Average Speeds

Peddle Up!

Having received a warm welcome and some very helpful replies to my first posting, I thought I’d chance my arm with a second query. What kind of average speed should I expect/aim for on my a) hybrid and b) road bikes?

I’m in my fifties, reasonably fit, but carrying a few extra pounds. I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills; is this reasonable, or hopeless? What premium might I expect my road bike?

I’ve look at postings on the Internet on this topic and either they are the stuff of fisherman’s tales, or I have a lot of training to do! Thanks.

redddraggon

Peddle Up! wrote:

What kind of average speed should I expect/aim for on my a) hybrid and b) road bikes?

I'm afraid that's a question that's nearly impossible to answer. It depends on fitness, how much effort you put in, the terrain, the conditions, the actual bike, one mans fast average will be another's slow.

HarryB

I'm also in my 50s and I'd say I'm very fit but cycling id not my main sport. My last three rides look like this:

May 31: 74.26 miles Ave speed 18.0 mph. Did 2,229ft of ascent.
May 29: 81.91 miles Ave speed 17.3 mph. Did just over 2,500ft of ascent
May 28: 42.86 miles Ave speed 18.9 mph. Did just over 1,500ft of ascent

I don't know whether these stats are good, bad or indifferent but they are what I do on my steady training rides. Hope this helps

kettrinboy

I ,m 45 and been cycling seriously since May 06 , I ride both a hybrid and road bike, today on the hybrid a Giant FCR2 I did 48 miles with 800m of climb at 17.3 ave, on this bike I,ll do anything from 15mph in the winter to 19mph in the summer , on my road bike a Scott CR1 pro I do from 17mph on a really hilly ride up to 21.5mph for a 10 mile sprint , yesterday on the Scott i did 23miles with 270m of climb at 19.3 ave.Its important to vary your speeds to include longer steady rides , medium pace rides and short fast rides to cover all the fitness bases

feel

Peddle Up! wrote:

I’m in my fifties, reasonably fit, but carrying a few extra pounds. I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills; is this reasonable, or hopeless? What premium might I expect my road bike?
quote]

Also in 50's riding a lot for the last year and ride routes that are quite hilly (to me)but would be very pleased with an average of 16mph over 26 miles. For 26 miles i would probs expect 14 to 15 mph and could get 16 mph but that would probs be over a shorter distance of more like 12 to 15 miles, so you are better than me. I certainly don't consider myself unfit, just a bit overweight.
Didn't understand the last bit you wrote.

Peddle Up!

feel wrote:

Peddle Up! wrote:

I’m in my fifties, reasonably fit, but carrying a few extra pounds. I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills; is this reasonable, or hopeless? What premium might I expect my road bike?
quote]
Didn't understand the last bit you wrote.

How much faster could I expect to be on my road bike?

Peddle Up!

I suppose the averag will depend on how it's calculated. Do people time strictly between route markers, or just rely on a cycle computer? How do you deal with the (speed) depressing effect of being stuck at lights/traffic etc.? I know the computer stops counting, but there are always "lost seconds" that affect the average. If these are included, I estimate that you would need to be routinely hitting 25-30 mph on the flat. A tall order (for me!).

Denny69

Peddle Up! wrote:

feel wrote:

Peddle Up! wrote:

I’m in my fifties, reasonably fit, but carrying a few extra pounds. I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills; is this reasonable, or hopeless? What premium might I expect my road bike?
quote]
Didn't understand the last bit you wrote.

How much faster could I expect to be on my road bike?

Speed and average speeds get better as time progresses. I wouldn't expect to be much quicker than your hybrid as hybrids and roadies are virtually the same thing apart from the handle bars/gearing. Gearing between the bikes will be a big factor too as the roadie will be geared for speed and the hybrid will probably be geared like an MTB (I say probably it might not be). But the main factor is your fitness.

I would think (?) the difference would only be a couple of mph. As for the times....I'd be happy with 'em.

Denny69

Peddle Up! wrote:

I suppose the averag will depend on how it's calculated. Do people time strictly between route markers, or just rely on a cycle computer? How do you deal with the (speed) depressing effect of being stuck at lights/traffic etc.? I know the computer stops counting, but there are always "lost seconds" that affect the average. If these are included, I estimate that you would need to be routinely hitting 25-30 mph on the flat. A tall order (for me!).

Most cycle computers will take into account any stopped time and allow so to give an accurate average speed. The easiest way to find out is if you have a cycle computer, next time your at lights/stuck in traffic access your AV SPD on it and see if it goes down.

feel

Peddle Up! wrote:

feel wrote:

Peddle Up! wrote:

What premium might I expect my road bike?
quote]
Didn't understand the last bit you wrote.

How much faster could I expect to be on my road bike?

god - i thought those times were for your road bike :oops:

depends on the two bikes, some hybrids can be pretty fast bikes. If your hybrid is heavier, runs wider, lower pressure tyres than your road bike and has 26" wheels then expect to be at least 2 or 3 mph faster.

Trickyupnorth

Peddle Up! wrote:

reasonably fit, but carrying a few extra pounds. I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills; is this reasonable, or hopeless?

Your "reasonably fit" is mega fit to me! I can only dream of cycling 26 miles in one go. I can maybe do it in a week.

I've recently starting commuting, it's about 3 miles each way and I average 12.7mph, it's reasonable flat, no hills at all.

For the first couple of days of my commute I had to stop a couple of times. I'm in my thirties. So, to me, that's really good.

Richie

sub55

Trickyupnorth wrote:

Peddle Up! wrote:

reasonably fit, but carrying a few extra pounds. I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills; is this reasonable, or hopeless?

Your "reasonably fit" is mega fit to me! I can only dream of cycling 26 miles in one go. I can maybe do it in a week.

I've recently starting commuting, it's about 3 miles each way and I average 12.7mph, it's reasonable flat, no hills at all.

For the first couple of days of my commute I had to stop a couple of times. I'm in my thirties. So, to me, that's really good.

Richie

dont worry about it sunshine, about 20 years ago ,due to a change in bus time tables and a lack of driving licence, i borrowed my sisters bike to commute to work on. it was only going to be for afew days until i sorted something else out and what the hell i was in my early twenties and as fit as a fiddle. or so i thought. anyway , the commute was about 3 miles each way and no i could`nt do it without having to stop for a rest. when i got to work i was fit for nothing for about an hour afterwards. twenty something years later , i have held first cat road race licence, have pb`s ranging from 53 mins for a 25 to sub 4 hour 100`s and national medals for time trialling. if i could do it ,so could you.
just keep at it , enjoy what your doing and see your goals getting nearer.

biondino

The computer stops when you stop, but the slowing down a speeding up makes a big difference to your average speed, especially if you're doing it a lot. My commuting average is about 14.5mph through central London while I'd expect the same journey without traffic lights, zebra crossings etc. would be 17+.

Today I did a 53 mile run around north Surrey (Richmond Park coming near the start and near the end of the ride, most of the rest being flat or undulating, no big hills) and averaged 16.5mph. This was with 2 friends so certainly drafting would have made an mph or so difference.

gavintc

I am 51, on my commute of 17 miles, on a good day, I will push out 21-22 mph. On a club run of 45 miles, with the benefit of drafting, I can make 20 mph. I have steadily improved over the last 3 yrs since starting road cycling. Initially, I reckoned 15-16 mph was impressive. To an extent, it depends on the hills, wind, drafting.

Keep with it.. But, do not lose heart, you are pushing out a good pace

Trickyupnorth

Peddle Up! wrote:

I can make an average of 16mph on a 26 mile route that includes a couple of hills

Just to clarify - When I said "So to me that's really good," I meant Peddle Up!'s stats.

Richie

oldwelshman

86 miles, 8195 feet climbing, 17.1 mph for last weekend, I am 47.
If the wind was not so bad might have kept it at 19 mph
Av speed will vary depending on route, conditions and if your riding on group or alone and if you flat out or not.
Mine varies from 16mph to 27mph goping from recovery rides to a flat crit race.
Not hit 27mph this year yet probably as I have not raced Hillingdon yet

feel

oldwelshman wrote:

86 miles, 8195 feet climbing, 17.1 mph for last weekend, I am 47.

So to many of us you are really "young welshman"

CrookedCucumber

oldwelshman wrote:

86 miles, 8195 feet climbing, 17.1 mph for last weekend, I am 47.
[

Sigh. I'm about your age, and I'd love to be able to cycle 86 miles, at any speed. As it happens, my family and work commitments mean that I can do a ride that long may once or twice in a summer

Presumably if you can average 17mpg of 80-odd miles, you're cycling that sort of distance fairly regularly. How do you find time? Do you get up at 3am or something??

madturkey

My longest ever ride (yesterday) is 43 miles and I averaged just over 12mph - 3 1/2 laps of Richmond park plus getting there and back. Computer just does an average speed calc based on distance and total time so when I stop the average speed goes down.

Annoyingly I am reasonably fit, just have no bike fitness; probably cycled less than 300 miles in my entire life!

oldwelshman

CrookedCucumber wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

86 miles, 8195 feet climbing, 17.1 mph for last weekend, I am 47.
[

Sigh. I'm about your age, and I'd love to be able to cycle 86 miles, at any speed. As it happens, my family and work commitments mean that I can do a ride that long may once or twice in a summer

Presumably if you can average 17mpg of 80-odd miles, you're cycling that sort of distance fairly regularly. How do you find time? Do you get up at 3am or something??

I also have many work commitments and a wife who is like a project manager

Basically I fit in rides when I can.
In the winter I bought decent lights so I was doing 2 nights a week when dry, one ride about 40 miles, one about 65. Night riding is great, very quiet. I was getting back at 10pm on longer ride.
Then on weekend, leave house at 07:15 to ride to club run (start 8am) , doing 90 miles on sat and 70 on sunday.
Once May comes and season starts I do a mixture of riding, race, sportives, recovery.
I have stopped track riding at the moment as I am doing the Marmotte and Pinarello Fondo so I did the Cymru Gran Fondo for training last week, this weekend I am doing Tour of Pembroke, then Dragon. These are all over 100 miles so good prep for Marmotte.
From July I will focus on track and racing.
Once the season kicks in then it just ticks over, mixture of races, sportives and recovery rides.

CrookedCucumber

oldwelshman wrote:

In the winter I bought decent lights so I was doing 2 nights a week when dry, one ride about 40 miles, one about 65. Night riding is great, very quiet. I was getting back at 10pm on longer ride.
Then on weekend, leave house at 07:15 to ride to club run (start 8am) , doing 90 miles on sat and 70 on sunday.

Fair enough. My kids won't tolerate my being away from home regularly at weekends -- certainly not both Saturday and Sunday. After all, it's the only time I really see them. I've reluctantly started thinking that night time riding is the only way to get a decent run in. I've got some decent lights in anticipation, but it's not stopped raining since I bought them

oldwelshman

Well you can also ride early in the morning before they get up ? If you left 6:30 you could get a couple of hors each day minimum.
There are enough hours in the day to be able to cycle enough to be fit enoug to be competative, but not always good enough weather ( I hate the rain)

CrookedCucumber

oldwelshman wrote:

Well you can also ride early in the morning before they get up ? If you left 6:30 you could get a couple of hors each day minimum.
There are enough hours in the day to be able to cycle enough to be fit enoug to be competative, but not always good enough weather ( I hate the rain)

I wish. I get up at 7am to start work at 7.30 I pick up the kids from school at 3.30pm, to start the three-hour frantic run-around which is the normal lot of a parent with kids in primary school. Generally the kiddies are asleep by about 7.30pm (they get up at 5.30am, rain or shine). So I get the time from about 7.30pm for cycling, provided I don't want to speak to my wife that day Hence the interest in night-time cycling.

All of this is moot right now, since it's rained almost constantly for the last week

Anonymous

I did 62 miles yesterday on my own and averaged 18.7mph, I went up to a place called Sherriff Hutton in yorkshire and did this 10mile TT route with some 17% gradients, I intend to do this route more often by myself as I think it will iprove my average and improve my climing potential.

At the weekend I did 84 miles and averaged 17.9mph allthough there was not that much climing and I was in a group.

My speedo does not change when at a stop though.

CrookedCucumber

willhub wrote:

I intend to do this route more often by myself as I think it will iprove my average and improve my climing potential.

At the weekend I did 84 miles and averaged 17.9mph allthough there was not that much climing and I was in a group.

Grrrrr! Enjoy it while you can. When you've got kids and two jobs you'll be struggling to find time to cycle to Tesco and back, like me

Anonymous

CrookedCucumber wrote:

willhub wrote:

I intend to do this route more often by myself as I think it will iprove my average and improve my climing potential.

At the weekend I did 84 miles and averaged 17.9mph allthough there was not that much climing and I was in a group.

Grrrrr! Enjoy it while you can. When you've got kids and two jobs you'll be struggling to find time to cycle to Tesco and back, like me

If I had kids I'd cart them along too :P

Peddle Up!

I carried out a semi-scientific experiment yesterday on a 20 mile ride by keeping an eye on my indicated speed and how the average changed under different conditions. Riding on the flat the result was as expected, with the indicated average feathering as the road speed fluctuated slightly. The real eye-opener was the hit on the average from even short coasting to a junction etc., and the few seconds setting off and refastening the free cleat afterwards. I estimate that you can lose 0.4 - 0.5 mph each time which means riding full chat on the next stretch to restore the previous average.