Three 30-minute rides each week of the year 2026 challenge

[bluenotebob]

Slightly easier for retired folk of

It is much easier to find the time (or at least, it should be) if you've stopped working.

What I'd also say is that it really helps to have a range of bikes at your disposal. I'm sure that @13 rider would have sailed through this challenge but without an MTB (or any bike with fat tyres) he came unstuck in freezing conditions and (quite rightly) didn't risk his road bike when there was ice all day (in January, I think).

It's one to think about for the future @sevenfourate - most of the year it's a doddle.

I had to leave the challenge earlier this month because of a combination of illness and really poor weather. But I'd kept it going for nearly 4.5 years so it wasn't too much of a let-down when I eventually failed.

 

[FrothNinja]

This thread sparked my train of thought / interest quite some time ago. And I’m under no illusion how difficult this would be. For me. And many others by so few takers ?

On paper: 3 qualifying rides a week seems an achievable; almost trivial task. And in decent weather and months of long daylight days that would be straightforward. And a lot of fun.

But - I typically work 50+ hours a week. (at work 6am until 4.30pm). Throw in travel, eating, a bath now and again, an early daily dog-walk - and maybe even some food and sleep….where would I fit in a couple of weekday rides semi-easily ? It would likely have to be 7pm+ at night. In February when it’s pitch black, freezing cold and lashing it down ? Sounds lush.

And if these cold, wet conditions were to be my rides: then there would certainly be cleaning, lubrication and maintenance to be done around those. So a ‘simple’ 1/2 hour ride could be as much as 1.5 hours (?) time invested with changing, riding, cleaning etc, a shower if wet and soaked ,changing back again blah blah.

Where in the heck am I going to fit that into a day that’s already got perhaps 16 hours accounted for………without killing myself ? *That’s what weekends are for ?

Slightly easier for retired folk of course. But still no small task - and anyone who manages this for a full year has gone to Herculean effort and given up plenty of other things at some point. Kudos say i 💪

I only work between 3 and 5 days a week - sometimes up to 7 in summer. Finding the time is tricky and the toughest thing is stepping out the door for half an hour in grotty weather. I do almost all my local miles (majority of my qualifying rides) on a 1980s 5 speed Centurion, which tends to be left to drip dry then the worst brushed off when dry. I use wet weather chain goob on it but only needs doing every other week.
I have been using the other bikes for getting to site when I have to work away from home.

 

[FrothNinja]

W22R1 - 44 minutes - Thurs - local miles around Deansgate etc in Manchester
W22R2 - 38 minutes - Fri - local miles
W22R3 - 3 hours 0 minutes - Sat - L&L Pike Hill, Red Lees, Worsthorne, Thursden, Haggate, Coldwell, Trawden Laneshaw Bridge, Nonya Ford, Cob Lane, Skipton Old Rd, Foulridge, L&L, Steve Burke cycle track, Nelson greenway, Burnley (total 38.2 miles / 61.5 km, plus 1,078 m / 3,540 ft ascent)

Victoria Stn, Manchester - rather taken with this tile map. The ferries have changed quite a bit since then.

 

[Jon George]

WK22
26th 165mins Rushmere – Kesgrave – Foxhall – Bucklesham – Kirton – Falkenham – Trimleys – Felixstowe – Trimleys – Bucklesham – Nacton
29th 50mins and 35mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s + Ride around town
30th 90mins Bridleways in Kesgrave, Playford and Tuddenham
31st 85mins High jinx around town on my LIOS Fixed Gear and out to Westerfield

From my ride on the 30th.
Rushmere St Andrew.

 

[FrothNinja]

Did a 50 miler today trying to avoid hills - lots of passing through towns etc and had the rain in my face most of the way. Really thumped down for the last hour. Neck gone all 'crunchy' again and was feeling rough as guts by the time I finished and been feeling lightheaded again.
Think I will only being doing 3 rides this week. Forecast is filthy so its a good week to take it easy.
Hopefully I will get to watch the ladies at the Giro and some of the TT action. Reminds me, I need to get one of my motorbikes back on the road - maybe one of the smaller ones.

 

[Jon George]

WK 23
Mon 1st 155 mins Rushmere – Kesgrave – Foxhall – Bucklesham – Kirton – Falkenham – Trimleys – Felixstowe – Trimleys – Bucklesham – Nacton
Tues 2nd 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
Weds 3rd 60 mins Around town
Fri 5th 50 mins & 90 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s + Train to Felixstowe and ride back
Sat 60 mins Around town
Sun 90 mins Around town and Westerfield

What the weather was like in Felixstowe on Friday.

 

[FrothNinja]

W23R1 - 4 hours 23 minutes - Mon - Brierfield, Rishton, Blackburn, Preston, Blackburn, Rishton, Colne (total 52.5 miles / 84.5 km, plus 557m / 1,825ft)
W23R2 - 2 hours 4 minutes - Tues - evening Brierfield to Clitheroe return
W23R3 - 33 minutes - Fri - local miles
W23R4 - 35 minutes - Sun - local miles. Weather better than expected so I should have ridden to the Clarion House for Clarion Sunday...

From Friday

 

[Jon George]

WK 24
Tues 9th 65mins? Woodbridge (Train back)
Thursday 11th 60 mins Around Felixstowe and Trimley
Friday 12th 110 mins Around Felixstowe and Trimley
Sat 13th 105 mins Bucklesham – Kirton – Trimley – Levington
Sun 14th 75 mins Around town and Westerfield

Had some clouds chasing me on Tuesday.

 

[FrothNinja]

W24R1 - 1 hours 13 minutes - Mon - Fusion commute
W24R2 - 42 minutes - Tues - Fusion commute, shortest possible route in rush hour rain
W24R3 - 3 hours 29 minutes - Thurs - Labyrinthine route taking in Burlnley, Colne, and many points between and in peripheries doing various chores and visiting peeps. An accidental half century! (total 31.5 miles / 50.7 km, plus 581m / 1,906ft)
W24R4 - 1 hour 23 minutes - Sun - Clarion loop

Harris Museum, Preston

 

[FrothNinja]

W25R1- 35 minutes - local miles
W25R2 - 1 hours 3 minutes - Tues - Fusion commute
W25R3 - 52 minutes - Weds - Shap to Tebay
W25R4 - 1 hours 7 minutes - Thurs - Fusion commute
W25R5 - 41 minutes - Sat - local miles

From Thursday

 

[Jon George]

Wk25
15th 95mins Bucklesham – Trimley – Levington – Sainsbury’s
16th 60 mins Levington Creek
17th 50 mins Nacton Via Gainsborough Road and Ravenswood - Sainsbury’s
18th 90 mins Rushmere – Westerfield – around town
19th 115 mins Westerfield – Witnesham – Swilland – Gibraltar – Otley – Grundisburgh – Great Bealings (Quizzing)
20th 70 mins Bridleways around Kesgrave and Rushmere Golf Course
21st 90 mins Around town and Westerfield

At Levington Creek. (I did not ride that path. )