How stupid an idea is this?

[Dogtrousers]

When are you planning on doing it?

 

[rugby bloke]

In which case it sounds like you are well on the way ! It would be interesting to hear from experienced long distance riders what the difference is between riding 100 and 200 miles. I'm assuming its not as simple as double the distance double the effort.

 

[jefmcg]

Sorry - I should add that I'm an overweight trundler who is riding 80-idd miles this weekend and 100 at Ride London. I'm used to long distances, but not super-long

I'd say 6 months. For a comparison, in Nov 2012 I was DNFing 100km Audaxes, but by May I was DNFing 400km ones

(DNF == Did not finish)

View: https://www.strava.com/activities/53862560/embed/209858986c8f92de4d106a91309445a9b4242435

(now I know how to embed strava activities)

 

[derrick]

Here is mine the garmin battery went down as i hit 199 miles but the ride was 214 miles.
https://www.strava.com/activities/301362611

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Thanks all. It's going to be difficult not to do it now, isn't it?

How long does it take to get match-fit for this sort of thing? For those of you who have not ridden with me, I'm currently an overweight trundler. At the back of my mind is the thought that this would give me an impetus to get less overweight and less of a trundler.

one month if you are prepared to hate every second of the second half and be put off long-distances for a good while afterwards.

three months if you set your mind to it, prioritise training for it over all else, and stick to a plan, and not get ill.

six months if you are sensible about conditioning for it. But you aren't sensible because no sensible person would consider doing it in the first place.

So I say three months, not least because you'll get near max daylight as a result, and the little I know of you is that once you've made up your mind about doing a thing, that thing is happening.

 

[srw]

I was actually thinking of October or November, despite the potential weather problems - precisely so that I can condition properly, and in particular lose the spare tyre I'm carrying. I also want to have a life and do other things.

 

[Dec66]

About 12 hours, I reckon. 13 if you stop for a pie and a pint

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was actually thinking of October or November, despite the potential weather problems - precisely so that I can condition properly, and in particular lose the spare tyre I'm carrying. I also want to have a life and do other things.

I'll have done/failed to do/bottled out of my big ride by then. So I'll keep a you posted, as a fellow trundler.

 

[Flying Dodo]

There is of course the issue of headwinds in October/November so there could be strong westerlies against you. Personally I'd aim for September to hopefully get less rain.

You've got to start building up for your core fitness. If you're doing 5-10 miles a day cycle commuting in London every day, that's a good start, and then it's a question of building up your mileage at the weekends. About 6 years ago I ran a "Round the M25" ride which meant we did 150 miles in 10 hours of cycling with 1 hour of down time, and I didn't really bother doing much training beyond my regular commuting, some night rides and a few other 80-100 mile rides in the couple of months beforehand. So 225 miles in 24 hours is perfectly feasible if you avoid faffing.

Allowing say 3½ hours for breaks means an average speed of 10.5 mph.

 

[srw]

Late September might be better - I'll be bike fit from a week of touring.

 

[theclaud]

Late September might be better - I'll be bike fit from a week of touring.

Is 'bike fit' a euphemism for 'still slightly pissed'?

 

[StuAff]

Fast but crap. I'd be happy to help with nicer routes between Reading and the Severn Bridge. You've no need to use the Bristol-Bath path to get to the bridge.

Edited to add: I did a nice route last time I rode from Bristol to Cardiff, for the FNRttC. I probably have the GPX track somewhere.

Would also be interested in that. I didn't find the A4 too bad, perfectly OK really, but if there's room for improvement without bumping up the mileage too much that would be good.

 

[rich p]

Late September might be better - I'll be bike fit from a week of touring.

Looks like a formidable but achievable challenge.
I've always found that I'm knackered after a tour, rather than bike fit but we're all different. If I were running a marathon I'd have had almost a complete week off prior to the event. Just a thought.

 

[ufkacbln]

Will they fly you home afterwards?

It is an Air Ambulance

 

[newfhouse]

It is an Air Ambulance

Hence the whooshing sound.