Longest bike ride I've ever done yesterday afternoon!

[Bettis]

First time for me on this area of the board but I felt like bragging a little.  I got a mountain bike 2 Xmas ago from my wife but haven't put much mileage on it.  There is a great bike trail not far from me (Blackstone River Greenway if you're a southern New Englander) and I've done a 12 mile roundtrip a few times which I figured was my limit.  Yesterday I had the urge to start at the northern most leg in RI instead of the second most.  I gave myself the out that I don't have to do any set amount but biking makes it easy to forget about why you're in a bad mood.  It was going pretty well and I made it to the end I usually turn at (9 miles instead of 6).  I took a 2 minute break to rest my ass and move the legs around and took back off.  The 9 coming back got real tough, especially the last 6 but I took my time and didn't stop.  My legs(and ass) are pretty sore but it felt great finishing 18 miles.

1st 9 mi. ~ 47min
2nd 9 mi. ~ 54 min
Total 1:40:43

Not sure how good that is but since I'm a newbie with a heavyish mountain bike, I think I kicked some serious ass.  Even though I'm still in pain, I can't wait to try it again and improve my time a little.

[Carolina on My Mind]

Good for you!  For comparison's sake, I started biking several years ago on a mountain bike, and a really long ride for me was 18 or 20 miles.  At some point I bought a new, faster bike -- not a fancy road bike or anything, just a comparatively sleek hybrid -- and the guy at the bike shop said to me, "If you've been doing 20 miles on that thing [my mountain bike], you'll be able to do a century on this one!"  So I think your 18-mile ride is pretty darned impressive.

[CmFtns]

I have a road bike albeit it's a fairly cheap one but anywhere above 20 miles and my legs are pretty noodley when I get home so that's quite a treck for someone who doesn't ride a lot.

Going to start making that a bi-weekly thing? =)

[Bettis]

Thanks for laying out the challenge!  I will make it bi-weekly for now and if I can handle it, I'll try for weekly.  My bike was fairly cheap ($300 I think) and it's not a name brand I've ever heard of (Kenneth Cole Reaction - I've seen backpacks with that name on it) so I sort of wish I could have picked it out but it was a gift from my wife so no complaints. 

[Faraday]

Thanks for laying out the challenge!  I will make it bi-weekly for now and if I can handle it, I'll try for weekly.  My bike was fairly cheap ($300 I think) and it's not a name brand I've ever heard of (Kenneth Cole Reaction - I've seen backpacks with that name on it) so I sort of wish I could have picked it out but it was a gift from my wife so no complaints.

Is it this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Kenneth-Cole-REACTION-RJHBS-Reaction/dp/B004ZI7RRW

Not a bad bike at all. Look at it this way: you would need to more-than-double what you spent to upgrade the bike to a truly significant level. For the riding you are doing, it's fine. Those tires are good for lower rolling resistance compared to MTB knobbies. The steel frame is durable and can take a lot of punishment.

And...if you ever wanted to convert it to an ebike....it's a fairly decent candidate for that: those steel rear dropouts can accomodate a nice, meaty hubmotor and torque arms. Plenty of room in the main triangle for lithium batteries. Big, roomy flat bar for lights, switches and throttle.

[Bettis]

You lost me with the tech talk :-p but that looks pretty close to my bike.  I wouldn't have wanted to spend double so I suppose it's alright.  I was hoping for one like my old racing bike(70's Rampar) with the skinny tires since I don't do bumpy riding.  I do have little issues with the gears not changing smoothly but I have to learn proper maintenance and educate myself better.  I've only lubed the chain recently but done nothing else to it.  The front brakes don't seem to really work well and I've barely used them but at least on this trail, I barely have to use brakes at all.  I need some in person bike buddies lol. 

[FLBiker]

I'm a big fan of cheap MTBs.  Basically, what I look for is aluminum frame (for weight), no suspension (also for weight).  Unless I'm going to do some serious rock hopping, I don't find suspensions to be worth it.  I ride a Gary Fisher Mako.  I commute with it (mostly on road) and I've also done a fair amount of bike touring on similar bikes.  I don't think I'm gentle enough for a road bike -- I've broken pedals off, and even a crankshaft, just commuting.

And I love those sorts of bike trails.  Down here in FL we've got a bunch of "rails to trails" that provide miles and miles of uninterrupted biking.  Good stuff!

[Papa Mustache]

First time for me on this area of the board but I felt like bragging a little.  I got a mountain bike 2 Xmas ago from my wife but haven't put much mileage on it.  There is a great bike trail not far from me (Blackstone River Greenway if you're a southern New Englander) and I've done a 12 mile roundtrip a few times which I figured was my limit.  Yesterday I had the urge to start at the northern most leg in RI instead of the second most.  I gave myself the out that I don't have to do any set amount but biking makes it easy to forget about why you're in a bad mood.  It was going pretty well and I made it to the end I usually turn at (9 miles instead of 6).  I took a 2 minute break to rest my ass and move the legs around and took back off.  The 9 coming back got real tough, especially the last 6 but I took my time and didn't stop.  My legs(and ass) are pretty sore but it felt great finishing 18 miles.

1st 9 mi. ~ 47min
2nd 9 mi. ~ 54 min
Total 1:40:43

Not sure how good that is but since I'm a newbie with a heavyish mountain bike, I think I kicked some serious ass.  Even though I'm still in pain, I can't wait to try it again and improve my time a little.

That's the best thing about a heavyish bike. All the good exercise. Train on a heavy one and race on a light one? Wish we had more trails here. Would love to ride to work. Very hilly here and no road shoulders.

[GuitarStv]

The beauty of riding for distance on a heavy somewhat crappy bike is that you appreciate the next bike you get ever so much more.  I started out commuting 10 miles each way on a mountain bike with slick tires at around the same times you posted.  When you get a decent road bike it will feel like you're flying over those distances!

[Bettis]

Tomorrow makes 2 weeks so I'd better do it again.  Plan is to work from home and hit the trail super early before it gets too hot.  Any tips on warmup/cooldown?  I like to do some yoga once in a while so I'm thinking some of that after I get home is a good idea.  My left upper leg(thigh, quad, not sure which but it was the back) hurt for over a week last time which sucked but I didn't really do any stretching before or after.

[jorjor]

Tomorrow makes 2 weeks so I'd better do it again.  Plan is to work from home and hit the trail super early before it gets too hot.  Any tips on warmup/cooldown?  I like to do some yoga once in a while so I'm thinking some of that after I get home is a good idea.  My left upper leg(thigh, quad, not sure which but it was the back) hurt for over a week last time which sucked but I didn't really do any stretching before or after.

Don't try to set your new speed record with your first pedal stroke or last pedal stroke. Easy pedal at a low gear to warm up your muscles 5-10 mins. Do the same thing at the end to cool down. In the middle, do your hard riding.

Make sure you're getting to the point in your warm-up/cool-down that you're pedaling at the same rate or "cadence" as you would when you're riding hard, just at a lower gear. For example, if your legs turn 80-90 times per minute when you are riding hard, work up to that point in your warm up so your legs are getting ready for it, just do it in a low gear so you aren't already working hard. Don't lumber along pedaling really slowly for your warm-up.

Oh, and keep it up. Bikes are fun! Enjoy!

[Bettis]

And I'm back.  I did fall for the "speed record mentality" of going hard at the end but overall I think I kept a good cadence and I felt better with my gears.  I stayed in the 2-2 to 2-5 range on an 18 speed.  It looks like it's more like 17.5 miles vs 18 judging the mile markers but either way, it's a haul but I feel much better than last time.

"Front 9" 44:50
"Back 9" 46:25

Terrain-wise the back half is a little harder but nothing too dramatic so I like seeing my times get closer together(and improve!)

[jorjor]

And I'm back.  I did fall for the "speed record mentality" of going hard at the end but overall I think I kept a good cadence and I felt better with my gears.  I stayed in the 2-2 to 2-5 range on an 18 speed.  It looks like it's more like 17.5 miles vs 18 judging the mile markers but either way, it's a haul but I feel much better than last time.

"Front 9" 44:50
"Back 9" 46:25

Terrain-wise the back half is a little harder but nothing too dramatic so I like seeing my times get closer together(and improve!)

Nice improvement.

Nothing wrong with a speed record, but the speed record should be sandwiched in between a warm up and cool down that do not involve a speed record.

[jorjor]

And I'm back.  I did fall for the "speed record mentality" of going hard at the end but overall I think I kept a good cadence and I felt better with my gears.  I stayed in the 2-2 to 2-5 range on an 18 speed.  It looks like it's more like 17.5 miles vs 18 judging the mile markers but either way, it's a haul but I feel much better than last time.

"Front 9" 44:50
"Back 9" 46:25

Terrain-wise the back half is a little harder but nothing too dramatic so I like seeing my times get closer together(and improve!)

Nice improvement.

Nothing wrong with a speed record, but the speed record should be sandwiched in between a warm up and cool down that do not involve a speed record. You'll feel better afterwards.

[Faraday]

The beauty of riding for distance on a heavy somewhat crappy bike is that you appreciate the next bike you get ever so much more.  I started out commuting 10 miles each way on a mountain bike with slick tires at around the same times you posted.  When you get a decent road bike it will feel like you're flying over those distances!

+1!

I keep a slower hybrid bike and start the training season with it, using it for about 3 weeks or so. Then switch to the road bike and it's like heaven.