Do you take breaks on a ride

gareth2134

Just done another 100 miler on the weekend loads of headwind prob 6 mph

Lots of uphill highest being 25% gradiant

I mentioned this on a thread lastweek but I did horse shoe pass again it's a constant 1367ft climb for 2 mile highest gradiant on it is 20% lowest prob 8% and I had a headwind on it.

I did the whole days riding with 2 breaks for 10-15 mins each and had an average of only 15.7 this time due to headwind being constant as lastweek i hit 16.1.

Does anyone have a break over the 100 milers or do you just go for it the whole way.

Matt the Tester

if im riding by myself i dont take break but i tend to ease up if im with people lol.

my club stops on a sunday usually to have some dinner and let the little kids rest

furrag

I hate stopping. Whether I'm running or cycling. Even walking around to flush out any accumulated lactate, when I set off again my legs still feel heavier. More off-putting though is my abs tend to tighten up too, but that's probably just social anxiety given I'm a reclusive misanthropist at heart.

gareth2134

To be honest the more and more im riding and as crazy as this sounds im starting to think cycling mite be easier without the rest because as stated above my legs feel like led once i start again and takes a while to get back into the pace.

and when we take these breaks we dont actually need them we just set out scheduled stop area and we stop but i think we would be fine carrying on if we had to.

Brian B

I do not really stop on big runs. On Friday did a hilly 100miles and only stopped to pop into a shop to buy some powerade and the occassional pee stop.

Dont really stop for breaks but if on my own I often stop to look at scenic views - a sort of micro break.

I usually even eat on the move but again if on my own I dont get hung up on times or average mph and stop if I want to. But talking a few minutes at most as I dont like to to stop for any length of time incase I get stiff legs.

NWLondoner

I don't really enjoy stopping. Ok a couple of minutes to gulp down a gel or catch a breather after a climb is fine but any longer and my body just cools down too much.

fnegroni

Same here.
It is the one thing stopping me from joining Sunday club rides.
Ok on social rides...

masterchef

as steady rider said:) if im riding by myself il only take a break if im doing 60+ miles! but n a club run we stop for dinner and what not for the little kids to rest their weary legs lmao! personally i hate stopping if where doing less than 60miles! lol

anto164

The only time i stop is when i feel like i've held up the traffic long enough on a long climb where people can't overtake me due the the road, and oncoming traffic (When i get to the top), or if i take a phonecall, or to look at something.

I hate stopping on the bike, if i feel tired, i drop the pace and use some of the big rings on the back to spin with little load.

When i got the bike 7 weeks ago, i had to stop after 10 miles, because i was pooped, but i've done near to 40 miles now without stopping, and still having energy to get up to 27mph on the flat road leading up to my house.

I don't mind stopping if i'm out with a mate or two, because it's not just about pushing ourselves, but it's social also, but i prefer to keep going if i'm on my own..

dag_on_a_bike

I prefer not to take breaks but...due to 'issues' I am forced to take frequent natural breaks - relieving myself while moving a la professionals just doesn't seem right.

Hals1967

I don't mind taking a short break to enjoy scenery and such, as others have said it's often the cooling effect of stopping for too long that can be a hinderance.

I hate enforced stops though, ie: traffic and railway crossings etc.

At the end of the day, its up to the individual. Sometimes a ride on a great route with nice scenery on a lovely day just screams out for a short break to enjoy the moment.

JSB24

Personally, I hate stopping. This is one of the reasons why I have decided not to go out on that many clubs runs and instead go out with guys on a very similar level. On long rides, the only time ive stopped, apart from the obvious, is to fill up with drinks from a local shop etc.

Flasheart

The end of a Sunday 60 miler my buddy & I usually stop for a beer & a chat . It's normally withing 6-7 miles from home and it gives us time to catch up on stuff 8)

dennisn

Only for the necessities of life. Water, food, pee. I may sit down for a few minutes while I eat, but it's usually right back at it. Someone once told me, in my bodybuilder wannabe days, that whatever you do, get into the gym, get the workout in, get out of the gym.
He was trying to tell me to NOT become a gym rat. Someone who spends hours on end in the gym and gets very little accomplished. And believe me, there are plenty of people like that. Keep moving, get it done, get home.

rolf_f

dennisn wrote:

He was trying to tell me to NOT become a gym rat. Someone who spends hours on end in the gym and gets very little accomplished. And believe me, there are plenty of people like that. Keep moving, get it done, get home.

A bit different to what is being said here. I don't think anyone is actually cycling up the hill outside their house, admiring the view for an hour and coming back down the hill pleased at a good hour and five minutes hard exercise!

If you are doing a hundred miles, you are doing a hundred miles whether or not you have the odd breather.

dennisn

Rolf F wrote:

dennisn wrote:

He was trying to tell me to NOT become a gym rat. Someone who spends hours on end in the gym and gets very little accomplished. And believe me, there are plenty of people like that. Keep moving, get it done, get home.

A bit different to what is being said here. I don't think anyone is actually cycling up the hill outside their house, admiring the view for an hour and coming back down the hill pleased at a good hour and five minutes hard exercise!

If you are doing a hundred miles, you are doing a hundred miles whether or not you have the odd breather.

I wasn't really talking about the "odd breather" that we all take. More about the quality of training. Don't spend a lot of time, during a ride, doing nothing but sitting around socializing if your goals are to become a faster, stronger, rider. Get the training in, get home, THEN worry about your social life. You'll have more time for it and more time to relax / rest.

Flasheart

I don't actually own a car anymore, so riding my bike is my only transport other than my feet. The ride I have with my cycling buddy is about the only time we get to see each other each week as he, unlike me still has a wife and kids waiting for him when he gets in the door, and they require his presence more than me.
So we have our "cakestop (read beer) near the end of our ride.

Bunneh

I tend to have the occasional break when I'm on my own but it's not due to be knackered it's to look at the views. I can push myself to the limit then slow and recover very quickly, then I'm off again. If I stop too long I seize up and find it hard to get going again, so any stop is a limited one for less than 2 minutes.

Oh and I'm also stopping to paranoidly (new word?) check my back tyre for it going down :roll:

Flasheart

Well with you're fat @rse on the bike Dave, that's not paranoia..that's good sense

carl_p

I posted an exact same thread almost a month back and got almost unanimous "I hate stopping" responses, which I have to admit surprised me at the time. It also seems slightly ironic that it's on the club runs where the stops are the longest and people who ride solo never stop.

I now try to go round non stop, or at least keep the stops to an absolute minumum and have found that it helps not to break the rythm or let muscles get a bit stiff. I also get home a bit earlier, which pleases 'er indoors.

crimsondynamo

ok, I'll be the odd man out.

On my solo 100m loop I stop at 30m for a 5min stretch (Innerleithen), at 55m for 20 min lunch (Broughton) and finally at 70m for 10m snack/water/stretch/quiet reflection (war memorial at Carnwath). The final 30m are fairly straight with prevailing wind behind me.

But then, I'm not training for anything, it's purely recreational. I'm a tourer in racers' cothing aka all the gear, no idea.

MrChuck

I don't do 100 milers on my own- 60 is about my maximum for solo rides- but usually I don't stop except for pee breaks.
That said, it was such a lovely morning on Sunday I did stop and take it all in a few times.

freehub

If I am on my own, I tend to take minimal breaks, they only end up killing my performance.

RobG100

Anything under 50 miles I would not stop, ever. No excuse for a toilet break for that type of distance, go before you leave the house. I would only stop for an emergency, even If I bonked completely, I would just keep going slowly. To me, needing to stop is a bit like failure, and after stopping, I would find it hard to get my rhythm going again.

On longer rides, I would stop, but for a while, such as 30mins for lunch. None of this 5mins break faff.

MrChuck

RobG100 wrote:

Anything under 50 miles I would not stop, ever. No excuse for a toilet break for that type of distance, go before you leave the house. I would only stop for an emergency, even If I bonked completely, I would just keep going slowly. To me, needing to stop is a bit like failure, and after stopping, I would find it hard to get my rhythm going again.

On longer rides, I would stop, but for a while, such as 30mins for lunch. None of this 5mins break faff.

I think I'd find it very hard to get going again after 30 mins and a proper lunch!

rogerthecat

I find them usefull when going downhill

nolf

rogerthecat wrote:

I find them usefull when going downhill

Wahey, was waiting for that joke.

3 hours or less, no stop (fairly fast pace, so 50-60 miles hills dependant).

More than 3 hours I do quick shop stops. Don't want to carry litres of water with me, and in this heat I get through about 3-500mls n hour. 1.25 litres gets me through 3 hours, then a water fillup, can of coke, and any more food (possibly stop to eat a bag of crisps as well).

Now my exams have finished I do have a bit more time now. My favourite is doing a hard 100km, then taking a coffee break for espresso and chatting, then the flat 15 mile roll home. Good 100k block, and a bit more social.

Tom Butcher

Depends on the ride. If I'm out for an easy ride then I might stop at a cafe after 15 miles, have a chat, read the papers, ride home. Generally though if I'm out on my own I wont stop except maybe to get a drink.

The_Beast

I just have a quick couple of minutes to grab a fuel bar from the saddle bag and enjoy the view, nothing wrong with a quick stop.

twotyred

Longest ride I'll do on my own is about 75 miles and I'll stop once for about 5 mins to have a pee and something to eat. For shorter rides I don't stop. I like the social aspect of group rides but I'm getting more and more fed up with all the stops that seem to go with them.

Roscobob

I don't take breaks but my mates do. Normally at the top of hills waiting for me to catch up