Rapha Festive 500. Anyone doing it?

[Pblakeney]

I’m with you. While the fitness of doing 500km in two days any way you like is incomprehensible for me.

The challenge of doing ‘that’ indoors is zero.

???? It is 500 miles over 8 days. Which makes the indoor challenge unchallenging.
PS - I didn't think doing it in the Southern Hemisphere was challenging either, unless exceedingly hot. Doing it in southern Spain must be pleasant.

 

[sevenfourate]

???? It is 500 miles over 8 days.

Yes I understood that.

 

[13 rider]

500 kms not miles

 

[geocycle]

The idea of riding consecutive 60-100 km days really appeals and is entirely doable. The major challenges for me are family time and of course weather. This year would just about have been possible in terms of weather but usually wind, rain, wind or ice would get in the way in NW England. I can see that for some people having an indoor option gives a different but more realistic opportunity, especially given the international nature of the challenge.

Personally, I really cannot get on with indoor cycling as I’m more into places than fitness. I bought a set up in covid just in case we were confined to home and couldn’t manage more than an hour so hats off to those who can make it work for them.

 

[Pblakeney]

500 kms not miles

I hope to hell that I knew that when I did it! 😂😂😂
(Probably did and the above is just a memory glitch)

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's beyond me why people even have an opinion on this (riding the 500 indoors) let alone think it's important.

It's a personal challenge. Make if it what you will. If you want to do it in or out of doors, or on an e-bike or whatever, you go ahead. It's a matter for you and your challenge.

I'm sure there are some armchair critics on here who would complain that the brave souls at Herne Hill last night were cheating because the Velodrome is so flat and they could draft.

Not me. I take my hat off to all finishers. I've done it once and it was bloody hard.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's beyond me why people even have an opinion on this (riding the 500 indoors) let alone think it's important.

I would have thought the reasons obvious. The challenge is no longer as hard as it was. For those who did it “back in the day” they may feel allowing indoors diminishes the challenge.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I would have thought the reasons obvious. The challenge is no longer as hard as it was. For those who did it “back in the day” they may feel allowing indoors diminishes the challenge.

I'm one of those who did it "back in the day" (2020) all on the road. Why should we care?

It's nothing to me if someone chooses to do it in a different manner. That's entirely their business and none of mine. I'm perfectly happy to acknowledge the time and effort they put in.

I think it's a bit pathetic and curmudgeonly putting other people's efforts down. And as for people who have never done it at all finding it necessary to comment negatively about others' efforts - I just can't see the point.

 

[AlanW]

I still have all my (now cherised) collection of Rapha 500 cloth badges in thier own bespoke little envelopes.

Little things l guess, but much better than any half cocked digital reward you get these days.

 

[AlanW]

I would have thought the reasons obvious. The challenge is no longer as hard as it was. For those who did it “back in the day” they may feel allowing indoors diminishes the challenge.

It was certainly a challenge back then, mentally and physically. You had to take advantage of any decent weather and ideally the first day would always be at least 100 miles. Miss that "window" on the first day and you were instantly on the back foot and playing catch up.

I'm doing my best not to put down allowing indoor rides, as all my rides have been done on the trainer this year.
Yes of course its been a challenge but the weather didn't play a part into how much l was prepared to get wet and cold in order to finish it!

 

[Alex321]

I’m with you. While the fitness of doing 500km in two days any way you like is incomprehensible for me.

The challenge of doing ‘that’ indoors is zero.

To a very keen cyclist, who finds cycling indoors easier, maybe, although even then I wouldn't say it is zero, just a lot less than the challenge of doing it outside.

 

[Alex321]

I would have thought the reasons obvious. The challenge is no longer as hard as it was. For those who did it “back in the day” they may feel allowing indoors diminishes the challenge.

It is just as hard in terms of the physical effort involved (IMO it is harder physically to ride the same distance on a turbo than t do it outside).

It is only "easier" in terms of the things you are likely to have little or no control over.

 

[Pblakeney]

It is just as hard in terms of the physical effort involved (IMO it is harder physically to ride the same distance on a turbo than t do it outside).

Nah.
Final day last time I did it outdoors was 100 kms in the rain at 5C and 45 kms/hr winds. Indoors does not compare.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Turbo saddle discomfort is a huge challenge beyond approx 90mins for me, on the same saddle outdoors I can be fine for over 180mins.

Not that I could do daily ~3 hour rides for 8 days now, covering my typical ~60 feet climbing per mile average routes, without my ebike.

I had hoped to challenge my weekly hours best of recent years, ~8 hours, but I've not felt too good since Tiny Races on 20th December.

 

[ColinJ]

Turbo saddle discomfort is a huge challenge beyond approx 90mins for me, on the same saddle outdoors I can be fine for over 180mins.

I am suffering with the same problem.
I have the same type of saddle on all of my bikes and am fine for 6+ hours outdoors.

On the turbo trainer I have to stand for 1 minute every 10 minutes to keep numbness at bay!!

I think that it must be due to the bike not moving about much on the turbo trainer compared to out on the road.

I would like to do much longer turbo rides but for now I am keeping thm down to 75-80 minutes.