240 miles in 9 hours.

Shavedlegs

All to often I open my mouth without engaging my brain.

I am now committed to attempting to ride 240 miles inside 9 hours, that's to my Dad's house and back. It's all for charity of course, but my sponsors will double their donation if I do it within the 9 hours, otherwise I have to double the sponorship myself.

I need some very hot training advice, (and my head seeing to) the ride won't be until March so I have a few months.

dennisn

My best advice is - get ready to pay double. Can't be done. And I'm not trying to sound like an *sshole. Just telling you that it can't be done. That's over 26 MPH not counting stops. I'd say you definitely have opened your mouth before engaging your brain. I'd say you're looking at closer to 14 hours, all things considered. AND you'd better be in SUPERB condition and have a support team to keep you going.

amaferanga

Is this a solo ride? What sort of speeds do you average at the moment on 100 mile plus rides?

will3

Are you allowed to draft something?
Do the 9 hours have to be consecutive?

leehellcat

Ouch, that's gotta hurt.
I hope in the nicest way your sponsorship isn't too high !

I guess the big questions are :
What are the roads like ?
How is your general fitness, can you do 9 hours in the saddle, in effectively a TT/Aero position ?
Are you mad ???

Best of luck, I could'nt even imagine achieving that kind of average speed for 2 hours, let alone 9 !

fnegroni

Alone? a dream.
Drafting? at least in group of 4, maybe. Get ready to pee without stopping, to eat without stopping, to go as fast as humanly possible on any downhill to make up for the uphills.
You would have to be in such a good condition, if you ever did it, you would be a pro and paid well.

blorg

I'm going to have to come out with a "no" here... just thinking of something to compare it with, Milan-San Remo is a relatively flat race, almost 100km shorter, and it only pips the average you need (43km/h) in modern times. And that is with a peoloton and drafting, etc.

Maybe closer- the UK 12-hour TT record was done at 40.5km/h, if you can do nine hours at 43km/h I would look at targetting that instead.

Can you use a motorbike?

bompington

Why 9 hours, that seems a bit random? You're looking at an average speed pretty similar to the TdF, maybe you need to get hold of some of the, err, training aids they use*...









*allegedly

dodgy

You've bitten off more than you can chew mate.

blorg

bompington wrote:

Why 9 hours, that seems a bit random? You're looking at an average speed pretty similar to the TdF, maybe you need to get hold of some of the, err, training aids they use*...

Apart from 'that' also worth bearing in mind in the TdF they have pelotons and there are no 386km stages (any more.)

Need more details on the "rules" as it were but to be honest even in the most favourable conditions (done in stages in a team?) it would be bloody tough.

TommyEss

I'm going to go with categorically no - but if you do, I'd get in touch with British Cycling - it's the World Championships next week...!

Bronzie

This is what you need



8)

Percy Vera

I would get your dad to move house before March next year, maybe to within 60 miles of you.

Frank the tank

Got to go with the previous comments, no chance unless it's all downhill with a tailwind in a very large group on a bike with a largish engine in it.

Whatever possesed you to come up with a challenge so rediculously tough it's unachievable thus pointless, you may aswell have got sponsored to fly to the moon my owd.

Shavedlegs

It all sprang from the idea of cycling to my Dad's and getting back in time to pick up the children. Hence the 9 hours.
Due to family circumstances I also want to do a charity ride, (pm me for the sob story) but not one I already knew I could probably complete.
The argument\discussion and the charity idea blurred into the challenge.
I actually thought it was 200miles at the time.
A dry run of half distance is on next weekend, which will tell me a lot. I've never done a 100mile TT so as for what I'm capable off at the moment I have no idea. I suspect it is going to hurt.

To clarify the odd point.
I will be on a TT bike, but no drafting is allowed. And to make it worse I have to negotiate London which will knock the average time. I'm already saving up for doubling the sponsorship.

I believe it is possible, just may be not by me. However I'd like to get close to prove my point. I'll be putting together a 'Just Giving' page nearer the date should anyone be interested.

In the mean time I will show Dad some property details in Reading.

Thanks for the support I think.

Frank the tank

All the very best with your endevour mate.

dennisn

In 2008 Orlando Borini(Italy) set a world 12 hour road ride record of 287.5 miles. This equates to about 23 MPH average. Don't set yourself up for failure. Rethink this whole 9 hour idea, as it is not possible. Without actually knowing you and your abilities I would still guess about 14 hours. IF you can actually keep pedaling that long.

nolf

Shavedlegs wrote:

I believe it is possible, just may be not by me. However I'd like to get close to prove my point. I'll be putting together a 'Just Giving' page nearer the date should anyone be interested.

Thanks for the support I think.

I'm not convinced it's acheivable by anyone... especially through London.

Isn't the 12hr UK record atm around 300 miles? So in 9 hours that would get you close, but thats with a heck of a lot of support, no traffic, no waiting at lights, masses of training and natural athletic ability.

If you think of a standard 120 mile sportive, and think of doing that in 4 and a half hours...
Not sure anyone is yet to do that.

Would be possible for a professional team who worked very well together and were really racing for it. Also with no traffic and team cars supplying food.

holmeboy

Use energy gels, don't get dehydrated, cycle in a high cadence,spend about 5 grand on a bike, avoid any hard climbs (in fact plan the route all down hill), train on a turbo hard for an hour easy for 5 mins for at least 8 hours, definitly use epo, practise your most aerodynamic position on your bike, oh and put a wacking great engine on your bike, 250cc may do! i'd come with you but I'd only hold you back. Did I mention cycle with a strong tail wind.

mrushton

That's a 400km audax distance, so ask the various audaxers what their times are for 400km. You could try a couple of 200km and a 300km audax to see how you get on.

amaferanga

It's good that you're planning something challenging for charity - one the rare occasion that I do sponsor people its for things that I know they have put a LOT of time and effort into planning and training, but there still remains a very real chance they will fail.

In this case though, if you aim for 9 hours you will fail so its kind of pointless! From your first post I figured you may be a pretty accomplished cyclist, but now it doesn't sound like you are (don't mean that in a bad way).

If I were you I'd be aiming for 12 hours - averaging 20mph including stops for food, peeing, traffic, etc. is still going to be tough, but its still achievable for your average cyclist with a lot of focused training.

Percy Vera

I think he's got the message now.
In fact he probably got the message from the first reply

BeaconRuth

Andy Wilkinson, regarded as one of the best long-distance riders we've ever had in this country, has just broken comp record for 12 hours with a little over 300 miles. So 25mph for 12 hours. And you are asking whether it's possible to ride at 26.7mph for 9 hours, including going through traffic in London?

Ruth

Shavedlegs

I've been Googling.

The road record for London to Bath and back is about 9 hours.

I'm trying to get the bet changed to that, as it close to my Dad's so in the heart of the original idea. Plus the distance is now 'only' 220 miles. Also I wouldn't mind having a record!

I do 10mile TT's in under 20mins and 25m TT's in under an hour at the moment. So I'm not hopeless. Surely there is a chance that with bloody mindless dedication I can do this.

Ruth, I don't suppose you coach Andy Wilkinson? I may be coming to you for expert advice. If you think it is worth it.

Percy Vera

If you can do a 10 in under 20, surely you can do a 25 a lot faster than under an hour?? :?

Shavedlegs

Yep.
I was just giving general figures. As all courses differ, plus different conditions etc. And these seem to be the bench mark times.

I'm no stranger to hard efforts but only up to an hour.

Percy Vera

You've got me curious now. Where have you done a 10 in under 20mins?

freehub

Do a 100 mile TT first, just because you can do under 20mins for a 10 mile tt which is awesome I'd not start thinking, well... if I can do this, and if I can do a 25mile TT under 1 hour, then I must be able to do 240miles in 9 hours.

Don't think you'll do it, sounds like you've not trained for these events so there is no point in attempting it, it's as bad as me saying I'll go and do a 400 miles none stop ride tomorrow, I've never trained for something that long, I'd struggle. You can't just think well oh I'm going to go and break a record and then do it, unless you are super confident.



I found this interesting though:

"The record for cycling from Land's End to John o' Groats is held by Andy Wilkinson, who completed the journey in 41 hours, 4 minutes and 22 seconds on a Windcheetah recumbent tricycle."

Bronzie

freehub wrote:

on a Windcheetah recumbent tricycle."

What I said on the previous page

The 12-hour record for a fully-faired recumbent is 352 miles => 264 miles over 9 hours!
http://www.ihpva.org/hpvarec3.htm#nom29

Not sure how you'll find the handling in London traffic mind you

freehub

I was on about a different record though

Anyway, are those things allot faster than a normal road bike? like if you had a headwind and you'd be doing 15mph on a road bike would it be like 22 on one of those?

vorsprung

To do this feat (220miles in 9 hours) you would have to average 1h1m20s per 25 miles for the whole 9 hours

I recently did a 450km ride, it took me 21:30 time while moving or 25 hours including stops
istr my best time for a 400km is 22 hours including stops. But audax riding isn't about speed

To stand a chance of doing this we will first assume that you are a national level time trialist capable of doing 24.4444 mph for 9 hours

The problems are then

1) finding a route that isn't gummed with cars or that climbs many hills
You might like to contact Manchester Wheelers and see if anyone is still around who was involved with PJ Woodburns record ride in 1981. Maybe some of the route is still usable...

2) keeping your body fueled
You will need to organise a number of helpers with feed stops or a chase car or maybe both

3) as it is an "out and back" course you cannot depend on a favourable tailwind
You will have to wait for a day when there is little or no wind