100 Miles on a Mountain Bike

[ShawnBikes]

Yes. And loaded for touring. Not often, but I've done it.


Sorry, but I'm going to be "that guy"...








All I see are numbers!
There's no mention of what you saw or smelled or heard. Not a trace of an interesting conversation or an insight into life's great mystery as you cycled along. No description of a delicious coffee or rich treat.
Not even a description of satisfaction or attainment at the end.

I don't mean to take away from your achievements at all - 100 miles is a good distance - but there can be a whole lot more to cycling than distance, elevation, speed and time.

In a couple of weeks the nature along that trail will have changed. And again two weeks later. For some of us that will keep drawing us out more often than a cold set of numbers.

Only another cyclist (and not even some of those!) know what 100 miles feels like and care about elevation or average speed. But everyone likes to hear a good description of a nice piece of nature or an adventure had.

This is a fair reply. I totally agree

I love to tell a story.

My first story about the ride was after two miles into it, a bit of dust or small debris went into my eye. It bothered me for the entire ride and was pretty annoying. I'm recovering from now, two days later, still. It is getting better. Lots of flushing.

Having a hard time writing longer things but once I am better, I'll give you a full story of the ride I really like being able to tell that part.

I appreciate your reply.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I love to tell a story.

Then you might be interested in
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today.173254/
for day rides

And
https://www.cyclechat.net/forums/member-travelogues.46/
for longer adventures.

 

[Zipp2001]

When I turned 60 I rode 60 miles on my mtb but that was in the woods no rail trail. Plenty of single track and a few old farm roads. I don't live in flat land country so you're either going up or down very little flat, but just the way I like it.

 

[johnblack]

Done a fair few 100’s on the MTB, usually a couple a year. Always do one on the Solstice every year, starts and finishes in Northampton, different route every year, run by MTBepics. They also did the Cotswolds 200 mile ride a few weeks back, that was very tough, but run over 4 days so pretty manageable, about 22,000ft.
Hardest was South Downs Way, 100mile all off road, 10 hours, pretty brutal,14,000ft of ascent.

Really enjoy the endurance side, find it really rewarding. Gets to the point when it’s all about mind over matter.

 

[tyred]

I've done several centuries and go touring on a '90s MTB but using slick tyres and about 98% on the road.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Done L2B twice on an MTB. So much harder than on a road bike, but leisurely pace with a big group which was fun.

 

[johnblack]

Done L2B twice on an MTB. So much harder than on a road bike, but leisurely pace with a big group which was fun.

A friend did this the other week, her first longish MTB ride, she said it was really enjoyable and the off-road wasn’t too technical. I take it you did the road version?

 

[Grant Fondo]

A friend did this the other week, her first longish MTB ride, she said it was really enjoyable and the off-road wasn’t too technical. I take it you did the road version?

Yes, all road with a couple of pub stops.

 

[johnblack]

Yes, all road with a couple of pub stops.

Lovely, good refuelling strategy.

 

[Legs]

Hardest was South Downs Way, 100mile all off road, 10 hours, pretty brutal,14,000ft of ascent.

I did SDW with my brother over two days in March 2009.
Here we were in front of Grandpa Alfred in Winchester (he's my 42x great grandfather, according to my dad's research...)

It was a bit gloopy and slippery on the chalky climbs on the first day. Matt pushed me off and then stood around taking photos!

It was mostly non-technical, but, as @johnblack says, some relentless climbs, although very rewarding views.

Judging by my attire in the photos, we appear to have had a stop for refreshments on both days!

We took it at a fairly leisurely pace, since we'd planned in advance to B&B in Amberley. I can imagine that getting it all done in a single day would be achievable, but more fun in the summertime!

 

[Dogtrousers]

All I see are numbers!
There's no mention of what you saw or smelled or heard. Not a trace of an interesting conversation or an insight into life's great mystery as you cycled along. No description of a delicious coffee or rich treat.

I've been pondering this, and I think there's room for both the "Hullo trees, hullo sky" style riding and also the "just numbers".

One reason I like cycling is because there is little chance of having to have a conversation, interesting or otherwise, with anyone. It's an escape. And yes, I do like to see the numbers tick over.

That's not to denigrate cycling for company, or coffee or whatever. Just that there are many ways to enjoy riding a bike.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I think there's room for both the "Hullo trees, hullo sky" style riding and also the "just numbers".

Just that there are many ways to enjoy riding a bike.

Oh, absolutely. I didn't mean to suggest there is only one way or that one approach is superior to another.

I made my observations because I detected no satisfaction, no accomplishment, no sense of achievement nor enjoyment and wanted to let the OP know that there are different measurements that we can use.

It's very easy to measure distance, speed, elevation but it can take quite a bit of work for some of us to measure enjoyment. Hell, sometimes it can take a while to figure out what we enjoy!

The thing with a lot of numerical measurements is that we eventually hit a peak. If improvement is what we seek we will eventually need something else to inspire us.
The non-numerical measurements are always there, always changing.
One, other both - the more arrows in our quiver the better.

Furthermore, and I may be odd on this, but talking to someone about how far they went, how fast and how many meters they climbed is, frankly, dull - and I'm someone who rides a bike. Listening to what they saw, felt and experienced is far more interesting if for no other reason we can all (usually) relate, cyclist or not.

Just the other day I chatted to a man who has clocked up over 90,000km touring around the world. It should have been a wonderful conversation instead it was about the lifespan of components! I ran away!

It's already been suggested on thread that a flat 100 miler is no big deal. My first cycle as an adult was a flat 6km that nearly killed me. Had I focused on the distance achieved and not the experience I may very well have never got on the bike again. Thankfully I had no notion of online fora at that time!

When I got a GPS and started measuring my commute and racing "segments" it took me a few weeks to realise that I was no longer arriving to work fresh and relaxed but a sweaty, stressed mess. All for a minute or two gained over 21km? That's not for me.

We're all different, sometimes even on the same day!

 

[Dogtrousers]

We're all different, sometimes even on the same day!

 

[johnblack]

I did SDW with my brother over two days in March 2009.
Here we were in front of Grandpa Alfred in Winchester (he's my 42x great grandfather, according to my dad's research...)
View attachment 665105
It was a bit gloopy and slippery on the chalky climbs on the first day. Matt pushed me off and then stood around taking photos!
View attachment 665106
It was mostly non-technical, but, as @johnblack says, some relentless climbs, although very rewarding views.
View attachment 665104
Judging by my attire in the photos, we appear to have had a stop for refreshments on both days!
View attachment 665108

View attachment 665107
We took it at a fairly leisurely pace, since we'd planned in advance to B&B in Amberley. I can imagine that getting it all done in a single day would be achievable, but more fun in the summertime!

It was in the summer and dry, so we certainly had the best of it.

Doing it in ten hours was the challenge and I’m glad we achieved it, but it does take away from the enjoyment.

Next one will probably be King Alfred’s Way, but not going to break myself with that one, take three days and enjoy the ride.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Have any of you done 100 miles on a mountain bike?

I have, quite a few years ago now.
There's a report somewhere in the members travelogues on CC.
First 50 miles were a sportive, Glasgow to Edinburgh on road, then I took the canal back to Glasgow.
Some hills on the first leg, the return was totally flat.
I was on a front suspension (locked) 20kg MB with 2.00 Marathon Greenguard, rack and panniers.
I was bored on the first leg because I had done the route a few times before, was bored on the return for the same reason
Never again

I did a 200k audax on a hardtail with studded tyres [there was a little ice in the morning]. Roads, typical rolling home counties terrain rather than proper "hilly".

Finished with many hours in the dark. Proper knackered. Never again!

@Rickshaw Phil has done a few hilly100 miles on studded tyres.
The maximum I have managed on studded is 25 miles.