How big a leap?

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HeyWayne

New Member
Location
Bedfordshire
'Training' for the L2B next weekend, and the longest I've ridden for is currently 18-19 miles.

I tend to get a bit of an achy bum at about the 10-12 mile mark, but it soon either goes numb, or I forget about it.

The limiting factor to the distance has tended to be time - I usually have to be home to help tend to our 16 month old.

However, tomorrow morning I am home alone, and intend to go out for a 30 mile ride. I'm quite confident with the distance, but is it misplaced confidence do you think, or is an 18-30 mile leap sensible?

I'm looking forward to it, I know that much!
 

Hont

Guru
Location
Bromsgrove
You don't say with what frequency you've been doing the 18 milers and for how long (you're age is also a factor), but assuming that you're going out more than once a week and have been doing so for more than a couple of months, you should have no problems as long as you take it steady and ride within yourself.

Where is the ache in your bum, if you don't mind me asking? As that may indicate the need for a saddle change.
 
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HeyWayne

HeyWayne

New Member
Location
Bedfordshire
Hont said:
You don't say with what frequency you've been doing the 18 milers and for how long (you're age is also a factor), but assuming that you're going out more than once a week and have been doing so for more than a couple of months, you should have no problems as long as you take it steady and ride within yourself.

Where is the ache in your bum, if you don't mind me asking? As that may indicate the need for a saddle change.

2-3 times a week (when time permits), and it takes about 1hr 20 mins.

I'm 34.

The ache is difficult to explain...

Lemme think about this...

It's kind of where your bum stops, and your legs begin - the crease bit I suppose.
 

Hont

Guru
Location
Bromsgrove
I don't think 30 miles will give you any problems then as long, as I said, you take it steady.

It sounds like you are sitting on your pubic bone rather than your sit bones. Are you perched on the end of your saddle? If so, try moving it forward and make sure to sit with your buttocks on the wide part of the saddle for most of the time.

Or did you mean more the back of the leg crease?
 
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HeyWayne

HeyWayne

New Member
Location
Bedfordshire
Hont said:
Or did you mean more the back of the leg crease?

I did.

I think it's more a case of my @rse getting used to carrying the weight of a near 18st man on such a small space, rather than my padded office chair, car seat and comfy sofa.
 
L2B is achievable by virtually anyone, no matter how unfit they are. I proved this to myself many years ago when I took my hideously out of condition former wife on the L2B. I ended up pushing her bike up Ditchling Beacon as well as my own - this rather annoyed me as I had ridden it in previous years, and the two bikes were heavy to say the least.

I wish you 'Good Luck' and hope that you enjoy yourself.
 

Mike!

Guru
Location
Suffolk
I did the L2B about 7 years ago, decided to do it 4 months before and did about 4 rides (wasn't cycling at all at before that), the longest around 25 miles.

You'll be fine!
 

timmcp

Well-Known Member
Location
Wirral
Hont said:
It sounds like you are sitting on your pubic bone rather than your sit bones.

This is what was happening to me and dam sore it was as well :tongue:

Went to another LBS and they measured my bike, measured me, came to the conclusion that I needed to reduce the headset by 40mm!

No more soreness and clocking the miles up is now a pleasure!
 

BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
HeyWayne said:
'Training' for the L2B next weekend, and the longest I've ridden for is currently 18-19 miles.

I tend to get a bit of an achy bum at about the 10-12 mile mark, but it soon either goes numb, or I forget about it.

The limiting factor to the distance has tended to be time - I usually have to be home to help tend to our 16 month old.

However, tomorrow morning I am home alone, and intend to go out for a 30 mile ride. I'm quite confident with the distance, but is it misplaced confidence do you think, or is an 18-30 mile leap sensible?

I'm looking forward to it, I know that much!

18 up to 30 is nothing, really.

But remember for L2B that there are some quite serious hills on the way - North and South downs. I hear that they are quite a challenge.
 

DappaDonDave

New Member
you'll be fine, i completed the Manc to Blackpool last year after 3-4 weeks of practice after not riding a bike in about 5 years.

Completely unfit as well, did it in like 7 hours but with 45 mins worth of casual stops and pauses for work colleagues.
 
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HeyWayne

HeyWayne

New Member
Location
Bedfordshire
Well, managed 28 miles at the weekend, with one stop about halfway for a drink and a Mars bar.

Conquered 'my hill' too, in one go.

Slightly confused though - on the MapMyRide website, the hill comes up as a 5% gradient, yet at the top of the hill there's a roadsign that says 15%.

Who do I believe?

It felt like 15%, that's all I know.

Cycling to work tomorrow (7 miles each way, with some gentle hills), and on Thursday.

This time next week I will be John Wayne.
 

Rob3rt

Man or Moose!
Location
Manchester
HeyWayne said:
'Training' for the L2B next weekend, and the longest I've ridden for is currently 18-19 miles.

I tend to get a bit of an achy bum at about the 10-12 mile mark, but it soon either goes numb, or I forget about it.

The limiting factor to the distance has tended to be time - I usually have to be home to help tend to our 16 month old.

However, tomorrow morning I am home alone, and intend to go out for a 30 mile ride. I'm quite confident with the distance, but is it misplaced confidence do you think, or is an 18-30 mile leap sensible?

I'm looking forward to it, I know that much!

18-30 mins is a fairly easy jump, I jumped 26 to 50 in one go and im not the fittest, so you should be fine!
 
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