Cycling benchmark?
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Cycling benchmark?
Im quite new to cycling as a hobby, obviously i can cycle and had to before because i lost my driving licence. Im looking at starting this as a hobby and wondered what is the benchmark for cycling? Do people also look at 5km or is it like 10km, or smaller for beginners?
Re: Cycling benchmark?
There's a very large number of ways of enjoying and getting the benefits of riding human-powered vehicles. A quick browse of this forum will show that. : - )
I can only suggest trying as many as possible and seeing what works for you.
Do you have any regular journeys on which you could switch to cycling?
Would you enjoy riding with others?
A merry heart goes all the day, Your sad, tires in a mile-a
Jonathan
I can only suggest trying as many as possible and seeing what works for you.
Do you have any regular journeys on which you could switch to cycling?
Would you enjoy riding with others?
A merry heart goes all the day, Your sad, tires in a mile-a
Jonathan
Re: Cycling benchmark?
IME people who say they don’t cycle much are capable of 10 miles before they know it. Cycle slowly at the speed of chat, a couple of stops at POI, and hey presto they can’t believe they’ve done it. Then there’s no stopping them
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Re: Cycling benchmark?
It depends what your trying to achieve really. The first bench mark I'd choose would be an ability to get somewhere you want to go. Then the ability do do so in a timely manner.camperman83 wrote: ↑24 Sep 2022, 4:17pm Im quite new to cycling as a hobby, obviously i can cycle and had to before because i lost my driving licence. Im looking at starting this as a hobby and wondered what is the benchmark for cycling? Do people also look at 5km or is it like 10km, or smaller for beginners?
It doesn't really matter how far away that is
Re: Cycling benchmark?
jois is right. You have to set your own benchmark according to what you want to achieve. Many experienced riders would think of 50-70 miles as a good day out, but for a range of reason including "challenge" rides, people may do hundreds of miles, or even a thousand with short stops of a few hours.
If you're doing it for your own pleasure, and ten or twenty miles in a day, with a stop, is enough for you, great. Or maybe you're more bothered about achieving a certain speed, say finding out how long you can ride for at an average of 15mph. Or riding to work and back three days a week. Or...
Whatever you do, do it in stages. Getting to a first ride distance of 10 miles is harder than improving that later to 20 miles, and so on, because cycling is quite significantly about believing you can do it, as well as about the fitness.
If you're doing it for your own pleasure, and ten or twenty miles in a day, with a stop, is enough for you, great. Or maybe you're more bothered about achieving a certain speed, say finding out how long you can ride for at an average of 15mph. Or riding to work and back three days a week. Or...
Whatever you do, do it in stages. Getting to a first ride distance of 10 miles is harder than improving that later to 20 miles, and so on, because cycling is quite significantly about believing you can do it, as well as about the fitness.
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Re: Cycling benchmark?
Good point it did find it easier to cycle the distance to work because i had to get there. So maybe ill aim for something like the supermarket first which is about 4km, downside is im going to have to bring shopping back loljois wrote: ↑24 Sep 2022, 4:51pmIt depends what your trying to achieve really. The first bench mark I'd choose would be an ability to get somewhere you want to go. Then the ability do do so in a timely manner.camperman83 wrote: ↑24 Sep 2022, 4:17pm Im quite new to cycling as a hobby, obviously i can cycle and had to before because i lost my driving licence. Im looking at starting this as a hobby and wondered what is the benchmark for cycling? Do people also look at 5km or is it like 10km, or smaller for beginners?
It doesn't really matter how far away that is
Re: Cycling benchmark?
I've been riding with clubs for 45 years, and I still prefer to have a definite objective, such as going to a meeting or commuting, or taking part in an event. I do really like riding just for fun by myself, but it's too easy not quite to manage to get out there!
Re: Cycling benchmark?
Some people collect them.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22620&p=180585&#p180585
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=22620&p=180585&#p180585
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway X2, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840
Re: Cycling benchmark?
You may also find you might enjoy cycling more without measuring yourself or setting a benchmark. Just enjoy the moment.
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Re: Cycling benchmark?
Personally, I wouldn’t worry about benchmarks in any hobby. Hobbies are there to be enjoyed, and if you “take to” cycling as a hobby, you will naturally find your way of enjoying it most.
Some people are naturally competitive, so enjoy trying to go further or faster or up steeper hills than the next person; some people are very sociable, and their main focus in cycling becomes the camaraderie of a group; some people are natural explorers, or nature-lovers, or history buffs, or whatever, so a bike becomes the literal vehicle for that.
Actually, thinking about it, I would worry about a benchmark: however happy you are now, cycling should make you happier.
Some people are naturally competitive, so enjoy trying to go further or faster or up steeper hills than the next person; some people are very sociable, and their main focus in cycling becomes the camaraderie of a group; some people are natural explorers, or nature-lovers, or history buffs, or whatever, so a bike becomes the literal vehicle for that.
Actually, thinking about it, I would worry about a benchmark: however happy you are now, cycling should make you happier.
Re: Cycling benchmark?
Insufficient information from the OP.
He needs to say what sort of cycling he wants to do, otherwise it's just speculation.
I'm essentially a tourer and my benchmark is to be able to ride a reasonable distance day after day. I doubt this is his.
He needs to say what sort of cycling he wants to do, otherwise it's just speculation.
I'm essentially a tourer and my benchmark is to be able to ride a reasonable distance day after day. I doubt this is his.
Re: Cycling benchmark?
I would say that bench marks make life fun.
Pick a mate and try to beat him, be it a climb, the amount you ride in a day, month etc. Look for a set challenge maybe or a tick list. Maybe make sure that every ride has a new section in it. That will take you gradually further away from home. What I will say is that things like a 5k run are beginners park run targets. Get you off the sofa runs. To me the cycling equivelant would be 25 miles. Not for the the first time rider but more than possible with a month or so under your belt.
Pick a mate and try to beat him, be it a climb, the amount you ride in a day, month etc. Look for a set challenge maybe or a tick list. Maybe make sure that every ride has a new section in it. That will take you gradually further away from home. What I will say is that things like a 5k run are beginners park run targets. Get you off the sofa runs. To me the cycling equivelant would be 25 miles. Not for the the first time rider but more than possible with a month or so under your belt.
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Re: Cycling benchmark?
That made me chuckle, because it’s such a great example of the “some people are competitive” point I made earlier.Pick a mate and try to beat him
Re: Cycling benchmark?
Rather than distance try benchmarks based in time. Out for an hour, continuous on the bike for 45 minutes. Its not better but a bit different and I find that it helpd me for those longer days out knowing I can do an hour and bit of continuous peddling before I get all stiff.