The Dirty Secrets of Cyclists Who Ride Over 20k Miles a Year

Photo by Paolo Chiabrando on Unsplash

You think 20k miles a year is a number to be proud of?

It sounds great on Strava, it looks like a golden achievement on your yearly summary. But dive deeper, and you’ll see the dark, greasy truth hiding behind those pedal strokes.

It’s a lifestyle, not a hobby. It’s an obsession, not a goal. Let’s break it down.

A Wake-up Call at 5:30 AM

The harsh truth? To rack up 20k miles in a year, you have to sacrifice everything else. Everything. Forget a social life. Forget family dinners. Hell, forget having a family if you want to really go deep into the madness.

For those riding upwards of 20,000 miles annually, it’s no longer about “fitness” or “enjoying the ride.” It’s about living, breathing, eating, and sometimes, even sleeping on the saddle.

Let’s talk reality:

  • The commute? It doesn’t count.
  • The weekend club ride? Sure, keep it, but only if it’s 100 miles, minimum.
  • The job? The real one, the one that pays your bills? Well, that’s just the thing that gets in the way of your real life—cycling.

These riders aren’t doing it for fun. They’re doing it because they’ve gotten to a point where they can’t do anything else. The bike is their spirit, and the road is their house.

You Have to Become a Professional (Even if You’re Not)

It’s not just about riding 5 hours a day (don’t even think about the weather). That’s just a warm-up for the real commitment. To hit 20,000 miles, you’re looking at 3 hours of cycling every day minimum.

And that’s just the average for some people (let’s not even talk about those who put in double sessions).

Check out this breakdown:

ActivityMileageTime per week
Weekdays50-60 miles4-5 hours
Weekend100-120 miles8-10 hours
Total~200-240 miles14-20 hours/week

And the hours don’t stop. Because guess what? You’ve got to keep your body at peak performance. Sure, you could ride indoors for some of those miles, but don’t kid yourself. Riding on Zwift or a stationary bike? It doesn’t count the same, no matter how much wattage you push.

If you’re out there doing it, let’s face it—you’re probably not doing it alone. You’re riding with a pack, a like-minded group of cycling monks who have sworn off the rest of the world.

So, Where Do These 20k Riders Come From?

The real question is: Who are these people? Where do they come from? Are they some sort of rare, twisted breed of human? The short answer is: Not really. The long answer? Let’s get into the specifics.

Here are the types of cyclists you’ll find grinding out these ridiculous numbers:

The Retired Cyclist – Has all the time in the world. No wife, no kids, and most definitely no job. They can live the dream because they’ve already lived the life. They’ve earned it, right? Who’s going to stop them?

The Work-From-Home Warrior – Wakes up at 4:30 AM, pedals 30 miles before they even touch a keyboard. The rest of the day is spent at the desk, typing away like nothing happened. By the time evening rolls around, they’re back on the bike, chasing that next milestone.

The Solo Cyclist With No Family Ties – Probably living alone, no pets, no responsibilities. The only thing keeping them grounded is a pile of gear in their living room and the sound of their tires humming on the pavement. And weekends? They ride the century, every single one.

The Semi-Pro (Sort of) – You might have a 9-to-5 job, but when you’re putting in 6 hours of training a day, it doesn’t feel like it. And don’t even think about the family—they’ve become a distant memory by now.

Here’s another breakdown on how these cyclists fit their insane schedules:

Cyclist TypeTypical MileageTime Commitment
Retired Cyclist15,000-20,000 milesFull-time
Work-From-Home Warrior10,000-15,000 miles3-4 hours a day
Solo Cyclist20,000+ miles5+ hours a day
Semi-Pro (Sort of)15,000-20,000 miles4-5 hours a day

Should you do it?

The million-dollar question. And here’s the simplest answer: No. At least not unless you’re living a life that makes everyone else’s existence look like a Netflix series.

You need a combination of extreme discipline, selfishness, and more spare time than a person ought to have. Oh, and don’t forget about the insane diet: You’re eating enough to fuel a small army, but somehow you stay lean. Because that’s the magic of cycling at this level. You burn the calories before they even have a chance to be counted.

For the rest of us, cycling 5,000-6,000 miles a year is a solid goal. Maybe even 8,000 if you’re really grinding. But 20k? For most, it’s an impossible feat without turning into a cycling machine at the cost of all human relationships and even basic sanity.

Let’s Recap

You really want to know how to do it? How to hit 20,000 miles? Forget everything. Quit your job. Tell your spouse you’ll be gone for a while. Ignore the kids—hell, pretend you don’t even have them.

It’s you, the bike, and the endless road ahead. The ride never ends, not for these addicts. It’s only when you look back at what’s left behind—family, friends, that life you used to lead—that you realize you’ve ridden yourself into oblivion.

And in the end, when you’ve spun through 20,000 miles, you’ll find yourself wondering: Was it worth it?


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