How Far Should You Be Able to Ride Before a Cycling Vacation?
One of the most common questions we hear from cyclists preparing for their first Santana Adventure is: “How far should I be able to ride before the trip?”
The good news is that you probably don’t need to train for the distances you’ll see on your vacation quite the way you might expect.
A cycling vacation isn’t a race, and your training shouldn’t be about achieving a certain average speed or completing a century ride before you leave home. The best preparation is much simpler: ride consistently, gradually build your endurance, and get comfortable spending time on your bike.
Consistency Matters More Than Speed
If there’s one piece of training advice we’d give every participant, it’s to ride regularly.
Three or four moderate rides spread throughout the week will generally prepare you better than putting the bike away for six days and attempting one huge ride every Saturday.
Regular riding gives your body time to adapt—not just your legs, but also your back, shoulders, hands, and, perhaps most importantly, your seat. It also gives you time to become comfortable with your bike, shifting, braking, hydration, clothing, and all the little things that become second nature with experience.
Don’t worry about your average speed. There’s no prize for being the fastest cyclist on a Santana cruise.
Instead, concentrate on becoming a comfortable and confident cyclist.
So, How Far Should You Be Riding?
You don’t need to regularly ride 50 miles at home to enjoy a 50-mile day on a cycling vacation.
As your trip approaches, a good goal is to become comfortable completing rides of 25–35 miles without feeling completely exhausted afterward. If you’re hoping to regularly choose our Medium or Long routes, gradually adding some longer training rides will make those days even more enjoyable.
But there’s an important difference between riding at home and riding on vacation.
At home, many cyclists head out for a two-hour ride and rarely get off the bike. On a Santana Adventure, you may have six or more hours available to complete the day’s route.
Along the way, you might stop for a scenic photo, explore a castle, enjoy a cultural activity, walk through a historic village, have lunch, or discover a café that deserves an unscheduled stop.
Those breaks add up.
We’ve watched plenty of cyclists who typically ride 20 miles at home—or whose primary training comes from indoor cycling—happily complete 40 or 50-mile routes during their vacation.
You’re not riding continuously for six hours. You’re spending the day exploring by bicycle.
Don’t Forget About Back-to-Back Riding Days
Distance is only part of the equation.
One of the biggest differences between preparing for a cycling vacation and preparing for a typical weekend ride is that you’ll have the opportunity to ride again the following morning.
As your vacation gets closer, incorporate occasional back-to-back riding days into your training. You don’t need to make both rides particularly long. A 25-mile ride on Saturday followed by another 20 or 25 miles on Sunday can teach you a lot about how your body responds to consecutive days in the saddle.
If you’re comfortable getting back on your bike the next morning, you’re heading in the right direction.
What About Hills?
You don’t need to live in the mountains to prepare for a cycling vacation.
If you have hills nearby, include them in your normal rides. There’s no need to attack every climb. Practice finding a comfortable gear, maintaining a sustainable cadence, and reaching the top without exhausting yourself.
If you live somewhere flat, you still have options. Longer rides, headwinds, resistance training, indoor cycling, and repeated efforts on smaller hills can all help build the strength and endurance you’ll use when climbing.
And remember: you get to choose your route each morning.
Short, Medium, Long—or Take the Day Off
One of the advantages of a Santana cycling cruise is that you don’t have to decide months in advance how far you’ll ride each day.
Each morning, you’re welcome to select the route that best suits how you’re feeling and what you want to experience that day. Our cyclists tend to disperse pretty evenly among the different mileage options.
Short Routes are typically 30–35 miles, relatively flat, and avoid long climbs or particularly steep hills.
Medium Routes are typically 40–50 miles over rolling terrain and may include an occasional steeper hill.
Long Routes are typically 55 miles or more and may include multiple summits. They also tend to include the greatest amount of sightseeing content and some of our favorite views.
On certain days, we’ll also offer a Challenge Route as an addition to the Long Route. These options are designed for cyclists who look at a mountain and immediately start wondering what the view is like from the top. Expect a difficult—but rewarding—climb.
Want an even greater challenge? We’re always delighted to provide longer options for cyclists looking to stretch their legs. Just ask.
And if you wake up one morning and decide your legs have earned a vacation from your vacation, that’s perfectly fine too.
Taking a Non-Ride Day
You don’t have to cycle every day to enjoy a Santana Adventure.
On most events, our panoramic-windowed coach offers a scenic day for non-cyclists and participants taking a day out of the saddle, often incorporating many of the same sights and activities our cyclists experience.
You can also choose to stay aboard and enjoy the ship, or explore the town on your own. Just make sure you’re back aboard before the ship needs to depart.
Having these options also means there’s no reason to push through a day when your body is telling you it would benefit from some recovery.
Take the day off and come back refreshed tomorrow.
What About E-Bikes?
E-bikes are available to rent on most Santana cruises and have become an increasingly popular option for our participants.
They’re not simply for people who can’t ride a traditional bicycle.
An e-bike can help you comfortably ride a longer route, take the edge off a series of hills, keep pace with a stronger riding partner, or give you enough extra energy to add that optional climb or scenic viewpoint.
You still pedal. You still get exercise. You still experience the route from the saddle.
You simply have a little assistance available when you want it.
If you’re interested in an e-bike, check with our team about availability for your particular cruise.
A Simple Approach to Pre-Cruise Training
You don’t need a complicated training program, we have a fantastic Guide to Pre Cruise Fitness too.
Start by riding consistently and gradually increase your mileage as the trip approaches. Mix shorter weekday rides with an occasional longer ride. Add some hills when you can, and periodically ride on consecutive days.
Most importantly, spend time on the bike you’ll be riding at home.
Your goal isn’t to reach peak racing fitness. It’s to arrive healthy, comfortable, and excited to ride.
Pre-cruise fitness is one of the best investments you can make in your vacation—and in your own health and wellbeing. Many of our participants tell us that simply having another cycling adventure on the calendar gives them the motivation to keep riding throughout the year.
How Do You Know When You’re Ready?
If you can comfortably complete a 25–35 mile ride, get back on your bike the next day, and still look forward to riding again, you’re well on your way.
You don’t need to be fast.
You don’t need to conquer every hill.
And you certainly don’t need to ride the Long Route every day.
Some days you may choose 30 miles. Another day you might feel great and ride 50. Maybe you’ll tackle a Challenge Route, and perhaps you’ll spend another day sightseeing from the coach.
That’s part of the beauty of a Santana cycling cruise.
