more?

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Generally speaking if you do 10 miles a day, you should be able to do a 30 miler (of the same terrain)no problem. The general rule of thumb that I have heard repeated over my 17 years of riding and have had the same results is; in a one off ride you can do 3 times what you normally do. So your 10 miles a day should allow you to do 30 or so with some relative ease. This assumes the same terrain and break stops etc as your regular riding habits. Granted you will be tired at the end, and may want to take the following day away from the bike.

Personally, it is my belief that if you do 10 a day religiously, you will be amazed at what you can do if your push yourself. I'm not saying that you should go out and do a Century, but I bet you will do 30-35 easily and feel great about it the next day, tired but great. Hey, you might even find yourself a new weekend sport.

When I first got into biking, I was doing 25-30 mile rides four or five times a week. I signed up for a tour that offered varying lengths from 10 miles to (a double century) 124 miles. My Cousin and I opted for the 62 miler (a century) and I had some reservations about that. Well we were feeling really good that day and simply started following the road markers for the 125 miler. We wound up doing about 140 miles that day between the tour itself and riding to the start and back home again, I took several days off after that. It is still my personal single day best (14 years later). I was anxious about doing 60 miles, I wound up doing more than double that and I easily did the 3 times my normal ride. I have found that this formula has been consistent over the years with many other tours/races I have participated in.

To help diminish the stretch to a 30 mile mark, what you could do is; the week before the tour, take the long way to work see if you can jump up the ride from 10 to 15 miles. And don’t ride for the two days prior to the long ride, this will build up your energy a bit.

Good luck!

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I'll have to admit that right now its zero and zero.

However, I do still retain my cyclists badge by doing 1-20 m.p.w. "utility cycling".

In article <[email hidden]>, usenet- [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

between 18-20 miles a day commuting 3 days a week and 35-50 miles on club runs on the weekend

DSK said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

Walk to work (only 10 minutes door to desk, so no point getting the chain salty and worrying about
parking security etc.), though if I'm just popping in out of hours I'll often use the unicycle. It's
about 1km, I suppose, which is quite a long way on a uni if you're not that good at it!

Utility trips (local travel and shopping) tend to max out at about 10 miles each way, though they
occasionally go as far as 25 each way. These tend to be slightly less than daily, but only slightly.
Modal trip distance about 3 miles each way.

Leisure rides tend to be 30-65 miles, most usually around 40 or so. Sometimes shorter, really must
do a century one of these days...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

DSK must be edykated coz e writed:

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cover roughly 8 miles per day, 5 days a week, so thats about 40 miles p/week.

I am just arranging to get some leisure riding in with a friend and the suggested route will cover
about 30 miles whihc we will hopefully do every couple of weeks or so.

--

Quoted message said:

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Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

Any journey that I do not need to carry a lot of stuff and that I can get to by cycle in reasonable
time (i.e. on time even if I have to set off earlier), I use a trike, I try to get about 100 miles a
week in minimum.

--
Ian

catrike.co.ukcatrike.co.ukOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cover roughly 8 miles per day, 5 days a week, so thats about 40 miles p/week.

I am just arranging to get some leisure riding in with a friend and the suggested route will cover
about 30 miles whihc we will hopefully do every couple of weeks or so.

51 mile commute 2x per week plus leisure rides at the weekends. Usually try to get in 150
miles a week.

Don't know how easy this will be to continue once the rain arrives - I have a feeling there is going
to be pay-back with a long winter monsoon. My fingers are crossed that there will be at least 1 day
each week when there is little chance of rain and I'll commute by bike.

DSK said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

29miles a day 4 days a week all year round. The 5th day ~ 15 miles on the triplet during
school term.

Saturday ~ 14miles on the triplet, Sunday leasure riding 40 - 60 miles.

Quoted message said:

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Quoted message said:

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Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

--
Chris dot Gerhard at btclick dot com.

I have a mate that commutes 70 miles a day (london-reading-london).

nut case.

col

Ian said:

DSK must be edykated coz e writed:

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cover roughly 8 miles per day, 5 days a week, so thats about 40 miles p/week.

I am just arranging to get some leisure riding in with a friend and the suggested route will
cover about 30 miles whihc we will hopefully do every couple of weeks or so.

--

Quoted message said:

--------------------------<

Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

Any journey that I do not need to carry a lot of stuff and that I can get to by cycle in
reasonable time (i.e. on time even if I have to set off earlier), I use a trike, I try to get
about 100 miles a week in minimum.

--
Ian

catrike.co.ukcatrike.co.ukOpen ↗

22 kilometres return, rain or shine and sometimes snow. The journey starts with a slight climb and
then a gradual descent though the quiet streets of some very upscale mansions and then a modestly
steep drop to sea level, the heart of the business district.

"colmcq" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a mate that commutes 70 miles a day (london-reading-london).

nut case.

The distance is a little loony. The two ends of the commute certainly are.

occupant must be edykated coz e writed:

Quoted message said:

22 kilometres return, rain or shine and sometimes snow. The journey starts with a slight climb and
then a gradual descent though the quiet streets of some very upscale mansions and then a modestly
steep drop to sea level, the heart of the business district.

Snow, now your talking, big grins.

--
Ian

catrike.co.ukcatrike.co.ukOpen ↗

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cover roughly 8 miles per day, 5 days a week, so thats about 40 miles p/week.

I am just arranging to get some leisure riding in with a friend and the suggested route will cover
about 30 miles whihc we will hopefully do every couple of weeks or so.

--

Quoted message said:

--------------------------<

Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

I do 8 miles each way - 16 miles a day - which is plenty for a new commuter (been doing it since
start of August) - im VERY close to selling my car now so it will be a 5 day a week 52 weeks a year
commute! Rain, shine, snow or wind!

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cycle 12 miles round trip to work daily. Leisure rides can depend on wether I'm off roading or
tarmacing it. Off roading usually comes in about 15 miles a week Tarmacing usually results in a
longer ride so about 30 miles a week. As for utility it depends on where I have to go but can
usually top 50 miles a week

Wow, it is actually amazing how many miles you do when sit down and work it out.

Gadget

DSK <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

Commuting: currently between Twickenham and Watford. About 20 miles each way with a few reasonable
hills on the way.

Weekends: at the moment down to the occasional 50 or 60 mile leisure ride about every 3rd weekend
plus a few utility trips - maybe 10 miles or so.

--
Dave...

DSK <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

75 miles once a week. Occasionally 34miles twice per week.

This consists: To work: Home -> Oxford (11mi) X80 Bus to Hillingdon then Hillingdon to
Grenford (6miles)

Return is either reverse of this or

London->Home (61miles) involving: Uxbridge-Iver Heath-Stoke Pogues-Bourne End-Marlow-Christmas
Common- Watlington then across the Vale of White Horse via Abingdon to Kingston Bagpuize.

Still looking for a route around Burnham Beeches as it gets a bit scary in the woods after
closing :-(

Leisure is 25 miles with the two boys on the tandem or 10-15 with Thomas on his new 20" MTB
(he's 6yo)

Kind regards,

Daren

Remove outer garment for reply

DSK said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cover roughly 8 miles per day, 5 days a week, so thats about 40 miles p/week.

I don't commute in the winter (as penance I'm off to do 40 mins on the turbo in half an hour) but at
weekends I do a ride of 40-60 miles. In summer this could be 80-90 but that depends on getting a day
pass from The Ball And Chain.

DSK said:

I was just curious how far people on here cycle on a dailiy basis (commutes) and how far for
leisure rides?

I cover roughly 8 miles per day, 5 days a week, so thats about 40 miles p/week.

I am just arranging to get some leisure riding in with a friend and the suggested route will cover
about 30 miles whihc we will hopefully do every couple of weeks or so.

Half-hour morning and evening (so perhaps about 20 km altogether) 5 days a week. Plus about the same
amount each week for shopping, I suppose.

Leisure rides? I don't do so much during the winter, but in the summer I normally do an all-day ride
(so varies between 50 and 100 km) on one day of the weekend.

Pete Barrett