Table of Contents
Is It Possible for a Person to Bike 100 Miles a Day
If you constantly ask yourself, “how many miles can I bike in a day?” The simple answer is it depends on several factors. Read on to get an idea of what most bikers can achieve, and what you can do to increase your mileage.
Real Mileage
Yes, biking 100 miles in one day is doable. Some people can average 100 miles per day on a 15-day bike day tour. However, you should not expect to do other things aside from riding, eating, and resting during that time.
Reaching 100 miles a day may be dreadful for some people, effortless for others, and a so-so situation for most bikers. Not everyone can average at a constant speed while touring, which makes them struggle.
Experience Matters
An average biker having a long bike trip usually cycles between forty and sixty miles daily. This includes everyone, from beginners and physically unfit bikers to fit and experienced ones.
However, there are great chances that the distance covered exceeds or falls short of the specified mileage.
If you are new to this sport, you can usually bike less than 40 miles a day. Exceeding this limit can be an uphill task for you. You can read this article for more details on how many miles a day is good for you.
If you’ve never tried riding 100 miles in a single day, you should not go for it during the actual bike tour. But if you’re eager to achieve this feat, I highly suggest practicing and doing it beforehand. This will give you a hint on what you must expect.
Reaching 100 miles a day requires:
- Practice
Practice gives you a simulation of what an actual 100-mile trip looks like. You can easily handle such mileage with constant practice.
Start off with baby steps and ride your bicycle frequently. Keeping track of your mileage also helps to keep you motivated.
- Physically-Fit Body
You would have difficulty reaching a 60-mile mark with an unhealthy body, let alone 100 miles. Keep in mind that munching the right foods and maintaining a healthy diet allows you to go a long way.
It’s also crucial to stay hydrated, so keep a water bottle with you at all times.
The Real Goal
Most bike touring contestants do not aim to reach the finish line in record time. They aim to reach the destination safely while enjoying the overall race. That’s why I highly advise you not to push yourself, especially on your first day.
Pushing yourself can put you behind schedule right from the start. This can even be demoralizing because you would not be able to meet the schedule at the start of day one.
Take a Rest
Taking a rest makes your experience more memorable and entertaining. That is why I highly recommend taking a rest and going easy on yourself. Drop by a café and treat yourself to some munchies or coffee.
If you are on a highway and there’s no café in sight, you can just sit by the greens and replenish yourself with a sports bottle of cold water or an energy drink. With these boosters, you can go additional miles without soreness, drowsiness, or fatigue.
I know you might be planning on your goal mileage days ahead of your trip, but never forget to include your in-between breaks. To keep yourself sharp on the road, you should plan for at least one rest day a week.
You’ll thank me for this tip because rest days allow you to recoup or catch up with your planned itinerary.
But if you cycle to relax and enjoy the scenery, you can plan two to three more days of rest days every week. Besides, bike touring has no rules, so you can easily start it your way.
Safety First
Before you go out for a bike tour, you should always be reminded how crucial safety is. Don’t go cycling through lengthy highways without proper gears and attire.
Having the proper gear and attire for cycling can minimize damage from strong impacts, usually in unfortunate events like accidents.
If you have a hard time choosing the right bike gear to go with your bike tour, you can check out this incredible video on how to dress like a cyclist. It talks about bike gears ideal for bike touring and can help you stay protected on your entire trip.
Increase Your Distance as You Gain Experience
If you’re determined to reach 100 miles in a day, you should also be prepared for its after effects.
Spending the second day on the trail will start off with body soreness, particularly in the leg, hip, back, neck, and arm area. But do not be alarmed! Because this is proof that the exercise works and you’ve used muscles that are rarely used before.
Keep going and continue biking every day. While you’re at it, you can gradually increase your distance by 10. So if you covered 30 miles on day one, you could aim for 40 miles on the second and 50 for the third day. Continue until you reach a 100-mile bike trip.
Successful bike tours stem from optimistic bikers that actually enjoy the scenery along the way. These bikers also tend to keep their daily mileage low. It is good practice because you can set other goals you like, aside from cycling in the shortest period possible.
You might be thinking that people who try to cover great distances in short periods should be the ones who can successfully ace a 100-mile trip, but that’s where you’re wrong. It is just a great temptation among many people, including rookies.
These bikers usually have only a limited time to do their bike tours every year. That’s why they want to cover as much ground as possible. A biker’s massive mileage can also be considered a great feat, so they want to show it off to their friends and families.
But the reality is, preparing to cycle at great lengths daily is the top reason most independent bike tours are dumped.
So, slow down and appreciate the view because it helps you destress and take the discomfort along the way. Besides, your loved ones would care more about you getting home safely than your mileage.
No matter how far you cycle in a day, they will still be amazed by your bike tour. And you should, too.
Conclusion
Reaching 100 miles in a day is possible, as long as you’ve had experience and good physical skills. Besides that, other factors that make a 100-mile mark possible within a day is to:
- Practice and improve your experience.
- Go easy on yourself.
- Set easy distance goals and note down how many miles you have reached.
- Refresh, dehydrate, and boost your energy with a sports bottle of cold water or an energy drink.
- Wear proper bike attire.
- Rest when you’re tired.
“Bike commuting should be the trend for the next few years, and it is a convenient and eco-friendly way for us to travel. And we are here to make it a bit less troublesome for people who want to maintain their vehicle for a long time. So, the content I expect to put out here is offering help for bikers who are facing issues with parts of their bikes once in a while. Let’s have fun and protect the environment together!”