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Training for biking trip?

Need advice for a biking trip.?

  • Me and my friends are taking a trip to New York in the summer. We're only 15 and they wanna bike. They only asked me a couple of days ago, and I have some concerns. we'd be biking from Massachusetts. We'd start in Woburn where we live. My friends found a route that is only 251 miles, and they only think it would take 27 hours. I think it would take at least 30 hours. Also they don't wanna stop, they just wanna go non-stop. I think we'd be dead after 18 hours. Also we'd have no one no one following us. Their parents would just meet us in New York. If you have any advice please give cause we really wanna do this trip, but I know we need advice. Please give advice.

  • Answer:

    My first best advise is unless you plan on using road specific bikes you will NOT do this kind of trip in under 30 hours! At your age you or your friends neither have the conditioning to do it straight thru or likely do any of you have the quality of bike that would be required to do it either. I seriously doubt that you have the proper tools or parts to maintain your bikes properly too without any support on a trip of this magnitude. Maybe if you pass a couple bike shops along the way you might be ok but do you have the financial resources to sustain you along the way too? Here is my greatest question of all: What the hell is going on in your parents minds to let you do this alone at age 15!!!!!? Any adults going along with you....there better be at least somone of legal age with you. Here's another one: What type of bikes will you be ridding? If you plan on doing this on a BMX type bike then plan on about 50 hours +, with a hardtail MTB then plan on at least the same time and a road bike and little to no conditiioning about the same time, 50+ hours with time to sleep where exactly? You are 15 and I doubt you have the ability to ride more than 10 hours in a day before you are dead tired and unable to go another mile. Now if you are conditioned and have been ridding a couple of years at least then you might get it in 30 hours or so but you Will still likely have one night of rest. I do a century (on my own or with another rider for the hell of it) every so often and I am 42 years young and it still takes me the better part of 8-9 hours and sometimes 12 hours if I am sore or just a bit lazy and I am NO road rider of any great experience, off an on over the past 20 years, I just like to do it at times to keep in touch with the pavement. I wouldnt think you will have the know how to fix a detrimental problem with one of your bikes if you have one....know how to fix a broken crank arm or plan on carrying either spare tires, tubes, lube for chain, tools and several other things necessary to keep these bikes going? Granted 251 miles is not really that far to go but it isnt a stroll around the neighborhood either. Think about what I said and answer my questions for yourself too to determine if you are ready for this first.

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Other answers

Get your friends together and do a 100 mile ride with the gear you will be carrying and see how you feel after that. Chances are that you and your friends will quickly change their mind.

Bob A

Respectfully, this is not a trip for a group of 15 year old kids. Secondly, there is no way you can do this trip without stopping. Quite frankly, 100 miles in a day is a daunting trip. What is the farthest you have ridden? What kind of bikes will you be riding? How many miles have you ridden this year? What is the most distance you have ridden in one day? Will you have any adults riding with you in case of trouble? Do you know how to change a tire and repair a flat? What kind of lights and tail lights will your bikes be equipped with? Where will you get food and water in the middle of the night? Seriously, sign up for an organized ride and try to ride a century (100 miles). Start riding and learn about bicycling training and do this ride next year. You have no idea how long of a ride on a bicycle you and your friends are proposing. For me I would allow at least 3 days for this distance. Good Luck

Max Cruise

Most answers are on the money. I ride about 1500 - 2000 miles every season and I find 50 miles to be a serious ride. I average around 14 miles an hour. My take is 250 miles without stopping is insane. Another issue nobody mentioned is that you will be going through major city riding. Riding on city streets with a lot of traffic is not fun and can be very dangerous. Also some neighborhoods are not safe.

stevepitt2

Forget the idea of doing this non-stop. Night riding is a good way to get yourselves badly injured or killed. Educate yourselves about bicycle touring at www.crazyguyonabike.com and at www.bikeforums.net and then go for it.

Jimmy

Doing this non-stop is laughable. Another vote for loading up for a test ride and trying to do 100 mi in a day. I bet you dont make 70.

M V

It's doable in 27 hours, but I think I'd plan for 30. It is theoretically possible to do that distance without stopping and in the time allotted, but I've never done it and I don't know how much fun it would be. Train now, it will be a heck of a ride. If you do a trip report, send me a copy by email (click the avatar square), I'd love to read it.

Grillparzer

it sounds fun. youll end up stopping though. i would bring spare tubes and basic tools with you and i would do it

Bike Dude 14

i would do it

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