The Metric Century (100KM) A Month Challenge ChatZone

[steverob]

As this is the second time this has cropped up of late, see also https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...a-month-challenge-chatzone.95264/post-7084808 I wonder whether we should put a sentence in The Roolz to clarify?

Yes, we should. I re-read them and was surprised that it wasn't already covered.

When I started this year's thread, which was essentially a copy and paste job from last year's apart from a few small grammatical changes, I did read through the rules half expecting there to be something in there about indoor/outdoor (given last year's query) and was also surprised that neither myself nor any of the previous challenge admins had added anything in.

I'll look to edit and add something in later on today.

 

[steverob]

I've added the following bit to the rules, which is pretty much what I posted to Andy but adding in a bit about getting agreement from others via the ChatZone thread.

• The intention is that all qualifying rides should be done outdoors. If it is not possible to ride outdoors for over a month due to serious injury, mechanical issues or future local lockdowns, there is a possibility for an exemption to be granted to use a virtual ride in its place on an ad hoc basis - however this must be agreed in advance with the challenge admin and the other participants by posting in the ChatZone thread. Note that any exemptions would be considered one-offs, with all other rides in the challenge still needing to be outdoor rides.

If anyone has any suggestions on improving the text to make it clearer (or disagrees with the rule entirely), please let me know.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm fine with it. Personally I'd allow virtual rides without restriction but I don't feel terribly strongly about it so I'm happy either way.

 

[Ajax Bay]

My view is that sessions on the turbo are not rides. The in extremis caveats of serious injury or lockdowns (they weren't) seem reasonable, but not 'mechanical issues' qv.
I'd delete "The intention is", change from 'should . . . ' to "must be completed outdoors, obviously".
I would also add "extraordinary" before "exemption" and replace "ad hoc" with "completely one off" in subsequent lines.
If people want to pedal away in their garage that's fine, but no kilometres (or metres of climbing please note) were injured in the course of such exercise.
The reason this was not covered in the rules (previous versions) was because noone thought people would try to portray/posit/argue a virtual 100km as a 100km ride. I don't think a bike malfunction should be a valid excuse. If someone has a(n only) 'bike problem' for that long, not managing to maintain a 100km a month is the least of their 'problems'.
Finally I recommend you amend your post in the Challenge thread with "No. See rules above, as amended." That thread is for rides only, a detail an experienced chap like Andy seems not to have grasped. Perhaps he could set up a Cycle Chat virtual (insert distance) challenge for others who don't get out much (or who do but like their indoor exercise too). I wonder whether 'outdoors' rides would be allowed if there was a multi-week mechanical issue with the turbo?

If this is (sounds) rather ranty, bit annoyed I didn't get out today as the temperatures drop from tonight and forecast to stay low till for 10 days.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Looks like @Ajax Bay 's views are the precise opposite of mine so I guess we cancel each other out. Leaving poor old @steverob in the mudge and fudge middle ground.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Back on the treadmill.

 

[steverob]

Now here's the thing - my views are not actually all that distant from @Ajax Bay's, but I felt that maybe it would be too harsh for me to say a full-stop "NO" to anyone if there were specific circumstances that put a ride out of reach, and that also most people on here were in favour of a caveat (or at least maybe not actively against one anyway) based on the comments when this subject was mooted last year (though thankfully never actually came to anything), so thought I'd compromise my views a tad and allow a small amount of leeway.

After all, I have dropped out of this very challenge in a previous year with an injury (though I didn't have access to a turbo at that point in my life, meaning I couldn't have continued virtually anyway) and on the mechanical front I have borrowed bikes from others when mine wasn't available in order to stay in the challenge, usually because an LBS have not been able to source parts, not been able to fit me in or cocked something up - all circumstances beyond my control. So I am clearly someone who does believe that this should be an outdoor challenge 99.9% of the time.

I would be interested in coming to some sort of consensus view on this, or at least even if we don't all completely agree with the end result, it's at least one we can all stomach, so any other viewpoints would be most welcome.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Seriously, I'm happy with whatever you go with, because personally I intend to do all my rides on the road. You could borrow from the imperial century a month challenge rulebook "-Centuries ridden on rollers/turbo trainers/indoor velodromes do not count towards the challenge." and I wouldn't bat an eye really.

My own views on the matter are much more loosey goosey but I'm not really that bothered. I like your proposal.

 

[Ajax Bay]

My view is that sessions on the turbo are not rides. Perhaps @CXRAndy could set up a Cycle Chat virtual (insert distance) challenge for others who don't get out much (or who do but like their indoor exercise too). I wonder whether 'outdoors' rides would be allowed if there was a multi-week mechanical issue with the turbo?

If this is (sounds) rather ranty, bit annoyed I didn't get out today as the temperatures drop from tonight and forecast to stay low till for 10 days.

I've saved @CXRAndy the trouble . Please see this new thread:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-virtual-50km-cycling-challenge.295702/

 

[13 rider]

I feel it all always be a case by case basis, If you get injured in Jan before the challenge starts bad luck , If you get injured in late Nov with 11 rides in the bank and can ride a turbo them I'm good with that , Mechanicals less sure, what happens if on the one chance of the month to ride long you get a me mechanical fail ? I would count myself out and would never consider asking for a turbo ride to be included. I for one have completed a challenge ride on my heavy hybrid with commuting rack on when both roads bike where out of action at the same time .

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I've saved @CXRAndy the trouble . Please see this new thread:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-virtual-50km-cycling-challenge.295702/

You need to set up a chatzone thread for it, so people can discuss/comment on it

 

[Sea of vapours]

I would be interested in coming to some sort of consensus view on this, or at least even if we don't all completely agree with the end result, it's at least one we can all stomach, so any other viewpoints would be most welcome.

I could easily sit on the fence here, covering both @Dogtrousers 's view and @Ajax Bay 's view.

Fundamentally, these challenges are there to be aspirational, to encourage people to do something regularly, and to provide a sense of achievement on completion. I'm entirely happy for people to use them as they wish and to adopt whatever degree of rigour they choose for their rides, individually and collectively. So, if anyone thinks that their 100km virtual ride is good enough to qualify them for the challenge, that's their call and I'm not going to decry it.

Personally, however, I'm at the @Ajax Bay end of the spectrum when it comes to my own rides and wouldn't remotely feel that I'd succeeded in the challenge if I used any virtual rides.

I'd favour allowing a consensus decison on any specific instance of someone 'needing' to use a virtual ride, but I do think it needs to be both exceptional and rare. Quie apart from anything else, it's not as if there's a prize of any kind; it doesn't actually matter as such!. All this is just motivational, and it's arguable that in most cases a 'failure' shoud be welcomed as a reason to try again the following year.

 

[footloose crow]

Writing as someone who did ask (@13rider) for a virtual ride in month 10 of an annual challenge when various misfortunes had de -railed the two previous year's efforts, I was grateful for the opportunity to substitute an indoor ride. Once. Never again I hope.

Indoor rides are not the same as outdoor ones. They are easier. I can do rides on Rouvy (augmented reality version of real rides) that I have done in real life and they are much, much less effort. Plus going outside in the cold and wet in Jan and Feb or Nov and Dec is part of the challenge.

I would be happy to accept the rule that this is about riding outdoors every month and if you are daft to break a collar bone then that is just tough luck. At the time I asked for an indoor ride (broken collar bone!) I was very new to the challenges and wanted the motivation to carry on. That may be the factor that persuades the judge to allow an indoor ride, once only, for an exceptional reason and in the spirit of encouraging new entrants to the challenge.

I wouldn't ask again now.

 

[cyberknight]

Writing as someone who did ask (@13rider) for a virtual ride in month 10 of an annual challenge when various misfortunes had de -railed the two previous year's efforts, I was grateful for the opportunity to substitute an indoor ride. Once. Never again I hope.

Indoor rides are not the same as outdoor ones. They are easier. I can do rides on Rouvy (augmented reality version of real rides) that I have done in real life and they are much, much less effort. Plus going outside in the cold and wet in Jan and Feb or Nov and Dec is part of the challenge.

I would be happy to accept the rule that this is about riding outdoors every month and if you are daft to break a collar bone then that is just tough luck. At the time I asked for an indoor ride (broken collar bone!) I was very new to the challenges and wanted the motivation to carry on. That may be the factor that persuades the judge to allow an indoor ride, once only, for an exceptional reason and in the spirit of encouraging new entrants to the challenge.

I wouldn't ask again now.

riding with a broken collar bone , its not great is it ?
When i did mine in i was able to ride on the turbo but couldn't bear any weight on it till the bone had knitted enough . i was literally riding in a sling !!

 

[Ajax Bay]

I was 'lucky' in September 2017. After 2000+km in August (including LEL) and 198km into a 300 I insta front flatted down a chevronned hill at speed and . . . no memory . . . till (briefly) able to say 'Yeovil' when given the option (as opposed to Bath). Two days ICU (ribs punctured lung and broken shoulder blade) and 28 days no driving, let alone cycling.
Lucky? It was the 2nd of the month (and I'd got September's done hadn't I? So great motivation to recuperate and rehab to at least get a flat 100 in by end October. A few sets of 5 10 15 then 20 minutes on the turbo and some ginger short rides along our cycle path. 35km on 25/10 (to the pub and back) and two days later made it before the clocks changed.
Still hurt sneezing or laughing though.
Well done indeed @footloose crow - your 'get out of jail' card a fair call.