Average Speed on your Commute?

bails87

If you're on an urban commute with lots of lights then you're not only 'wasting' time stopped at the lights, but you're also dragging your avg speed down each time you're slowing down before the junction and speeding up after it.

If you think about riding 50 metres, stopping, riding 50 metres stopping, etc for a lap of a running track, you're going to be a lot slower than someone who just does the whole 400m in one go.

mudcow007

i think mine is about 17mph i have gates i have to stop an get off so that knackers my speed

jonomc4

I always laugh at these threads.

Generally when I travel to work (12 miles each way) I am rarely overtaken and then it is by serious roadies generally speaking i seem to be going considerably faster than most other people on the road - yet when I read these average speed threads - quite often many people have a faster average speed than me.

Maybe:
1) they are all going a different way out of London - or not in London at all
2) They don't stop for lights - so they have no acceleration period - yet people like this I generally overtake a few meters down the road.
3) people talk b*llocks?

Either way the sun is out and I shall slow my average speed by EVEN MORE and enjoy soaking up the sunshine

and no I am not going into the d*ck comparison competition by posting my average speed - something I worry about less and less daily anyway.

keyser__soze

jonomc4 wrote:

I always laugh at these threads.
Maybe:
1) they are all going a different way out of London - or not in London at all
2) They don't stop for lights - so they have no acceleration period - yet people like this I generally overtake a few meters down the road.
3) people talk b*llocks?

4) You're not as quick as you think you are?

You can get a decent idea of people's averages from Strava. Take a look at the SCR group - often the usual suspects will average 18+mph on routes through the middle of town with the occasional 20mph+, and of those that I've encountered none are serial or even occasional RLJers. This is a cycling forum, you're going to get the keen cyclists (ie fast, probably those you consider 'serious roadies') contributing to these threads, not the average nodder.

MarksMintness

monkeydan wrote:

Hmmm... I am beginning to think that I suck at this cycling lark. My commute is 6.5 miles (Stockwell to Hammersmith) but I can't seem to do it in under half an hour, which makes my average speed 13 miles per hour!!

No idea how much time I spent stopped at the lights but I hope it's fairly significant as otherwise I would be really depressed :-(

I downloaded Endomondo but it always has problems linking to a satellite or whatever it does and I gave up using it after a few days. After my usual journey home from work one day I checked it and it had only picked up the last 200 metres of my journey giving me an average speed of something like 0.2 miles per hour!

I'm on a SS, 42/16 which I think is 76 gear inches? Anything bigger than that and I struggle to get up to speed.

Thinking about dropping the bomb on a 'proper' road bike (i.e. one with gears), maybe that will help with the speed...

I wouldn't be too worried mate. There are some rapid SS'ers out there anyway, strikes me as a good way to train the legs and use cadence and power etc.
As for Apps, I would try Strava which is a free download and after trying a few others I've settled on this one as it's frankly awesome. Providing your phone GPS receiver is reasonable you should be fine.

MarksMintness

Well I'm no Japanese racing snake so on my 15 mile commute the best I've managed is 17.0mph, which is on country lanes and a 5 mile cycle path stretch.
It's good to track progress with I guess.

SteppenHerring

I find it amazing how much difference the traffic makes. Normally average about 17mph but one time I came most of the same route to meet the guys for a ride early Sunday morning. 22mph average (yes it is downhill).

spasypaddy

regularly between 14 and 17mph but its reliant on lights/traffic. i have averaged over 20mph on my way home before but that was riding hard. very hard.

KateF

jonomc4 wrote:

Either way the sun is out and I shall slow my average speed by EVEN MORE and enjoy soaking up the sunshine

Why not just cycle a longer way home instead?

jonny_trousers

It's worth considering that stating your 'average speed' on a web forum is subject to 'internet-cock-size-syndrome', in that the figure stated is subject to exageration of no less than an additional third of the speed/size in actuality.

PS. 20mph and 10" for anyone interested.

veronese68

My average speed is a lot lower in this weather. Too many distractions.

mtb-idle

not really interested.

Average speed should be calculated from the time you leave home to the time you arrived and include stops. If it's average moving speed that's a cop out.

rolf_f

MTB-Idle wrote:

Average speed should be calculated from the time you leave home to the time you arrived and include stops. If it's average moving speed that's a cop out.

No it isn't - these are just two different measurements of performance which provide slightly different information. But since nobodies commute is directly comparable with anyone elses anyway, the only comparison worthwhile is against your own performance. In which case both measurements are valid.

EKE_38BPM

For law abiding urban commuters these threads are pointless. Traffic, traffic lights, slowing to pass dodgy junctions etc completely screw up the time you could do if you were commuting on a straight road with no traffic, traffic lights, junctions, zebra crossings etc.

Also, I can't be the only person who slows towards the end of my commute so that I don't get to work a sweaty mess.

Just for clarity, I average about 35mph on the way to work, but its up hill all the way and usually into a headwind.

meanredspider

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

It's worth considering that stating your 'average speed' on a web forum is subject to 'internet-cock-size-syndrome', in that the figure stated is subject to exageration of no less than an additional third of the speed/size in actuality.

PS. 20mph and 10" for anyone interested.

Except, with Strava and Garmin Connect, anybody can check your average speed....

EKE_38BPM

meanredspider wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

It's worth considering that stating your 'average speed' on a web forum is subject to 'internet-cock-size-syndrome', in that the figure stated is subject to exageration of no less than an additional third of the speed/size in actuality.

PS. 20mph and 10" for anyone interested.

Except, with Strava and Garmin Connect, anybody can check your average speed....

Only if you have sleep walked (slept walked?) into the big brother society of giving a faceless corporation information of where you are, where you live, where you work, what route you take, what time you leave, what time you return, how long it takes you, who you meet on the way etc.

I find it funny that if someone (lets call them Big Brother in the Orwellian sense of the word) asked you to give them the information I've just mentioned just about everyone would baulk at it, but because its an app, people willingly give it.

Personally, I try to overtake the person in front of me and try to be fast enough to prevent the person behind me from overtaking. I don't feel the need to race virtual opponents.
Anyway, with my 35mph average no-one overtakes me and because I don't use Strava, no-one can prove (or disprove) it.

jonny_trousers

meanredspider wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

It's worth considering that stating your 'average speed' on a web forum is subject to 'internet-cock-size-syndrome', in that the figure stated is subject to exageration of no less than an additional third of the speed/size in actuality.

PS. 20mph and 10" for anyone interested.

Except, with Strava and Garmin Connect, anybody can check your average speed....

Sure, just as they could check the size of your winkie at postmypenis.com. The information still has to be made public. I use Strava, but I very much doubt anyone could find me there.

My point is, it's very easy to exaggerate to strangers on the interweb.

In relation to this particular topic, I'm pretty highly ranked on all Strava segments on my commute, yet I struggle to get
much over 15mph average for my entire journey. It's a silly measurement to consider.

meanredspider

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

My point is, it's very easy to exaggerate to strangers on the interweb.

In relation to this particular topic, I'm pretty highly ranked on all Strava segments on my commute, yet I struggle to get
much over 15mph average for my entire journey. It's a silly measurement to consider.

And my point is that it's relatively easy to prove your average speed should you want to.

Ever since bikes were invented, people have wanted to compare how fast they are (the fact you're on Strava confirms this). Average speed for some/many commutes might be a pointless measure (especially comparing with another route) but most people know it.

jonny_trousers

meanredspider wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

My point is, it's very easy to exaggerate to strangers on the interweb.

In relation to this particular topic, I'm pretty highly ranked on all Strava segments on my commute, yet I struggle to get
much over 15mph average for my entire journey. It's a silly measurement to consider.

And my point is that it's relatively easy to prove your average speed should you want to.

Ever since bikes were invented, people have wanted to compare how fast they are (the fact you're on Strava confirms this). Average speed for some/may commutes might be a pointless measure (especially comparing with another route) but most people know it.

It's a lovely point, but it does nothing towards towards dispelling my assertion that it's both easy and tempting to exaggerate one's prowess on the internet. On my commute home last night, I averaged 28mph. Prove me wrong.

EKE_38BPM

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

My point is, it's very easy to exaggerate to strangers on the interweb.

In relation to this particular topic, I'm pretty highly ranked on all Strava segments on my commute, yet I struggle to get
much over 15mph average for my entire journey. It's a silly measurement to consider.

And my point is that it's relatively easy to prove your average speed should you want to.

Ever since bikes were invented, people have wanted to compare how fast they are (the fact you're on Strava confirms this). Average speed for some/may commutes might be a pointless measure (especially comparing with another route) but most people know it.

It's a lovely point, but it does nothing towards towards dispelling my assertion that it's both easy and tempting to exaggerate one's prowess on the internet. On my commute home last night, I averaged 28mph. Prove me wrong.

Only 28mph? Pah! I did just under 40mph!

keyser__soze

Strava was only mentioned as someone called horsedung that some people can average 17mph+ on their commutes as he can't do it. Strava gives plenty of examples that people can and do average 17mph+.

I do however wholeheartedly agree that comparing average speeds on the commute is a rather futile exercise. Even on the same route and with same perceived effort (ie how hard I feel I push) my average speed can vary by up to 5mph due to traffic, time of day, lights, wind etc. Comparing my speed with someone on a totally different route with different traffic, lights, hills, wind direction, distance traveled etc is a bit pointless.

EKE_38BPM

Keyser__Soze wrote:

Strava was only mentioned as someone called horsedung that some people can average 17mph+ on their commutes as he can't do it. Strava gives plenty of examples that people can and do average 17mph+.

Downhill, tailwind, no traffic, no lights?

keyser__soze

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Keyser__Soze wrote:

Strava was only mentioned as someone called horsedung that some people can average 17mph+ on their commutes as he can't do it. Strava gives plenty of examples that people can and do average 17mph+.

Downhill, tailwind, no traffic, no lights?

Log in and take a look :roll: Plenty of lights on my commute home, and I stop at each and every one that's at red.

meanredspider

The point about online data is that, if you don't have data to back up a claim, your bragging is not worth the paper it's written on

jonomc4

KateF wrote:

jonomc4 wrote:

Either way the sun is out and I shall slow my average speed by EVEN MORE and enjoy soaking up the sunshine

Why not just cycle a longer way home instead?

two reasons
1) I am averaging 350 miles a week currently and I feel that is enough esp as I am a recreational rider.
2) Don't have a cold beer in my bike bottles - but I do in the fridge at home.
3) Sweating is so lower class

Damn that was three points!

SimonAH

I averaged 21.3 mph on the way in to the office this morning (from my Cateye) - and my commute is urban.

HOWEVER It should be noted that my route in to the office is a) Ever so slightly downhill on average b) composed of relatively nice smooth tarmac c) blessed with just one traffic light (which I hit on green) and six roundabouts and finally d) Short enough to do at full chat if one is so inclined (2.5 miles).

Proves the pointlessness of average speed over a commute as a measure of todger size. On this basis I could claim to being hung like a babies arm holding an orange if 17mph is considered a fast average.

rml380z

If the title of the thread had a spelling, grammar or similar language mistake in it, it would have been picked up in the first few replies. Just out of interest, is there no such thing as a maths pedant, or does everyone just assume that the average we're talking about here is the arithmetic mean rather than one of the numerous other averages?

SimonAH

That's just being mean. You're not normal.

keyser__soze

SimonAH wrote:

I averaged 21.3 mph on the way in to the office this morning (from my Cateye) - and my commute is urban.

http://app.strava.com/rides/4817976# - 21.7mph ave over 11.2 urban miles and lots of traffic lights :shock: , by someone definitely not hung like a pony

EKE_38BPM

How do you know they weren't jumping lights, pavement riding or on a moped/motorbike/car?
No idea what time of day either.