Riding as far as possible in a day

[Rhysito]

To celebrate national 'cycle o work' day my work is having a competition to see who can ride the furthest in one day. This has peaked my competitive nature and I am now thinking about strategy. I have done a few 100 miles but as I work for a large company, I suspect I am going to have to push myself a little more to be in with a chance of winning.

Any advise on these two questions?

- Where can I find a long, flat and well tarmacked route in the UK?
- Should I try and ride 200 miles all at once or try and do two rides of 150 miles?

...or recommendations on anything else

Thanks

 

[Milkfloat]

Pick a route with the wind behind, start at midnight and keep going...............................

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Start in Manningtree Essex and ride north via Swaffham to the Humber Bridge then York. If the Fens are playing ball you’ll have a stonking tailwind most of the way. Completely flat from Ely onwards.

 

[nickyboy]

Flatter the better
Use tailwind and get public transport home
Eat and drink plenty in the couple of days before the ride
Eat and drink plenty during the ride
Make sure your bike is in good nick and carry more spares than normal

 

[jay clock]

A few years ago I did something similar for "cycle to work week" when a colleague told me there was no way she could cycle the 8km to work along a flat and segregated cycle path. So I did Chandlers Ford to Swindon arriving at 9 and leaving at 1630. was out from 0430 to 2100 and absolutely knackered. Way back had monster headwind. Got a p***ture a hundred meters from home, slung bike in garage and collapsed!

 

[classic33]

Might sound like I'm splitting hairs, but is it in a day(usually considered dawn to dusk) or the full 24 hours?)

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Train to York & roll all the way back to London it's downhill all the way

 

[Rhysito]

Might sound like I'm splitting hairs, but is it in a day(usually considered dawn to dusk) or the full 24 hours?)

I think its a day so starting at 00:00 and ending at 23:59

 

[vickster]

Where are you starting from?
is it a particular day or can you choose a nice dry still one?
are they giving you a paid day off to do? 👍

 

[Sharky]

When is the Cycle to work day? August 6th?
Is this the day you will be doing the challenge?

I suspect you have left it a little late to start a build up programme. If you are currently doing over 100 miles per week, I'm sure you can achieve 200 miles in a day by careful pacing on the day itself.

Good luck.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Train to York & roll all the way back to London it's downhill all the way

Into a stonking headwind and as slow as molasses.

 

[Tribansman]

Flatter the better
Use tailwind and get public transport home
Eat and drink plenty in the couple of days before the ride
Eat and drink plenty during the ride
Make sure your bike is in good nick and carry more spares than normal

This. I'm planning something similar, have plotted a route from my home in Letchworth to Northumberland (on basis that it's very flat and likely to be tail/cross wind) as want to try and do 500km in 24 hours. Will need a pretty stiff tailwind and good sleeps beforehand to be in with a chance!

Either leave at midnight and book somewhere with a 24 hour check in at the end, or midday and get train straight home. I'm planning to leave at midnight and will then get a nice boost when sun comes up and can stop somewhere for a nice breakfast. Will need to keep stops to a minimum though as I don't think I'll be able to do a moving average any higher than 14.5mph over that distance

 

[midlife]

Do clubs still do "12s" and "24s" like they used to do BITD ?

 

[13 rider]

Make sure your comfy on the bike a niggle after 6 hours will be driving you nuts after 12 . Slow and steady with stops .Depending on where you live a 100 loop around home will always give you a bail out option and you can stop at home to refuel instead of looking for cafes shops

 

[matticus]

Do clubs still do "12s" and "24s" like they used to do BITD ?

Yup - I've ridden 3 of the latter. Type II fun to be sure! I *think* the 2020 "24" is off, but at least one 12 is still on?

500km is very respectable for a first-timer, but remember the record is around 540 miles :P