Intermediate standard??

songwriter

How do you graduate beginner status? An average speed of 18mph? 50mile rides? 100 miles a week?

Whats the plan man?

peejay78

average speed of 18mph is definitely NOT beginner status.

nor is 100 miles per week.

songwriter

peejay78 wrote:

average speed of 18mph is definitely NOT beginner status.

nor is 100 miles per week.

cool gimme a couple more weeks 8)

Mettan

For a reasonably "athletic bloke" who hasn't done any cycling in the previous 5 years I'd say a 12-13mph Avg over 10 miles would be a good "begginers" start - (that would include plenty of short 0-7% gradients - typical hilly-ish roads - a few headwinds, maybe a bit of rain, or greasy surface)

If you took a "random" sample of 100 Men between 20-50 years old who haven't ridden in the last 5 years, I doubt very much, more than 5-10 % of them could manage a comfortable 18mph Avg over 10 miles, 3 times a week - that's not to say we can't - (18 over 10, 3 times a week is clearly not begginer riding)

dennisn

I would have to be honest and say that I didn't know there was a list.

Dennis Noward

top_bhoy

Beginners - surely having none or limited, very sporadic experience on a bike is a general starting point!! Speed, distance, age, etc is irrelevant.

songwriter

Top_Bhoy wrote:

Beginners - surely having none or limited, very sporadic experience on a bike is a general starting point!! Speed, distance, age, etc is irrelevant.

Miss, Miss, I know the answer!!

redddraggon

I think the question asked was "What do you need to do to cease being a beginner?"

milese

I'm clearly a beginner, I think 13mph was my average for my last trip!

top_bhoy

redddraggon wrote:

I think the question asked was "What do you need to do to cease being a beginner?"

err...no it wasn't!!!

Lets hope its not when you can cycle with no hands - otherwise I'd still be using my stabilisers

redddraggon

Top_Bhoy wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

I think the question asked was "What do you need to do to cease being a beginner?"

err...no it wasn't!!!

Well what does:
How do you graduate beginner status?
Mean then?

top_bhoy

Chill out big man.......

on the road

I would say a beginner is someone who's only had very few rides, in single figures say, or someone who's only been riding say less then a month :?

Speed really has nothing to do with it; speed just determines how fit you are.

tatanab

I think the thing that differentiates a beginner from anything else is simply experience. As Top-Bhoy says, it has nothing to do with speed or distance.

I am an experienced cycletourist, but if I tried crossing the Sahara I would certainly fall in the beginner category. I have also been an experienced time trialer, road racer and track racer. I was not fast as a time trialer nor any good at massed start, but I was far from being a beginner. I have commuted to work for many years, adding to my experience as a cyclist.

So there's the answer - get out and ride every type of riding you can (commuting/touring/racing/club runs etc) then you will become experienced.