Riding times/pace

dormer88
dormer88 Posts: 110
edited August 2012 in Road beginners
Without wanting to get too hung up on how far I have travelled and how fast etc I wondered what sort of pace you like to stick around at? I've done 4 13/15 mile rides now averaging around 15.7 miles an hour! I'm reasonably happy with that but hope in time I can add a couple of MPH's

Comments

  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    It all depends on the terrain and weather, hills will slow you and so will the wind or rain.
  • ALaPlage
    ALaPlage Posts: 732
    Depends what you want from your cycling. There is an element for most that average speed over a given distance is a performance indicator and many strive to improve that average on repeated routes or even different routes but same miles. Accounting for weather differences and wind direction you can get a sense of performance although not always clear cut.

    Anything around 15 to 16 mph is a decent pace and most club rides work on this as a guide for their standard rides.

    It's up to you if you want to build your average speed on your routes as a guide to your cycling fitness and strength. I typically average 16.8 to 17.2 mph on my usual 50 mile routes but doing the practically flat Manchester 52 I rode that at an average of 19.8mph. When non cycling mates ask me how fast it takes me to ride a certain distance I give it at 17 mph so say just under 3 hours for 50 miles. It's true and it seems to impress them too although in the cycling world it's just a good average and not impressive at all. :D
    Trek Madone 5.9
    Kinesis Crosslight T4
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    A tempo flat ride would be in the region of 20 mph+ for an hour or two
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    I try not to get hung up on my average speed, as I don't think it's that good of a measure of how well I'm doing. It doesn't account particularly well for the lows and highs; both of which being what I most need to be addressing. I'd rather know what my lowest and highest speeds were, how long I sustained each speed for, etc. That would mean buying an expensive GPS computer, though...

    However, that's all the more pertinent at the moment there is no continuity in my cycling. The lovely company that own the block in which I reside with my wife have suddenly decided that we can't keep bikes in any of the reasonable locations available, so they live in my parents' shed 10 miles away for the moment... :(

    But when I do ride (whether commuting or for fun) I try to maximise my limited time and tend to go as hard as possible for 10-20 miles, or go up the steepest hill I know of around here (North Hertfordshire is very flat!) repeatedly.
    In the former case I try on a good day to be going over 25mph as much as I can, which is achievable on a good day; on a bad one it's more like 18mph. Most of my life is in the next town; from my door it's about 9-10 miles to the places I'm generally going to, so I aim to take anywhere between 20-30 minutes, which gives me nice easy goals to aspire to.
    In the latter case I try to go as quick as I can up the hill (11-15mph; need to work on that...) and then resume 'flat' speed as quickly as possible. That's the area of my cycling that needs the most work, to be sure, and the diminished fitness doesn't help.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • Pigtail
    Pigtail Posts: 424
    Generally advice is to build distance first, then work on speed later. I started almost 2 years ago with 10 miles and fairly quickly built it up to 30 miles. Initially I did my 30 mile slightly rolling route at 14.5 mph and have gradually built on that, with lots of small gains rather than any big leaps.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    There'll be some snob along in a minute to tell you that you're only a real cyclist if you can cruise at over 20 for an hour or two.
    Oh, hang on...
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    In the former case I try on a good day to be going over 25mph as much as I can, which is achievable on a good day; on a bad one it's more like 18mph

    Thats a large variation between your good days and bad days. Im assuming your good days are those when the wind is blowing behind you! :)
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    styxd wrote:
    Im assuming your good days are those when the wind is blowing behind you! :)
    Or just out of his aris ?? ;)
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    its all very subjective, depending on conditions, your age, your health, how you feel on the day, what your terrain is like and the weather conditions. i live in hilly cornwall so wherever i go, i have 60ft of climing per mile on average. so my pace over time has increased gradually over the last year to 13 to 14 mph but that is a very broad figure and i can sustain that for 30ish miles with the occasional sportive of 50 + I try not to get too hung up and just enjoy it
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    styxd wrote:
    In the former case I try on a good day to be going over 25mph as much as I can, which is achievable on a good day; on a bad one it's more like 18mph

    Thats a large variation between your good days and bad days. Im assuming your good days are those when the wind is blowing behind you! :)

    It has more to do with tiredness, diet and when my last ride was, to be honest. For me that is the worst thing about not cycling everyday/irregularly.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • stronginthesun
    stronginthesun Posts: 433
    go out and enjoy it , doesnt matter how fast you go its still faster than sittng in front of the tv/computer
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Mikey23 wrote:
    its all very subjective, depending on conditions, your age, your health, how you feel on the day, what your terrain is like and the weather conditions.

    This is exactly it. And for me, one reason why I'm a little sceptical of people using Strava (etc) to compare averages (the other reason is phone battery!); there are just so many variables involved.

    But you can only get out of cycle training what you put in. If you want to be able to ride at 18mph average for 100+ miles, you need to work on that. If you want to be able to climb hills, you need to climb hills. If you want to ride fast, you have to actually do it. Being able to cycle 100 miles at 18mph average will make you fit, but it won't make you miraculously able to sprint or climb hills. For me personally being able to ride at 18mph+ for 100 miles isn't all that important, because I don't have time to cycle 100 miles. I'd rather ride the distances I can ride as fast as I can.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Simon Masterson wrote:
    This is exactly it. And for me, one reason why I'm a little sceptical of people using Strava (etc) to compare averages (the other reason is phone battery!); there are just so many variables involved.
    I use a dedicated GPS - so battery isn't an issue ...
    You can use Strava to judge your progress and your speed against others ... but there is a world of difference in being KOM for a short segment and being able to maintain that speed over a longer distance.
    Looking at others times for a segment in isolation isn't going to give you the whole answer - you have to look at their whole ride and see if they maintained that sort of pace or went out just to get the segment ...
    I have a few segments on my commute and will actively target one or two of them for some rides (I usually target at least one climb) - looking back at my own results allows me to get an idea of my progress overall - but you have to be mindful of the odd ones where you've got a 20mph tailwind which is why you put in a PB for that section ...
  • limoneboy
    limoneboy Posts: 480
    The problem with strava is KOM's can be very destracting , i was riding in north wales up to 423m the other day and quite pleased with myself when i went up the steps 330m over 6.9 miles and someone has recorded a time of 30+ kmh now either the tour was visiting or most likely they drove up there. be careful if using strava as it can be a world of pain ,just when you were thinking ' i am doing alright' seeing other peoples times can demotivate you even if they were in a car !
    last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc1
  • rubyrider
    rubyrider Posts: 68
    limoneboy wrote:
    The problem with strava is KOM's can be very destracting , i was riding in north wales up to 423m the other day and quite pleased with myself when i went up the steps 330m over 6.9 miles and someone has recorded a time of 30+ kmh now either the tour was visiting or most likely they drove up there. be careful if using strava as it can be a world of pain ,just when you were thinking ' i am doing alright' seeing other peoples times can demotivate you even if they were in a car !

    Ha ha! I forgot to stop my Strava the other day and recorded my best maximum speed - on the way home in the car after hubby picked me up. :D

    I don't want to appear on Strava so I have changed my name :) I just want to be able to record my routes and times. The segments dont show if you've done 100 miles that day or just 2. It would be nice to be able to set personal segments to gauge progress I suppose.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    limoneboy wrote:
    The problem with strava is KOM's can be very destracting , i was riding in north wales up to 423m the other day and quite pleased with myself when i went up the steps 330m over 6.9 miles and someone has recorded a time of 30+ kmh now either the tour was visiting or most likely they drove up there. be careful if using strava as it can be a world of pain ,just when you were thinking ' i am doing alright' seeing other peoples times can demotivate you even if they were in a car !
    Its usually fairly obvious if the KOM was done in a car ...

    Whats harder to establish is if the rider was in a group - therefore getting shelter and doing the segments fresh ...
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    rubyrider wrote:
    The segments dont show if you've done 100 miles that day or just 2. It would be nice to be able to set personal segments to gauge progress I suppose.
    If your rides are public (ie you haven't set your account to private!) then it's possible to see your whole ride from any segment you're listed on.
    I do check riders rides if I'm comparing their times - so you can see if they've done 50 miles in a ride or just 5 ... and also see the rest of their times on other rides ... it allows me to set myself some targets (cos I'm nowhere near KOM!) in beating their time if I think they post rides comparable to mine.
  • Corporate Camper
    Corporate Camper Posts: 293
    stronginthesun wrote:
    go out and enjoy it , doesnt matter how fast you go its still faster than sittng in front of the tv/computer

    Exactly. I've all but given up taking any sort of cycle computer/GPS with me when I ride because I found the pressure I put on myself to improve my time detracted from the enjoyment of just getting out and riding.
    '12 CAAD 8 Tiagra
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Corporate Camper wrote:
    Exactly. I've all but given up taking any sort of cycle computer/GPS with me when I ride because I found the pressure I put on myself to improve my time detracted from the enjoyment of just getting out and riding.
    and I make sure I upload my rides to Strava because I enjoy the feeling when I get a new PB on a segment ...
    horses for courses ...
    You get out of riding what you put in ... if you want a nice leisurely ride then don't bother with your speed, but if you want to challenge yourself then you'll need to look at distances, times and gradients ...

    The pleasure I get from riding up a hill "easily" that I would've struggled with last year far outweighs the pain required to achieve it!
  • limoneboy
    limoneboy Posts: 480
    The pleasure I get from riding up a hill "easily" that I would've struggled with last year far outweighs the pain required to achieve it![/quote]

    Exactly. :D
    last month wilier gt -this month ? bh rc1

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