Milage

[SurlyNomad]

I know everyone is different in one way or another and taking into account weather at the time and whatever else life throws at you on the road but what is a comfortable distance per day while touring? I mean im commuting at the momment on the surly lht with front and rear rack fitted to help me get used to a bit of weight until i can hopefully do a tour of the lake district next year but im knackered when i get to work 15 miles away. Ok i do put my foot down as i have to get there so it takes me about an hour and 10 to an hour and 30 depending on how well i slept the night before or how i feel.

 

[superbadger]

That sounds fine for time and distance ; Its good that you are doing regular mileage and exercise because a Tour can be hard work and The Lakes have a few hills... The biggest shock your in for is when you have loaded the bike and you feel the weight!!!. Once your rolling and with correct use of the gears you soon get used to it though. I did a tour in August you can have a look Here; It was a great experience and i am planning my next one for March/April. Good luck.

Oh and as for distance;its what you are comfortable with; I would say 60-70 miles a day is a good figure for me; I can do more but i like to take in the scenery and enjoy the sites and meet people along the way. It makes the trip more enjoyable.

 

[rich p]

I do somewhere between 45 and 75 depending on various things. Any more and it becomes a chore but each to his own!

 

[Tigerbiten]

I cycle myself fit on long tours.
The aim is 4 days cycling then 1 day off.
I start buy planning around 30 miles per day.
By week 4 this distance will have increased to around 40 miles per day.
After week 8 the distance will be up to around 50 miles per day, which is about the maximum I can do a day without knackering my knees.
I've always found that weeks 2 and 3 are the hardest as your still getting fitter.

Ps. I average between 6 mph and 12 mph on my recumbent trike + trailer + camping gear.
It all depends on how hilly it is and which way the winds blowing.

 

[cycleruk]

The more you do, the fitter you become. Base miles are really important and helps alot to increasing fitness, just keep doing what you are doing and you will notice a difference in the future.
I ride to and from work (about 6 mile round trip) and then do some 20-40 mile trips at the weekend and so on, then as i get closer to the tour i then up the mileage. The last month before my trip to stonehenge, i was doing 30 miles or so every other day and a big fifty or so mile ride at the weekend, with full camping gear (well it was it pathing slab but it done the trick!). It takes time but if you keep at it, you will get fitter and you feel pretty good about your self aswell, as it does wonders for both mental and physical well being aswell.

 

[vernon]

I cycle myself fit on long tours.
The aim is 4 days cycling then 1 day off.
I start buy planning around 30 miles per day.
By week 4 this distance will have increased to around 40 miles per day.
After week 8 the distance will be up to around 50 miles per day, which is about the maximum I can do a day without knackering my knees.
I've always found that weeks 2 and 3 are the hardest as your still getting fitter.

Ps. I average between 6 mph and 12 mph on my recumbent trike + trailer + camping gear.
It all depends on how hilly it is and which way the winds blowing.

Eight week tours!

I'm jealous.

My daily mileage is governed by:

• The hilliness of the terrain
• The wind direction and strength
• How much I've had to drink the night before
• The company that I find myself riding with
• My mood
• Scenic distractions
• Decent restaurants
• Start and finish times

The lowest mileage that I've done is 12. That was with an industrial scale hangover after drinking a caravan dry on a LEJOG ride.

The highest mileage that I've done is 88 miles on the same LEJOG ride with a strong tailwind and an early start.

I aim to average 45-60 miles per day on 2-3 week tours which gives plenty of room to get distracted by local attractions and the like.

In the Lake District I would have the same target but would aim to start earlier in the day to factor in plenty of photography (aka rest) breaks.

Does the Lake District have to be your first tour? You could try less challenging terrain.

 

[snorri]

but im knackered when i get to work 15 miles away.

Cycling to work is a whole different thing to cycle touring. You will probably have covered that 15 miles to reach your workplace before 09.00. On a tour you may not start cycling before 09.00 and you still have a whole day ahead of you!

 

[mcshroom]

I seem to end up riding about 45-60 miles a day whether I plan it that way or not. Just remember that you have all day to do it, and don't worry too much about average speed. My last tour I averaged between 7.5-10mph

 

[SurlyNomad]

Cheers everyone, youve all made me feel better about myself with the milage. I chose the lake district as it is where im from originaly. i'm planning on going from leeds-kendal-bowness-windermere-ambleside-coniston-hawkshead then onto my home town Barrow in furness. Am hopeing to have it all done in a week and half (maybe cut short if i struggle)i.e miss out ambleside and go to bowness and cut across on the car ferry to hawkshead. I think theres a chance also to go see the landing beeches in france early on in the spring with a few guys from work. Just one more question......What do you guys think about army rat packs? 4000 cals a box and full meals to last 24 hours on my tour. Thanks again guys for ALL your help

 

[SurlyNomad]

@superbadger! Mate your a blast! Enjoyed reading your link. Where are you planning on next?

 

[superbadger]

Hey no way about Normandy; Am looking at doing that next year too!. I was in the army for a short time and i liked them but some didn't! Theres lots of compitition between camping companies now for pre-made meals and they still are not that cheap in my opinion.

To keep costs down (and weight). I pre-made plenty of sandwiches... You need to think about the filling though! Ham gets warm,tomatoes will soak the bread etc.... I used Baguettes,they keep their shape and don't get squished! Lots of cereal bars/energy bars. Then you want stuff to cook,Pasta 'n' Sauce,supernoodles,cup-a-soups are all good for the weight. I have pre-buttered baguettes with any of those.. Oh and if you do cupsoups use 2 sachets at a time,makes it thicker. Then stop at little shops along the way or the lay-by type places you get for pies,CAKE! and bacon & sausage barms!!!. Have about 2 mars bars(or similar) a day too; Treat yourself to a pub meal every 2-3 days,it give you something to look forward to and keep your cals up.. Since you know the route you will be taking google what supermarkets are in each larger town....I liked a cheap cereal bar from Asda so i knew where to stock up on that item later (and if your camping later you can get the curry boil in the bags for tea). Don't be shy in asking people could they top your water up for you,people are very forthcoming when they see all that kit and you look shattered!. You can also do this at any pubs you may nip in.....

Back to the 'RAT-PACKS'... I am looking at making my own using baco-bags and a sealer. Just another cheap option for you..

 

[User10119]

Touring with my eldest from York to Barrow in Furness (it made sense as a destination at the time, honest!) we took 4 days to ride 116 miles and catch a lift on a train a few more. His longest day was about 35 miles (with rather a lot of up involved) into Hawes. We B&B'd, so no camping kit, but I kept his panniers light which meant mine were fairly hefty! That was when he was 8. I'm neither particularly fit nor remotely fast, and it was the first time we (as out and out flatlanders) had ever encountered Real Hills and that sort of distance was eminently manageable. We did build up to it though! And focused on the journey as much as the destination - it doesn't matter if it takes you 8 hours to cover 25 miles if you enjoy yourself along the way, so we stopped to watch dry stone walls being built and to explore interesting looking nature reserves and at plenty of cafes and play parks. The more mature tourer may of course prefer to break the days riding up with the odd pub

 

[superbadger]

@superbadger! Mate your a blast! Enjoyed reading your link. Where are you planning on next?

Thanks mate... Hope my other post gives you some pointers. Oh god my next trip!!!. Im mad i tell ya! MAD!!!!. I post you something about it shortly.

 

[superbadger]

[QUOTE 1598578"]
Touring with my eldest from York to Barrow in Furness (it made sense as a destination at the time, honest!) we took 4 days to ride 116 miles and catch a lift on a train a few more. His longest day was about 35 miles (with rather a lot of up involved) into Hawes. We B&B'd, so no camping kit, but I kept his panniers light which meant mine were fairly hefty! That was when he was 8. I'm neither particularly fit nor remotely fast, and it was the first time we (as out and out flatlanders) had ever encountered Real Hills and that sort of distance was eminently manageable. We did build up to it though! And focused on the journey as much as the destination - it doesn't matter if it takes you 8 hours to cover 25 miles if you enjoy yourself along the way, so we stopped to watch dry stone walls being built and to explore interesting looking nature reserves and at plenty of cafes and play parks. The more mature tourer may of course prefer to break the days riding up with the odd pub
[/quote]

Thats fab... my lads 8 and i am sooo regretting getting him a BMX when i plan stuff now. Might have to trade it in....

 

[User10119]

Well, a year later than promised (I'd told him he could have one when he was 9 if he looked after his new-to-him Islabike that he got for his 8th birthday well enough, but life got in the way) mine's very pleased that he is just about to get a BMX! But that's because he needs a hack bike that we can leave in the school bike sheds because the new (shiny brand new!) road bike is far too lovely to risk. n+1 is the answer! In fairness, his old islabike is being rehomed with another family who have a conveniently aged child, halfway between my two, so he's quite unlikely to actually have three at any one time.

Which is why I'm about to go and sort all the books onto the bookcases. Since a bookcase just moved into my bedroom to make space for more bikes in the living room

Touring with the big'un was utterly fabulous. We had one really hard day riding from Hawes through Garsdale, Sedbergh and down to Kirkby Lonsdale into the most ridiculous headwind and through the most spectacular downpour. We very very nearly gave up and went home at Garsdale - the last possible bail-out option since we could have got a train to Leeds from there. But he made the decision to carry on and did a fantastic job in completely miserable conditions. He made me very proud that day. We've done a couple of short cycle-camping trips since which have also been brilliant. I heartily thoroughly recommend cycle-touring with small people!