where and with how much climbing?

I’ve done around 100 miles off road but on non technical trails i.e. on SDW before, but want want to do some other big rides on more technical trails, such as in the Lakes, Peaks or Exmoor and just wondering what distance to aim for.

Go on brag (and recommend) away.

BHF London to Brighton last year – did 83 miles in the day. Hardest ride I’ve ever done was 63 down a canal bank last year, because it was bog nearly all the way(after 5 days rain). By coincidence, did the same ride yesterday, but no-where near as hard. Done a fair few 55 milers on Dartmoor too.

Bye the way, I think Canal bank riding is about as tough as it gets, for anyone thinking flat/easy. Away from built up areas it’s wilderness, as bumpy as a plowed field and very hard going.

66 miles off road for me and 121m on a road bike,and when i was really fed up 2 and a half hours on the turbo

SDWinaday on a cross bike in ’96 and la Marmotte last year.

83.7miles 😛 still saved on my cateye computer

100 on a purpose designed route by one ofthe mags. Many 45-50 mile rides I might otherwise do in the Highlands are not that much easier with climbs, rough terrain etc

85 – 90 at sits soloing – does that count? Otherwise around 60 miles. My regular runs are around 35 miles and I often do 45.

It all depends on the terrain tho – 90 miles at sits was as much effort as 40 in the highlands.

I’ve done quite a few Kona/Merida 100’s but aside from that it was probably a double loop of the MBR Killer Loop of the North Downs.

161 miles of paris-roubaix- believe me this is off road!

Canal tow path riding toughest? complete with thousands of foot of rocky climbing and bike eating bogs?

Did all 3 of the old CyB trails in a day, twice, for a giggle. That was 98 miles with 14000ft climbing. It hurt.

The Westcountry Way (not the Sustrans one), Plymouth Hoe to Minehead seafront crossing Dartmoor and Exmoor about 112 miles in 20 hours.
Westcountry Way route guide.

Most of the transpennine trail, 181 miles.

If we’re talking a misture of on and offroad then I rode from our house in a big loop along the transpennine trail to Blackpool and back, 206 miles.

edit: oh Sorry, for extra willy waving they were both on a fixed cross bike.

Edit 2: Aah, you wanted climbing. The 206 miles was very little indeed. The 181 involved climbing up over the pennines and back down the other side so probably a reasonable amount.

I rode all the way to the chippy once…….

😉

c2c sunderland to whitehaven on mtb, 140 miles i think, then we rode back the next day! never again

65 mile Peak District ride
SDW in a Day
Cheshire Ring which is is 100 and a bit miles of canal towpath. Harder work than you’d think it should be.
Edinburgh centre to Glentress, once round the red route and then back to Edinburgh centre. Hard on the legs but even harder on the nerves. I was on a road I shouldn’t have been apparently.
The Peak ride was the toughest.
On Wednesday we’re doing Manchester city centre to Sheffield city centre on road and then riding back to the start off road. I’m expecting that to be a bugger. Jacobs Ladder will be avoided if I get my way.

SWR, only the short 60mile, 9000ft version, but the conditions were quite rough. There’s too much tarmac for my liking though. Doing it again this Sept. Wonder if I could train for the 100mile version?

Whichever is longest out of Marin, Penmachno, LLandegla, and GT red/black.

whats the SWR?

ok looking like I should do something around the 60m/100km mark and aim for around 10,000ft/3,000m then maybe. Does anyone know/suggest any such rides in Exmoor, Peaks or the Lakes?

Oooh, forgot another one. Bwesty Coed to the Marin Trail on the road, round the Marin Trail, back through Bwesty to Penmachno, did Penmachno (not the second loop though) and back to Bwetsy. Glad I’ve done it but I don’t think I’d do it again and I hate to admit it, but it looks like Terrahawk of these parts might have done it a minute or two quicker than me. Gutted :-(.
Terra and Richpips (Crazylegs as well, I think) have done some monster big single day rides if I recall correctly.

121km 5430m climbing.

Grand Raid Cristalp

I think the SWR is now called the Exmoor Bike Marathon.

73 miles, Goring on Thames to Warminster, mainly easy going along the Ridgeway and top edge of Salisbury plain. Some slow muddy bits and the occasional carry across fields, mainly on the flat ground between the Marlborough downs and the plain.

That was about 15 years ago, did a 30 mile mile loop round St Albans area last weekend, quite pleased with myself seeing as I’m the unfashionable side of 50 and nowhere near as fit as I used to be.

I agree about canal banks, some bits of the Grand Union round Tring are horrible. Narrow, muddy, full of thorns from hedge cuttings this time of year, set up above the fields so you get the full benefit of the wind. Plus you can see for miles, so no hope of a bit of respite round the corner. OK so they might not be technical, but for sheer mind numbing grind you can’t touch them.

About 30 miles – I was knackered.

100 mile on a preset endurance thing……**** knows how after todays debacle at whinlatter…

Whinlatter today, 36 Gruling miles

What Schweiz said. And whatever I managed solo at SITS in ’02.

101 miles – big Cairngorms loop a few years ago.