The 2026 Half Century (50km or 50 mile) a month challenge chatzone

[sevenfourate]

There will be a slight delay to this year's tilt at this challenge - I am carrying a rather painful and irritating area in a certain region (I'd not be shy in telling you all about it, but I suspect it might fall into No-Over-Sharing-Jon-Please) that is hampering any rides much over ten miles. I've ordered a new saddle for my winter bike and will, hopefully be in the game soon!

I’ve just changed my settings and disabled pictures in this thread: incase you start to feel liberal……

Good luck 😁

 

[sevenfourate]

Tricky conditions in Suffolk today lads…..

**Does 50km worth of wheel-spinning on the spot count ?

 

[ColinJ]

Non-qualifying turbo trainer time!

 

[Dadam]

I'm going to have a try at this challenge. Not this weekend or probably the next looking at the forecast, so might fall at first hurdle like last year but nothing ventured as they say.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm going to have a try at this challenge. Not this weekend or probably the next looking at the forecast, so might fall at first hurdle like last year but nothing ventured as they say.

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!!

 

[wiggydiggy]

It's going to be a slow build up to my first 50 miler this year. Just getting close to 20 miles was an effort and I was knackered - am full of a cold though

 

[13 rider]

It's going to be a slow build up to my first 50 miler this year. Just getting close to 20 miles was an effort and I was knackered - am full of a cold though

Remember you only need 50km (31.07 miles) to kick off the challenge you can build up to 50 miles in the better weather

 

[wiggydiggy]

Remember you only need 50km (31.07 miles) to kick off the challenge you can build up to 50 miles in the better weather

What's a KM lol

I want to do the 50 miles, the last 2 January's I've kicked off the year with a 50 and want to keep that up.

I have a couple ideas for an 'easy' 50, one is a canal ride but it can be messy this time of year. The other is a longer version of a ride I did last year, get the train out to Hull and ride back, relatively flat and can be quiet.

 

[13 rider]

What's a KM lol

I want to do the 50 miles, the last 2 January's I've kicked off the year with a 50 and want to keep that up.

I have a couple ideas for an 'easy' 50, one is a canal ride but it can be messy this time of year. The other is a longer version of a ride I did last year, get the train out to Hull and ride back, relatively flat and can be quiet.

Credit to you for going for the Imperial half century 👍

 

[ColinJ]

What's a KM lol

It is a potassium mega!


(Vs km, kilometre)

 

[geocycle]

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.

 

[Jon George]

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!

 

[VinSumRox]

I'm in.

 

[13 rider]

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]

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

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.