avg winter speeds

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  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    bompington wrote:
    benws1 wrote:
    I'm still managing to maintain 13/14 mph averages on my hybrid though. :)
    just think how you'll go when you get a real bike ;-)

    Indeed. :)

    Can't wait to get a real bike. Just need to hit some personal goals and I'll be purchasing one.

    Saying that, I do have an old Bianchi ML3 Alu, but I like leaving it attached to my turbo trainer.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    okgo wrote:
    Nah I went faster in a TT in December than I have ever done, reckon its faster...
    But you do live in Australia :D
  • burnthesheep
    burnthesheep Posts: 675
    Bikecalculator gave me the following for a 165lb rider and 18lb bike on the drops at 20mph:

    Temperature/watts:
    85 deg F/ 168w
    40 deg F/ 180w

    Not sure their math, but 12w isn't something to "sneeze" about. Once you up it to 25mph it's even more......22w. That's a pair of GP 4000's versus gators.

    How about at 25mph for those who are much faster than I am:
    85 deg F/ 303w
    40 deg F/ 325w

    I use the same bike. The roads and trails here are fine. No salt. No ice or snow. Just cold and windy.

    The biggest difference to me is I can't afford $200 wind-proof aero tights. So I just wear the footballer base-layer tights and shirt with my bib shorts and jersey. I'm sure that stuff isn't the same as shaved legs and a summer "team kit".

    The other big difference is people don't train as much in the winter, for the most part. Me, I've done 33% of my miles from 2016 already in just January of 2017. So I'm still much faster now than I was then.
  • okgo
    okgo Posts: 4,368
    Webboo wrote:
    okgo wrote:
    Nah I went faster in a TT in December than I have ever done, reckon its faster...
    But you do live in Australia :D

    Is that what we're calling Kingston-upon-Thames now?!
    Blog on my first and now second season of proper riding/racing - www.firstseasonracing.com
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    okgo wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    okgo wrote:
    Nah I went faster in a TT in December than I have ever done, reckon its faster...
    But you do live in Australia :D

    Is that what we're calling Kingston-upon-Thames now?!
    Well you are in the South.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    burnthesheep wrote:
    Bikecalculator gave me the following for a 165lb rider and 18lb bike on the drops at 20mph:

    Temperature/watts:
    85 deg F/ 168w
    40 deg F/ 180w

    Not sure their math, but 12w isn't something to "sneeze" about. Once you up it to 25mph it's even more......22w. That's a pair of GP 4000's versus gators.

    How about at 25mph for those who are much faster than I am:
    85 deg F/ 303w
    40 deg F/ 325w

    I use the same bike. The roads and trails here are fine. No salt. No ice or snow. Just cold and windy.

    The biggest difference to me is I can't afford $200 wind-proof aero tights. So I just wear the footballer base-layer tights and shirt with my bib shorts and jersey. I'm sure that stuff isn't the same as shaved legs and a summer "team kit".

    The other big difference is people don't train as much in the winter, for the most part. Me, I've done 33% of my miles from 2016 already in just January of 2017. So I'm still much faster now than I was then.

    Indeed, and if you go to a more extreme 33'C versus 0'C it's even more.

    And you've forgotten pressure. Those clear cold winter days are often high pressure, which makes the air even more dense.

    And a muggy, hot, low pressure summer's day lessens the density even more too.

    Strangely, humid air is less dense than dry air, but only slightly, this is not a big factor.

    Add in the bulkier winter clothes that increase frontal area and raise the Cd, and 50 watts at 40km/h is realistic.
  • w00dster
    w00dster Posts: 880
    Tyres to me make a lot of difference, my winter bike is 9.2kgs and summer bike is 6.5 (with deep dish aero wheels).
    I put on some 28m Vittoria Corsa G+ Tires on the bike last week, not only was the ride smoother it was also pretty close to my summer speeds....I'm not good at maths so probably going to be proven wrong, but generally in summer I average 20/21mph, currently 18.5 and quickest being 19.2mph (that's the same lunch time route I've done for years)
    Through Nov, Dec and start of Jan I either had cheap 32m rubber or Cyclocross tyres on the winter bike - averaging anywhere between 17 and 17.5mph. I see it as £60 got me 1 mph quicker!
    I'm tempted to take the summer bike out and see if the difference is bike related or my fitness being as bad as I think it is.
    (Position on bikes is different as well, winter bike is a Domane H2 fit and summer bike is an Emonda H1 fit)
    And lastly I know this is contentious, but I also think that a 53-39 (summer bike)is faster than a 50-34 (winter).....I notice on hills especially that I find a 50-34 so comfortable that I mentally drift of. So with the 53-39 I have to work and be conscious of it, but with a 50-34 I know I can spin up nice and comfortably. I've gotten to the top of a lot of climbs without realising how easy it was.
  • RussE
    RussE Posts: 2
    Hi, long time lurker first time poster. It's was also wondering recently why a decent weekend ride putting in a good effort resulted in 0 trophies on strava. I'm definitely slower descending, and it was wet, but I can't put my finger on why my times are down... does rain slow you down?
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    RussE wrote:
    Hi, long time lurker first time poster. It's was also wondering recently why a decent weekend ride putting in a good effort resulted in 0 trophies on strava. I'm definitely slower descending, and it was wet, but I can't put my finger on why my times are down... does rain slow you down?

    Because whatever effort you were making was not enough to secure any trophies, is my guess.
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    Out in the rain and wind tonight for a 17 miler. Felt quite good in places. Got home and noticed a 13.5 mph average. Oh well. :)

    Winter can be a git. It sure is fun though being out in the sticks in the pouring rain. Just trying to dry everything off now.
  • mellex
    mellex Posts: 214
    Reading these comments, I wonder if a lot of you do the majority of your winter riding alone?

    For me personally, I think group rides help keep the speeds up and the conversation flowing. Plus I do believe in safety in numbers at this time of year.

    I also find that more experienced/skilled/faster riders are taking part in the group rides I do and that has without doubt been the biggest benefit to my winter riding experience.
    ARC
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    mellex wrote:
    Reading these comments, I wonder if a lot of you do the majority of your winter riding alone?


    I do mine commuting ... that means if the weather is good and dry my average is 15mph ..... if its cold and wet its 15mph .... snow .. 15mph ... car .... 15mph

    Traffic lights average the entirety of 7am and 5pm Bristol traffic to 15mph :D
  • Alex99
    Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    mellex wrote:
    Reading these comments, I wonder if a lot of you do the majority of your winter riding alone?

    For me personally, I think group rides help keep the speeds up and the conversation flowing. Plus I do believe in safety in numbers at this time of year.

    I also find that more experienced/skilled/faster riders are taking part in the group rides I do and that has without doubt been the biggest benefit to my winter riding experience.

    Group riding definitely helps with the conversation. But then again, if you're chatting, then you could definitely go faster :wink:
  • gubber12345
    gubber12345 Posts: 493
    mellex wrote:
    Reading these comments, I wonder if a lot of you do the majority of your winter riding alone?

    For me personally, I think group rides help keep the speeds up and the conversation flowing. Plus I do believe in safety in numbers at this time of year.

    I also find that more experienced/skilled/faster riders are taking part in the group rides I do and that has without doubt been the biggest benefit to my winter riding experience.
    99%of my riding is solo....call me weird but I kinda like it on my own lol
    Lapierre Aircode 300
    Merida
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    bompington wrote:
    benws1 wrote:
    I'm still managing to maintain 13/14 mph averages on my hybrid though. :)
    just think how you'll go when you get a real bike ;-)

    Real bike purchased on Saturday (Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc). Picking it up this weekend hopefully. Let's see what happens to the averages. :)
  • dannbodge
    dannbodge Posts: 1,152
    gubber12345 wrote:
    mellex wrote:
    Reading these comments, I wonder if a lot of you do the majority of your winter riding alone?

    For me personally, I think group rides help keep the speeds up and the conversation flowing. Plus I do believe in safety in numbers at this time of year.

    I also find that more experienced/skilled/faster riders are taking part in the group rides I do and that has without doubt been the biggest benefit to my winter riding experience.
    99%of my riding is solo....call me weird but I kinda like it on my own lol

    99% of mine is solo too. I like being out on my own, gives me a chance to forget everything and properly chill out.
    If I get bored, I just talk to myself :lol:

    My winter speed had been dropping slowly but seems to have stabilised now to 15.5 ish mph over 35-50miles (since December)
  • benws1
    benws1 Posts: 415
    100% of my riding is solo. I love being out on my own. Can choose when I want to ride, where I want to go etc.

    My local town has a club, but I've never thought of joining.

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