Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
No, just waited for the next one which was late and crowded.
The 2024 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) Challenge Chatzone
- Thread starter 13 rider
- Start date
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Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
July 50 km ridden today.
Rode out to Bitton on the B2B cycle path then thru Keynsham and up to Queen Charlton.
After QC it was nice to see the lane that links to Whitchurch is now car free. Once in Whitchurch a quick check of the map and I found the entrance to The Whitchurch Way, a very nice path that leads into Arnos Vale and avoids the busy main road into Bristol.
Time for coffee and cake at the excellent Bakehouse cafe then back up the B2B and a puncture 2 kms from home !
Rode out to Bitton on the B2B cycle path then thru Keynsham and up to Queen Charlton.
After QC it was nice to see the lane that links to Whitchurch is now car free. Once in Whitchurch a quick check of the map and I found the entrance to The Whitchurch Way, a very nice path that leads into Arnos Vale and avoids the busy main road into Bristol.
Time for coffee and cake at the excellent Bakehouse cafe then back up the B2B and a puncture 2 kms from home !
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I got my (first) July half century in last week in Devon, so no need to worry about me if I don't report again until the end of the month! 
I don't normally think too much about my average speed (it has dropped a lot over the years!) but I would like to give myself a chance of cycling well into my 70s or even 80s. I think that I should make a bit of an effort to speed up now while I still can so I can slow back down to this level when old age provides a good excuse for me!
So... rather than taking around 3 hours for a lumpy 50 km ride, I would like to see if I could get that down to 2.5 hours. I would also like to see if I can complete a flatter 50 km route in 2 hours. If I make progress with those goals, I am sure that I will tell you. If not, I will file reports of my failed attempts in with the failed attempts to do the long Cragg Vale climb in 20 minutes!
I don't normally think too much about my average speed (it has dropped a lot over the years!) but I would like to give myself a chance of cycling well into my 70s or even 80s. I think that I should make a bit of an effort to speed up now while I still can so I can slow back down to this level when old age provides a good excuse for me!
So... rather than taking around 3 hours for a lumpy 50 km ride, I would like to see if I could get that down to 2.5 hours. I would also like to see if I can complete a flatter 50 km route in 2 hours. If I make progress with those goals, I am sure that I will tell you. If not, I will file reports of my failed attempts in with the failed attempts to do the long Cragg Vale climb in 20 minutes!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Tuesday, 16th July, 2024:
Friday, 19th July, 2024:
Er, maybe I was a bit under-ambitious with my goals!!
Friday, 19th July, 2024:
Er, maybe I was a bit under-ambitious with my goals!!
Hey, guys - I am making progress with my goals!!!
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
Well, I was actually motivated by your goals to see if I could do the same (as they seem just about achievable for me) and went out this morning to have a go. At a Strava average of 14.5 mph I'm a little way off, but since I have an abdominal aorta aneurism, I'm not minded to push it too hard in case I, literally, blow a gasket.Hey, guys - I am making progress with my goals!!!
Still, Strava tells me I achieved a new top speed down one of the rare hills in Suffolk and though I'll take it with a little pinch of salt, 47.8mph is near one of my other goals of 50mph. (Preferable not just before I die.
)
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
The speed of my ride corresponded to only 13 mph but I suppose my flat route target of 50 km in 2 hours corresponds to 15.5 mph so you were halfway between.
Yikes - they scare me... Definitely try to avoid gasket-blowing!but since I have an abdominal aorta aneurism, I'm not minded to push it too hard in case I, literally, blow a gasket.
My brother-in-law has one which is regularly monitored. It seems to have stabilised now that he has given up smoking.
I had the scan a couple of years ago and was ok.
I have done 80+ kph (50+ mph) a few times round here but we do have some big hills to help. There have been some iffy moments though so maybe I will keep the descending speed down a bit in future!Still, Strava tells me I achieved a new top speed down one of the rare hills in Suffolk and though I'll take it with a little pinch of salt, 47.8mph is near one of my other goals of 50mph. (Preferable not just before I die.
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- central Brittany, France
Apropos average speeds .. I’m losing an average of 1kph per year and have been doing so since 2019. I was getting averages around 21kph five years ago and now they’re down to around 16/17kph. If this rate of decline continues then around 2040 (when I’ll be in my late 80s), I’ll have actually stopped – and thereafter I’ll be going everywhere backwards.
One thing that I have noticed as a possible explanation for this decline is that I regularly stop pedalling – it’s an unconscious activity (ie not deliberate) and I suspect it’s my knees saying “that’s enough – we need a short rest”. This only happens on the flat or going downhill – I’ve noticed that I always pedal uphill without stopping.
It doesn’t worry me at all – my distances are steady at around 11,000km per year, I’m out on one of my bike several times a day, every day of the year, and I’m still improving my Eddington numbers.
I would have thought that going out on your bike more in your late sixties (rather than simply trying to go faster on one or two rides a week) would be a better way of ensuring that you can continue cycling happily into your seventies and eighties....?
One thing that I have noticed as a possible explanation for this decline is that I regularly stop pedalling – it’s an unconscious activity (ie not deliberate) and I suspect it’s my knees saying “that’s enough – we need a short rest”. This only happens on the flat or going downhill – I’ve noticed that I always pedal uphill without stopping.
It doesn’t worry me at all – my distances are steady at around 11,000km per year, I’m out on one of my bike several times a day, every day of the year, and I’m still improving my Eddington numbers.
I would have thought that going out on your bike more in your late sixties (rather than simply trying to go faster on one or two rides a week) would be a better way of ensuring that you can continue cycling happily into your seventies and eighties....?
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
I'm doing both!
(Mind you, that cycling every day started out as a fluke - I realised on 3rd January that I'd been out every day of the year thus far and decided to carry it through the remainder.
)
Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
Day one of The Rebellion Way. Norwich to Theyford via Diss. Some lovely quiet lanes joined together by some gravel/off road sections. Some best avoided for example the 2 mile section before Thetford which was just sand. 😱 A well deserved 2 pointer.
Kings Lynn tomorrow
Kings Lynn tomorrow
Monthly round up and last weekend warning . We have 22 riders fully posted up for July ,leaving 5 rides yet to declare so a gentle nudge for @slow scot ,@steveindenmark ,@Chap sur le velo ,@Slick and @Cathryn , we are also waiting on @Sbudge to post a June and July ride but he is a spasmodic poster so I think he's still in .
Well done everyone for making it past halfway that means it all downhill from here
Well done everyone for making it past halfway that means it all downhill from here
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
School holidays started last night! The sun is forecast tomorrow and I shall be out on my bike getting that 50k! Thanks for the reminder though!
Slick
Guru
I'm in, I think I still have a ride in June and I have a couple of exceptional work trips that qualify for a ride, I just haven't posted yet. I am away all next week so I'm hopeful of a final ride on Sunday before another heavy week of sitting on my ass.
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
Done! Lovely ride! Usual circuit but this time in sunshine and warm temperatures. Two cafe stops because I could!
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
Accidentally did another 50k! Cycled to church and back (24 miles round trip) but it was such a nice day, I just kept adding bits and the next thing I know, I was on 28 miles so I just kept going!
Met an incredible lady on my ride. Older than me but I would have said mid 50s but nope, she was 75! I really regret not getting her name or details as I think she was a kindred spirit and I would have liked to have ridden with her again! Anyone know a ceramic artist in Holt, Wiltshire?
Met an incredible lady on my ride. Older than me but I would have said mid 50s but nope, she was 75! I really regret not getting her name or details as I think she was a kindred spirit and I would have liked to have ridden with her again! Anyone know a ceramic artist in Holt, Wiltshire?
