Average Speed

Chris65

I have recently become an OAP and restarted cycling after a 25 year layoff. So far I have done about 600 miles

I cope well with distances up to 45 miles and take most of the reasonable climbs climbs without too much bother (as yet I haven't attampted the long steep gradients). Each ride starts with a 10 mile ride often into a westerly wind so this is quite slow warming up.

My problem is I cannot seem to improve on a 12-13 mph average speed.

Any advice on how I can get a move on

Philby

Just keep at it and your speed should improve as your fitness and stamina increase - 25 years is a long time off the bike and it will take your muscles time to readjust to the demands of cycling.

I would think that the key is not to try and force the increase in average speed too quickly as this could result in injury. You don't say whether you cycle on your own or with friends, but riding with others might help both in terms of encouragement and support and in draughting other riders for parts of the ride which will save a lot of energy.

The most important thing to remember is to enjoy your ride which will keep you motivated, rather than chase a hypothetical average speed (which could vary on the same route due to changing weather conditions) which might leave you feeling demotivated.

Valy

Philby wrote:

Just keep at it and your speed should improve as your fitness and stamina increase - 25 years is a long time off the bike and it will take your muscles time to readjust to the demands of cycling.

I would think that the key is not to try and force the increase in average speed too quickly as this could result in injury. You don't say whether you cycle on your own or with friends, but riding with others might help both in terms of encouragement and support and in draughting other riders for parts of the ride which will save a lot of energy.

The most important thing to remember is to enjoy your ride which will keep you motivated, rather than chase a hypothetical average speed (which could vary on the same route due to changing weather conditions) which might leave you feeling demotivated.

Indeed. It will come with time, but I can only sympathise with you - it's very easy to get hung up on the avg.

Most of all - enjoy the ride, everything is a bonus after that!

BasilBrushTheFirst

12-13 mph is a good average speed. It would bring you a respectable time in a sportive. Take some energy drinks with you if you don't already (and cake) if you're hitting a wall at around 45 miles and pace yourself. A heart rate monitor is good for this. Train by keeping the heart rate down - it will leave you with energy reserves.

ilm_zero7

when I started 13/14 average seemed like flat out - but then I joined a club and went training with others in a group and now I can do 18 +, even 20 for around 20miles solo, so it will come... there will be plenty on here for whom 20 mph av is a tootle around, maybe it will be for me too one day

but enjoy it - whatever the speed

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

Also do not forget that average is just that average, hills and winds and traffic conditions all play a part.

reacher

join a gym , it should be free , their is a consensus that the only way to get fit and improve for a sport is to play/do that particular sport ,
far easier and faster to isolate weekness and will lead to faster improvement , allows you to target and develop muscles and heart rates ,
be carefull though , older people will need carefull monitering in gyms as its very easy to go beyond whats safe ,
also dont forget as you get older you will need to train other parts of your anatomy any way for a complete fitness ,
or just keep cycling and it will improve anyway , just not at the same rate ,

Bronzie

reacher wrote:

far easier and faster to isolate weekness and will lead to faster improvement , allows you to target and develop muscles and heart rates

Exactly what gym exercises are you suggesting the OP does?

sparkins1972

Bronzie wrote:

reacher wrote:

far easier and faster to isolate weekness and will lead to faster improvement , allows you to target and develop muscles and heart rates

Exactly what gym exercises are you suggesting the OP does?

The OP doesn't state his age only that he has had a 25 year break from cycling, I am assuming he is in the mature cyclist group - so maybe just being in a gym surrounded by nubile lycra clad 25 year old beauties running, bouncing and stretching will be enough to get that heart rate up and running

jgsi

Book yourself a 10 next spring... should concentrate the mind.

(ride with people younger than yourself unless you can hitch up with a road race champion from the 70s)

a_n_t

reacher wrote:

join a gym ,or just keep cycling and it will improve anyway , just not at the same rate ,

:shock:

jgsi

reacher wrote:

join a gym , it should be free , their is a consensus that the only way to get fit and improve for a sport is to play/do that particular sport ,
far easier and faster to isolate weekness and will lead to faster improvement , allows you to target and develop muscles and heart rates ,
be carefull though , older people will need carefull monitering in gyms as its very easy to go beyond whats safe ,
also dont forget as you get older you will need to train other parts of your anatomy any way for a complete fitness ,
or just keep cycling and it will improve anyway , just not at the same rate ,

reacher wrote:

my work here is done ,

reacher

Bronzie wrote:

reacher wrote:

far easier and faster to isolate weekness and will lead to faster improvement , allows you to target and develop muscles and heart rates

Exactly what gym exercises are you suggesting the OP does?

none , i dont know his past history or his presant condition or his age , he could have been a scaffolder all his life and be extremly fit in the muscular skeleton , or he could be over weight loseing muscle tone and strengh due to age and/or in need of a drastic diet ,
join a gym that has proper trainers and take their advice or allternativly dont join a gym and continue cycling which is far better than doing nothing ,

MarcBC

The fact the OP states he has just become an OAP and his name is Chris65 I guess he is around 65. Does that help with the gym thing?

Chris65

MarcBC wrote:

The fact the OP states he has just become an OAP and his name is Chris65 I guess he is around 65. Does that help with the gym thing?

Hi. It's Chris again.
Well worked out. That is exactly it.
Other information which may help is as follows:-
Since restarting cycling I ride alone. I was not sure about joining a club until I built up more fitness.
Having ridden a mountain bike for some years (although usually only for about 10 miles a couple of times aweek) I am reasonably fit. My weight is just under 12 st - 5ft 8in.
I am not too keen on the gym so if possible I would prefer to improve using the bike

Valy

I suppose you would want to keep an eye out for any aches or pains, otherwise just ride and have fun.

danowat

reacher wrote:

join a gym that has proper trainers

Now you are in the realms of fantasy

neeb

25 years is a long time off the bike and it will take your muscles time to readjust to the demands of cycling.

+1.

It takes months or years to train your body to cycle efficiently. Just keep at it, and you should gradually improve. It's a combination of many things - pedaling efficiency, position on the bike, general cardiovascular fitness and muscle/ligament adaptation - all of which should improve naturally the more you cycle.

Garz

Enjoy your riding!

Don't take too much notice of the gym comment it's not essential for someone starting out to incorporate resistance training and if done incorrectly can just cause injury.

8)

Dancing Bear

i have never found that gym work compensates for actual cycling - apart from stamina building, but then distance swimming is just as good and less likely to cause injury. Is there such a thing as a gym bike with good geometries - all the ones i have tried are dreadful

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

Do you mind me asking why at 65 after a a while out of the saddle you are concerned with avg speed? You will know how you feel on a ride and if you are lacking in either strength or stamina.

I commute so I have the luxury of direct comparasion between me now and me in June, both by time, avg speed but most importantly how I feel.

I would do a set route on regular basis that includes some reasonable climbing and start to monitor your cardio and speed and time, each run I would suggest you vary between 75% effort to max effort and detail this somewhere . But rely mostly on how you feel rather than facts and figures.

A HRM will help if you monitor it, as it is a clear sign of your overall effort .

There are lots of online resources where you can upload your training/rides from a device like a Garmin or a Smart phone.

bigmat

Fat-Boy-Roubaix wrote:

Do you mind me asking why at 65 after a a while out of the saddle you are concerned with avg speed? You will know how you feel on a ride and if you are lacking in either strength or stamina.

I commute so I have the luxury of direct comparasion between me now and me in June, both by time, avg speed but most importantly how I feel.

I would do a set route on regular basis that includes some reasonable climbing and start to monitor your cardio and speed and time, each run I would suggest you vary between 75% effort to max effort and detail this somewhere . But rely mostly on how you feel rather than facts and figures.

A HRM will help if you monitor it, as it is a clear sign of your overall effort .

There are lots of online resources where you can upload your training/rides from a device like a Garmin or a Smart phone.

This is surely boll88ks? :? You need some constant to judge progress, either the same average speed and then compare "how you feel", or riding at the same intensity and comparing average speed. Just saying to compare "how you feel" isn't all that helpful. I always feel completely shagged after some of my training rides- that's because I always bury myself. My average speeds can vary a lot though, which is where you might get some indication as to how well I'm going.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

You are suggesting a 65 year old not been training goes 100% every ride? In fact forget the age anyone returning back goes 100% all the time? They will either burn out or injure themselves.

Any excercise performed above 60% of MHR for 30 min or more will have some long term positive effect performed at least three times a week I would suggest max nbeneifit would be more regular and varied intensity. Performing at 80 to 90% on regular basis for someone who is not bike fit will quickly end in aches pains and not looking forward to it.

If I or the OP were early twenties then sure go for it, it would still probably end with someone less interested in getting on the bike.

reacher

Garz wrote:

Enjoy your riding!

Don't take too much notice of the gym comment it's not essential for someone starting out to incorporate resistance training and if done incorrectly can just cause injury.

8)

split the statement and the second part is correct ,
the question was one of a stagnation in improvement , clearly their is a problem if some one , anyone , after this amount of time training has stopped improveing ,
split it again and it is a question of is the person cycling or training to cycle , if he is just cycling then improvements will be none to moderate , so you are correct in the whole of the statement , how ever , if the goal is to improve considerablily you need to move from doing an activty to training to improve at it ,
dont expect huge gains in performance by just doing an activity at that age ,

reacher

in fairness to the oap , 600 miles is barely starting , so just keep at it , if you are still not improveing in 6 months change the way you train ,

motdoc

Try to mix it up a bit. Throw in a few short fast rides and you'll probably find your longer rides start to speed up as well.
When I was 21 I did the london marathon, ran too fast and promptly hit the wall. About 3 hours in I was overtaken by a guy who must have been 80, he couldn't even straighten his spine! Nothing I could do, he just went through me. That guy was an inspiration, don't worry about age, it's mostly in the mind (some of it may be in the coronary arteries though so don't get too out of breath).
Good luck!

Bentyler

Forget about the gym, powermeters and HRM. Check with your GP that all is OK.
Then just RIDE your bike as much as you can preferably in a group, ensure that the bike is comfortable. Just get the base miles in, try to find riders with similar aims. In March join a weekend training bash. Your speed/fitness should rise, but more importantly so should your recovery rate.

Just enjoy riding the bike. Is your intention to race or just to reach a reasonable level of fitness?

I am on my second comeback after 20 year layoff, now after 6 years living the dream in France with the local club involved in sportives and road racing.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

+1 on Ben though I find the HRM useful.

You are very lucky Charente is one of my favourite areas of France.

John C.

It's winter, forget times, just get out and ride when you feel like it,may be get a turbo or set of rollers. do as much as you feel OK to do and by spring you should see your average speed increasing. Also forget the OAP bit you're as young as you feel and when I pass a young whipper snapper I feel like a young whipper snapper. only perhaps with a few more wrinkles

Mark Alexander

Just ride and enjoy it. don't get hung up on average speed. It's all about the effort. Take your time, don't worry don't knacker your joints.