Cycling UK Forum

Moodyman1 wrote:

Mick F wrote:How do you work it out?

By how quickly you fall asleep after you've got home and had your dinner.

I find that when doing a ride that's out of my comfort zone (as they would say in Master Chef), it's really hard to fall asleep afterwards. Often lie awake into the early hours feeling somewhat warm and a tad uncomfortable (no, its not the menopause).

As for centuries, I used to try to do one a month (apart from winter) a few years back, but health and injury and work has stopped me recently...must try to get up some stamina again. Last one I did was IIRC 2007 on an audax around Shropshire plus a bit to make it up to 130ish. Could have kept on going but had run out of water and it was a hot day. Strange, as I wasn't in a particular state of fitness, and I had been riding at the front with the fast lads for the first half of the ride - it was just one of those days when everything feels easy.

Don't know whether you saw this one
My bike is the 1930's one-off..... who needs a modern bike (or a slim figure ) to cover distance
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=34542&p=460723&hilit=newark#p460723
Steve

...yes indeed, I was very impressed with your 'Lincolnshire Century' - imho many of us buy into the marketing hype that at least 21 gears are essential for a 25 mile club ride - for most reasonably fit people they are not.
...how about Tommy Godwin's achievement in 1939!

westofsouth wrote:...how about Tommy Godwin's achievement in 1939!

Indeed. I reckon many cyclists would be hard pushed to do 75,000 miles in a lifetime To do it in a year is beyond comprehension.

Steve

205miles a day, every day.
I doubt I could do that in a car!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Godw ... _born_1912)

Mick F wrote:205miles a day, every day.
I doubt I could do that in a car!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Godw ... _born_1912)

Yeah, but he did a 25m time trial on a grocery bike in 65min at 14. He was way up in the "freak of nature" echelons of elite athletes, really.

westofsouth wrote:...yes indeed, I was very impressed with your 'Lincolnshire Century' - imho many of us buy into the marketing hype that at least 21 gears are essential for a 25 mile club ride - for most reasonably fit people they are not.

Do they really try to tell us they're essential - I think we all know they're not. But they can make it more comfortable.

Mick F wrote:205miles a day, every day.
I doubt I could do that in a car!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Godw ... _born_1912)

From the same article:

In May 1940 after 500 days' riding he secured the 100,000-mile (160,000 km) record as well. Godwin dismounted and spent weeks learning how to walk before going to war in the RAF.

The record is still open for challenge but not for entry in the Guinness Book of Records, whose editors say further attempts would be too dangerous.

So if you break the record the GBR won't put you in the books? That doesn't seem fair.

IF I didn't have a family, and could find someone to sponsor me a decent wage for the year (not that I'd need much other than food and spare parts) then I'd be tempted to give it a go - sounds like serious fun!

I looked into the rules regarding the GBR a while back after completing my JOGLE on the Raleigh Chopper. They basically dictate what or what is not a "record". I sure I've ridden a Chopper further than anyone ever, but it isn't a GBR record.

No doubt their rules cover dangerous stunts not being recognised either - to protect the idiots who might try to break them. No doubt they don't want any more idiots riding a Raleigh Chopper!

Just coz it's not in the GBR, doesn't mean it's not a record.

Mick F wrote:No doubt their rules cover dangerous stunts not being recognised either

Do you know why Guinness won't accept new entries for world endurance cycling? They say it is too dangerous, but on what basis? Can being seriously fit kill you? Or are they saying that the risk of an accident becomes too great?

It could be that attempting to exceed that mileage would induce you to keep riding whilst unfit to do so, especially with regard to lack of sleep.

I often end up doing 90-100mile runs when out with the club. They are usually well paced runs over steep terrain in Lancashire and Yorkshire. I'm not that keen on them and do not ride them voluntarily. We do not always know what the days total mileage will be when we set out. I don't think I am particularly unfit as I stay with the pack easily enough but I'm fit for nothing in the evening and I never get a good nights sleep after this sort of mileage.

Mick F wrote:I sure I've ridden a Chopper further than anyone ever, but it isn't a GBR record.
.

No you haven't. My brother only got off his to sleep between his 8th and 12th birthdays. All right, I might be exaggerating a bit.

I am dead impressed by your tales of derring do in Devon lanes though. And Mrs Mick's patience in walking you back from the pub after you've been out all day.

Did this one recently...
Clapham (London), Richmond Park, Kingston, Surbiton, A243 to Dorking, Box Hill, Betchworth, Leigh, Charlwood, Pound Hill, Turners Hill, Sharpthorne, Coleman's Hatch, Kidds Hill, Hever, Four Elms, Toys Hill, Hookwood, Titsey, Titsey Hill, Purley, Streatham, Wandsworth and back to Clapham. Worked it out as 105 miles. But have to say I don't emjoy the traffic down to Dorking, so would probably get the train to Dorking in future and work out some circular routes visiting most of the most (in)famous hills in the SE.