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What do you consider a long ride?

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Ganymede_Illusion

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I've been riding on the road(until the trails dry up) and been getting in 25 mile rides or a bit longer almost three days a week. To me it seems like a good ride and that is 25 miles each way for a total of 50 miles give or take.

So 50 miles, 100 miles...what is considered a long and good ride for you guys? I'm talking on the road in just a normal afternoon outing, not a marathon or charity run.
 
#3 ·
A 50 mile road ride is similar to 18-20 miles Mtb ride, but you are not as beat up as Mtb for sure. My usual ride is about 14-18 miles and the epic ride is not that mush longer at 18-22 miles on different trail of course. I'm beat at the end of the ride that's for sure.

There's a ride I do that's only 6 miles each way but I consider an epic ride because the 6 miles climb is definitely epic:)
 
#7 ·
I do it by time because I do lots of climbing and dh and technical stuff very demanding. Some days I will go out riding for like 5 to 6 hrs just looking for the next challenge. I live in Germany and we have bike trails everywhere with little technical sections all over. I think when I go on flat trails I may go 50 or 60km not sure. I think for mtb time is better because if you are going up and down you will cover less ground.
 
#9 ·
Unless I'm riding somewhere new and cool, or with people, a 25 mile road ride is long to me because I just get bored. I enjoy riding my road bike but when I'm alone or riding my normal routes I get bored within about 90 minutes.

On the mountain bike, I judge the ride more by the fun of the location, the views, the effort, etc. There's one trail we ride in summer that is 14 miles and it's a long ride. By contrast, the normal ride we do in the foothills (year round-ish) that is 18 miles is not a long ride.

Clear as mud? :)
 
#10 ·
Shark said:
It all depends on the terrain.

a 25 mile ride in Indiana is not that difficult. the same 25 miles in a place like Pisgah or Colorado is a different story.
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+1,000

Even locally, there is a ton of difference in the trails. I can ride 20+ miles at Fort Yargo (Winder, GA) and not be as tired as 6 miles on some of the local, tech trails.

I often base my rides on time and "effort." If I am low on time, I make sure to sprint to get a good workout in. If I have all the time in the world....well, I still like to go fast, but maybe not AS fast.

Ryan
 
#12 ·
Ganymede_Illusion said:
I've been riding on the road(until the trails dry up) and been getting in 25 mile rides or a bit longer almost three days a week. To me it seems like a good ride and that is 25 miles each way for a total of 50 miles give or take.

So 50 miles, 100 miles...what is considered a long and good ride for you guys? I'm talking on the road in just a normal afternoon outing, not a marathon or charity run.
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I define a long ride aas something that will require refueling to prevent a bonk...generally something in excess of 2hr 15 mins.

At a hard rate.
 
#14 ·
More than 4 hours is a long ride, for me anyway.

Hard to measure rides miles, as a lot depends on the route/trail. I think the longest distance I've ever done on a MTB in one day is a little over 100 miles: White Rim in Moab.
 
#15 ·
I'd say long, for me, is 3+ hours. I remember having time to hop on my bike and ride for 6 hours when I was in college, working on a liberal arts degree, but that's rare now. I don't use a cycle computer on my mountain bike, so I don't know mileage. Depends on the trail anyway.

This summer, I'm trying a couple of endurance races. A 30-mile and a 50-mile. It's going to be interesting, I'm sure of that...
 
#16 ·
My long ride is 5+ hours, which is epic to me. I climb and descend well and if it takes me more than 4 hours out on the trail....it's a bruiser of a ride.
 
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#18 ·
b-kul said:
does anyone else judge their rides by time not miles or is that just me? i like to go 3-4 hours so maybe i dont even know, 10 miles or so?
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When I go on trails I judge mostly by time. I do track my ride with the GPS in my phone, but I don't base my ride length by mileage.

As far as mileage... it all depends on the terrain. The other day I rode 24 miles on my BMX bike but it was a rail trail for about 16 of it and the rest was in the street. I know I don't normally ride that far on trails with the big bike.
 
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#19 ·
Like a few here I do not tend to keep track of miles, I go more by how long I have been out, weather conditions and terrain.

I check all of these factors before going out, I will plan my route and check the weather 4-5 hours before I leave and have an idea of where I will be going, how the ride will be and how long it will take me.

Saying al of that, on a flatish route on a nice day I would say anything 30+ miles to be a good ride.
 
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