At the end of June mentioned a trip I was going on in September and it is now September – we leave two weeks from today! This is not a casual bike tour like the ones I like take in European cities, this is a week long I might take in another city this is a holiday with a company who specializes in biking.
Over the course of the six days I will have a chance to bike anywhere from 10 to 57 miles per day. Of course I could choose not to bike at all but I am not factoring that in as an option. I am eager to see the country side and explore a part of France I have not been to. A year ago given my state of fitness and frequent Peloton rides 250 miles in a week would have not been an issue but it has been a rough 2022 so far.
Putting that aside, I have been an avid biker for years – commuting in the city, on holiday, spin classes in NYC, and now Peloton – but never back to back rides outside. I got a bike in the summer of 2020 from lockdown and have done a few longer rides with Mark but I have been trying to increase those. Last weekend we did two back to back rides, 33 miles on Saturday and 24 miles on Sunday. I was very tired afterwards but not too sore which I took as a good sign.
For longer rides outside padded bike shorts are great – think speed bumps, potholes, small rocks, etc – but now I am going one step further with my bike gear. I know from my Ironman friends how expensive bikes could be, but I never realized the bike clothes could also be pricey. The top brands in the bike clothing world are Castelli and Rapha and after a trip to the Rapha store it has been a slippery slope into serious biking apparel.
Below you will find the clothes and accessories I wear and take on my long rides – some of this gear I already had and some is new. Like marathon training I did not want to wear anything for the first time in France in case it rubbed weird or did not work for some reason. Here is my serious biking gear.
CATENA Women’s Cycling Jersey Top in Pink and Teal
Sundried Women’s Padded Road Cycling Bib Shorts
NICEWIN Padded Cycling High Waist Riding Biker Shorts
Padded Bib Shorts Road Bike Cycle Shorts Mountain Bike Cycle Kit
Rapha Women’s Core Winter Jacket All-Round Water-Resistant Jacket
Go Outdoors Dare 2B Women’s Mediant Jacket in Fluorescent Pink
Padded Cycling Gloves for Women | Bike Phone Mount
Apple Watch Series 6 GPS | CWVLC Compression Athletic Ankle Socks
Lightweight Adult Bike Helmet | Sinner Granite Sunglasses (PC Blue Revo)
When Mark and I go on big rides there is no stopping but when I commute or run errands with my bike I also bring around my heavy duty bike lock. I thought it was a bit of overkill when I first got it but the Kryptonite Keeper U-Lock with FlexFrame-U Bracket really is a must-have. It is always fun when vacation countdowns go from months to weeks and now we are almost in the single digits!
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Suzie says
I have done quite a few long bike trips and can’t stress enough the need to wear a helmut even if you are just biking on your street, a rock, dog, car etc… can get you at the last second and we all must protect our heads.
I got hit a few years ago and my helmut probably saved my life and my brain, it was cracked. Also my bike gloves saved my hands from being chewed nto little shreds and saved the ER fom plucking gravel out of my hands for probably a day.
All this while biking on a bike trail. P:EASE PLEASE always wear a helmut.
Mark says
So many great suggestions. Several of my bike shorts have seen better days.
Time for a serious upgrade.
TAMMY says
Wow that is some serious biking. Most I have ever completed in one week on our Peloton is 100 miles. Boyfriend top week was 175 miles (25 miles per day average) and I thought that insane. On peloton I average 50 miles a week and boyfriend averages about 140 miles a week. Even my boyfriend could not keep up with your 250 miles per week before everything happened. No doubt that you will be back to your 250 miles per week soon. Last week boyfriend and I did a 9 mile bike ride from our home to McCarron Park in Williamsburg Brooklyn and I was exhausted after ward and he was fine. He wanted me to ride back too but I forced him onto the ferry back home. Dealing with traffic not the best ride. Boyfriend had to stop and go with traffic. As for the gear I got boyfriend a bike mount cell phone holder for his birthday. I love the pink cycling top. Gotta to look stylish while bike riding. Have a great bike tour in France. I beleive that this is your birthday holiday aka vacation. (:)