Taking longer bike rides has a number of benefits, but what is the optimal cycling marathon distance? Bike marathons are often referred to as “road bicycle cycling,” and their popularity has increased during the past decade. Competitions tend to feature mass starts with time trials to race against set times. There are many types of road bikes and a wide variation of bike marathon races, including gravel racing, time trials, stage races, cyclocross racing, criteriums, and more. There are common features, but they all have unique characteristics, such as the number of riders, the distances, the road surface types, and more. So, how many miles is a bike marathon? It is not as easy to answer as you might imagine.
As you’ll discover as you read on, there is some differences in what is considered the distance for a cycling marathon. Most serious cyclists would broadly agree that a bike marathon distance is 100 miles. This simulates the same distance as a marathon foot race in a format for cycling. A competitive road bike marathon distance tends to be in the 50-200 mile range. To put this into some perspective, the Tour de France Trusted Source OUR COMMITMENTS As a cycling monument, it is only natural for the Tour de France to encourage people to move around on bicycles. It aims to make a positive impact by inspiring all those who can to bringing cycling into their lives. www.letour.fr has multiple stages in the 100-140 mile range. Certain charity races take place in the 10-100 mile range, and some can be much longer.
Cycling a single mile takes approximately a quarter of the time and energy required Trusted Source Biking vs. running: Comparison for fitness, weight loss, and more Biking and running are exercises that can benefit a person’s health and fitness. Here, we compare the calories they burn, and their benefits, risks, and cost. www.medicalnewstoday.com to run the same distance. This is a useful approximation to consider when you need to properly place a cycling marathon into some perspective and assess the true length of a cycling marathon.
An Ironman Trusted Source IRONMAN www.ironman.com competition is a racing concept that takes endurance racing to a whole new level. These are three-stage races that can be considered to be successive marathons. The three disciplines (in order) are swimming, cycling, and running. The distances for each stage are as follows:
If you’re interested in the best triathlon bikes for beginners, you can explore our guide. But, remember, it is important to meet the requirements of an iron man triathlon race. Because you can see that the cycling stage is close to 100 miles which makes it a true marathon in the fullest sense of the word. This is why serious athletes choose a carbon road bike such as the SAVADECK Warwinds3-0 to keep the weight low for the punishing cycling stage.
Now that we’ve answered the question, how long is a bicycle marathon? The next logical question is, how do competition organizers work out how long it should take to cycle that distance? This is a tricky question to answer because it varies depending on the type of bike, race and the category of the rider. If you’re interested in the topic of the different types of road bikes, you can check out our guide. But, here, let’s take a look at some popular cycling marathon distance km times to see how they differ.
This is a long race that takes place on paved roads with or without controlled traffic or safety precautions. The course distance is usually 30-60 miles for amateurs which would be considered a cycling half marathon distance. The races may be run on a closed route with open or partially closed roads with point-to-point racing. Advancing through these earlier categories will ultimately lead to longer races, up to 150 miles in a single day. Some typical traditional road race formats include mass starts and time trials.
These are usually referred to as tours, and the most famous example is the Tour de France. They take place over a number of stages with mass starts, and there may be some time trial stages mixed into the racing. Many stage races are conducted over 23 days with two rest days and 21 days of full riding up to 2,200 miles covered.
These races are also known as “Crit.” They are carried out on paved roads that are blocked by traffic with safety measures in place. The crit length is based on a set number of laps and the number of laps completed in a set time (usually an hour). Most laps are less than a mile, but the range tends to be half a mile up to six miles total. This is shorter than traditional bike racing; weight is less of an issue, and durability is favored for all-out racing. For this reason, a bike with aluminum forks and a carbon frame, such as the Tommaso Monza is a good option.
These are similar to traditional road races, but there are paved and gravel surfaces. The type of bike, the tires, and other factors need careful consideration to deal with the varying road surfaces. These are a recent type of racing concept, and many riders are still experimenting with hybrid, mountain, and road bikes with thicker tires.
A cyclocross course is usually a 1.5 up to 2-mile loop that includes paved and off-road surfaces. The terrain can vary from flat to rolling, and the top-tier races tend to last for an hour. There is some debate about specifically designed bikes for this type of racing. If you’re interested in learning more, we’ve compiled a cyclocross vs hybrid bikes comparison.
The courses can be a challenge, and riders need to dismount sections as they carry their bikes. The best riders may “bunny hop” over man-made obstacles and muddy areas that would be impossible to ride through. This is a lot of fun, and it’s a fantastic workout experience.
This is a road race in the 75-150 mile range depending on the specific competition. Most Gran Fondos are 100 miles long, with significant climbs along the route. Shorter half-length races can still offer a significant challenge for new riders.
When you take part in road races, you’re going to encounter hills and weather that are not favorable for smooth riding. Adding gears to a bike and focusing on the cadence is important to make progress. There may be some pain in the hands, neck, butt, and shoulders over a longer ride distance. To reduce these pains, wear gloves and padded shorts and change your riding position throughout the ride. Always eat nutritious food before to get the energy you need and have water and whole grains on hand for snacking.
A lot of potential problems can be mitigated or avoided entirely with good preparation. Always warm up before you start a race and take some time to examine the condition of your bike. You must learn how to change a tire fast and carry out basic maintenance.
Bike marathons are an interesting race concept, and the cycling marathon distance can vary a great deal depending on the style and specific competition. It takes approximately 1,550 calories to maintain a cycling speed of 15 mph over 50 miles. This is roughly equivalent to a runner covering 14 miles. From a calorie-burning perspective, cycling 95 miles is pretty similar to running a full marathon. For this reason, amateur riders tend to start out with short-distance races, and then they graduate to longer rides. It can take time to learn the proper cycling techniques and how to prepare for bike marathon races.
