5 janvier 2006

During 28 years in cycling journalism, we've met many great riders who've accomplished great things on their bikes. But no one impresses us more than Jim Langley, a 52-year-old cycling aficionado from Santa Cruz, California.

We've known Jim and worked with him since 1985. He was Technical editor at Bicycling magazine in its heyday, when RBR's Ed Pavelka was Executive editor and Fred Matheny was Training & Fitness editor. Nowadays, Jim is content director of SmartEtailing.com, runs a nifty website at http://www.jimlangley.net, and gives RBR a helping hand as our tech guru.

And today Jim is doing one other thing: He's taking his 4,387th consecutive ride. We know of no one who has had a longer streak of daily rides since the bicycle was invented.

Jim rode on Dec. 30, 1993, and hasn't missed a day since. He actually hadn't missed a ride for nearly three years before then, but a crash on black ice broke his hip and kept him off the bike for six days. For the last 12 years he's been riding daily with three large surgical screws holding things together.

We like to collar Jim on his streak anniversary to find out what went down (hopefully not him again) during 365 more rides. Here's the 2005 update:

Q: What's your definition of a ride ?

Jim: I gotta get dressed and put in at least an hour on the bike or trainer. I don't have to ride hard or "accomplish" anything. That adds too much stress. My average ride is 90 minutes long. I ride based on how I feel.

Q: What was the closest call for the streak being broken last year?

Jim: It was on our vacation to Maui in July. The flight was canceled and we didn't arrive until about 9:30 p.m. (We had a 5:30 a.m. flight so I didn't ride in the morning -- always a dumb move.) When the flight was canceled I considered riding at the airport but my Bike Friday had already been checked. I tried to find a local hotel to ride the exercise bike in my street clothes but my wife Deb nixed the idea because she wanted to try chasing down other flights, which didn't work out.

So we arrived in Maui very late. While she got the rental car, I built the bike and suited up. On the drive to the condo (30 minutes with me back-seat driving like crazy to get Deb to speed up), we stopped at a small store and I bought two flashlights, batteries and electrical tape. I taped one light to my helmet and the other to the seatpost. At the condo Deb checked in and I hit the road.

It was raining, of course. Worried about getting run over on Maui's narrow country roads or busy main roads, I stuck to a service road, which meant out and back, out and back, five times, if I remember right, to beat the midnight deadline.

I was a nervous wreck all day and miserable to be around, but when I finished the ride I felt great. I actually almost got hit twice by cars exiting the hotels not paying attention. They look right through you.

Q: Why isn't your wife fed up that you always need to ride no matter what the two of you are doing ?

Jim: She was very fed up in Maui! Several times she told me I would just have to miss riding. She also didn't want me riding at night with flashlights in the rain. I actually tried to get her to drive support behind me in the rental car, but she'd have none of that. It's my thing, not hers. In general, I keep it from bothering her too much by riding in the morning when she won't even care that I'm not around.

Q: What's the greatest benefit of the streak ?

Jim: I'm convinced that I get sick less than most people, and it's excellent conditioning for tournament table tennis, my other passion.

Q: What's the greatest drawback ?

Jim: Not being able to travel however we want because I have to be able to get in my rides. For example, my wife wants to go to Costa Rica and even more remote places, but I'm worried I won't be able to safely ride. And having to ride in some places is pretty awful, like Las Vegas during Interbike.

Q: When will you end the streak ?

Jim: I hope it ends when I have a good reason to end it. At this point, it's easy enough to keep going so I have no plans to stop. This will be the 13th year, and while I'm not superstitious it was a crash that stopped my first streak just short of three years. Knock on wood !

12 janvier 2006

We received more e-mail about Jim Langley's streak of 4,394 daily rides (counting today's) than anything we've printed in a long time. And 100% of it was negative. People called him obsessive, compulsive, selfish and just plain crazy. They blasted RBR for showcasing him as a positive example of dedication to cycling.

Whoa ! Jim is actually as well-balanced as any of us (well, maybe that's not saying a lot). He has a long and successful marriage, two fine daughters in college, and he's carved out an enviable life in cycling. He and his wife moved from New England to Santa Cruz, California, by cycling across America in 1979.

In retrospect, our interview with Jim last week on the 12th anniversary of his streak asked some poor questions. They emphasized the one day in 365 when fitting in a daily ride caused a family problem and irked his wife.

On most days, Jim slips in his 60-90 minute ride when the house is empty or everyone is immersed in their own activities. He works at home, making that easy. At other times and for longer rides he'll get up extra early so cycling doesn't interfere with family functions. Don't we all do that occasionally ?

Jim isn't nuts, he just loves to ride and dedicates about 1 hour in each 24 to doing it -- 7 hours a week minimum. That really doesn't seem too extreme to us. It makes him happy, and he's convinced it keeps him fit, healthy and injury-free. 99% of the time it isn't an imposition on anyone.

As Jim noted after so many concerned people wrote in, "Believe me, if the streak was as ruinous to a marriage as these folks think I would have given up on it a long time ago. It's not that big a deal. It's just a matter of setting a priority and sticking with it."

Okay, once in a rare while Jim has to go to the edge like during that trip to Maui he described last week. It's not always easy to ride on more consecutive days than anyone in cycling history (as far as we know).

All that said, there is something about Jim that concerns us. That would be his passion for table tennis. The guy even has a $2,500 robot in his garage that fires ping-pong balls at him. Now that's really overboard.

19 janvier 2006

Following last week's newsletter, we received a ton of e-mail in support of Jim Langley and his streak of 4,401 consecutive daily rides (counting today's). We tried to answer everyone personally. At RBR we're prouder than ever of Jim and his ongoing accomplishment. It's obvious that he's an inspiration to many roadies.

Here's another message we like because it inspires us. San Diego roadie Ole Olson wrote it in response to a line in Scott's Spin in newsletter No. 227, which said this about riding into old age :

"If you love cycling, you should ride as fast and as often as you want, right to the bitter end. I wouldn’t trade one hard ride for an extra decade of being spoon-fed tapioca at the Dun Roamin Nursing Home."

Writes Ole : "Right on ! I'm 69 and in 2004 we had our 50th high school graduation reunion. I rode El Tour de Tucson that year (111 miles) and all my classmates were in awe, but they also thought I was crazy.

"The difference in myself and them ? They sit and veg and retire. I never get sick and am in wonderful shape lifting weights (benched 300 pounds and leg pressed 800 last year), riding my bicycle (it's simply fantastic and my favorite), training for triathlons, learning how to tap dance like Fred Astaire (although that's certainly dreaming a little big, isn't it?), and I will most likely outlive them by many years, Lord willing.

"My classmates are an old 68, 69 or 70 while I feel like 30 or 40 and love every minute. They are simply allowing many great years and incredibly fun activities, like cycling, pass them by. They effectively withdrew from life and died long ago. I know they are envious but not enough to get them off the couch to 'just do it.'

"But I'm blessed for it, and have your newsletter to look forward to each week (among many other things) for inspiration and wisdom and knowledge. You fellas at RBR do a magnificent job, and I simply want to send along my grateful thanks."

Man, does that make us feel good ! Talk about a role model. Ole is a few years older than us, and we want to turn out just like him. How about you ?

19 janvier 2006

Boston roadie Dave McElwaine says, "We believe our Saturday Fitness Ride may be the longest streak of its kind in the U.S.

"On April Fool's Day 1997, we had a freak snow and ice storm that brought down so many branches onto the roads that we canceled the ride. Every Saturday since then, now for 457 weeks, the ride has taken place on several marked loops from 19 to 62 miles. Every 50 consecutive rides, Starbucks hosts a party for the club. We are hoping this streak passes the 500th consecutive week this year.

"Obviously there have been many weather challenges to conquer along the way. In winter, riders have frequently used studded tires, cyclocross or mountain bikes, and have become experts in staying warm while riding. Our coldest ride was -1F degrees.

"We recently went over 15,000 total riders. We have photos, milestones and celebrations"

Great accomplishment ! But is it really the record ? If your local club ride been going for more than 457 consecutive weeks, let us know by writing to feedback@rodbikerider.com

21 décembre 2006

Jim Langley will ride his bike for at least an hour this afternoon.

For the 4,734th day.

In a row.

On Dec. 29 Langley will complete his 13th year of never missing a ride. His incredible streak began in 1993 and probably won't end on purpose. It's already an unofficial world record -- no one is known to have a greater number of consecutive daily rides.

How has Langley, the 53-year-old content director of smartetailing.com, found the motivation to get on the road or indoor trainer for so many days without fail? We asked him that and several other questions.

RBR: What was the closest call this year for breaking the streak ?

JL: I was pretty sick in March and so dizzy I could barely put my hour in on the trainer. But, that's happened before. Instead it was more of a regular battle with my head staying motivated, and perhaps a 13-year jinx. I mean, after you've put together so many years your mind starts playing tricks, saying things like, "What's the point? Aren't you satisfied yet? You've done that same ride a zillion times -- b-o-r-i-n-g. Wouldn't it be nice to take a day off?" Stuff like that. So this year I had to fight this negativity and find ways to keep the streak alive.

RBR: Okay, so what motivational techniques do you use ?

JL: I know that if I can just get out the door I'll never turn back. So I've gotten good at turning off my brain while I'm getting ready. It really helps to have your clothing, bike and gear prepared before rides, because anything problematic can turn into an excuse to keep you home. I have drawers and bins for my various cycling clothes and can suit up regardless of weather conditions without searching for anything. The same idea goes for fenders, lights, a repair kit, etc. They take away excuses and ensure I get underway with as little hassle as possible. They make sure that the little guy on my shoulder -- the one telling me to kick back on the couch with the remote and the bowl of cashews -- doesn't get the upper hand.

Another helpful trick is flexibility in where you ride. I keep my mountain bike ready so when I need a break from weeks of road riding, I can hit the dirt for what feels like a completely unique ride.

I've also found that if I tell myself the night before that my next ride is going to be a great one, I look forward to it more. And it usually is a really good ride. I also pick things to look forward to, like the view of the ocean at the top of Swanton Loop or the tree-tunnel climb of Smith Grade. Similarly, I'll tuck a tasty bar in my pocket as a reward at the halfway point. If I focus on these highlights it's much easier to get out the door.

And I'm a big believer in new bike goodies. I never hesitate to upgrade as necessary or purchase things when I feel I deserve or need them. Even after all these years I can still get a thrill out of new, bright, clean handlebar tape, a new tire or even just a spotless bike.

RBR: We almost hate to bring this up, but you're also known for riding with, uh, audio diversion.

JL: My ace in the hole is my on-board entertainment system. I do hesitate to mention this because some people feel it's unsafe to ride with headphones. However, I've been riding with them for about 15 years and have never even had a close call that could be blamed on them. As long as you use ear buds that let sound around and you don't crank the volume, you can hear outside noises fine.

I used to carry a small Sony Walkman and listen to FM music. Then I got into talk radio, NPR and sports shows. These days I'm "reading" audio books I check out of the library and transfer to my iPod. A good book is a really great motivator because you can't wait to get back to it on the next ride. And, yes, you can actually ride a bicycle and pay attention to an audio book at the same time. Of course, it's important to have a device like the iPod that lets you easily change the volume, select a track, pause and turn it off as needed.

RBR: Which was more important to you, winning the inaugural Interbike table tennis tournament last September or riding your bike that day?

JL: That's tricky to answer. If I had to choose, I would have ridden my bike and skipped the tournament. Luckily I could do both. But in terms of which meant more to me, it was no contest. The tournament was far more exciting because the first prize was a whopping $2,000 and riding in Las Vegas is awful. I've played in over 100 ping-pong tournaments going back to 1969 but never for a prize anything like that. Usually you get trophies. In fact, that's more money than the purse at most USA Table Tennis pro tournaments, so it was a big deal to win. The money went to a cycling charity, the Paul D. Clark Bicycling Safety Fund, so that was well worth it too.

(Jim Langley does most of his riding at home in Santa Cruz, California, on a 1999 Litespeed Vortex equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace. When traveling he keeps his streak alive on a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro with Shimano Ultegra. Jim is a master mechanic, cycling aficionado and the married father of two daughters. He moderates the Roadie Rap technical forums on RBR's Premium Site. His personal website, well worth your visit, is www.jimlangley.net)

22 février 2007

At the end of each December, we've updated you on the streak owned by RBR contributor Jim Langley. He's now in his 14th year of riding (indoors or out) at least one hour every day.

Imagine riding 4,797 days in a row. That's Jim's total today.

We've said that his streak may be a world record because none of us had heard of anyone claiming a longer string of consecutive days.

Well, it turns out that Jim, 53, has a ways to go.

We've learned that Scott Dickson, a 57-year-old former college professor in Newark, Delaware, has a steak that will reach 24 years in May. He's approaching 8,700 consecutive rides -- and counting.

All of Scott's rides have been outside despite living where winter is harsh in Iowa, Kansas and Ohio. (Jim is in Northern California.) Even Delaware is no day at the beach in February, as those of us living in the East were reminded last week by a crippling winter storm.

From 1988 to 1998 Scott's minimum daily ride was 20 miles (32.2 km). It's been 3 miles (4.8 km) since then, meaning Scott could keep his streak alive on just 21 miles (33.8 km) a week and little more than an hour of effort. Jim, meanwhile, would total at least 7 hours of pedaling during the same period.

Do not, however, even begin to think that Scott would take the easy road. Get a load of his astounding career stats (as of late January):
• 710,000+ lifetime miles (1,143,100 km) since January of 1973.
• 549,000 miles (883,890 km), 1,472 centuries, and 381 race victories since his last day off the bike.
• 23,200 average annual miles (37,352 km) for 25 years.
• 27,513 miles (44,296 km) in biggest year, 1987.
• 21,397 miles (43,449 km) in smallest year, 2001.
• 1,826 century days (days with 100+ miles, 161+ km).
• At least one century per month for 301 consecutive months.
• Feb. 28 & 29 and Dec. 5 & 13 are the only calendar dates on which he hasn't ridden a century.
• 442 race victories since 1965, including three first-place finishes in Paris-Brest-Paris and three U.S. masters championships.

Scott says the idea of riding every day was born in 1973 when he read a news bit in a bike racing magazine. The clipping has been in his cycling log ever since: "Merckx's other golden rule is never to let a day go by without riding the bike, no matter what the weather."

We hooked up Scott and Jim, figuring that if any two roadies had something in common it's these guys.

Scott was pleased to make contact, and told RBR, "All these years I pretty much kept the streaks to myself thinking that nobody else would ever be into this, let alone understand."

Page mise à jour le 22 février 2007 par SVP

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