What's a good average speed ??
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Thanks @deptfordmarmoset i did enjoy it. A lot!
I think I've discovered a truth today. My new bike (a Cinelli which is wonderful) will take me as fast as I can pedal it. The problem is me!
But that is why I'm back on my bike after a multi-year break having children and setting up my own business.Blogging about junior road bikes http://junior-road-bikes.tumblr.com0 -
I average about 16-17mph on my short hilly commute to work (8.5m). When I ride with a couple of the locals we tend to average around 17-18mph and I find that I'm never really pushing, if I ride on my own I average somewhere between 18-22mph, depending on the route/distance.0
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i ve only just started road cycling since august, before that kept myself fit swiming .running and gym work always had good lungs, however its pleasing to know that there are people who do average below 16-18mph and its not just me whos slow apparently!
i say this because a lot of people i have spoken to seem to be able to manage about 25mph even though they only ride their bike in the summer! shall i tell them to turn pro?
bunch of lying bas****s cant wait to give them a mouthfull next time i see them.
thanks for eveyones honesty on these matters.0 -
First proper ride on my new road bike and I averaged a tad over 14mph. So room for improvement but not too shameful!Blogging about junior road bikes http://junior-road-bikes.tumblr.com0
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Always interested in this thread.
As I ride alone, an come from a MTB background, I dont have much to compare with.
Best I've ever managed is 16.8 over 45km!
Yesterday rode 50km, quite hilly, an I thought I was doing ok until I saw I was down at 15.2.
An I'm not embarrassed I'm 47!!Finished0 -
16mph on tough terrain is good.
I averaged 14.2mph on the 100 mile Dartmoor Classic a few years ago, and finished something like 300 / 650.
It only takes a couple of absolute killer hills to really knock your average down.
People's definitions of 'hilly' seem to vary a fair bit so its never apples with apples.
You said you dont enjoy pushing it so much, so just enjoy your riding for what your riding is; who cares what everyone else is doing.0 -
Milese wrote:
You said you dont enjoy pushing it so much, so just enjoy your riding for what your riding is; who cares what everyone else is doing.
Exactly.
I'm only using my average speed for two things at the moment:
* To judge if my fitness is improving on repeat routes
* To find out if I can join my local cycle club (Reading Cycling Club) as they have ideal average speeds for rides.
I'm never going to race or anything, so really the average speed does not matter a huge amountBlogging about junior road bikes http://junior-road-bikes.tumblr.com0 -
othello wrote:Milese wrote:
You said you dont enjoy pushing it so much, so just enjoy your riding for what your riding is; who cares what everyone else is doing.
Exactly.
I'm only using my average speed for two things at the moment:
* To judge if my fitness is improving on repeat routes
* To find out if I can join my local cycle club (Reading Cycling Club) as they have ideal average speeds for rides.
I'm never going to race or anything, so really the average speed does not matter a huge amount
If a club needs you to ride at a certain average speed to join them on rides I would find a different club!0 -
softlad wrote:
don't confuse the average speed of a group ride with your own personal average speed - the two are likely to be completely different...
how so? (not being argumentative just interested to know!)Blogging about junior road bikes http://junior-road-bikes.tumblr.com0 -
a group will always be able to maintain a higher average speed than an individual riding on his own...0
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Sometimes its nice to know to find if your progressing and what type of riding your capable of doing. Mind you asking on a forum you will get some "strange" replies. 16 MPH around Devon hills pretty good IMO. I think some are confusing KM and MPH and hills with speed humps! :twisted:0
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If I set my cycle computer to what the instruction say I can average 18-19mph on a 50 mile ride.
If I then set it using a correct measurement (1 full turn of the wheel using a marker) my average comes down to 17mph. Thing is anyone can "cheat" to make their average better than it really is. Me I prefer to measure it correctly.
Dave
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Do you work out averages based on total time on the road or only time when moving? My computer carries on timing when I stop at red lights etc. and I always forget to switch it off and on again, so I'm never really sure what my average speed is
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Pross wrote:If a club needs you to ride at a certain average speed to join them on rides I would find a different club!
I guess they are using the average speed as a guide to people know which level of ride to join (social, medium and hard)Blogging about junior road bikes http://junior-road-bikes.tumblr.com0 -
Route makes all the difference.
At the Colomba Chemo Classic on Saturday I managed just 13mph average over about 65 miles riding mostly solo. I was a bit dissapointed until I saw the fastest time of the day was just 2mph faster, and my lowly speed still got me 32nd out of 150ish starters. All it takes is a few major hills. The last one was 8% ish for about 3 miles.0 -
A good average speed is 18mph, but don't ever mention average speed, someone will probably punch you in the mouth, some people really despise people mentioning average speed.0
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I don't think people despise average speeds, its the people who purport them and the manner which it is done.0
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Been riding now for about 11 weeks and managed my first complete ride of 51.5 miles this weekend. Furthest I'd managed before was 44 miles a few weeks back.
Happy with how it is going, I am 52 and have tried to improve the fitness without getting myself any injuries, so far so good.
A few hilly bits on the route taken in 3.25 hours averaging 15.6mph. Hoping to enter the cat and fiddle next year, wouldn't have been able to give it a go this year as lack of fitness and endurance would have done me in but enjoying every moment, even the hills.0 -
hi all
Ive just got back into cycling after a good 6 year layoff, My first ride was an 8.5 miler and managed 15.5mph avg. My 2nd cycle was a 26.4miler and managed 18mph avg.
I used to do alot of mtbing and could avg 20mph with 1.5" slick so im hoping to be able to do that on a road bike prety soon. ingers crossed0 -
i managed 16mph average over 17 miles at the weekend. Normally its 13mph, i prefer to judge how well im doing by how long i can stay out on the bike. 4hrs is the max so far if it ever stops raining up north i might try and break that record. One day i will make it to Craster for kippers.0
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if you put a slightly larger wheel size into your computer than you have on your bike you can convince yourself you are doing say 23mph when you are doing 19mph in reality. :idea: when you talk about it you can round it up say 2-3 mph its only a small amount.you will soon be doing 25-26mph average in conversation and nobody will ever know.sometimes not even you
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Average speeds on bikes are about as useful as 0-60 times in cars. They are there for the pub talkers......They mean zilch in the real world.
Dave 0 -
I have had a ride bike now for 6 months,thanks to the Tax man and the CTW Scheme, and absolutely loving it. Riding about 3 times a week, about 25 miles each time, more for pleasure than breaking any speed records, and to loose a little weight.
My question is this, what is a decent average speed ?? I am currently averaging around 16mph around the hilly North Devon roads.
I am also a new to the sport. Today I did a 20 mile ride on moderate terrain with an average of 17.3 mph. I was really pleased. I am 51 years old and normally ride solo, so I never have anyone to compare myself to. Would this be a decent pace for the Master division in races?0 -
If you're new to the sport you won't have enough stamina to race with the veterans. Don't forget they're not just old blokes - they can be ex pros and ex top amateurs.
Join a club and then compare to the other riders there.
Time Trialling is an easier way into racing and you don't need all the aero kit.
But mainly- join a club.0 -
Hi RF, I responded in your other post also.I am also a new to the sport. Today I did a 20 mile ride on moderate terrain with an average of 17.3 mph. I was really pleased. I am 51 years old and normally ride solo, so I never have anyone to compare myself to. Would this be a decent pace for the Master division in races?
I am 54 and yesterday rode solo for 60 miles, climbed 4600 feet at an average of 17.5 mph. Fitter that some, but there are several guys around the same age as me in my area of who would wipe the floor with me. There's some fit 50+ year olds out there!"It must be true, it's on the internet" - Winston Churchill0 -
The question can only be answered by you.
I've ridden on and off since I was a kid (I'm turning 41 in a few weeks) and in the last few years I've done a lot of road riding. Plus, since Jan 2015 I've been riding with a club which has really brought my speed up.
As per previous replies the wind, gradient etc all play a part and average speed is not a good indicator.
I track my progress by looking back at a route a have done for the last three or fours years. When I first started it would take 2 hours 15 ish to complete and now I can do it in 1 hour 50 ish. That translates to 15.5mph when I started to 19mph now. If I do a steady run I drop to around 17 mph, if I "try" I get up to touching 20mph.
What makes me happy is that I see steady progress not the overall speed. Also, I've moved from hanging off the back on the Club Runs to taking my turn at the front.0 -
impressive frankenthread, resurrected after almost six years!my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny0
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I am also a new to the sport. Today I did a 20 mile ride on moderate terrain with an average of 17.3 mph. I was really pleased. I am 51 years old and normally ride solo, so I never have anyone to compare myself to. Would this be a decent pace for the Master division in races?
I'm 51 and have been back into cycling for 4 years after 25 years off!! I've been doing other sports so kept pretty fit.
I, like you, reckoned I was quite decent for my age, so this season just gone I joined my local club and started TT'ing. What a hoot, I love it! I was pretty pleased with my performance and held my own mid-table most nights although was amazed how fast some of the older club boys and girls are.
If you're vaguely competitive I would highly recommend finding out how fast you REALLY are by doing the race of truth! As has been said, it makes looking at your Strava averages a bit meaningless in isolation although we all inevitably end up chasing a number on the Garmin, all good clean fun!0
