Training Plans

Though each of our cycling holidays captures a different flavour of European scenery and cycling, the distances and elevations are all in the same ballpark and you will need to be quite fit to tackle them!

To give you an idea of what to expect: our average daily distance is 87 miles (lowest 44, highest 108). Elevation average is 6077 feet (lowest 1702, highest 9831). A breakdown per tour is as follows:

London to Paris: average daily distance 73 miles, elevation 3917 feet
Paris to Geneva: average daily distance 92 miles, elevation 6198 feet
Geneva to Milan: average daily distance 88 miles, elevation 8324 feet
Milan to Rome: average daily distance 90 miles, elevation 5481 feet

The riding dynamic on our tours is relaxed and there’s no pressure to go faster than you’re comfortable with, and with a support van to pick you up if you need a rest, there’s no need to feel daunted by the distances.

On this page we’ve rounded up a bunch of information to help you gauge how much training you’ll need, and how to structure a cycling training plan accordingly.

Remember that there’s no right or wrong way to train - it varies massively between rider based on factors including amount of free time, current fitness levels.

At-a-glance answers to some questions people ask about cycling training

We’ve rounded up a few of the questions we get asked frequently, as well as some being asked on internet discussion forums. The insights here will put you in good stead for your training. If you’ve got any other questions let us know in the comments at the bottom of this post.

How long does it take to cycle
50 / 75 / 100 miles?

Average cycling speed varies between riders and groups and based on elevation profiles. On the downhill day of the Geneva to Milan tour for example we’ve had average speeds just shy of 30mph. On the uphill the day before, they were around 6mph!

We aim to be on the road at 8am and ideally arrive each day by 6pm: factoring average daily distances into that time frame gives a time of 7-9mph including time spent at stops.

What is a century in cycling?

A century is cycling lingo for a 100 mile bike ride simple as that.

There’s a certain amount of prestige attached to completing your first century, and to each time you break your previous record.

A few of our tour dates have distances just shy of 100 miles: if you’re feeling particularly keen you could keep going at the end of the day until you hit 100 miles! Paris to Geneva has a complete century too.

How should I train for a 100 mile
bike ride?

How should I train to ensure I can
keep going without rest days?

This question was asked on Quora and the answers caught our eye: there’s some great info inside! Check out the full answers here, or see our highlights:

You will inevitably experience DOMS: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The two top tips are to keep riding as it will usually subside, and to increase blood flow to the area with massage, hot baths, compression tights, etc.
Stay hydrated
Stay well fed!
Sleep well each night

How do I avoid injury while training?

We have four top-level tips for preventing injury while training:

Stretch for 5-10 minutes beforehand
Maintain your cadence while riding
Know the correct saddle height for your shape and make sure you put it back to this level after transporting your bike
Tighten cleat screws to prevent them from coming loose: this can lead to injury

Further tips on avoiding injury during rides are outlined on our blog, courtesy of one of our Ride25 tour crew, Paul “Smudge” Smith (whose many talents include being a professional bike fitter, bike mechanic and biomechanics trainer):

How do I keep a record of my cycling training program?

Content on our blog about cycling training plans

A four part guide to training for a Ride25 tour

This series was written to help people prepare for one of our tours and will hopefully answer a lot of the questions you might have!

Training for a 100 mile cycling event

This post discusses key areas:

Bike fitting
Increasing training in increments
Finding motivation and staying disciplined
Recovery
Adapting training close to the ride

Staying motivated while training

Read this here. These principles were written as a motivational pickmeup after New Year 2015, but are all still relevant!

Be ruthless with yourself
Set long and short term goals
Set goals that are hard but realistic
Aim for incremental success
Set measurable goals
Phrase your goals positively
Write it down and then tell the world
Do it with friends
Reward yourself

What to expect from a Ride25

Sometimes it’s easier to train for a ride if you have an idea of what to expect beyond the usual route and elevation lines. In this vein we have interviews with people who’ve ridden a Ride25 tour:

Jill Wilkie rode the Milan Rome Pioneers ride, read about her ride here.
Guy Cox rode a tour on a Brompton, read about his experience here!

A write-up of the Leeds to Paris tour by Mike Donnellanː

And a write-up of the Geneva to Milan tour by Chris Lee:

Cycling training plans elsewhere on the internet

Of course there are some fantastic resources elsewhere on the internet that will help you plan your training routine. Some of our favourites:

GCN’s videos are particularly recommended if you’re looking for training tips. They cover a huge range of subjects from structuring training plans, to improving climbing technique, to popping wheelies. An example video below:

We also recommend that you join either (or both) British Cycling or CTC who offer great advice, training support and third party insurance for cyclists. We are official partners of both and you can join CTC for just £16 if you quote the code 90074626 on their membership page, here.

Essentials

Training Plans

At-a-glance answers to some questions people ask about cycling training