Long slow cycle doable after weeks off the bike ?

Briain O Loinsigh

Howdy ,I'm currently off the bike about three weeks due to various things. And I'm dying to go on a long cycle to get back into it.
Is it too much to expect to do a 70-80k cycle when off the bike for so long ?

Tonyandthewhale

That depends on how far you were comfortable going before the 3-week break and how much fitness you've lost. I mean if you were regularly doing 200km days then 70-80km after 3 weeks off the bike isn't going to be a big deal but if you never managed to break 30km and you haven't been on the bike for a few weeks 70-80km might be tough.

Similarly, if you were off for three weeks due to illness that's going to make a very different impact than if you were off the bike for three weeks because you were doing a lot of running or something.
So like, you know best what state you're in and what you're capable of.

Briain O Loinsigh

Thanks tony ,I've got more to factor in now than I initially thought ,going mad to get at this stage and the amnesia has kicked in:)
Cheers.

Morrisseeee

Definitely do-able if taken easy, ie. if you normally do a route in 28km/h then I'd restrict myself (easier said than done) to 24/25km/h.
I found (recently) that after being off the bike for 11 days that my legs were really fresh but the body was not, so it can be hard to restrict yourself to an easy pace.

Briain O Loinsigh

I was doing short spins of 40km around howth head and home no problem ,although out of breath on the climb. Also done a few 80km around ashbourne ,north dublin.

yop

Was off the bike 7 months myself due to slipped disc but got back to 40km spins for first 2 weeks, did an 85km spin on Sat but avg was only 23kmph so nothing major, but if the pace is slowish you will be ok.
If its going to be avg late 20's or early 30's then it might be harder to do.

But as the lads said it all depends on what you were doing before the lay off.

Briain O Loinsigh

I'm gonna head out near the end of the week ,sun is suppose to be out. I might also alter an old hybrid and get out for casual cycles more often. Sometimes putting on all the gear isn't worth the effort for a short spin.
I wish I could commute to work ,but drive a van as part of my job

manafana

theirs diff in wha kind of 70km too, 100km in kildare probably alot less pain than 100km around the middle of wicklow

smacl

If you're unsure about being able for the distance, and just want a long spin, why not pick a nice 20k circuit and try for 3 or 4 laps? That way, if it all becomes too much you have a reasonably easy option to bail. Something like cruagh road, pine forest, Johnnie foxes and back is a lovely ~20k circuit with one good climb and a nice rural buzz to it.

Briain O Loinsigh

Thanks lads ,might give the cruagh road trip a go. I mostly want to get away from cycling on howth cycling track/north dublin every day ,mix it up a bit.

manafana

Briain O Loinsigh wrote: »

Thanks lads ,might give the cruagh road trip a go. I mostly want to get away from cycling on howth cycling track/north dublin every day ,mix it up a bit.

ah the cruagh road, no easy starting point, if you want company drop me pm, im riding msot days and even 2nd ride up cruagh road do me no harm.

Briain O Loinsigh

manafana wrote: »

ah the cruagh road, no easy starting point, if you want company drop me pm, im riding msot days and even 2nd ride up cruagh road do me no harm.

Thanks very much for the offer ,I don't know many people over that side of the pale:)