How far could you ride?

I (re)started out riding to work. I was very overweight, but had been doing a bit of swimming so had a little CV fitness. Route to work was about 5.5 miles with a couple of small hills, and I was absolutely wrecked when I got there. Probably could have managed a little further, but I doubt I could have done more than 15 miles or so without being very tired and uncomfortable.

First ride was 8 miles when I got back in the saddle after a 7 year skive. 8 miles did me. Now do 45-50 on a bottle of dilute squash, and 21 to work a few days a week without any preparation at all. To think that the first few times I did this 21 miles I was full of trepidation about doing that distance, used to pack extra food & 2 bottles etc, now it just happens & I sort out work probs en route to pass the journey.

Did 50 miles yesterday after about 4 weeks of commuting over the last couple of months. 14 mile for 2 weeks and 20 mile for 2 weeks of the 4 in total, both figures for the round trip.

I was ok for distance yesterday but couldn't take too much more in the way of hills.

I did 35 miles a few weeks ago with no hills and was fine so it must have been the climbs that did me yesterday. London cycling doesn't prepare you very well. I have one "hill" on my commute that after yesterday seems like nothing.

I feel I could cruise along around 10-15mph all day but If I'm keeping it above 20mph after 30 mins I'm starting to feel it. You regroup quickly if you back off though.

Managed to do the 10 mile trip home from my current job in 30 mins through london with traffic lights etc last week, keeping in the high 20's and I was shattered after that so it just depends how fast you're going really.

I think if you take it at a steady pace your speed and endurance will naturally pick up. When you're used to how much energy you expend on a route you know how much to pick the pace up for an improvement without killing yourself.

Yeah I thought I was gonna win the tour de france after that or something but got severely humbled going both up and down hills yesterday.

Had a lot less in the legs going up and less in the heart going down than I thought.

35mph scared me, how some guys on here approach 50 I can't fathom at the moment.

Just returning after a 12 year gap and did 23 fairly hilly miles on Saturday (got beaten by one of the hills :oops: ).

My first bike ride as a kid involved going out a couple of days after getting my bike for Christmas with a couple of friends in normal clothes and riding 20 miles to Llangors Lake. By time we got there it was getting dark and had started snowing and we ended up ringing my mates dad for a lift! Also before cycling 'properly' me and a mate cycled to his Grandparents about 60 miles away in jeans etc. with rucksacks and clothes for a couple of days on our backs. I'm not sure when I started to get common sense!

Like fnegroni when I started cycling 12 months ago, 5 miles would set off my astma too.
Not actively cycled since my teens (pushing 44 now) and have only just gotten back into it in the last 12 months.
I cycled the Isle of Wight last weekend (74 miles and lots of hills) and didn't touch my inhaler once.
Average weekend ride is 40 - 45 miles though, 6 months ago 20 would have been my limit on my hybrid.

I've just got back riding after about 12 years since I used to commute 10 mile round trip. Did a 7 mile trip first and I was knackered but not had 5 more rides and did a 16 miler last weekend with no probs in under an hour. I have been working out and cross training for the last year so feel I was relatively fit but certainly not bike fit.
Kinda strange but I also used to hate the wind when cycliing but now I just see it as an extra challenge to my rides now, I'm lovin being back on a bike that much