Can you Ride Your Age (miles)

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Something I used to manage frequently, often while climbing hills at max effort, but not since September '22.

Last year I managed one sedate ride of ~47 miles which left me fatigued for days [long covid fatigue/fitness sufferer], three short of my age then, with the next best being ~41 miles on a hire ebike hybrid in the lanes/hills to the west of Longleat Center Parcs (they let hire ebikes off campus these days, unlike back in '19).

 

[YMFB]

Something I used to manage frequently, often while climbing hills at max effort, but not since September '22.

Last year I managed one sedate ride of ~47 miles which left me fatigued for days [long covid fatigue/fitness sufferer], three short of my age then, with the next best being ~41 miles on a hire ebike hybrid in the lanes/hills to the west of Longleat Center Parcs (they let hire ebikes off campus these days, unlike back in '19).

Plenty of hills near Longleat and two inside it, it’s a regular route of mine.

 

[Pblakeney]

Easily! Although that will become more challenging as the years go by.

A strange challenge as it gets harder as you get more frail. Should be more like 120 miles - age. 😉

 

[welsh dragon]

If I divide my age by 2 and take 10 away I can manage that.

 

[Sea of vapours]

120 miles minus age is a good one. I know people around eighty years old who can ride forty miles.

Personally, I've long been aiming for 150km minus age. That means 70km at eighty; a little harder than the imperial version. It does become a good bit more challenging than the imperial one beyond eighty though. I suspect 60km at ninety is .... a bit niche.

 

[Webbo2]

70 this June and so far this month I’ve done 64 miles, 74 miles, 70 miles, 63 miles Plus some shorter stuff. I was thinking of my attempting double my age on my birthday. But fortunately Mrs W has booked a non cycling holiday to Tuscany. 😉

 

[Rusty Nails]

Because of the inevitable effects of ageing on strength this thread should only start for those aged 70 and over and in normal health.
I’m 78 now and would really struggle to ride my age in miles..unless it was starting at dawn on June 21st with 16 hours of daylight and I had nothing to do the next day.
For the last few years I have limited my longer rides to no more than 45/50 miles..and only do a few of those each year.
Most rides are around 25/30 miles and tbh I have little interest in spending more than a few hours in the saddle in any one day.

 

[Dorset Boy]

I'm surprised at how many under 70, or even under 60 on here can't ride their age in miles.
60 later this year, regularly do 80-90 miles on a Saturday ride (29 metric centuries last year) with a couple of imperial centuries are year thrown in if weather good enough.
Saturday in the cold and wind was 135 kms, and that was only the second time I've managed to get outside in 2025. The previous one was 110 kms.

 

[VinSumRox]

No problem just now at 64, we'll see in 10years time

 

[Dogtrousers]

I stopped riding regular centuries when I got my Eddington to 100. They took too long, hurt too much and I'd stopped enjoying them.

So now I'm riding regular 100ks. (62.137 miles) But sometime next month I'll pass 62.137 years old (hopefully)

So maybe I should bump up my regular ride length to match my age.

 

[yello]

I could though I'm not sure the last time I did. I'll have to check.

Edit: more recently than I thought. I didn't instantly recall that I'd done a 3 day tour last May. Consecutive days of 90 to 100 miles.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm surprised at how many under 70, or even under 60 on here can't ride their age in miles.

A lot of it is a question of wanting to. If you do 20 or 30 mile rides and enjoy it and it fits in with your life, your ability to ride over 50 miles without misery will be a question mark. Nothing wrong with that.

It may sound odd coming from a someone whose riding is motivated by distance and elevation targets and enduring misery but cycling doesn't have to be like that.

 

[Pblakeney]

A lot of it is a question of wanting to. If you do 20 or 30 mile rides and enjoy it and it fits in with your life, your ability to ride over 50 miles without misery will be a question mark. Nothing wrong with that.

It may sound odd coming from a someone whose riding is motivated by distance and elevation targets and enduring misery but cycling doesn't have to be like that.

If you've got a free full day in nice weather then 100 miles with occasional cafe stops should not include any misery for someone who cycles regularly. Think of it as 2 x 50 miles, 3 x 33-1/3 miles, or 4 x 25 miles.

Disclaimer - I'm assuming the idea is not non-stop?

 

[Dogtrousers]

If you've got a free full day in nice weather then 100 miles with occasional cafe stops should not include any misery for someone who cycles regularly. Think of it as 2 x 50 miles, 3 x 33-1/3 miles, or 4 x 25 miles.

Disclaimer - I'm assuming the idea is not non-stop?

That's not been my experience, and I've done a lot of them. Just pretending it's easy doesn't make it easy.

Maybe just my feebleness.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

It doesn't matter how long the ride is, the last 15k is always a slog!