Longer rides and stopping

[Kins]

I didn't think about the time constraints of modern living, sorry!

 

[Rob3rt]

No need to apologise you raised a valid point.

The way I look at it is:

If you need to stop for a break, stop for a break.

If there is no need and it is going to be a case of stopping for the sake of it, skip the stop. This affords you either some extra personal or family time, or gives you the opportunity to cover a larger distance in the same amount of time.

Personally, I don't like stopping, you cool down and stiffen up, meaning before you can get going at a reasonable intensity again you need to shake out the cafe legs for a few mile.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

For me I would divide a 60 mile ride up by stopping for coffee and cake every 15 miles. This ensures adequate caffeine levels and carbohydrate levels to power me up the steep inclines we have here in hilly Norfolk.
By setting my Sportstracker to autopause if my speed is below 3mph it doesn't effect my "average mph"
It normally will take me 7 hours to cover 60 miles. That works out as 5 hours cycling at 12mph and 4 coffee stops of half an hour each.....of course if the service is slow or the coffee particularly good it will take longer.
I am doing my bit to boost the local economy......but my method does make it possible to gain weight by exercising!

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Nothing wrong with stopping, after all, how else would get cake?

just don't eat too much or your blood will get used for digestion and not for supplying oxygen to the muscles.

Quantity of food is irrelevant. Intensity of the ride/sport is.

 

[antnee]

Well If I was riding to sightsee I would stop when a site came along but if your going somewhere then I do about 30 miles before stops unless your hot and really need to take on water But training I don't stop now unless the gods say " hoi give that bloke a puncture" which seems to happen quite often with me So in the end its as others have said its down to you after all you can only do what you feel comfortable with regards Antnee

 

[Markymark]

ok, thanks all. I guess I'll just chill out about it and stop if I think I need to.

 

[lulubel]

Training rides = no stopping.

Riding in such a way with your main goal being to increase your stamina sounds to me like a training ride, i.e. no stopping.

Depends what you're training for. If you're training for a long tour, where you'll probably be stopping at least once every day for lunch, or to sightsee, there's no reason not to stop on your training rides.

 

[addictfreak]

A ride without coffee and cake, just isn't right!

 

[Amanda P]

Well, I find that I'm much more likely to set out on the ride in the first place if there's a clear, pre-determined destination.

There's no point having a destination if you don't actually do something when you get there.

At this time of year, doing anything other than exercising means either taking lots of warm clothing, or going indoors. I don't want to lug a big coat around, so indoors it is

Going indoors really means a pub or a cafe. Such places tend to chuck you out if you don't actually buy anything to eat or drink.

Therefore, I get something to eat. That takes time, so I end up having a rest. It doesn't really matter whether I feel like getting back on the bike afterwards or not - it's the only way I can get home!

 

[Rob3rt]

Well, I find that I'm much more likely to set out on the ride in the first place if there's a clear, pre-determined destination.

There's no point having a destination if you don't actually do something when you get there.

Destination = local hill
What to do when you get there = suffer

 

[lulubel]

It doesn't really matter whether I feel like getting back on the bike afterwards or not - it's the only way I can get home!

So true. And once you've been back on the bike for a bit, you usually find it isn't nearly as bad as you imagined when you were sat in the pub.