New riders that can't yet manage a 15mph average?

Dan_Giant

I've had my bike a few weeks now and average 15mph on my rides of 15-17 miles. I am fairly fit as I'm in the airforce but not super fit like some. I think running helps as it builds stamina in the leg muscles.

I do live in Norfolk though so it is flatter than a flat thing!

I do also push pretty hard as that's just the mentality I've adopted from the military training, plus I want to be able to do my 18mile commute in roughly an hour so I can spend more time in bed haha.

Everyone has their own goals and reasons for cycling, so only you can push yourself to get better if that's what you ride for. If not just enjoy it.

Dan

charlie_potatoes

Well I managed to get up Bread and Cheese Hill this morning and without getting out of the saddle

Sorry for off topic but feeling chuffed with myself.

Regards
Charlie Potatoes

daveyroids

I seem to be very late to this party but here it goes.

I can only speak for the club that I ride with. We currently have 2 groups one which is the training group (fast) the other is the club run. We advertise that we ride at an average of between 14 and 16 mph. I will acknowledge that some runs do exceed this but only for riders that are able. If riders in our club thought that a new rider was going to struggle to keep up we would split our club run. Let the faster people go off into the distance while a few of us would stay back and pace the new rider.

I think cycling clubs should encourage new riders and help them in any way possible. I'm not suggesting that we are perfect and we can get carried away at times but on the whole we will wait for slower riders and accommodate them. This year we have seen a dramatic increase in our membership and I think this is partly due to the variety of riders that we already have and our attitude to new riders. I rejoined the club back in February and I appreciated the way I was treat by the other riders who incidentally I did not know.

I hope riders across the country have had similar experiences. It is daunting for some people to even consider riding with a club. They think that we are all elite riders but that is not the case. Some of our riders, including myself, are not even 4th cats. We just enjoy the company and the other benefits being in a club has. For example there is always someone to ride with on a weekend and I find a persons ability and ambition increases within a matter of weeks.

If anyone is thinking of riding with a club then ring the secretary, join their forum, ask questions. If you have the luxury of a few clubs in your area, shop around and pick the one that you think will suit you best.

And after that long rant You are always welcome in Sunderland Clarion.

Mikey23

i am busy checking out my 'local club' right now (Yogi of Plymouth) and will hopefully make my debut soon. have found what seems to be a a very helpful bunch of people, a well laid out website with lots of interraction, clearly defined groups and objectives catering for 10 (newbies) through 12, 14 and 16 so hopefully there will be something there for me. I can do 12 here in hilly east cornwall but am improving and growing in confidence. I like riding on my own but will suss out what riding with others feels like

Ringo 68

I normally average about 16.5 mph on my 25-30 mile routes that havve the odd decent climb in them.

Today I managed my first 50 miler for over 27 years with one tough climb and the rest pretty flat. Averaged 14.7 mph It would have been a bit better but died a death on the last 10 miles.

A bit more work is needed before looking for a club me thinks.

NITR8s

I did 46.9 mile on Saturday without stopping once and with only water as fuel, bonked at about 42 miles.

Averaged 13.3Mph with over 3000 feet of climbing


http://email.strava.com/wf/click?upn=FLdFplb9Rd0LY-2BmLy3OryuEnPQ4oTB4anhNPYw9LQjCIENa5zA3UJhOwBgQoCYqMubgTRLbGT75HIeJbB4pX41EgIDhEtSv9qTGrCy1T0nrv0ROdjcws4Idb0mzDyEacwL8Uw1kgZrRGH0EF06uixA-3D-3D_-2BPe06-2FbvfIwPZYvDYsJeB0MMrYeyesSGKtFC6GzISssbNM7hFkvMA7VPc8rcxiacgFfLS8BNL31vRH-2BgEUp5E3Xqq8-2Fd8IJH-2FVHmf8UOMs7vkYIycpa9aLvrN2KHANpl5taN6L6PZp54jfX10qdrjzTQMhGUtazwkL-2BAf3Jgz6u5e-2FjGxJ4L9ajk-2BA1EGdRW

Bobbinogs

NITR8s wrote:

I did 46.9 mile on Saturday without stopping once and with only water as fuel, bonked at about 42 miles.

No surprise there chap. It is often repeated on this forum that someone with a decent diet will have enough carbs for about 90-120 mins of hard cycling, after that you are using the fuel that you take with you...and working damn hard will burn about 65g of carb an hour after that initial period...so at 13 mph I reckon you were lucky to make to 42 before bonking. Try getting used to eating before you feel hungry as it takes a little time to work through, and eating 2 or 3 times every hour works well for me. It does mean that I need to take a lot of food out for long rides, say a 200k, or make sure I have some refuel stops planned. I also carry a spare gel in my saddle bag just in case, nothing worse than running on empty, knowing it but unable to do ought about it.

jagx400

Going to attempt this route on Sunday, weather permitting. My first attempt at such mileage (42.5 miles). My longest so far is 27 miles with an average of 14.5 mph. Just hope I can do it.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1352706/full.png

NITR8s

Bobbinogs wrote:

NITR8s wrote:

I did 46.9 mile on Saturday without stopping once and with only water as fuel, bonked at about 42 miles.

No surprise there chap. It is often repeated on this forum that someone with a decent diet will have enough carbs for about 90-120 mins of hard cycling, after that you are using the fuel that you take with you...and working damn hard will burn about 65g of carb an hour after that initial period...so at 13 mph I reckon you were lucky to make to 42 before bonking. Try getting used to eating before you feel hungry as it takes a little time to work through, and eating 2 or 3 times every hour works well for me. It does mean that I need to take a lot of food out for long rides, say a 200k, or make sure I have some refuel stops planned. I also carry a spare gel in my saddle bag just in case, nothing worse than running on empty, knowing it but unable to do ought about it.

I usually take flapjacks for ride for my energy as found they work wonders, however I didnt have any so deceided to go for a ride without any. It didnt help either that I decieded to take on Elworthy hill for a bit of a challenge, as you can see from the link average of 5/4mph up there which severly affected my average speed.

Bobbinogs

NITR8s wrote:

I did 46.9 mile on Saturday without stopping once and with only water as fuel, bonked at about 42 miles.

...

I usually take flapjacks for ride for my energy as found they work wonders, however I didnt have any so deceided to go for a ride without any. It didnt help either that I decieded to take on Elworthy hill for a bit of a challenge, as you can see from the link average of 5/4mph up there which severly affected my average speed.

No shame there mate, there's many folks that end up on foot going up that hill. I quite like it but it does suit my climbing style (doesn't need brutal strength but does need a big diesel type-engine fitted into an undersized chassis ).

NITR8s

I know its only classed as a catergry 3, but i think it is problerbly just off a 2. My thoughts were if I can used to climbing that hill, I should get a million times better at the rest.

daveyroids

Ringo 68 wrote:

I normally average about 16.5 mph on my 25-30 mile routes that havve the odd decent climb in them.

Today I managed my first 50 miler for over 27 years with one tough climb and the rest pretty flat. Averaged 14.7 mph It would have been a bit better but died a death on the last 10 miles.

A bit more work is needed before looking for a club me thinks.

Good average for a solo ride over that distance. Wonder what you can do sitting on the back of a group being pulled along. 16.5 mph for a 30 is good. Are you sure your not ready to join a club?

slowbike

Ringo 68 wrote:

I normally average about 16.5 mph on my 25-30 mile routes that havve the odd decent climb in them.

Today I managed my first 50 miler for over 27 years with one tough climb and the rest pretty flat. Averaged 14.7 mph It would have been a bit better but died a death on the last 10 miles.

A bit more work is needed before looking for a club me thinks.

I did my first sportive earlier this year - 80 odd miles ...
Been solo training - doing up to 55 miles - averaged 15mph no matter whether "hilly" or flat ..
Sportive (fairly flat) was with another rider who is faster than me - he towed me round most of the way ... we averaged 16mph.
So - purely by drafting I managed to up my pace ...

Go find a club if thats what your aim is - you're there on pace and will fit in no problem - ok, you may not take the front quite so much - but you can work up to that.

JonnyJH

I went out yesterday and did 14 miles (7 mile loop twice) for the first time I managed to average 15mph
What’s really weird is I did the same 7 mile loop the day before but only just managed to average 14mph. Cant quite figure that one out, not that I'm complaining.
I was slower up the hills, but MUCH faster along the flats. I moved up 40 places in one Strava segment! :shock:

Chuffed much!!!

buzzwold

Maybe I'm better than I thought. My regular rolling ride around South Worcestershire of 25 miles takes me 1.5 hours and I recently did a 45 miler with some decent hills in 2hrs 41mins including a quick 3 minute stop to adjust bike. However I killed myself on a proper hilly 53 miler over the Teme Valley, up Clifton Hill into Tenbury Wells and back via Bromyard. Average speed around 10 mph, although I had to get off and walk up Clifton Hill.

All solo stuff. Built up to it gradually by regular 10 or 15 milers and read all the stuff about nutrition and drink as well as heart rates etc. Basically, I learned that pedalling fast in a lower gear is easier than pedalling slow in a high gear and also make use of the gears - just cos you're going downhill doesn't mean you can't pedal. If you can add 2 or 3 mph downhill then you'll carry some of this onto the flat or up the next incline. All this will add to your average mph.

Also have a goal. I'm trying to do get to a 20mph average. I'm 50 and been on the road bike for 1 month. Before then cheap mountain bike on road doing 30 miles per week (nice days only) for a couple of years.

daveyroids

What you guys don't seem to acknowledge is that solo riding takes a lot of mental stamina. I keep reading posts on this thread and think wow that person is going well. Remember that on a solo ride you only have, well, you to encourage you. You, can't hide behind someone to get out of the wind etc. Most of my training is solo I join up with the club when I feel like it and what a difference riding in a group.

Some of the times and speeds that people are posting here, I would struggle to match them.

Some of the goals however seem a bit ambitious remember SMART specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based. Have goals but go a bit easier on yourselves and work within smart principles. Oh and learn from a guy who knows his stuff, Joe Friel (Cyclist's Training Bible) not me obviously. Takes a while to work through it and learning how to ignore his power meter bits (I don't have the cash for one of those). Your speeds or whatever goals you have will eventually show through by using this.

We had 2 new guys riding on Sunday. One of them was worried about riding with us, too fast apparently. He enjoyed his day and commented that it was riding a Sportif without having to pay the £20. He enjoyed the ride and may be up for one of our long runs. Washington to Elsdon and back this weekend if anyone is interested. Some are doing a car assisted ride, Ponteland to Elsdon. Anyone up for it?

secretsam

daveyroids wrote:

You are always welcome in Sunderland Clarion.

Very kind, but a) it's a b'stard long way from Buckinghamshire and b) what's the club colours?

Gizmo_

daveyroids wrote:

Some are doing a car assisted ride, Ponteland to Elsdon. Anyone up for it?

Silly question - what's a car assisted ride?

daveyroids

Gizmo_ wrote:

daveyroids wrote:

Some are doing a car assisted ride, Ponteland to Elsdon. Anyone up for it?

Silly question - what's a car assisted ride?

The round trip is 95 miles. So for some who can't ride that distance or don't want to they meet us half way by taking the bike in the car.

daveyroids

SecretSam wrote:

daveyroids wrote:

You are always welcome in Sunderland Clarion.

Very kind, but a) it's a b'stard long way from Buckinghamshire and b) what's the club colours?

a) yes it is probably not worth the bother

b) red white and blue

Gizmo_

daveyroids wrote:

Gizmo_ wrote:

daveyroids wrote:

Some are doing a car assisted ride, Ponteland to Elsdon. Anyone up for it?

Silly question - what's a car assisted ride?

The round trip is 95 miles. So for some who can't ride that distance or don't want to they meet us half way by taking the bike in the car.

I see, ta.