20MPH average on Commute to work

CyclingObsession
CyclingObsession Posts: 314
edited July 2012 in Commuting chat
It took me a year to get an average of 20MPH on my route home from work which is easier than on the way in only ever did it once, on the route in it has a few 4% grade hills and decent flats, It is a 13.5 miles the last 3 days I have managed to average 20MPH over three days in a row. I would normally average 17-18mph I started wearing my cycling gear in and stopped taking my backpack in which only weighs 2-3lbs. I hardly increased my speed this much by just doing that?
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  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    Do you ride a Venge?
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  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    nope looks sweet though
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Where do you keep the motor?

    In the seat tube like spartacus? or is it more obvious? :wink:
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

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  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    Ha its just pure leg work and probably luck.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Nice. Good speed.

    I've only done a door to door average of 20mph a couple of times. It's the square mile that wrecks my averages.
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  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    As soon as I go in the city the the last mile it drops by 1 MPH cause of other cyclists etc, Yeah way home is a diff story as I got a 14% grade hill if I the the long route home.
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Nicely done, 20mph moving average is rare enough for me, a door to door 20mph just wouldn't happen without no traffic and ignoring lights. As with JG, the City (and other cyclists) kills averages
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  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    If it goes above 15 for me I have had a good run, the lights kill it for me and a soon as I near the west end it's screeewed
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    It took me a year to get an average of 20MPH on my route home from work which is easier than on the way in only ever did it once, on the route in it has a few 4% grade hills and decent flats, It is a 13.5 miles the last 3 days I have managed to average 20MPH over three days in a row. I would normally average 17-18mph I started wearing my cycling gear in and stopped taking my backpack in which only weighs 2-3lbs. I hardly increased my speed this much by just doing that?


    Where is your commute?
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Too many traffic queue's and lights for me. Averaged a good 17.7mph according to the Garmin this morning, which is OK considering the traffic. Weekends I can average 20mph over 60 miles 'flat' on my own though. Hilly is normally 17ish.

    20 on a commute is good going.
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    so the 20mph average is a door to door average including stopping at lights etc?

    even if its a moving average it's a lot better than me :)
  • Sharkyssurfers
    Sharkyssurfers Posts: 767
    i just missed out on 20 this morning thanks to the city!!, i usually at the moment average around 17 -19 on my commute in, its usually 16-18 on the way back but thats becuase of more traffic and the way they drive at that time of day.
    Sorry its not me it's the bike ;o)

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  • raymondo60
    raymondo60 Posts: 735
    Location is the key isn't it? A rural/suburban commute will generally be faster than an outright urban journey. I can NEVER beat 46minutes for my 13.5 mile one-way journey through urban S London - always takes a minute or two more going home - but that's because I'm one of those idiots that does stop at Reds etc - my fastest ever commute (just a few seconds over 46mins) was a day of a succession of green lights. Heaven!
    Raymondo

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  • jonny_trousers
    jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
    I nearly ripped myself apart getting a 16.5mph average the other evening.

    If these average speed threads are going to continue I think we need to decide whether we are including stopping time or only measuring moving average. I'd suggest the former otherwise you may as well record your time riding around a velodrome.

    Oh, and Strava-or-it-didn't-happen too :wink:
  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    It stays 20mph till the last mile as I hit a stream of traffic lights I'd say about 10 in the space of the mile I diregard that mile as I never get a chance to get to full speed, so not door to door as I work in a college so ramps etc. and country runs are by far faster I hit 22mph average out in the country. mind you only ever did that once wind assisted,
  • CyclingObsession
    CyclingObsession Posts: 314
    Weekends I can average 20mph over 60 miles 'flat' on my own though

    Thats pretty good speed
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    It stays 20mph till the last mile as I hit a stream of traffic lights I'd say about 10 in the space of the mile I diregard that mile as I never get a chance to get to full speed, so not door to door as I work in a college so ramps etc. and country runs are by far faster I hit 22mph average out in the country. mind you only ever did that once wind assisted,

    Its not a full commute then, its just a bit of your commute that you average 20mph on.

    I average 25mph for bits of my commute.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

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    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Can't go cutting the traffic queue's out though. Start to stop is the average. It's never worth chasing the 'ride' average on a commute as this can make you take risks. Strava sections are attainable only if the traffic is quiet - there are a few sections on my commute that are nose to tail traffic, so to get anywhere on the 'table' I'd have to ride down the wrong side of the road and pray nothing was coming. Other sections though, it's game on.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Depends on the wind a lot, get it behind you and you fly along!
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  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    supersonic wrote:
    Depends on the wind a lot, get it behind you and you fly along!
    This +lots

    The personal best and worst for my hilly, mostly rural 30km commute are 50 minutes and 1 3/4 hours, i.e. the worst is less than half the speed of the best.
    I reckon that varying fitness accounts for less than 5 minutes variation, traffic maybe 3 minutes at most, all the rest is wind and weather.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    dhope wrote:
    Nicely done, 20mph moving average is rare enough for me, a door to door 20mph just wouldn't happen without no traffic and ignoring lights. As with JG, the City (and other cyclists) kills averages

    This is why I find Strava and SCR on the commute a bit meaningless, I'm on my 2nd or 3rd best bike carrying a rucksack which usually weighs in at 10kg+ and have to stop for traffic and lights etc, it doesn't feel like a good representation of my abilities on a bike... I only register my club runs on Strava
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    bompington wrote:
    supersonic wrote:
    Depends on the wind a lot, get it behind you and you fly along!
    This +lots

    The personal best and worst for my hilly, mostly rural 30km commute are 50 minutes and 1 3/4 hours, i.e. the worst is less than half the speed of the best.
    I reckon that varying fitness accounts for less than 5 minutes variation, traffic maybe 3 minutes at most, all the rest is wind and weather.

    little while back went to give blood, way there was a right slog, wind in the face, loads of lights etc. average speed 13mph.

    after giving blood though wind was behind me, nice open roads etc. 18mph average some sections a fair bit more.

    i put a lot more effort into getting there....
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Headhuunter wrote:
    ...carrying a rucksack which usually weighs in at 10kg+ ...
    Are you sure you really need the tent, sleeping bag etc? 10kg is what I'd pack for a not particularly lightweight camping weekend!
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    bompington wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    ...carrying a rucksack which usually weighs in at 10kg+ ...
    Are you sure you really need the tent, sleeping bag etc? 10kg is what I'd pack for a not particularly lightweight camping weekend!

    That's nothing, when I do the weekly shop at the weekend I do 2 trips, the return with a 30kg rucksack..... Sometimes I'm sure I can feel the wheels flex under all the weight! On the way to work I carry 2 D locks which weigh about 3kg between them, puncture kit, pump, sometimes bits and pieces from the gym, phone, blackberry, breakfast box, lunch box, snacks etc etc, it soon mounts up. When I get on the carbon bike at the weekend I feel like I'm floating!
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  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    Headhuunter wrote:
    That's nothing, when I do the weekly shop at the weekend I do 2 trips, the return with a 30kg rucksack.....

    Mate, get some panniers!
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  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    notsoblue wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    That's nothing, when I do the weekly shop at the weekend I do 2 trips, the return with a 30kg rucksack.....

    Mate, get some panniers!

    And leave the locks at work.
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  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    dhope wrote:
    notsoblue wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    That's nothing, when I do the weekly shop at the weekend I do 2 trips, the return with a 30kg rucksack.....

    Mate, get some panniers!

    And leave the locks at work.

    I tried panniers but didn't like the way the bike felt with them, particularly round corners... I prefer rucksacks. Can't always leave the locks at work as I'm often stopping off somewhere on the way home to meet people, go to the gym, supermarket etc etc...
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  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Headhuunter wrote:
    dhope wrote:
    Nicely done, 20mph moving average is rare enough for me, a door to door 20mph just wouldn't happen without no traffic and ignoring lights. As with JG, the City (and other cyclists) kills averages

    This is why I find Strava and SCR on the commute a bit meaningless, I'm on my 2nd or 3rd best bike carrying a rucksack which usually weighs in at 10kg+ and have to stop for traffic and lights etc, it doesn't feel like a good representation of my abilities on a bike... I only register my club runs on Strava

    Are you on Strava then? In SCR / DP groups? I find its a helpful motivational tool, if I ride a segment enough times I'll eventually get lucky with traffic / lights / wind and the bag doesn't bother me too much, commuter bike doesn't slow me down that much either (I have raced on it a few times).

    Never managed a 20mph commute, not even close to be honest. Have managed 20mph rides through London though - Balham to Richmond Park for example, I think traffic lights are the single biggest factor.
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  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Headhuunter wrote:
    dhope wrote:
    Nicely done, 20mph moving average is rare enough for me, a door to door 20mph just wouldn't happen without no traffic and ignoring lights. As with JG, the City (and other cyclists) kills averages

    This is why I find Strava and SCR on the commute a bit meaningless, I'm on my 2nd or 3rd best bike carrying a rucksack which usually weighs in at 10kg+ and have to stop for traffic and lights etc, it doesn't feel like a good representation of my abilities on a bike... I only register my club runs on Strava

    I've actually got some good segments on climbs in on my fixed, loaded with panniers, it's not much slower than my road bike. :D
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    BigMat wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    dhope wrote:
    Nicely done, 20mph moving average is rare enough for me, a door to door 20mph just wouldn't happen without no traffic and ignoring lights. As with JG, the City (and other cyclists) kills averages

    This is why I find Strava and SCR on the commute a bit meaningless, I'm on my 2nd or 3rd best bike carrying a rucksack which usually weighs in at 10kg+ and have to stop for traffic and lights etc, it doesn't feel like a good representation of my abilities on a bike... I only register my club runs on Strava

    Are you on Strava then? In SCR / DP groups? I find its a helpful motivational tool, if I ride a segment enough times I'll eventually get lucky with traffic / lights / wind and the bag doesn't bother me too much, commuter bike doesn't slow me down that much either (I have raced on it a few times).

    Never managed a 20mph commute, not even close to be honest. Have managed 20mph rides through London though - Balham to Richmond Park for example, I think traffic lights are the single biggest factor.

    Yeah but I'm not in any groups.... Are there groups? Clearly I don't know how to use Strava properly! I have seen you on the "Mur de Beckenham" segment a few times, you're usually KOM and I'm number 2 or 3... It's on my way to Elmers End for the DP Sat ride. I usually just dump my Sat or Sun club rides onto Strava from the Garmin
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