Biking 120 miles- How long will it take me?

Cheeeeze burgers! wrote:

I've biked before, go about 15-18mph for 10 miles.

I hope you are riding a mountain bike to go that slow. If not, you will need about 10 hours.

Well, I was going uphill that time. And I had 30ibs of crap in my backpack.

But I have done 26 miles in an hour on a race bike over flat land/rolling hills.

An 800 foot drop over 120 miles is basically a flat course. If you are in a pack of good riders, you could finish in four to four and a half hours. If you are by yourself, you would be doing well to finish in six hours. If you can keep up 25mph for 120 miles by yourself, you need to be a pro.

cheeeeze burgers! wrote:

Well, I was going uphill that time. And I had 30ibs of crap in my backpack.

But I have done 26 miles in an hour on a race bike over flat land/rolling hills.

oh - then it will take you 4.167 hours.

plan of stopping for gatorade so add 159 seconds.

tad faster if you get rid of 10ibs in backpack.

cheeeeze burgers! wrote:

Well, I was going uphill that time. And I had 30ibs of crap in my backpack.

But I have done 26 miles in an hour on a race bike over flat land/rolling hills.

In other words, your fastest 5k is really 18:52.

no my fastest 5k is well under 15. well under. I would tell you, but then you might, might, know who I is.

but my current shape (from not long ago) was 15:29.

If a pro could do it in 5 hours, I think I could do it in about 8.

What are "ibs" and why were you carrying 30 of them?

Either he's got ITBS but without the tibia, or maybe his Irritable Bowel Syndrome led to his carrying thirty extra pounds of crap in his backpack.

please dont squeeze the garmin wrote:

Either he's got ITBS but without the tibia, or maybe his Irritable Bowel Syndrome led to his carrying thirty extra pounds of crap in his backpack.

close, but they were actually textbooks.

I hold the two on the same level.

Are you high? 4 to 4 1/2 hours? You realize that is averaging over 25 mph for 120 miles? He said he rides 15-18 mph for a 10 mile ride. Even if he is in a strong group, he will not last at that pace. Drafting only helps so much...

He is not high, but he is using a banned substance.

Once, I had planned to ride ~55 miles one day, stay at a friends house overnight, then bike back the following day. I always had an open invitation to stay at this friend's house. Being cheap, I decided to forgo the long distance call - I set out with $20 cash for lunch and dinner - in a nutshell, no friend - she was out of town for her mother's birthday - and I was left with the only option of biking back home to my destination. I ended up doing ~115 - 120 miles for the day. the last 20 miles nearly killed me, but I made it ... all on my ~35 lb Schwin World Sport. Gardiner, MT - Livingston, MT and back plus some riding around town to and from Pamida.

If you are riding 15-18 mph it's going to take a while to ride 120 miles. I wish you luck though! Take plenty of water and electrolyte tabs (Enervit, Nuun, etc).

A lot of it depends on the wind, too. Are you riding with a group of people? Maybe if you hang on to the back of the pack long enough, you'll be alright.

I would count on at least 8 hrs considering you will have to stop to get water, food, etc. Running fitness has less influence on how fast you can ride a bike than you might think, especially for 120 miles. Lance might run a 2:59 marathon, but I think he could kick your ass on the bike

As a formerly solid runner (below 15), I thought biking would be cake. Climbing can be, but you better be ready to suffer if you haven't put in the training. Eat a truckload to replace calories on the ride.

7 - 7 1/2 hours. You will be in serious agony over that distance if your long ride is 10 miles, I don't care how fast you can run right now. Your hands and shoulders will be done by mile 50. You will need to make multiple stops for food/drinks. If you make it, you won't run for a few days.

WeedProblems wrote:

Once, I had planned to ride ~55 miles one day, stay at a friends house overnight, then bike back the following day. I always had an open invitation to stay at this friend's house. Being cheap, I decided to forgo the long distance call - I set out with $20 cash for lunch and dinner - in a nutshell, no friend - she was out of town for her mother's birthday - and I was left with the only option of biking back home to my destination. I ended up doing ~115 - 120 miles for the day. the last 20 miles nearly killed me, but I made it ... all on my ~35 lb Schwin World Sport. Gardiner, MT - Livingston, MT and back plus some riding around town to and from Pamida.

Thats a damn good effort. I am assuming you just rode 89 out up to Livingston. Very scenic but lots of traffic-as far as Montana highways go. I've ridden from Missoula to Helena on 200. Upto Lincoln and then over Stemple pass and into town. Great ride that took 4 of us about 5.5-6 hours total ride time.

I was talking in general, dork. Just saying that if he was in a race or rally and able to stay with the pack, a pack (with good riders) would average about 4-4 1/2 hours for that distance.

There are plenty of variables in bike racing (way more than in running) that allow you to call into question any time predictions. That's why I was talking in general terms.

Dork, most groups or even fast cyclists couldn't ride that fast for 120 miles. Professionals, yes......but I highly doubt our friend here is riding with people of that caliber. To put things into perspective for you.......isn't the world record for the bike leg of an Ironman Tri (112 miles) ~4:12? I realize that is solo and nobody is taking turns pulling, etc......but that is also 8 miles shorter than 120.

I realize you were talking in general, but your comment was way off for this guys level of riding.