The 2026 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) a month challenge chatzone
- Thread starter 13 rider
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I have various groups of family and friends insisting that they visit to 'celebrate' my coming 70th birthday** and I am not sure of the dates of those visits, but I hope that they will be over before Sat, 24th January in which case that day would be free for my planned 70 km forum ride from Hebden Bridge, with backup dates of Sun 25th, and Sat 31st in case of poor weather. It will have to be on a guaranteed ice-free day because many of the roads (and gravel, obv.) will not have been gritted, and I wouldn't want to do it on a wet day or in freezing fog either.
I have a route planned which would take in some modest local gravel sections for a bit of variety and to avoid traffic. It is lumpy and scenic - around 1,200-1,300 m of ascent. You have ridden some of it before with me, but there will be other sections that should be new to you.
I will start a ride thread soon. Let's hope that we can get it done, otherwise I will have to trudge up and down the gritted A646 near the end of the month!
** It will be nice to see them, but making a fuss about starting to get old isn't really my thing!!
Remember you only need 50km (31.07 miles) to kick off the challenge you can build up to 50 miles in the better weather
Credit to you for going for the Imperial half century 👍
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I try and get a 50 mile in, but it’s good having the 50 km safety net in case weather intervenes. I was pleased to do a 50 km in today when a 50 mile would have been very difficult because of the temperatures, but will aim to add a 50 mile later in the month.
Good luck with January, one of the three most tricky months. I think February is potentially the most tricky as the weather is rubbish, there are no public holidays and it’s three days shorter. December is perhaps a bit easier because of holidays but also folk have commitments.
Good luck with January, one of the three most tricky months. I think February is potentially the most tricky as the weather is rubbish, there are no public holidays and it’s three days shorter. December is perhaps a bit easier because of holidays but also folk have commitments.
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
My new saddle has arrived and been fitted on my primary Winter bike and, after this morning's test ride - that lasted about an hour - I'm reasonably confident I can get a ride in this month without doing myself damage.
Onwards!
Onwards!
VinSumRox
Über Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
I'm in.
Welcome to the challenge, looked at the date of your ride I presume you got it before the storms hit or is your area ok
VinSumRox
Über Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
It was a sub zero ride but very dry so roads were fine.
We have had hardly any snow and missed most of the storms, roads just been a bit too icy for road rides, bailed today as a bit of rain then frost overnight.
VinSumRox
Über Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
It's not MX5 weather either!
sevenfourate
Devotee of OCD
- Location
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
Oh I don’t know. Mine seems to do ok in the ice / snow. If nothing else a small cabin heats up super quick ! And the heated seats work a treat…..
VinSumRox
Über Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
We wouldn't be able to get ours back up to the house if was icy!
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
And I'm off and running!
The new saddle did not provoke any 'adverse' reactions - which is more than a literal relief: I don't know what I'd do if I had to curtail my riding. And it's also been a day of note for a quite different reason. In all the years I've been doing this challenge, apart from nature breaks, photos and mechanicals, I've never paused for a hot drink. Well, today, at about three-quarters through the ride, I stopped for a cappuccino. It was so special, I took a photo for you all.
The new saddle did not provoke any 'adverse' reactions - which is more than a literal relief: I don't know what I'd do if I had to curtail my riding. And it's also been a day of note for a quite different reason. In all the years I've been doing this challenge, apart from nature breaks, photos and mechanicals, I've never paused for a hot drink. Well, today, at about three-quarters through the ride, I stopped for a cappuccino. It was so special, I took a photo for you all.
Well done @Jon George ,thanks for not going into details of "adverse reaction " 😁And I'm off and running!
The new saddle did not provoke any 'adverse' reactions - which is more than a literal relief: I don't know what I'd do if I had to curtail my riding. And it's also been a day of note for a quite different reason. In all the years I've been doing this challenge, apart from nature breaks, photos and mechanicals, I've never paused for a hot drink. Well, today, at about three-quarters through the ride, I stopped for a cappuccino. It was so special, I took a photo for you all.
View attachment 797630
Poor sprinkle coverage on the coffee
Also well done to @steverob on the 10th and @teeonethousand for getting the challenge rolling again after a pause due to the lovely British winter ❄️☔❄️
