Tosrv?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?1?!?

Question

Hi...i am a young cyclist (very)..and i wanted to know what would be a good age for me to start riding bug distances..like TOSRV..i just need sum info on cycling and stuff..thanks!

Answer 1

there are teens on the ride every year.  being an Ohio boy this is one i've done many, many times.  i have kind of gotten away from it in recent years.  it's almost too big.  anyway, build up to it and make sure you learn to eat and drink to keep your energy up, and you should do fine.

Answer 2

Wow, that's bringing back some memories for me!!!   I haven't ridden TOSRV in 20 years, but it's a great tour!   The Scioto is beautiful....we did lots of rides along different sections of it and canoed it a few times.   Good stuff.  

You didn't mention your age, but with the right training and proper amount of saddle-time, you could probably do a ride like that in your mid-teens.  Riding really long distances (especially multi-day events) is tough on your body when you're still growing.   When I was 14, I started to get seriously interested in cycling, and for a few years I was riding from 25-60 miles 4 or 5 times a week.  It used to wipe me out, partly because I didn't know about the importance of ride-nutrition and HYDRATION....but the good thing is that at that age, you recover pretty quickly and gain strength fast.    In my late teens and early 20's I was able to do longer rides with more comfort.  

As long as you gradually increase your riding time and allow your body to build strength, stamina, and cardiovascular efficiency, you can work your way up to long rides during one riding season....and if you keep up your fitness during the winter months, you can notice some progressively better results from year to year.   The great thing about bicycling is that it's pretty easy on the body compared to most other sports....you can keep it up well into "old age" if you like it!  

If you haven't done this already, visit with a good, professional bike fitter at one of the bike shops....it's very important, especially if you're still growing.  You want to develop good form through proper techniques and bike fit so that you don't get bad habits or injuries.  A good fitter can help you with that and also get to know you as you need adjustments during growing periods or acquire new bikes.  

There are lots of cycling groups and organized rides....check around with bike shops to get hooked up with some of them.  You'll meet people that you can ride with and/or get great advice from.   If you're in Dayton and if the club is still around, the Dayton Cycling Club used to be a great organization.  

Also, surf the web for cycling sites and just read a bunch.  The League of American Bicyclists, League of American Wheelmen, and United States Cycling Federation all have great information and tips on their sites, as do several club homepages and even some retailers.  

Hope this helps out some....if you end up doing TOSRV, have a blast!   Be ready for some hills, too.   :o)

(side note:  Let me give two thumbs up for some of the riding in south central and eastern Ohio.....if you get the chance to do some riding around Lancaster in Amish country, it's gorgeous (but hilly).  The covered bridge tour routes were always wonderful and there are plenty of great rides out that direction.)