Your longest ever solo ride?

[JEA1K]

106 miles for me. Done a lot of 80 + milers on my own, although rarely do these days. I'd say 2 -3 hours max before I have an argument with myself about something trivial.;)

[RUNAMOK]

Longest is currently about 75 miles. Timely thread though as I have an ambition to ride the 160 miles from my house to my parents in one day late this summer, mostly up through flat rural Lincolnshire. Cycle 100 miles per week, just need to find the time to do some long rides on the weekends and make sure my kit fits well.

[E65Ross]

louiebaby said:

106.6 miles, the Dartmoor Classic a couple of years ago. T'was lumpy too.

Currently considering which direction I want to take with my cycling, longer solo events or TTing...

If that was a Sportive that hardly counts as you often find you can sit behind some riders, there are food stations etc so you don't need to be anywhere near as well prepared....!

[sjg]

outnumbered said:

Take what you can comfortably carry, then if you need more food while you're out, stop and buy some. Assuming you're not doing your 100 mile ride around some sinkhole council estate, why would you need to worry about leaving your bike outside a petrol station for 60 seconds ??

Indeed. Even in dodgier places, I'll happily prop by bike up against the petrol station shop and nip in to buy some food and use their toilet. They tend to have CCTV everywhere, a cashier with a good view outside and you can usually see it well enough from inside anyway.

While I like to self-sufficient for tools & spares, you're not crossing a desert - it's hard to be far from a village shop or petrol station so why weigh yourself down with litres of water and several thousand calories worth of food?

[louiebaby]

E65Ross said:

louiebaby said:

106.6 miles, the Dartmoor Classic a couple of years ago. T'was lumpy too.

Currently considering which direction I want to take with my cycling, longer solo events or TTing...

If that was a Sportive that hardly counts as you often find you can sit behind some riders, there are food stations etc so you don't need to be anywhere near as well prepared....!

It's your thread, so your rules.

However, in my defense, I probably did about 100 of the miles alone, there was only one feedstation which we visited twice, and by the time I got there the second time, they'd run out of energy drink. Thankfully I had my own powder to make up. I probably stopped for a total of 3 minutes.

[adamwri]

RUNAMOK said:

Longest is currently about 75 miles. Timely thread though as I have an ambition to ride the 160 miles from my house to my parents in one day late this summer, mostly up through flat rural Lincolnshire. Cycle 100 miles per week, just need to find the time to do some long rides on the weekends and make sure my kit fits well.

Pretty much my plan as well - I'm finishing up in Louth from SW London and planning to follow the majority of the LEL2017 route where possible. 185 miles door to door for the route I've planned and heading up on September 2nd.

[roadman]

140 for me with a large backpack

[SoliD]

100 miles, but it was the South Downs Way, so headphones were used. Probably about 10 hours riding but 12 hours including stops.

[TwistingMyMelon]

150 miles for me, just held back and enjoyed it, felt fresh at the end and wish I carried on till 200! Highlight of the ride was someone trying to steal my bike off me 50 miles in @ reading station, whilst I was on it @ 10am in the morning.... prick ...I then helped someone with a puncture...on a car!! Changed a wheel for an old fella who hit a pit hole hard

I live in Swindon, my mate in London, so we would often meet in Reading then head up the Chilterns for a 50 miler. I got so fed up of catching the train I used to ride back and got a century in. The next time I thought I may as well just ride there and so got 150 miles in.

That was before another kid, so now just dont really get the time for long rides, although I try and get a 60-80 mile club ride once a week

Just pack the basics, if you are worried about leaving your bike, you will be hard pushed to do 70 miles + in this country without passing a rural shop that will be fine to leave your bike outside....ironic as mine was nearly stolen on my longest ride!

Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Tuesday 19th July 16:23

[tuffer]

Mate of mine did this at the weekend, pretty hot day by all accounts. 400km and an Everest Challenge, to be fair he is totally mental. https://www.strava.com/activities/643368905 16 hours 49 minutes and 9,000M. Something like 100 Reps of Milk Hill in Wiltshire.

[Crazycraig]

No where near as mental as that guy ^ but 170 ish mile after getting a bit carried away yesterday morning.

https://www.strava.com/activities/645320720



In hindsight I realised after 12 bottles of water, not including what I had at rest stops, it was probably a bit too warm for a long ride.

[Some Gump]

E65Ross said:

If that was a Sportive that hardly counts as you often find you can sit behind some riders, there are food stations etc so you don't need to be anywhere near as well prepared....!

Balls.
Miles are miles. Unless you're totally wheelsucking, it's matterless. My second longest ride was the mancheter blackpool sportive (which I rode home again after). 142 miles - during the sportive part, loads of people sheltered on my wheel; I managed to get a wheel for 10 miles, the rest was me.
As soon as you get above average, there's less shelter to be had =)

[wst]

Crazycraig said:

No where near as mental as that guy ^ but 170 ish mile after getting a bit carried away yesterday morning.

https://www.strava.com/activities/645320720

<snip>
In hindsight I realised after 12 bottles of water, not including what I had at rest stops, it was probably a bit too warm for a long ride.

When doing a long linear ride like that, what's the plan? Do you have a BnB for the night and ride back the next day?

[carreauchompeur]

Crazycraig said:

No where near as mental as that guy ^ but 170 ish mile after getting a bit carried away yesterday morning.

https://www.strava.com/activities/645320720



In hindsight I realised after 12 bottles of water, not including what I had at rest stops, it was probably a bit too warm for a long ride.

That's bonkers... Inspired I would guess by the kind of OCD that would also push me 'a few more miles' in order to 'get to the other side'...

Long time no see BTW!

[ALawson]

I am currently planning a 160mile pootle from Fleet to Exeter and then get the train back. Wouldn't mind some company but then it wouldn't be classed as solo!

Normal solo rides are up to 80miles, family duties stop full on 100+ solo's as I can normally only justify these sorts of distances on pre arranged meets up with mates.

[upsidedownmark]

225 miles (in 12 hrs). 20ish mile loops of dual carridgeway, on the TT bike, 10 mins stationary (pee/replace bottles/stuff food in pockets). Bit bonkers, not sure I'll ever repeat that:

https://www.strava.com/activities/325675434

[Crazycraig]

wst said:

When doing a long linear ride like that, what's the plan? Do you have a BnB for the night and ride back the next day?

Didn't really fancy an overnight stop so in this instance I checked train times / fares the day before, and as it was only £25 for a single from Bangor to Newport I booked that.

It was really enjoyable getting out of the local area for a change (not that my area is that bad :-) ) that you couldn't ordinarily do in a single day's riding. Plus riding up through the centre of Wales and Snowdonia is fantastic with some amazing scenery and deserted roads most of the time.

Might do Wales East to West next (Chepstow to St Davids) just need to plan a route. Only downside is that St Davids doesn't have a train station so you have to head back to Haverfordwest. Again, train fare is only something like £9.50 / £12.50 for this Saturday when I checked on the Trainline, which is a small price to pay.

carreauchompeur said:

That's bonkers... Inspired I would guess by the kind of OCD that would also push me 'a few more miles' in order to 'get to the other side'...

Long time no see BTW!

Thanks Sam. It has been a while.

[E65Ross]

upsidedownmark said:

225 miles (in 12 hrs). 20ish mile loops of dual carridgeway, on the TT bike, 10 mins stationary (pee/replace bottles/stuff food in pockets). Bit bonkers, not sure I'll ever repeat that:

https://www.strava.com/activities/325675434

That's nuts. My total stopped time on my 104 miles the other day was 5:28, that included a pee break, sorting water bottles out, traffic lights, junctions etc. I felt pretty good 100 miles in....though not sure I could have done another 100+

I would like to try some very long ride to see if I fuel well how long until I hit the wall, as it were.....

[stripy7]

Did 4,270 miles in June on TABR. But there's someone on here who easily beats that with a round the world jaunt.

[smifffymoto]

Neilski does take it with 50000 miles but it did take 4 years,still epic though.