Just watched the latest GCN episode whilst completing my recovery ride (Lazy Mountain).
A number of Strava statistics were discussed including the interesting one that apparently over 50% of people who rode bikes this last 12 months started as new cyclists in the last 2 years !?!
Anyway, they moved on to offer opinion that possibly the average ride time of just over an hour might mean this is the optimum ride length.
This got me thinking, what is my ‘perfect’ ride.
My answer was:
100kms length / 9am start / sunny weather but not too hot (June in the UK) / two good mates to ride with / circa 1500m of climbing / one coffee stop mid ride and one at the end with cake
100 km is a good distance. I agree on the mid-ride coffee stop (or two). I really like exploring, so a perfect ride for me is to go somewhere where I haven’t been before.
That feels like the answer you’d get from most people.
Certainly sounds like my perfect ride and the distance/elevation are what I aim for when I’m leading club rides. All I’d add is I’d like it to be chatty on the flats and pacy on the climbs (even though I’m a terrible climber).
Lots of different ones…for a road ride; long day in summer, sunshine, no wind, 20 C, 6am start so I’m in the middle of the Welsh hills when everybody else wakes up, solo, at least 100 miles, probably more.
I like long climbs, especially in remote locations and seeing nobody around.
My ideal ride would be on a mtb, a tough climb, starting at sea level and climbing up to 3000 m in my hometown. after 1500 m elevation seeing maybe 1-2 cars per hour. a wild river next to you, fear of coming across with wild animals especially in spring/early summer times. you are getting out of the civilization with every pedal.
Starting your ride at 20 °C on sea level and seeing below 5°C temperatures, storms and rain along the way. finally meeting with simple people in a small village, satisfying their curiosity, explaining that i am not a mad guy but just exploring, having all these nice and small talks
Of course not enough, a very well sleep on a floor bed and waking up very fresh for the next ride next day. completing a week like this completely remote from the world.
I did this several times and also planning for Jun 2022.
My ideal ride is a day with temp around 60-65F, 9am on a Sunday morning. and a solo ride of 70-80km which works out to 2.5 hours or so. No stopping. Just me and the bike on quiet country roads. The coffee stop rides I really do not care for.
Pictures from Kackar mountains, on the north east part of Turkey. Highest peak is around 3900 m. There are many villages above 2500 m and you can ride your bike in gravel terrain up to ~3200 m range.
I had a very near perfect ride this year, coincidentally. Mid July, lovely warm weather, no wind. 45 mile loop in Snowdonia with four mates (all very competent and fast cyclists). Mostly zone 2, a couple of good long climbs followed by fast descents. Cafe stop at the end, with a dip in Llanberis lake to cool off. Carlsberg level ride.
I’ve had this ride. 100km in the Peaks, 10am start (don’t like mornings - I will do it but it won’t form part of my perfect ride). Sunny but not too hot, not too windy (say 20 degrees ish UK). Some good climbs. Possibly a coffee stop. Finish at the cricket club for a nice cheap pint and watch a couple of hours of amateur cricket.
A group ride where the group could actually keep a zone 2 pace. I swear I have never been on a group ride that required anything less than 350w up any gradient…
So a proper chill zone 2 ride, nice weather (around 24c or so) and ending with a nice coffee at the end of the ride (don’t like mid ride stops)
My favorite is 60-70 miles with a group of 6-8 (even number required) where everyone is on the same page about pace and everyone is capable of doing some work. Typically country roads with some elevation, light breeze with 65-70 degree temps and glaring sunlight. I used to have a group that would do this weekly, but like all good things, they end eventually.
Hard to say I have a “perfect” ride. But some of my most memorable, in a good way, rides were 8-12 hours riding in the desert mountains in the winter near Palm Springs. All alone. IF (big IF) I saw anyone else, it was for a short period of time.
Haha, I have thought to myself that I should have done that myself multiple times, but since its been regular group rides I have just sucked it up, and promised myself to stop riding my endurance rides with other people… its a shame cause its really fun to ride with others
