# Breaking point



## wesb321 (Oct 1, 2011)

Has anyone ridden or know a story of someone finding their breaking point on a bike? By somebody I mean somebody in the "endurance riding" club, a veteran for example and not a first year rider for example. I have pushed it to 200 miles before and know some here have pushed it past that. Last I looked the 12 hour record was something like 278 miles. I think there are RAAM people going 400 miles before stopping? 


What is the furthest you have ridden? Tell me the story!


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## bikewriter (Sep 2, 2002)

I crewed for Danny Chew in RAAM, and after witnessing what those accomplished athletes did on a bike my definition of a breaking point is a little bit off.


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## wesb321 (Oct 1, 2011)

bikewriter said:


> I crewed for Danny Chew in RAAM, and after witnessing what those accomplished athletes did on a bike my definition of a breaking point is a little bit off.





Tell us more!


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## Oldermileeater (Jan 6, 2013)

I'll wake up the thread:

I am NOT a newbie. 40 years riding. Some fairly long term hiatuses from riding because of other activities I have been involved in (extreme sports). Recent years, a TON of riding due to way too much time on my hands.

"Breaking Point" - distance ridden before stopping can be defined in different ways.

Not stopping at all - eating and drinking on the bike, and no pit stops for 'nature's call': For me personally, that's just over 100 miles, which was about 6 hours in the saddle. I am sure this is way surpassed by others who are just avid riders like me (not pro), but I'll say it felt good to be off the bike for 15 minutes after that.

For the category of riding until I had to quit for more than a half hour to an hour (which is more than enough time for your legs to 'cool down' to the point you have to spend some time to re-awake them, which in some cases is not worth it): For me I have two answers for this:

My best calendar day (midnight to midnight / 24 hour) total is 315 miles which is a relatively slow average. My second answer is that on this same ride, I did not stop for any substantial rest or sleep until I had ridden 32 hours. My total miles came to 400. I wanted to do a Triple-Century within 24 hours and set a personal calenday day record for myself, and I also wanted to do a Quadruple-Century without substantial rest or sleep. I wanted to sleep for about a week or so, but managed 10 hours. Took a few days for me to be 100% after that.

This was done on the secondary highways and roads between Bedford County, Virginia and New York City, New York. These are road miles (not track) with more than half the distance being rolling hills and some substantial climbing. It might be interesting to see what I can do on all flat terrain, but with the route I mentioned above, my physical breaking point (the 'brick wall') came at my Quadruple-Century goal. Staying awake was not the problem (I have gone days without sleep). The legs just said 'quitting time'. Maybe it was psychological because I knew I made the 400.

I keep asking myself how some have done 500+ ROAD miles in 24 hours, what terrain they were riding, and what other planet they must have come from.


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## wesb321 (Oct 1, 2011)

Oldermileeater said:


> I'll wake up the thread:
> 
> I am NOT a newbie. 40 years riding. Some fairly long term hiatuses from riding because of other activities I have been involved in (extreme sports). Recent years, a TON of riding due to way too much time on my hands.
> 
> ...


Man you rock! I love it but you don't say what your motivation was to push your limits. I had just ever stopped at 200 but did have the dream to go for one of those 12 or 24 hour distance records once upon a time. Terrain, equipment and wind etc.. factored in I could come close but not near close enough to stay above 20 mph for 12-24 hours. So that and people telling me that distance doesn't help you get any faster I chilled out and keep it down to 100 these days.


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## Oldermileeater (Jan 6, 2013)

wesb321 said:


> Man you rock! I love it but you don't say what your motivation was to push your limits. I had just ever stopped at 200 but did have the dream to go for one of those 12 or 24 hour distance records once upon a time. Terrain, equipment and wind etc.. factored in I could come close but not near close enough to stay above 20 mph for 12-24 hours. So that and people telling me that distance doesn't help you get any faster I chilled out and keep it down to 100 these days.


Thanks, but with the 'book' I already wrote, I figured I better leave out the motivation. But since you ask....


Since I was a kid, I have always had a love for long distance / duration rides. At 13, I was going on 40 and 50 mile day rides on my Schwinn (single gear 24 inch wheels) while the other kids were just riding around the neighborhood. Even back then, a bike meant a place to go - farther than you can walk. Some have said 'long distance riding gets in the blood'. I am inclined to agree.


So I guess my motivation (other than masochisim - LOL - just kidding) is to just go farther. To test my body, and ask more of it when it seems I can't go any further. Just to go one more mile, and say the same thing after that mile has passed. This motivation come from others who are (or have been) long distance / duration riders One of my favorites is Tommy Godwin who in 1939 set the 1 year distance record of 75,065 miles and continued on into 1940 to complete 100,000 miles in 500 days. So it's also other riders who have encouraged me to push my limits.

To respond to a couple of other things:

I may have mis-understood when you mention maintaining 20 MPH for 12 - 24 hours. I don't know if you were referring to me and my miles, but that kind of speed is not required for what I did. When I completed the goal of the triple century within 24 hours and to set my personal 24 hour record, I went through 24 hours with a 13.125 MPH average speed - completing the 300 miles 15 minutes before midnight (15 minutes early). 300 miles in 24 hours only requires an average speed of 12.5 MPH, which is what my average speed was after 32 hours and 400 miles. For the most part, I was riding at 15 - 18 MPH - taking my time and conserving energy. Up grades of say 6%, I slowed to 12 or so. Down grades, I generally coasted or kept little tension on the drive train and would hit 30 or so MPH.

This takes me to saying (from my personal experience) that long distance riding does not necessarily make you faster. I think it more makes you stronger where the duration is concerned. Sure, I do like to ride fast (and I do on rides of under 70 miles or so). I am not the best sprinter (not on the out of date heavy behemouth I am riding), but on level ground, I can get 35 - 40 MPH for a short time. Descending mountain roads near here on 12% grades, it's not un-usual for me to go 50 - 60 MPH when in a good aero tuck. But over-all, I have to agree that long distance / duration riders are different than riders focused on speed - and vice versa. Others may disagree, but I agree that 'distance doesn't help you get any faster'.

At any rate, 'keeping it down to 100' is still a good ride. Century rides are nothing to sneeze at, and I probably could not keep up with you when it comes to speed riding.

I guess I just wrote Volume II - sorry about that  .


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## wesb321 (Oct 1, 2011)

"I may have mis-understood when you mention maintaining 20 MPH for 12 - 24 hours. I don't know if you were referring to me and my miles, but that kind of speed is not required for what I did. When I completed the goal of the triple century within 24 hours and to set my personal 24 hour record, I went through 24 hours with a 13.125 MPH average speed - completing the 300 miles 15 minutes before midnight (15 minutes early). 300 miles in 24 hours only requires an average speed of 12.5 MPH, which is what my average speed was after 32 hours and 400 miles. For the most part, I was riding at 15 - 18 MPH - taking my time and conserving energy. Up grades of say 6%, I slowed to 12 or so. Down grades, I generally coasted or kept little tension on the drive train and would hit 30 or so MPH."





Oh I was referring to the averages the record breakers need to maintain during their events. I don't have the math in front of me but if memory serves I had figured I couldn't ever let myself drop below something like a 21-24mph average in 220 miles to be on par with the gods. I could probably practice up and handle the old 12 hour record that was done in Arkansas. The bar is so high now it's beyond my comprehension haha!

Thanks for sharing your books!


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## N184PM (Sep 11, 2011)

I agree, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Saturday I try my first 400k Brevet. Good time for this thread to wake up.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

N184PM said:


> Saturday I try my first 400k Brevet. Good time for this thread to wake up.


SFR Hopland 400? Have fun, ride safe, and good luck! I`m going for my first 400 the following Saturday with DBC


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## N184PM (Sep 11, 2011)

Thanks and good luck to you. I did my first 300k with DBC three weeks ago.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Cool, me too! 
Here`s to the wind gods cutting us both a little more slack this time around. Are you planning to ride a 600 this year? I`m sitting that one out, maybe try it next time around.


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## N184PM (Sep 11, 2011)

I just looked at the forecast for Saturday. In in spots on the route "up to 33 knots" crap! Oh we'll, it is what it is. I don't know about the 600. I would like to and I never thought I'd get this far so soon, I'm an old fat guy just trying to get in shape. If I can keep going I will. Goal is PBP in 2015. But we'll see how it goes.
I drove through Davis last weekend. It was windy. I hope you get a break next week.


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## Oldermileeater (Jan 6, 2013)

wesb321 said:


> Oh I was referring to the averages the record breakers need to maintain during their events. I don't have the math in front of me but if memory serves I had figured I couldn't ever let myself drop below something like a 21-24mph average in 220 miles to be on par with the gods. I could probably practice up and handle the old 12 hour record that was done in Arkansas. The bar is so high now it's beyond my comprehension haha!
> 
> Thanks for sharing your books!


Understood. No way I'd even consider myself any where near the caliber those riders are. I personally know a few who'd be 300+ miles away when I reach 200 after we start at the same time (I try to figure out what planet they are from too - LOL). We all have different breaking points. I like to ride, but sometimes I have that little bug to push the limits.

The idea this thread has is a cool one, and I hope others will chime in and tell of what motivates them to push the limits and tell of where they found their breaking point. Sometimes talking about it inspires others, and inspires ourselves to try to add a few percent.

No 'book' this time  .

Happy riding, and stay safe.


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