downtube42

I'm not a serious cyclist. In fact I'm not really serious about much of anything. I have a unicycle and a recumbent in my garage for crying out loud; no serious person would own such abominations much less ride them in public.

Though I'm not serious, I'm an enthusiast. I ride brevets, up to and including 1500 km. I've finished Paris-Brest-Paris four times, managed 400 miles in a 24-hour road race, and finished a 6 mile desert MTB race on my unicycle. The 24-hour race winner covered 500 miles BTW; he was perhaps serious. My last PBP finish was in Charlie Miller time (88:55+), and I can't wait for the tie-die Charlie Miller kit to come in.

Despite my absolute lack of seriousness, I do understand distance over time equals speed, and speed requires power, and those things matter when you're trying to finish before dark, or before a time cutoff, or before a storm rolls in, or before dinner is ready.

Mtracer

What is this big picture you speak of?

I'm thinking it's your own version of "the big picture" and if other's don't share your version of the big picture, they are somehow missing the "big picture."

I'm older (63), I've never raced and perhaps never will. Yet, I actually own, and use, a pair of aero socks. I have yet to shave my legs, but maybe I will someday. I like to crunch numbers from my ride data. I like tight jerseys because I know they are more aero and I'll finish a 3-hour ride 10 seconds quicker. Or, that I just like the feel of riding faster.

None of this means I've lost the big picture, it's just my version of the big picture.

Iride01 

You might laugh, but going at a effort that one can't maintain is part of what's behind the dreaded bonk.

Trakhak

Sometimes, but anyone can run out of available energy simply by under-fueling for the ride, regardless of the effort level maintained.

Iride01 

I don't quite agree. Fueling during a ride is only going to get you back some of the energy via glycogen, that is used rapidly when at a very high pace that one can only do for a short time anyway. Anyone with experience should be able to recognize the amount of effort they can ride at without the supplemental fuel. Granted on a long ride that might be a very slow pace since.

Maelochs

Well ... sort of. if I am going for a really long or hard ride (which i used to do but don;t any more) then i can, indeed, ride all day at a snail's pace ... but where is the fun in that (well, it can be okay, but not every ride.) if I know I am going to use a lot of energy it makes more sense (to me) to refuel during the ride and keep a steady higher output.

It is possible to ride long enough or hard enough to where no matter how much you ate pre-ride nor how much fat you have to burn, you still feel terrible because your body needs fuel. I mean ... how many of us eat a huge dinner and no other meal? Even if I sit on my butt all day i will burn calories just sitting there---more if I think hard (which I used to do but not any more.) So it just makes sense to eat regularly to keep the body sufficiently fueled so that it can perform at at least median output levels.

it is a matter of many things: fitness, output, duration, pre-ride eating, personal preference, and how one's body feels on a given day. Sure, one could ride for four or six hours on an empty stomach and just limp along and say "I didn't bonk," but I doubt most riders would choose that often.

But ... i don't know.

Iride01 

In the context of what fun will it be to ride at a slow pace. I certainly will agree with you.

wheelreason

Going at a rate you can't maintain does not exist. You are confusing bonking with exhaustion.

Maelochs

What? Going at a rate you cannot sustain is called "sprinting," or "burning a match," or just "making an effort."

Maelochs

Also, "bonking" means using up all the fuel immediately available while still trying to make an effort requiring fuel ... trying to push faster than you can metabolize fat when you have no glycogen left and you have used all the energy created by metabolizing whatever food was in your digestive track .... which is why adding fuel prevents or reverses "bonking."

Bonking is straight up running out of gas. Adding more gas is the solution ... refilling before you run dry is advisable.

Tomm Willians

Climbing is my favorite aspect of cycling, I did over 6000’ in 40 miles today and had a grin on my face the entire way.
However…….. I’m slow. I do a lot of climbing each year and tackled Onion Valley Road, California’s hardest cycling climb but I’m just slow about it. Doesn’t seem to matter how hard I work on improving, my body just seems to have this pace (with some variation) and that’s all I can do.

wheelreason

No, In both your examples you are maintaining a rate that you can maintain. (Ignore the contraption with the spring that the cheese is sitting on at your peril)...

PeteHski

I think most people would agree that a rate you can “maintain” is not measured in a few seconds or even a few minutes. I can sprint at 1000W for a few seconds but I would not describe that as a rate I can “maintain”. I can also manage a 500W pull for 30 seconds, but again I would not consider it a power that I can “maintain”.

wheelreason

Bingo! "a rate you can maintain" is absurd without a specific time or distance attached to it.