First Struggles

Back in mid-July 2024, I was still pushing for longer rides on my MTB. My average speed hovered between 21 and 23 km/h (hitting 23 km/h felt like a Herculean task on my 15.5 kg full-suspension beast – and that’s without the bag and water bottle!). It was starting to dawn on me that riding on the road might actually be a better idea. I was frustrated that covering 43 km took me over two hours, and the terrain wasn’t even rugged enough to justify using a bike designed for rough trails.

As you know from my previous post, the Canyon Ultimate was an absolute gamechanger. On my first ride around the neighborhood, I shattered all my PRs – without even trying. Suddenly, a 30 km ride took me just one hour, and my excitement knew no bounds. I was still getting to know the bike – figuring out how road conditions affected the ride and testing my limits. But even with the learning curve, it was fantastic.

Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t immediately set a new challenge for myself. If I could handle over 40 km on a trail/enduro MTB, then surely I could breeze through a longer road ride. A week after the bike arrived, I mapped out a 50+ km route: Úvaly – Mochov – the Čelákovice bike path – Lázně Toušeň – Brandýs – Vinoř – and back. Naturally, it wasn’t as easy as I had imagined, but I was satisfied. I maintained an average speed of 29.4 km/h, covered 54 km with 334 meters of elevation gain (not much, but more than the usual rides east of Prague). The only real complaint? My butt. It wasn’t quite ready for nearly two hours on this new saddle, and I could definitely feel it during the last 10–15 km. Still, it was my longest ride to date, and I broke PRs for 10, 20, 30, 40, and even 50 km. So... basically everything.

For the next few days, I gave my legs a bit of a break – sticking to shorter local rides, focusing on intervals, and pushing harder gears to build strength. A week after my 50 km adventure, I, of course, decided to go further. I don’t remember the exact distance I had in mind, but the plan was definitely longer than the execution. This time, the route headed south, where the hills are a bit steeper: Mukařov – Tuchoraz – Český Brod – Poříčany – and then back via the main road through Mochov and Nehvizdy.

But there were a few surprises. I wanted more elevation gain, sure – but what I didn’t realize from looking at the map was that most of the climbing was packed into the first 15 km (!) and not evenly distributed into 70 km ride.

I set off at a comfortable pace, but within a few kilometers, I had to swerve to the side of the road because of a car. Nothing crazy – I probably didn’t even need to move over that much – but there were overgrown bushes spilling onto the road. And at over 40 km/h downhill, I brushed against a thorny branch with my shoulder. The result? A ripped jersey (a new jersey! Can you believe the tragedy?!) and a bit of blood. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt much, so I kept riding, though my mood had taken a hit.

The second annoyance came when my navigation app decided to take me through backstreets instead of the main road, probably to avoid traffic. That drove me nuts – I lost so much speed because of constant turns, cobblestone patches, and cautious exits from every corner. I concluded that the main road would have been safer – for both me and the other drivers.

No big deal, I thought, because the uphill section I was looking forward to was coming up. The climb started on a slightly damp forest path. Despite the chill (surprising for August 1st), the views were breathtaking, and the forest was a visual treat. I was feeling great – confident even – soaking in the natural beauty in a way you can’t from a car window. And, of course, I pedaled with the same confidence. At first, I felt like I was flying uphill (I’d laugh at that speed now, but trust me, I felt like a Vingegaard). Reality soon hit me: there was no way I could maintain that level of effort for the entire ride. I realized it quickly, but even my “quickly” was too late and enough to burn me out. Damn! Such a rookie mistake. I clawed my way up the rest of the climb through sheer willpower. I remember thinking, "What the hell was I thinking?!" My lungs were barely functioning, and my legs started hating me. At least the scenery didn’t suck.

When I finally reached Doubravčice, I was rewarded with a descent. Turning off the main road onto a forest trail, I was about to start my ride down to Český Brod. Finally, a downhill section! Who doesn’t love descents? Zero watts and you’re flying at 50+ km/h.

But as soon as I hit the trail, I realized it was still wet from the morning dew, unlike the other roads that had dried by now. In the first turn, I quickly learned that I couldn’t just pretend the road was dry. My heart was pounding in my ears as I stood on the pedals like I was descending on an MTB, gripping the brakes in terror, too afraid to push them too hard on the slick surface. The stunning forest scenery? Didn’t care. By the time I reached Tuchoraz, I finally exhaled, and got the carbon beast back under control. Alright, I thought, I’m fine now. But a quick body scan told me otherwise – I was completely out of gas. And I was only 30% through the planned route.

I stopped at a gas station near the main road from Úvaly to Kolín, checked the map, and reluctantly decided to shorten the route. Damn, I thought, I can’t even manage 70 km.

Oh, and speaking of routes, let me tell you how I navigated back then – without a Garmin or a proper bike mount for my phone. Safety experts would have either laughed at me or fainted. I planned my route using the Mapy.cz app, and since I didn’t have a phone mount, I used headphones to listen to the navigation prompts in live mode while still hearing traffic. After my first ride, I upgraded my routine by wearing just one earbud – you know, for "extra safety." And if you’re wondering how I tracked my speed and distance without a Garmin? I stared at my Apple Watch. Also, super safe thing.

I hope you’re not crying by now – I’ve come a long way since then.

After regaining a bit of energy, I set off again: through Český Brod to Poříčany, and up the Chrást climb – 650 meters at an average 3.4% gradient. Being the self-improvement nut that I am, I gave myself a challenge: don’t let your speed drop below 20 km/h. And yes, I kept checking my watch to make sure I didn’t fail. That being said, you surely can imagine that was not a good decision when it comes to strength recovery.

By the time I reached Velenka, my plan to ride to Semice and along the river was dead. Out of strength, I turned left toward home, defeated. I crawled home through Mochov and Nehvizdy with my tongue practically dragging along my jersey. I invented a few new curse words during those last 20 km.

When I finally made it home, I checked my Strava data: 60 km with 438 meters of elevation gain. Time: 2 hours and 5 minutes. Average speed: 28.7 km/h. Honestly, it wasn’t too bad – another personal best. I’d nearly tripled my usual elevation gain. Gross.

I washed my bike, downed an electrolyte drink, wiped away the sweat and blood, and dragged my exhausted, hungry self inside. I stared at the ripped jersey in the mirror and thought about how annoyed I was. But I was too tired to care.

I considered using Santini’s “Crash Replacement” offer – they even pre-approved a 30% discount for a new jersey – but in the end, I decided to patch it up. It’s not a pro-level fix, but those scars remind me of the day we went through together. And next time? I’ll avoid the thorns.

Later that evening, as I stood by the window with a beer in hand, I thought about how nice it was outside. Maybe I should go for another ride tomorrow.

I mean… It’s only pain.

“Stage” profile - Length 60 km, elevation gain 438 meters

Can you remember your initial struggles? Let me know, I’d love to hear them!