New rider - speed and hIlls
Yorkshire Geek
Posts: 5
Hi everyone, new rider and got a question if I may.
Speed: It's 25 years since I rode a bike regularly so obviously I'm not the quickest but looking around at the sort of speeds people are quoting for beginners they seem totally unattainable. On the flat I'm doing about 22km/h with hills nearly killing me. I'm 6'6" and 156kg so far from being a lightweight, but not totally unfit.
What sort of speed would you consider a realistic short term goal? When I started running 6 min/km was what I targetted as a respectable (i.e. not quick but not embarrassing) pace, I guess what I'm looking for is the cycling equivalent.
Speed: It's 25 years since I rode a bike regularly so obviously I'm not the quickest but looking around at the sort of speeds people are quoting for beginners they seem totally unattainable. On the flat I'm doing about 22km/h with hills nearly killing me. I'm 6'6" and 156kg so far from being a lightweight, but not totally unfit.
What sort of speed would you consider a realistic short term goal? When I started running 6 min/km was what I targetted as a respectable (i.e. not quick but not embarrassing) pace, I guess what I'm looking for is the cycling equivalent.
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Posts
Keep going and get faster as you get used to it.
As said before - just keep going and don't worry about arbitrary speed targets. I'd be wary of the weight limit on your bike too.
MTB - '05 Scott Yecora
BMX - '04 Haro Nyquist R24 (don't judge me)
dus tha not know we speak imperial measures in yarksha
That said, Yorkshire born and Yorkshire bred*, strong in't arm, thick in't ed!
*Not me, I'm from the right side of the hill.
There are too many variables that affect speed. No-one can really say what speed you "should" be doing. If you're averaging 22kmh, then just try and average a bit more: say 24kmh in a month's time. Or 23, or 25, or a week's time - it doesn't matter, the important thing is to get out on your bike and ride - hard enough to make a difference, and then you will find that you do get faster (as mentioned above, diet and weight loss are important too). I find Strava helpful for motivation and recording improvements, you might find it helps too.
Above all keep enjoying it, 'cos then you'll keep riding. And you'll be happy.
Homer's double: everyone gets confused when I say 198cm so I gave up trying to civilise them and just use imperial for height. Kg is a red line though, stones are the devil's unit.
Bianchimoon: 24kmh over 10 miles sounds doable as a short term goal, thanks for that.
Bompington: I find that "always a bit faster" doesn't work for me as well as a specific longer term goal. Achieving a basic level of capability over and above "not falling off" is my immediate aim, once that's done I can start the incremental improvements. Big fan of Strava though!
We don't know your routes or prevailing winds. I know I've done rides in Yorkshire that were hell - some nasty roads round there.
We can safely say you will get better with improved fitness and weight loss though. You'll always struggle on the hills compared to lighter riders but you'll descend like a stone if you have the skill and nerve.
effort is more meaningful than speed, aerodynamic drag, head/tail wind, gradient, road surface all affect speed, even the denser air on cold days has an impact
aim to increase distance 5-10% a week, once you've built up some endurance, i.e. riding 50-60k isn't an issue, start mixing things up with some harder efforts
As suggested above, focus on increasing distance and time on the bike, and your fitness and endurance will improve. Speed is a pretty pointless objective unless you're doing time trials...
Anyway if this is not a troll , as others have suggested forget all about average speed it means nothing. Even trained athletes should not be worrying about average speeds. Just start by riding your bike for an hour 4 days a week, then increase it to an hour and a half on a couple of those days after a month or so, then after another month one day a week ride for two hours and the other three for an hour to an hour and a half.
By this time you should have built up a little fitness and you can start riding a little faster. At this point maybe you can start thinking of your average speed and increasing it.
Right now I'm just fat, but c115kg I'll be happy with. From experience I know that puts my waist at around 34" which is comfortably under the 39" maximum recommended for my height.
Thanks for all the advice guys, will keep it in mind as I try and master this new sport.
If you want weight loss quickly (as such) it needs to be "hard and fast". Short races on a turbo trainer on Zwift could be good for that. 5km going as hard as you can followed by gentle warm down (increasing miles in this on a daily basis) and then not loading with food will really help.
Short term you will see the pounds dropping off ...BUT you know your body and the limits on pushing. You don't want to push so hard you cause injury. It's all about doing what feels right to you.
Set weight targets rather than speed. Also in races set a time ..then the next day try to beat it and so on.
Sometimes riders can forget why we ride - the simple pleasure of escapism and it is a bit like meditation if you get it right but an active kind.
At your goal weight hills will be easier, but unfortunately for you they're never going to be easy. An example: If you and I were to go climb Box Hill side by side at 4w/kg, I'd be putting down 240 watts and you'd need to be at 464 watts (at your goal weight) or a monster 624 watts at your current 156kg.
That aside - don't worry, keep pedalling, keep losing weight and keep enjoying your time in the saddle!
In other words "Gives you an idea of how fat you are". Thats how I interpreted it lol! Not sure what my average is but on a windless day on a decent flat I will ride about 20mph. I am just under 60KG at 5,7. No idea how bad or good that is as I never ride with others. Basicly I just get out on my bike and ride at the fastest pace I can maintain. Its good enough for me altho my speed doesnt seem to increase over time. Guess Im not pushing hard enough often enough.
The fact that you are cycling up hills is a mark of how fit and strong you are ...... work on loosing that weight and you will freaking fly
Turns out it took me 40 years to realise that being fit makes EVERYTHING easier.
so work out your current average over a set course. Then repeat and see how you improve.
Your always slower winter - some of your energy is spent keeping warm - you have more layers on.
Whatever speed you go - there will always be someone to ride your wheel off ! - so don't worry about someone whizzing past you - enjoy it - think of the health benefits - and how good you will look with your shirt off - in tenerife next year !
Don't do cycling to look buff. Or at least, not just cycling. You'll be disappointed.
As others have said, don't obsess about absolute average speeds (most especially in winter when they are invariably slower anyway) but focus on regular riding with rest days between.
Strava is the perfect tool for self development but don't be disappointed with occasional slower times on set routes as weather conditions and your own daily fluctuations will give you some negative blips. Just focus on the long term trends.
Good luck with it, and kudos for keeping it going through winter!
Do you actually look gaunt or is it just how you perceive yourself based on your previous size? I lost about 30kg, going from 100kg to 70kg, when I stopped planning rugby and moved to cycling. At first I thought exactly the same, I looked like Skeletor, but now my perception has changed and I don't think I look gaunt at all.
Set some routes up in Strava (or whatever). Star your favorite segments.
You will get addicted to seeing the times go down and the "fake Strava power" go up over time as your power improves. Warning though, if you "lose body weight" or buy that sweet new lightweight carbon frame and you do bother to update the Strava weight data, your power will seem to "drop back" with the update on new rides. This is where riding a trainer with a legitimate power meter once every few months helps. Then you can do a threshold test once in a while and know where you are.
I came on this site thinking I'd attain a certain speed on the flats and have since moved on to power, segments, new longer rides, chasing a KOM and so on.
As for the hills and being a little bit taller rider, weight loss will help. I've lost 15 lbs in 8 months and the new bike lost me another 6 lbs, yes 6 lbs.
I've finally gotten that KOM on the pitiful little hill by my house that only like 20 people have tried, but hey.......I'm still the king. I've also got two top-10's on more legitimate local segments where there are hundreds of riders and attempts. But, this has taken a ton of work.
Good luck and have fun. Fun is the biggest piece. Finding a challenge or something new to see on each ride helps.
So I'm not alone then!