Am I just an average cyclist in terms of performance?

Anonymous

Hi.

This is kind of a weird post and probably impossible to tell if I am average or not without seeing and maybe no real way to tell, but a rough idea would be good, I'd say I'm quite competitive and if I see anyone else in front of me on a road bike or anything I usually end up upping the speed and overtaking them oddly enough, although they might just be cruising, it seems every cyclist just cruises and its only me that likes to put it to the max now and again, I overtake everyone, never been overtaken yet, and on 10-40+ mile rides I can average between 17 and 20mph, today I did a nice short 18 mile ride and average about 19.4 for most of it keeping 25mph constant for some stretches which I was surprised about as it seems just by upping my amount of cycling I am doing has greatly improved my performance as I haven't done much cycling in the past 5 weeks since moving to Manchester. before I was doing 120+ mile rides at the weekend every weekend and I got my first road bike in feb and started cycling properly in April and been cycling allot since then.

So as the title, would I be classed as the average cycling or above average? when I am cruising along at 17-18mph and averaging only 16-17mph I feel really slow, or is that just me? I cycled from manchester to selby other week and thats hilly as it goes over pennines, average 17.3 on that.

Just want a rough idea if I am average/slow, sorry for the odd post its hard trying to make this question make sense, I hope I'm not the only cyclist ever to wonder this, I basically like to go fast, be fast etc..

impished

Mountain Bike "Off Topic" is not really the right place for this post :?
Just a thought but maybe you should post this in the Road Bike section. :roll:

Anonymous

impished wrote:

Mountain Bike "Off Topic" is not really the right place for this post :?
Just a thought but maybe you should post this in the Road Bike section. :roll:

Where is road bike off topic then? Thats why I use off topic.... I don't understand your attitude to someone posting in the wrong section.... :roll:

gmillsy

the only thing above average is the length of your sentences...

on a serious note, i would say you are about average for someone who obviously does a lot of cycling - i.e 120 mile rides. its difficult to compare yourself to other people you overtake, as who knows what their agenda is - they might be out for a slow ride or something.

The best way to gauge how good you are is to either join a club or do some races/sportives - the level of cycling there is likely to be much higher, and you know then that everyone is there to ride at their maximum ability.

on a final note (and playing devils advocate), what does it matter, cycling should be about getting the best out of yourself that YOU can manage, there will always be challenges and people who are better, and people who are worse than you - the quest to beat everyone else is often quite fruitless and eventually quite hollow.

you appear to have an excellent drive to better yourself, so go for it and join a club, train hard and do some races, this will allow you to progress and be the best that you can be - i think this is a much better goal than to be able to beat everyone else off the road

Anonymous

gmillsy wrote:

the only thing above average is the length of your sentences...

on a serious note, i would say you are about average for someone who obviously does a lot of cycling - i.e 120 mile rides. its difficult to compare yourself to other people you overtake, as who knows what their agenda is - they might be out for a slow ride or something.

The best way to gauge how good you are is to either join a club or do some races/sportives - the level of cycling there is likely to be much higher, and you know then that everyone is there to ride at their maximum ability.

on a final note (and playing devils advocate), what does it matter, cycling should be about getting the best out of yourself that YOU can manage, there will always be challenges and people who are better, and people who are worse than you - the quest to beat everyone else is often quite fruitless and eventually quite hollow.

you appear to have an excellent drive to better yourself, so go for it and join a club, train hard and do some races, this will allow you to progress and be the best that you can be - i think this is a much better goal than to be able to beat everyone else off the road

Thanks, I did join a club, was in Clifton CC in York but cant go out on there runs anymore since am in Manchester, I was quite good up hills I think, but my performance just went down hill at about 50 mile mark, or whenever the cafe stop is, so could be 50 or 100 mile.

I want to get into the velodrome but they are fully booked , being meaning to get out with Manchester Wheelers for past 4-5 weeks but not managed, hoping to next Sunday.

Now I have my GPS and when I start doing the same 37 mile loop regular I am hoping I'll notice my performance going up. People tell me to take some days off or do a steady ride, but I never can manage steady, I always end up gunning it or I'm unhappy, basically inpatient.

The thing that has stopped me from doing races is that I worry I would be too slow, unable to keep up, they do like 26mph+ average and even in a tight group I cant imagine doing that unless in a tailwind.

Father Faff

Try a triathlon or duathlon - you get a huge spread of abilities and you normally get split times in the results so you can see how you compare. If you can't swim just paddle gently in that section then do the bike bit and push hard and everyone can run even if slowly. Good laugh (well, afterwards anyway).

KB8

I think you need to swap the jeans you tuck into your socks for some lycra shorts & that Carrera hybrid for a road bike.

Anonymous

KB8 wrote:

I think you need to swap the jeans you tuck into your socks for some lycra shorts & that Carrera hybrid for a road bike.

ehhhh?

I did that ages ago, wearing Lycra since like April:p

Look in my sig you can see my new bike, its a goodun

Father Faff

Blimey that's disgusting - I mean why would anyone put a red and silver bottle carrier and a blue bottle with a yellow top on a black and white bike? I'd love to see what you wear to go with it....... :shock:

Anonymous

Father Faff wrote:

Blimey that's disgusting - I mean why would anyone put a red and silver bottle carrier and a blue bottle with a yellow top on a black and white bike? I'd love to see what you wear to go with it....... :shock:

Its red and black bottle holder now, blue black and red bottle, clear and red bottle, front wheel is red now too, and my jersey is blue and shorts are red and black:

http://www.cliftoncc.org/PICS/ComeTryIt08/DSC_9021.JPG

batch78

Cake Stop is off topic in road section.

Sounds about average to me though, unless I'm also quick!

Depends a lot on road surface, tyres, wind etc and I can't remember the exact figures but yes it is a lot easier to go considerably faster in a group.

Father Faff

Willhub, I think we need to see a pic of you on the bike in full regalia and give you marks out of 10 for colour co-ordination (the girls, and perhaps a few of the boys, could also give you marks out of 10 for fitness).

Anonymous

Father Faff wrote:

Willhub, I think we need to see a pic of you on the bike in full regalia and give you marks out of 10 for colour co-ordination (the girls, and perhaps a few of the boys, could also give you marks out of 10 for fitness).

You have seen a pic, I posted one.

Is 18.6mph average in heavy wet rain over 38 miles and windy average? I really hate been average , nothing I can do about it though, more excuse to cycle

GrahamGillooly

I think the best way to tell how fast you are is to take part in something competitive as gmillsy has said..

How did you manage when you were in the club back in York?

Get yourself out with the Manchester club as soon as you can, you might be surprised just how well you do when youre not just passing what might only be people on an easy recovery ride etc..

''heavy wet rain'' What's this 'wet' rain you talk of?!? :P

Anonymous

GrahamGillooly wrote:

I think the best way to tell how fast you are is to take part in something competitive as gmillsy has said..

How did you manage when you were in the club back in York?

Get yourself out with the Manchester club as soon as you can, you might be surprised just how well you do when youre not just passing what might only be people on an easy recovery ride etc..

''heavy wet rain'' What's this 'wet' rain you talk of?!? :P

http://www.cliftoncc.org/qcp.php?cp_id=1682

Thats my results from the TT's I did at York.

I am going out with Manchester Wheelers club on saturday and sunday, 50 mile saturday, 80 mile sunday I think.

KB8

Thu 29 May 08 Ganthorpe 10.5 32:53 19.2

So does this mean you done 10mi in 32 mins & avg'd 19.2mph?

Anonymous

KB8 wrote:

Thu 29 May 08 Ganthorpe 10.5 32:53 19.2

So does this mean you done 10mi in 32 mins & avg'd 19.2mph?

Yes, I remember that, on my old bike too, it was the hilly TT, the Sutton standard or whatever they are called are the flat ones, the Ganthorpe has long drags and 1 or 2 17% gradient climbs in.

clarkson

17%?!?! i climbed hardknott pass. try 30%

but seriously, if you want to better your riding, try some competitions. and compare with them. If im honest though, unless you really want to make something out of racing and beating people, i think you shoudl just enjoy the ride for what it is. I've been out loads of times on the trails and been overtaken, but was enjoying myself too much to really even care.

i mean its your choice, but thts my advice to you!

Anonymous

clarkson wrote:

17%?!?! i climbed hardknott pass. try 30%

but seriously, if you want to better your riding, try some competitions. and compare with them. If im honest though, unless you really want to make something out of racing and beating people, i think you shoudl just enjoy the ride for what it is. I've been out loads of times on the trails and been overtaken, but was enjoying myself too much to really even care.

i mean its your choice, but thts my advice to you!

I climbed Rosedale Chimney, try 33% :P

I guess you where able to climb the 30% hill though, I should have walked Rosedale chimney, was only going at like 2.5-4mph.

I'd say 17% is steep tbh, especially in a TT. On TT's I hate been overtaken, I'm too competitive, I do enjoy rides sometimes.