# How often do you rest during a ride?



## bluezelos (28 May 2019)

did a 36 miler the other night, which is quite a bit longer than I normally do. Back feeling a little sore these last couple of days. I did stop for a short re-fuel (about 10 mins) but that was my only stop.

Do you recommend stopping a bit more frequently when on a long ride, or just keep going?


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## Smokin Joe (28 May 2019)

Depends entirely on how I feel.


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## Andy in Germany (28 May 2019)

I don't have rests: I take "Photographic Opportunities"

That these are usually at the top of a hill is pure coincidence.


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## Milkfloat (28 May 2019)

I think it depends on you. I would not think about stopping at anything less than about 70 miles and even then it is pretty much for a toilet break. If I am on a long one then I would stop for a short meal. I would love to be a cafe cyclist, but I don't have time.


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## ianrauk (28 May 2019)

Depends on lots of factors. Weather, thirst, hunger, legs, route.
Just stop when and as you like. There's no hard or fast rules to doing so.


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## lane (28 May 2019)

Probably 20 to 30 miles. I would do a 30 mile ride from home without stopping but would depend on the time of day I might stop for some lunch if it was lunch time. If I was doing a 60 mile ride I would probably stop twice and on a 100 miles three times.


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## Domus (28 May 2019)

All depends, MK cycles serve very good coffee, shortest route from home to there is about 20 Kms. On a good day I spin it out to 30 Kms, then over the top to Rivington and into Horwich, I have a cafe there which allows me to take the bike inside so I might have lunch, then if I'm feeling very lazy I may well stop at Costa in Bolton, just 8 Kms from home. Being retired, on a sunny day, I can easily manage three stops in a 60 Km ride.

Before my prostate surgery I stopped more frequently.............but only for a wee while..


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## lane (28 May 2019)

If you do a longer ride than normal you might feel sore and tired the next day and extra stops might make no difference.


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## vickster (28 May 2019)

That sort of length of ride would include lunch and/or coffee and cake, maybe shopping, a visit somewhere...not in a rush on a day out


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## Dayvo (28 May 2019)

I ride alone and if there's an outstanding view coupled with a convenient caf/petrol station/coffee shop/bakers then I'll stop for 20-30 mins. and take it all in (tea/coffee and cake, and the view). 

Otherwise maybe just the once, but it depends on how long I'm out. Normally about 3-5 hours.


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## Dogtrousers (28 May 2019)

When you feel like it. I generally have one significant stop of at least 10 min on any ride, be it 30km or 200km where I get off and sit down for a bit. I need that as a nice punctuation mark.

I also stop when I feel like it, or when called upon by nature and then I'll have a stretch as well as something to eat. Plus post hill recovery stops if there are any really big hills. But I normally try to ride on for 15 min or so after the big hill to let my breathing calm down a bit before I stop. And then I might decide I don't need to stop after all.

And for photo opportunities too.

Oh yes, and shop stops to fill bottles, eat peanuts etc.


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## Sharky (28 May 2019)

Andy in Germany said:


> I don't take rest: I take "Photographic Opportunities"
> 
> That these are usually at the top of a hill is pure coincidence.



Is it a coincidence that we have all these photographic threads
- bike in front of a gate
- bike in front of a memorial
- bike in front of anything at the top of a hill


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## alicat (28 May 2019)

On a ride of 36 miles or so, I would have one cafe stop in the middle for a snack - bacon sandwich, toasted teacake etc. Cafe to cafe is my style. I wouldn't stop otherwise unless I saw something interesting to gawp at.


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## ColinJ (28 May 2019)

Domus said:


> Before my prostate surgery I stopped more frequently.............but only for a wee while..


Given the frequency of my hedge-sprinkling on rides these days, I suspect that I am heading that way too...! 

If I am riding by myself I don't stop unless I have to; I certainly don't stop for '_a rest_'. I might stop to refill a bottle, or eat a cereal bar, but otherwise I would just keep on going. I pace myself so I can keep riding at that level of effort. 

If I have stopped for non-rest reasons I might take a few photos while I was at it, but normally I can't be bothered to dig my phone out of my bag. I used to carry a camera in a bar bag and stopped for more photo-opportunities then because I could stop, take the picture(s), and be moving again within a couple of minutes.

If I am in a group, we usually stop about every 50 kms (30-ish miles) for snacks and tea/coffee i.e. once on a 100 km ride, twice on a 100 mile ride and three times on a 200 km ride. If someone else was organising the ride then I'd do what everyone else was doing - within reason. I was telling someone recently about a 25 mile CTC ride with 3 cafe stops - that would do my head in!


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## Andy in Germany (28 May 2019)

Sharky said:


> Is it a coincidence that we have all these photographic threads
> - bike in front of a gate
> - bike in front of a memorial
> - bike in front of anything at the top of a hill



Funny that isn't it?

Actually, as I use paper maps I have to stop to navigate, and my water bottle on the Xtracycle is in my bags, so what with stopping because I'm lost, drinking water, taking a pee, taking my coat off at the bottom of hills, putting it on again ten minutes later because I'm cold, and 'Photographic stops' it's a wonder I get anywhere at all, especially at the speed I ride...


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## Slick (28 May 2019)

As others have said, it just depends for me as well. When out with my mate, he will run all day without stopping but when out with my wife it's every 10 miles or so. Not something worth stressing about.


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## bladderhead (28 May 2019)

I stopped today. Before I started.


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## ColinJ (28 May 2019)

I remember fast riders complaining about the rides on one training camp holiday in Spain. The ride leader would not stop even to allow riders to fill bottles. They were doing 100 miles in just over 4 hours in spring temperatures sometimes exceeding 25C!



bladderhead said:


> I stopped today. Before I started.


Ha ha! I managed to ride to Lidl and back so I had a mid-ride break after 1.5 kms ...


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## lane (28 May 2019)

I don't thnk it's essential that I stop I probably could keep going. If I am on my own I would still stop every 20 or 30 miles or so but just for a short time - about 10 minutes. I seem to just feel better for even a short rest off the bike I think it might be as much a mental thing as physical. With the cycling group they still seem to stop around 20 to 40 miles depending on the ride so maybe I am just used to that.


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## Ming the Merciless (28 May 2019)

I had a friend stop halfway up a hill to look at the squirrels.


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## C R (28 May 2019)

As others have said, it is entirely personal. Myself I stop every hour or so to refuel (I am type 1 diabetic, so need to be careful not to go hypo), plus whenever I find a photo opportunity, tops of hills tend to be good for that, as @Andy in Germany says .


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## Ming the Merciless (28 May 2019)

More seriously if I am on a long ride then I find I need to stop to eat roughly every 3 hours. If eating on the bike then I can just keep going till I need to top up the on the bike food or drink.

Anything less than 3 hours I head out without food or water as I don't need it for that interval.


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## HLaB (28 May 2019)

On a solo leisure ride of 36 miles I wouldn't normally stop but on a social ride that's could be a halfway stop if its an intense ride. The funny thing is that on solo rides I can choose to stop as often as I like, just don't often, whereas on a group ride I'm more controlled by others. We are all different though just do what is comfortable/ enjoyable for you


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## rugby bloke (28 May 2019)

Very much depends on the state of the weather, the terrain etc. At home I can blast around a 30 mile ride without a stop if I'm feeling keen, or just a single cafe stop for anything up to 60 miles. However last week when we were climbing in the Spanish mountains in 30 degree heat we were managing around an hour before needing a rest, shade, photos etc.


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## raleighnut (28 May 2019)

Depends how many pubs* are on the route, 

*TBH I do ride past some but only if I know there's a good un nearby.


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## Gixxerman (28 May 2019)

Generally I don't. The only time I do is to take on food, which is normally at 2-3 hour intervals, depending on how I feel.


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## Kajjal (28 May 2019)

I stopped mountain biking once when a bull was explaining the regulations for entering his field.

Normally I just stop whenever I want, generally I last about 2 hours without any food and drink as needed. Any good looking Cafes tend to slow me down as well


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## Rusty Nails (28 May 2019)

My usual rides are up to 30 miles. Freewheeling provides a lot of the rest needed. A coffee shop is just because I like coffee...honest.


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## Vantage (28 May 2019)

If I think I'll be exceeding 30 miles I'll bring a flask of tea and some sammiches & crisps/fruit. About halfway round the trip I'll find a nice, quiet spot and have a mini picnic. In addition to that, being type1 diabetic I'll also have a few stops to check my glucose or treat a hypo. 
The fact that I use a saddlebag big enough to carry all that crap for those stops may also play a part in 'scenery expeditions'.


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## ColinJ (29 May 2019)

Vantage said:


> If I think I'll be exceeding 30 miles I'll bring a flask of tea and some sammiches & crisps/fruit. About halfway round the trip I'll find a nice, quiet spot and have a mini picnic. In addition to that, being type1 diabetic I'll also have a few stops to check my glucose or treat a hypo.
> The fact that I use a saddlebag big enough to carry all that crap for those stops may also play a part in 'scenery expeditions'.


Obviously, it is a bit more critical for you.

Having said that, I have effectively rendered myself an honorary diabetic a few times by not keeping my blood sugar up on hard rides...



ColinJ said:


> My vision started to fail. Black speckles appeared suspended across my field of view. I was at long last offering my first greeting to ‘_The Man With The Hammer_’. So this is what cyclists mean by ‘_bonking_’! My legs were shot, my arms were shaking, my head was gone — I’d ‘_hit the wall_’. Lights out.
> 
> Just as I was about to keel over I spotted a bench seat at the side of the road. I dropped my bike on the grass verge and slumped on to the seat. There was an object resembling a little old bearded man at the far end of the bench. Suddenly, I was startled by the object starting to talk to me. It _WAS _a little old bearded man! I sat with him for a few minutes having a surreal conversation, the detail of which is now completely lost to me. Eventually, it became necessary to move, or die. I chose life.
> 
> What followed forever redefined my concept of ‘tired’. There was no question of riding the bike up the hill; even walking was agonising. I had to do it a single pace at a time. I rested a few seconds after each step. I don’t think that there was a single gram of glycogen left in my body, and I sure wasn’t burning my ample stores of fat very quickly. It was deeply, deeply unpleasant. I was no longer out for a Sunday ride. I was toiling in the Gulag, or the wartime jungles of Burma. I was in survival mode, with just one primitively-focussed set of objectives – Get Home, Drink, Eat, Sleep.





ColinJ again said:


> I have not only got so bad that I couldn't pedal, I sometimes couldn't even sit down at the side of the road! I was trying to do a loop of Mull a few years back but I developed a really weird tummy bug which pretty much stopped me eating, or even drinking much water. After a few hours I kept falling off my bike. Several times I ended up lying down in the road. A few very alarmed tourists stopped to see if I'd been knocked off and left for dead!


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## johnblack (29 May 2019)

Don't usually stop on rides up to 70 miles, unless it's a proper leisure ride with pub stops. Anything over that I tend to stop every 50 miles, but never for too long as that does more harm than good for me. 

But it's quite individual and if in a group, agreed in advance and weather dependent, so could be anything!!


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## Jody (29 May 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Anything less than 3 hours I head out without food or water as I don't need it for that interval.



That pretty much sums me up as well. I take a drink but don't often have more than a quick swig or two.


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## Phaeton (29 May 2019)

Jody said:


> That pretty much sums me up as well. I take a drink but don't often have more than a quick swig or two.


That's interesting, as I drink a lot, I don't stop other than junctions, gates, maybe a very add photo, but never a rest stop, but on 20-30 miles I will drink 2 litres of fluid.


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## gbb (29 May 2019)

I don't do long rides now but when i did...
30 milers, no stop generally although if, if i felt a little jaded i might stop and get a mars bar and a can of fizzy, stop as long as it took to neck it and off again, that usually gave me some vim.
50 milers, i'd probably stop for a breakfast 15 miles in or maybe some chips at dinner...or maybe a cake and tea stop or a pint somewhere..

I wouldnt generally just stop and rest , there'd have to be some refuelling...not becasue i needed to but because im a greedy git


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## Racing roadkill (29 May 2019)

It depends on the ride, and conditions.
https://www.relive.cc/view/2356508009
I led a 3 day, 260 ( odd ) mile ride a couple of weeks back, and on this leg ( just over 100 miles, in poor conditions, with lots of climbing ) I stopped the group 3 times, for about 10 minutes at a time.

https://www.relive.cc/view/2359039018

This was day 2, again just over 100 miles, the weather was much better, and there was less terrain, and I stopped the group twice, again about 10 minutes a time.

https://www.relive.cc/view/2361459558

This was the third ( and final ) leg, of about 60 miles. The weather was lovely, and the route wasn’t that tough, in comparison to the last two legs. I stopped the group twice, the first time for about 30 minutes, as someone had a mechanical that took a while to sort out, the second was a quick ‘slash and dash’. 

So basically. the stops are dependent on need, and not a rigid regime.


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## Jody (29 May 2019)

Phaeton said:


> That's interesting, as I drink a lot, I don't stop other than junctions, gates, maybe a very add photo, but never a rest stop, but on 20-30 miles I will drink 2 litres of fluid.



I take one medium size bottle and use about a quarter on a 20 mile ride. Anything longer than 30 miles and I would factor food and drink in correctly.


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## johnblack (29 May 2019)

Jody said:


> I take one medium size bottle and use about a quarter on a 20 mile ride. Anything longer than 30 miles and I would factor food and drink in correctly.


I just traded up to a 900ml bottle from 750ml, perfect for 3 hours.


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## ColinJ (29 May 2019)

johnblack said:


> I just traded up to a 900ml bottle from 750ml, perfect for 3 hours.


I'd rather partially fill both of my 750 mL bottles rather than having one big bottle. I drink more than 900 mL on longer rides so I'd need a second bottle even if the first one were 900 mL.


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## Lee_M (29 May 2019)

30/40 miles or so is non stop.

Anything above that usually has a coffee stop at the half way point.

100+ are usually split into 25 mile chunks as I find that easier mentally


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## Ian H (29 May 2019)

I rode my 400k event (Exeter-London) with a friend who hadn't tackled more than 300 before. We took 23hrs 30m to complete, including 2hrs 25m stopped (fish & chips at 170k included). The distances between controls were between about 70k and 100k. 

Touring, I might well stop more frequently, not being on a mission as it were.


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## CXRAndy (29 May 2019)

Everyone is different, upto 50 miles would be my limit non stop.


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## Pumpkin the robot (29 May 2019)

Domus said:


> All depends, MK cycles serve very good coffee, shortest route from home to there is about 20 Kms. On a good day I spin it out to 30 Kms, then over the top to Rivington and into Horwich, I have a cafe there which allows me to take the bike inside so I might have lunch, then if I'm feeling very lazy I may well stop at Costa in Bolton, just 8 Kms from home. Being retired, on a sunny day, I can easily manage three stops in a 60 Km ride.
> 
> Before my prostate surgery I stopped more frequently.............but only for a wee while..



I agree about the coffee in MK cycles. I work in the unit next to them and I am in there every lunch time. I can also recommend the Carrs steak pasties!
Which cafe do you use in Horwich? Just for future reference!


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## Paulus (29 May 2019)

CXRAndy said:


> Everyone is different, upto 50 miles would be my limit non stop.


This would be about the same for me. Eating and drinking on the move.


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## rugby bloke (29 May 2019)

ColinJ said:


> I remember fast riders complaining about the rides on one training camp holiday in Spain. The ride leader would not stop even to allow riders to fill bottles. They were doing 100 miles in just over 4 hours in spring temperatures sometimes exceeding 25C!


After my experience in the Spanish heat last week this sounds like utter madness, nothing cool about dehydration or heat exhaustion.


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## Ming the Merciless (29 May 2019)

Phaeton said:


> That's interesting, as I drink a lot, I don't stop other than junctions, gates, maybe a very add photo, but never a rest stop, but on 20-30 miles I will drink 2 litres of fluid.



Two litres would see me about 100 miles unless it was during a heat wave. But does depend on how much you are sweating. I drink based on what the body is telling me, not on distance. I know that if I'm only out for three hours I won't lose so much in sweat that it'll impact me. That clearly changes if heading out when temps are high.

In contrast when on the turbo I might go through 500 ml every 30 mins.


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## Domus (29 May 2019)

Pumpkin the robot said:


> Which cafe do you use in Horwich?



It's called Brewed Coffee, on the Pelican Crossing opposite the Turkish Barber. Found it by accident about a year ago, as I was looking for a place to lock my bike to, the owner opened the door and told me to bring it in. My usual is beans on toast with a double espresso.


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## nickyboy (29 May 2019)

Solo rides up to 40 miles I will only stop for a couple of minutes if I put in a hard effort up a hill

Longer rides I will factor in a proper stop at a cafe. One stop on a 4-5 hour ride is fine

The exception to this is if I'm doing a hard, hilly ride in nice weather. I'll drink a litre per hour so need a stop to replenish bottles (I carry 2 x one litre bottles)


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## ColinJ (29 May 2019)

rugby bloke said:


> After my experience in the Spanish heat last week this sounds like utter madness, nothing cool about dehydration or heat exhaustion.


They were NOT impressed! I think one rider stopped for 30 seconds to fill a bottle at a village fountain and never managed to catch the rest back up.


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## Ming the Merciless (29 May 2019)

ColinJ said:


> They were NOT impressed! I think one rider stopped for 30 seconds to fill a bottle at a village fountain and never managed to catch the rest back up.



This was a paid holiday?


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## ColinJ (29 May 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> This was a paid holiday?


Indeed!

I was there riding with much slower groups. The decent riders were looking for some long fast rides in the spring sunshine but I don't think they had in mind 24+ mph on hilly routes and suffering from dehydration and bonking ...


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## pjd57 (29 May 2019)

On my own , it's pretty much water stops.
With a mate it's usually that plus a 15-20 minute cake stop.


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## Dave7 (30 May 2019)

On 10-20 milers I stop often (maybe 5 times) for a quick drink.
On, say 35 milers, I will also throw in a 10 minute break with a bar of something.
But I am not chasing times, just out for pleasure.


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## postman (30 May 2019)

At least three latte stops.I am having a day out,and i am not going to kill myself just for a few thumbs up on Strava.Fave cafe in Otley is CafeCafe.


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## Domus (30 May 2019)

postman said:


> I am having a day out,and i am not going to kill myself just for a few thumbs up on Strava



A man after my own heart.


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## Ming the Merciless (30 May 2019)

I have been riding my bike and not recording any evidence. Will it stand up in court when asked "Did you go for a ride today?"


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## johnblack (31 May 2019)

Ian H said:


> I rode my 400k event (Exeter-London) with a friend who hadn't tackled more than 300 before. We took 23hrs 30m to complete, including 2hrs 25m stopped (fish & chips at 170k included). The distances between controls were between about 70k and 100k.
> 
> Touring, I might well stop more frequently, not being on a mission as it were.



I did that the other way, well Northampton to Exeter the other week. Great day, not an organised ride, just three of us out for the day.


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## rugby bloke (31 May 2019)

johnblack said:


> I did that the other way, well Northampton to Exeter the other week. Great day, not an organised ride, just three of us out for the day.


That is an epic day's riding.


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## johnblack (31 May 2019)

rugby bloke said:


> That is an epic day's riding.


Thanks, really enjoyed it, went down for the Saints last game of season two weeks ago, a load from Bugbrooke Rugby Club did it over three days, but we decided to bash it out in a day.


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## cyberknight (31 May 2019)

As said it depends on how hard and far you ride.less than 40 I will not stop.sportive distance I will stop only to goto toilet and grab food,


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## rugby bloke (31 May 2019)

johnblack said:


> Thanks, really enjoyed it, went down for the Saints last game of season two weeks ago, a load from Bugbrooke Rugby Club did it over three days, but we decided to bash it out in a day.


Bugbrooke is a fine local club - I have had many a good dice with your boys both as a player and a coach. Its a pity the Saints lads could not pull of a shock result to reward your efforts !


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## johnblack (31 May 2019)

rugby bloke said:


> Bugbrooke is a fine local club - I have had many a good dice with your boys both as a player and a coach. Its a pity the Saints lads could not pull of a shock result to reward your efforts !


Yeah it's a great club. The result was not great, good first half though. But a great night in the ground afterwards made up for it. Someone suggested riding down again for the playoff the following week, I may have told them to go forth...


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## Slow But Determined (1 Jun 2019)

When I feel like a ciggie.


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## Soltydog (1 Jun 2019)

It's all about listening to your body & knowing what you need. I used to carry 2 bottles of drink on the bike, but would quite often drank not much more than 1, even if out all day. Nowadays I only take 1 drinks bottle & have been know to manage 100 miles without a refil, probably not enough I know, but I manage  If I do need a refill, I find suitable village store & usually top my bottle up with Coke/water mix (works for me) Normally on 100+ mile rides I will have a food/cafe stop, but can do around 80 miles without a food stop, just have a cereal bar or something whilst on the move



ColinJ said:


> Given the frequency of my hedge-sprinkling on rides these days, I suspect that I am heading that way too...!


You had things checked out mate? It's only a blood test nowadays  I've been having a few issues last few months  I've been given the all clear from the Docs, so reckon it may have just been saddle issues, even though I've been using the same saddles for years?? Maybe it's just different using the turbo, as last winter I used the turbo bike far more than ever before? Did 75 miles last week with no issues, so fingers crossed


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## ColinJ (2 Jun 2019)

Soltydog said:


> You had things checked out mate? It's only a blood test nowadays  I've been having a few issues last few months  I've been given the all clear from the Docs, so reckon it may have just been saddle issues, even though I've been using the same saddles for years?? Maybe it's just different using the turbo, as last winter I used the turbo bike far more than ever before? Did 75 miles last week with no issues, so fingers crossed


Not yet... 

I'm glad that your test results were good!


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## Con (2 Jun 2019)

If I'm by myself I don't stop and I know that's stupid but when I'm in a group I'll reluctantly stop when (normally) my mates wife has had enough about half way up a small hill...


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## Crackle (2 Jun 2019)

Just out riding, I'll stop long enough to take a drink. I used to do that on the go but after nearly coming a cropper in a pothole i stop now. I stopped a couple of times today early on as I just couldn't seem to get going. It seemed to work, felt better during the 2nd half of the ride.


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## RETED25 (23 Jun 2019)

Listen to you and your body...eg Inused to ride 112mile loop and stop twice at top of two BIG hills ..loop out through Lymm is 54 Miles will always stop at Village its law in local cycling fraternity...bit in my own I stip when I am in need of a break ...changes in personal health and fitness dictating my Bike is able to stop for a quick check over or shoot some wildlife pics ..did what's best for you ....


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## rivers (23 Jun 2019)

It depends on the ride. A weekend morning ride of 50-100 miles, we'll have one stop, maybe 2 if it's 80-100, depending on conditions. 100+ at least 3. If it's a post work ride, there is always a pub stop. They're usually about 45 miles. 30-50 mile ride, usually a cafe stop when we get back.


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## ColinJ (25 Jun 2019)

I decided that I needed a little rest on my forum ride on Saturday...


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## MrBeanz (25 Jun 2019)

Depends on my objective. Sometimes I'm the lightweight who stops every 10 miles on a 40 mile ride. 40 miles 2:40 hours ride time, 4:00 hours total time after socializing with friends.

Sometimes I take a 10 minute break and a 20 minute to eat something in order to finish a 100 mile timed event with 10,000 ft of climbing. 7:10 minute ride time, 7:38 elapsed total official time.


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## PaulSB (25 Jun 2019)

Generally we ride 60-70 miles at 16-17avg. On the way out there will usually be one pee stop of five minutes. Cafe stop of 30-40 minutes then home.

If riding solo I often don't bother to stop unless I need a pee.


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## GuyBoden (25 Jun 2019)

All the time in the Summer, I'm enjoying the scenery........


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## Gravity Aided (28 Jun 2019)

If it's very hot or very cold, I take a short drink and rest stop every 10-15 miles, just to stay hydrated and not overheat/freeze.
I sometimes have whole weeks of 33C+ high temperatures in the Midwestern States.


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## Mr Celine (28 Jun 2019)

Tonight's ride I clipped in on the driveway, rode 41.4 miles without stopping or unclipping until back on my driveway again.
Usually I stop to take photos but today I just wanted to ride.


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