Long-distance riding is a great challenge for your body, mind, and stamina—and it’s certainly not for the unprepared. If you aim to go from leisurely bike touring to your first century ride, you need to start a thorough training program several months before the event.
What is considered long-distance biking?
The definition of ‘long distance’ varies depending on your fitness level. 20 miles seems like an average cycling distance for beginners to aim for. For amateur cyclists, long rides usually start from 50 miles (80km) or 2 hours in the saddle.
A century ride (100 miles) is the cycling equivalent of running a marathon. Ultra-cycling covers distances starting from 125 miles (200km) and requires being on your bike for at least 6 hours.
Is long-distance cycling good for you?
Biking long distances improves overall fitness and builds commitment to larger goals, persistence, and concentration.
In addition to that, endurance riding offers some substantial health benefits. A long bike ride is key to longevity—it enhances mitochondrial growth which naturally declines with age and boosts cell metabolism. This is also one of the most beneficial types of activity for your cardiovascular system. It strengthens your heart muscle, reduces fat and sugar levels in your blood, lowers your resting heart rate, and increases capillary density all over your body.
Other long-distance cycling benefits include effective weight management, improved mental health, and better sleep quality.
Training plan to prepare for long rides
The main principle of any training for long distances is gradually building up your base miles. You will need between 6 to 16 weeks to get ready, depending on how big your goal is. Make sure that you have realistic goals and don’t push yourself too hard—fast progress can result in injuries and burnout. The general advice is to up your training volume by no more than 10% each week.
The most optimal training plan for non-experienced cyclists consists of 3 weekly training sessions with a gradual increase in the training volume. If your itinerary includes elevation, add a similar incline to your training schedule.
It is recommended to break your training plan into 3 stages:
Stage 1: Getting comfortable with longer distances
During the first 2-3 weeks, your rides should be no more than 1-2 hours long. Your goal is to get comfortable maintaining an upright riding position and a steady pace for prolonged periods. You should keep your rides in Zone 2—around 70-75% of your maximum heart rate—the best training zone to build your aerobic base.
Stage 2: Improving endurance
During the next 2-3 weeks of your training plan, you can start gradually increasing the mileage and improving your endurance. Ride at 80-85% of your maximal heart rate for 15 to 30 minutes of your training, then pedal easy to recover. Zone 4, also known as the lactate threshold zone, adapts your body to higher lactic acid levels for prolonged periods, so you improve your endurance and resistance.
Stage 3: Increasing intensity
At this point, you can steadily cycle for a prolonged period without major discomfort. Riding at a set pace can become monotonous and result in a training plateau—when you stop seeing any fitness improvements.
The last weeks of your training plan is the time to increase intensity by introducing intervals. Sprint intervals make a huge difference in the quality of your training without adding extra time on the bike. Multiple studies have shown that HIIT and SIT protocols produce significant gains in VO2max, speed, and aerobic power of endurance athletes. Including regular intervals, hill repeats, and tempo rides in a long-distance training plan reduces cycling time and improves overall performance.
Training for a long-distance ride on the CAROL Bike
An AI-powered exercise bike significantly empowers your training for a long ride. Unlike road bikes, it allows you to follow your routine regardless of the weather conditions, alternate structured workouts with free rides, and accurately track your progress.
CAROL Bike is the top choice for amateur endurance riders. This unique exercise bike offers personalized workouts and gradually tailors the difficulty as your fitness level improves.
CAROL Bike has several workout plans for the most optimal training:
Zone-based Free ride
This is a low-intensity endurance ride in Zone 2 where you are going to spend most of your long-distance cycling training.
CAROL Bike offers a number of options for Zone 2 training:
- Zone-Based Free Ride: Keeps you automatically in a specific training zone.
- Constant Power Free Ride: Allows you to select a target power as the bike automatically adjusts resistance to keep your power output at that level.
- Regular Free Ride: Lets you directly control resistance.
Reduced Exertion HIIT (REHIT)
CAROL Bike’s signature Reduced Exertion HIIT (REHIT) workout consists of 2×20-second all-out sprints. It comes in handy in the last part of your training plan when it’s time to introduce interval training.
REHIT is the most efficient workout to improve your VO2max (aerobic fitness) in the shortest period of time. During an 8-week study at Colorado university, the CAROL Bike group increased their VO2max by 12.3%, while the group performing longer cardio training improved by 6.9%. As a REHIT workout only lasts 5 minutes—that’s close to double the improvement in 90% less time.
VO2max—the amount of oxygen that your body is able to consume—is the cornerstone index for any endurance athlete. Some experts say that it’s possible to predict someone’s marathon or century ride time based on their VO2max alone. Improving this index will result in a significant increase in your endurance and cycling time.
Entertainment options
CAROL Bike has various entertainment options which is no less important when you spend hours on your exercise bike. With the help of apps like Zwift or Kinomap you can set itineraries in virtual landscapes or even practice riding the real route you are planning to take. Another option is to watch your favorite YouTube, Netflix, or Disney+ shows during your rides.
6 long-distance cycling tips
Successful long-distance rides come down to your strategy and proper planning, not just fitness. These 6 long-distance cycling tips will make your long ride more enjoyable whether it’s a race or just a cycling holiday.
1. Diversify your routine
Doing the same miles over and over again can quickly wear you out. Mix your structured workouts with long free rides, and add some intervals to make training more fun. You can combine training sessions on your CAROL Bike with exploring new itineraries on your road bike to make your training both effective and exciting.
Some experienced cyclists suggest planning 1 easy week after 3 hard ones. At the end of an easy week, when you’re full of energy, do a big ride aiming at 130% of your last longest ride.
2. Pace yourself
One of the classic mistakes of beginner endurance cyclists is taking a tempo ride at the very start of your race and blowing up halfway around. If you plan to ride 2+ hours, make sure that you distribute your energy to cover the whole ride. It may be better to start slower and save more energy to finish strong.
3. Keep yourself well-fueled
Energy supply is essential for longer rides. Make sure that you have a meal rich in protein and carbohydrates 2 hours before the ride and prepare simple carbs such as sports drinks, energy bars, or fruits to fuel yourself on the go. Keep yourself hydrated with electrolyte-rich drinks during the ride.
4. Maintain correct posture and pedaling technique
Staying in the same upright riding position for hours may lead to back and neck pain. You can minimize it by keeping your upper body straight, cycling short distances off the saddle, and stretching your arms, shoulders, and neck before the pain sets in. In addition to that, the correct position reduces wind resistance and improves performance so don’t neglect it. Most touring bikes have a more upright riding position compared to road bikes for comfort during long rides.
A proper pedal stroke and efficient gear are equally important. Your knee should be above the ball of your foot when the pedal is at 3 o’clock, with the knee slightly bent when it passes the 6 o’clock mark. When you are on your touring bike, distribute effort evenly and aim for a cadence of around 80-100 revolutions per minute (RPM).
5. Keep your mind calm
Long rides can be mentally exhausting. Cyclists use various strategies to overcome negative emotions and keep their motivation.
Tour de France winners shared successful breakdown strategies that helped them make their bike tour more manageable. They break the long ride into smaller segments and focus on reaching the nearest landmark in sight. Another popular recommendation is to study your route in advance. It will be mentally easier for you if you know your elevations, easy downhill rides, and pit stops in advance. Some cyclists find positive self-talk and motivational mantras helpful to push themselves through challenging moments.
6. Don't neglect your recovery
Recovery after a long-distance ride takes longer than after regular training. Allow yourself a few days of complete rest to overcome muscle soreness and resume your training with easy recovery rides.
Conclusion
Long-distance cycling is a true feat of endurance which gives an incomparable satisfaction of challenging yourself and achieving the goal. With proper planning and training, you can create a memorable experience and explore endless new itineraries.
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