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

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