# Average Speed!



## Mikey32shaw (16 May 2013)

Well i am new to cycling although I would see myself as quite fit. After purchasing the new bike getting Strava App and having a onboard computer I have started clocking up the miles. I have done just short of 80 in the last week but for the life of me can't get my average above 17.5mph. Any tips or is it just perseverance and I will get quicker?


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## fossala (16 May 2013)

17.5 is good, I had to work hard to get that as my average. I do longer rides in general though and live in Cornwall.

For getting quicker try interval training.


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## Rob3rt (16 May 2013)

Mikey32shaw said:


> Well *i am new to cycling* although I would see myself as quite fit. After purchasing the new bike getting Strava App and having a onboard computer I have started clocking up the miles. I have done just short of 80 in the last week but for the life of me can't get my average above 17.5mph. Any tips or is it just perseverance and I will get quicker?


 


fossala said:


> 17.5 is good, I had to work hard to get that as my average. I do longer rides in general though and live in Cornwall.
> 
> For getting quicker* try interval training.*


 
Or don't!

80 miles in a week is not a lot, just ride more!


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## Mikey32shaw (16 May 2013)

Yes think I need longer rides there only about 15-20 mile the ones I've done.


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## fossala (16 May 2013)

Mikey32shaw said:


> Yes think I need longer rides there only about 15-20 mile the ones I've done.


Yeah, I'm more looking at at least 40-50 if I'm going out for a ride. Anyway, what does it matter if you are not racing!


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## SpokeyDokey (16 May 2013)

Crikey - I'm useless.

80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on! 

Are you chaps young by any chance?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 May 2013)

Mikey32shaw said:


> Yes think I need longer rides there only about 15-20 mile the ones I've done.


For which it would probably be best to slow down.


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## fossala (16 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Are you chaps young by any chance?


24.....


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## Mo1959 (16 May 2013)

Jeez


SpokeyDokey said:


> Crikey - I'm useless.
> 
> 80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on!
> 
> Are you chaps young by any chance?


I was thinking the same............I would kill to be able to average 17.5mph


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Crikey - I'm useless.
> 
> 80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on!
> 
> *Are you chaps young by any chance?*


Age is only a barrier if you make it one. 3 vets in the top5 of my club race last night


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## Mo1959 (16 May 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Age is only a barrier if you make it one. 3 vets in the top5 of my club race last night


Have they by any chance been cycling for years though? I am certainly struggling to make all that much progress. Sometimes gets a bit disheartening.


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## Mikey32shaw (16 May 2013)

There is no reason I want it higher, I'm not racing I just have that urge to always improve. Should learn to slow down and enjoy at nearly 36 lol


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## mangid (16 May 2013)

Mikey32shaw said:


> Well i am new to cycling although I would see myself as quite fit. After purchasing the new bike getting Strava App and having a onboard computer I have started clocking up the miles. I have done just short of 80 in the last week but for the life of me can't get my average above 17.5mph. Any tips or is it just perseverance and I will get quicker?


 
More miles in the legs, get your weekly mileage up.....


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## Mikey32shaw (16 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Crikey - I'm useless.
> 
> 80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on!
> 
> Are you chaps young by any chance?




36 that's why it kills me :-/


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Have they by any chance been cycling for years though? I am certainly struggling to make all that much progress. Sometimes gets a bit disheartening.


It matters not.


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## Mo1959 (16 May 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> It matters not.


So I just need to try harder then?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> So I just need to try harder then?


Yes.


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## Andrew_P (16 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Have they by any chance been cycling for years though? I am certainly struggling to make all that much progress. Sometimes gets a bit disheartening.


I Have been cycling since I was 44, but only doing a lot of miles in the last two years. I am 48 now and I started to see real progress last spring and summer.

I have said it before but time in the saddle made the difference for me and I think the main thing was doing it all through the winter.


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## avsd (16 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Crikey - I'm useless.
> 
> 80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on!
> 
> Are you chaps young by any chance?


 


fossala said:


> 24.....


 
Youth as the saying goes is wasted on them


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## gavroche (16 May 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Age is only a barrier if you make it one. 3 vets in the top5 of my club race last night


Rubbish. Age does go against you whether you like it or not. There is no way I could keep up with someone reasonnably fit and 30 years younger than me. One has to accept that age reduces your physical ability.


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## DooDah (16 May 2013)

I know what you mean about setting yourself goals. I have never focused on average speed (keep an eye on it though), but have just tried to progress with my distance travelled. Its a bit hilly around my way and have had managed about 40km per ride for a while, but last weekend managed 56km on some of the hilliest roads. Probably does not help that I live on top of a very steep hill so I always have that to look forward to at the end of a ride


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (16 May 2013)

gavroche said:


> Rubbish. Age does go against you whether you like it or not. There is no way I could keep up with someone reasonnably fit and 30 years younger than me. One has to accept that age reduces your physical ability.


I don't recall saying anything to the contrary.


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## SpokeyDokey (16 May 2013)

I guess it's all relative to each individual as to what's fast, long, acceptable, useless etc.

In all seriousness I am happy just footling along on my bike. I like to see my distance and average speed slowly climb but I'm not fixated on it. I get off more on the sheep, hills and other sights I see along the way.

I do marvel at some of the mileages some of the guys knock out on here.

Personally I think 80 miles a week or 4000 a year is absolutely huge - I'll come in at about 11--1200 in this my first full year since I restarted cycling and in all honesty I don't see it ever getting much beyond that in subsequent years.

Even a semi (nearly fully) retired working life of 10 weeks holiday and 16 hours a week the rest of year just does not give me the time to get out that much.

Maybe its simply because I lack the drive and ambition that I had in my let's call them.....more frenetic years.  

Or maybe its because I get my kicks in the mountains more than on a bike.


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## Rob3rt (16 May 2013)

gavroche said:


> Rubbish. Age does go against you whether you like it or not. There is no way I could keep up with someone reasonnably fit and 30 years younger than me. One has to accept that age reduces your physical ability.


 
Probably because you aren't particularly fit, but dodging that and focussing on the point you are trying to make, yes age is a limiter, but not to the degree lots of the excuse makers like yourself on here would have people believe.


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## fossala (16 May 2013)

gavroche said:


> Rubbish. Age does go against you whether you like it or not. There is no way I could keep up with someone reasonnably fit and 30 years younger than me. One has to accept that age reduces your physical ability.


Unless you are 34!...


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## Andrew_P (16 May 2013)

I just love the challenge and hate getting scalped so probably more down to ego than ambition.


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## Rob3rt (16 May 2013)

Just had a quick look at some recent local TT results

Vet 60+, 01:02:04
Vet 50, 01:02:00
Vet 40, 00:52:45

for a 25 mile TT

10 of the top 20 were >40 years old!

Even if we accept that most won't get close to that, it highlights that age is only limiting to a degree, the largest limiter is your excuse making!


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## Hacienda71 (16 May 2013)

I know a guy who well in his late 60's was riding close to a 4 hour 100mile TTs and a 21.33 10 mile TT. I am a pretty fit 42 year old and if I could ride close to those sort of times I would be very happy. The reason he could do this is time in the saddle.


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## doog (16 May 2013)

I have personally found that my endurance capacity has increased with age. I dont think this is unusual but probably a case of mind over matter. I think you get mentally harder as you get older, something them nippers lack.


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## Rob3rt (16 May 2013)

doog said:


> I have personally found that my endurance capacity has increased with age.* I dont think this is unusual* but probably a case of mind over matter. I think you get mentally harder as you get older, something them nippers lack.


 
Spot on, it is not unusual at all, in endurance sports, athletes tend to enjoy longer careers than in explosive sports. But it is not a case of mind over mater.


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## MaxInc (16 May 2013)

I guess the more important aspect is for how long you've been training and not how old you are. If you've been cycling all your life, your body will be perfetcly adapted to it and even at 60 can still perform well. If you are starting up at 60 you have a physiologic disadvantage since the changes in the body occur at a slower rate and even with intense training, especially in areas such as muscle growth and cardiovascular fitness.


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## Mo1959 (16 May 2013)

MaxInc said:


> I guess the more important aspect is for how long you've been training and not how old you are. If you've been cycling all your life, your body will be perfetcly adapted to it and even at 60 can still perform well. If you are starting up at 60 you have a physiologic disadvantage since the changes in the body occur at a slower rate and even with intense training, especially in areas such as muscle growth and cardiovascular fitness.


That's what I was getting at but you have put it so much better.


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## themosquitoking (16 May 2013)

I can go quite fast but my average speed lways suffers because of traffic lights and i'm a nosey bastard who stops and stares at stuff too often for his own good.


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## Pikey (16 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> I guess it's all relative to each individual as to what's fast, long, acceptable, useless etc.
> 
> In all seriousness I am happy just footling along on my bike. I like to see my distance and average speed slowly climb but I'm not fixated on it. *I get off more on the sheep,* hills and other sights I see along the way.
> 
> ...


 

I should watch that, you can get put on a register for it...


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## doog (16 May 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> . But it is not a case of mind over mater.


 
In my case it is. Mentally as a youngster I could never had done some of the stuff I have done in the last 10 years. That mental attribute is actually what separates elite sports people so how can you can just brush it aside is rather confusing.


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## malcermie (16 May 2013)

Been riding regularly now for five months and have seen my average speed rise from 11mph to 13.5mph on rides of about 50 miles, but more important for me my cadence has risen from 60 to 75. Get a slight clicking from my right knee, but seeing as I have been using the same pair of legs for 68 years can't complain


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## Rob3rt (16 May 2013)

doog said:


> In my case it is. Mentally as a youngster I could never had done some of the stuff I have done in the last 10 years. That mental attribute is actually what separates elite sports people so how can you can just brush it aside is rather confusing.


 
The mental side of sport is a very large part of it, I did not brush this aside. I stated that the reason athletes enjoy longer careers in endurance sports vs explosive sports is not due to mental attributes, it is physiological!

In elite sports, athletes will generally be mentally tough regardless of the discipline, it is an attribute of the elite sports person and almost all of them will be able to push themselves to the absolute limit. However, you can not overcome physiology, the body will do what it can do and no more. You can't decide to do more than you are able to do, when you hit the limit, you hit the limit, try as you might through sheer determination to exceed the limit and you will just wake up in the first aid tent!


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## doog (16 May 2013)

Take two blokes with the same physical capacity but differing mental capacity . You said above its not 'mind over matter' after I said it was probably was, however the mentally stronger guy *will win* so I am correct 

Anyway, you clearly like a good debate and having retired from the commuting section Ive also retired from pointless arguments- so I bid you good night.


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## Rob3rt (16 May 2013)

doog said:


> *Take two blokes with the same physical capacity but differing mental capacity . You said above its not 'mind over matter' after I said it was probably was, however the mentally stronger guy will win so I am correct*
> 
> Anyway, you clearly like a good debate and having retired from the commuting section Ive also retired from pointless arguments- so I bid you good night.


 
Not necessarily, there is this thing called strategy, some people may refer to it as race craft, other might call it, trying your luck, it can have quite the effect on how things conspire, or are you now going to claim being crafty is the same as being mentally hard?

Also, that is not what you initially said, what you said was:



doog said:


> I have personally found that my endurance capacity has increased with age. I dont think this is unusual but probably a case of mind over matter. I think you get mentally harder as you get older, something them nippers lack.


 
This may hold true for yourself, but in the general sense, the physiological attributes that are associated with or have most influence in explosive sports decline at a different rate to those that limit endurance, and also can not be "resisted" in quite the same ways.

Good night!


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## Nigelnaturist (16 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Crikey - I'm useless.
> 
> 80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on!
> 
> Are you chaps young by any chance?


You and me both then.


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## Nosaj (17 May 2013)

Lets settle this age thing here are some veteran age records from our club, the firts number you see is the age, then time then the year the record was set:
*10 mile TT:*
46 20:41 1991 
47 20:56 1988 
56 21:01 1994 
57 21:14 1990 
58 21:21 1991 
65 22:12 2006 
66 22:28 2007 
67 22:45 2008 
68 22:49 2009 
70 - 23:16 2011 
71 - 23:46 2012 
72 - 24:47 1999 
73 - 28:53 2003 
75 - 29:15 2005 
76 - 29:20 2006 
79 - 30:49 2009 
80 - 30:49 2010 
81 - 30:55 2011 
82 - 31:03 2012

*25 mile TT*
45 - 52:16 1991 
56 - 53:03 1994 
59 - 54:50 1992 
60 - 56:00 1993
61 - 57:15 1994 
65 - 58:02 2006 
71 - 59:50 2005 - *This is over 25mph average speed for 25 miles* 
72 - 1:11:52 2003 
73 - 1:14:36 2003 
76 - 1:16:09 2006 
79 - 1:17:09 2009

50 mile TT set in 2012 of 1:59:30 by a 65 year old, over 25 mph average speed
In 1997 a 70 year old set a time of 4:44:16 for a 100 mile TT

I agree that age can play a factor when the guy hit 73 he slowed down a little but was still breaking evens in a 10 up to the age of 76....quite humbling....


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## Andrew_P (17 May 2013)

To be honest age is not the factor in these TT times being posted. The factor is that they were probably cracking riders when they were in their twenties and have probably been riding for a large part of their adult life. I think the point people are making about age is the age you come in to cycling and this will make a huge difference. Someone getting on a bike for the first time in 30 years and have never had any aerobic and muscle fitness is going to be slower getting up to speed than someone who has had it and let it slip.

I have gone through stages in my life of being fairly fit, very fit and *very unfit. *I spent a lot of my life riding bikes up until I was 18. The fact I had been fit in the past made it more possible to get that fitness back quicker and thus increase my speeds quicker, but it was never easy and has at times been fairly painful.


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## Rob3rt (17 May 2013)

LOCO said:


> To be honest age is not the factor in these TT times being posted. The factor is that they were probably cracking riders when they were in their twenties and have probably been riding for a large part of their adult life. I think the point people are making about age is the age you come in to cycling and this will make a huge difference. Someone getting on a bike for the first time in 30 years and have never had any aerobic and muscle fitness is going to be slower getting up to speed than someone who has had it and let it slip.
> 
> I have gone through stages in my life of being fairly fit, very fit and *very unfit. *I spent a lot of my life riding bikes up until I was 18. The fact I had been fit in the past made it more possible to get that fitness back quicker and thus increase my speeds quicker, but it was never easy and has at times been fairly painful.


 
Agree, if you are ageing and are coming from a state of being unfit, you will unlikely reach the same height of fitness, ever, most certainly not at the same rate as someone much younger. But you can make considerable gains and can still become relatively speaking, very fit.

Given that lots of the people who comment on age limiting them are in their 30's and 40's, they are hardly old! They are just whining!


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## Andrew_P (17 May 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> Given that lots of the people who comment on age limiting them are in their 30's and 40's, they are hardly old! They are just whining!


 like I said it has been at times pretty painful. I think there is the mental aspect that some people enjoy the pain of pushing up that long slow incline when your body is telling you to back off and some people do as their brain tells them.

I have been searching Dr Google to find an interesting research paper I read which was basically when you first start exercise after a long lay off the brain senses all this new exertion and caps off how far it will let you go by as much of a limit as 25% from max. It is self protecting and will gradually raise this limit as the new exertion become the norm. I just cannot remember where I read it or how long it takes to raise the limits.


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## Mile195 (17 May 2013)

I've only just come across this thread, and the topic's moved on a bit, but I'll put in my two cents anyway.

Personally I find that average speed, although a good general indicator of how hard you have worked, can be a bit arbitrary.

My average speed can vary by up to 3mph on my daily commute (40 mile round trip), and it's not necessarily because I'm not working as hard. It often comes down to weight of traffic, how many red lights I come across, whether I've got a head or tail wind (because the air is rarely entirely still - you'll often have one or the other). There's lots of things that can slow me down that are out of my control. It's also difficult to compare to other people because you might ride on hills, while they ride on the flat.

Personally I wouldn't get too hung up on it. If you want to improve your fitness, I'd forget largely about your average speed, and focus on keeping your heart-rate at a certain level if you have a monitor. That's a much truer indication of the work you're doing.


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## HLaB (17 May 2013)

Mikey32shaw said:


> Well i am new to cycling although I would see myself as quite fit. After purchasing the new bike getting Strava App and having a onboard computer I have started clocking up the miles. I have done just short of 80 in the last week but for the life of me can't get my average above 17.5mph. Any tips or is it just perseverance and I will get quicker?


The biggest tip is not to worry about it speed will come natrually with increased distances.
Edit: Group riding will bring you on too


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## steve52 (17 May 2013)

theres no hope for me then, y average is 15 ish unless im doing a ten when its 22 mph,but on proper rides thats 25 to 100 miles 15 or under,and if i do 150 + its down to about ten


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## Rob3rt (17 May 2013)

LOCO said:


> like I said it has been at times pretty painful. I think there is the mental aspect that some people enjoy the pain of pushing up that long slow incline when your body is telling you to back off and some people do as their brain tells them.
> 
> *I have been searching Dr Google to find an interesting research paper I read which was basically when you first start exercise after a long lay off the brain senses all this new exertion and caps off how far it will let you go by as much of a limit as 25% from max. It is self protecting and will gradually raise this limit as the new exertion become the norm. I just cannot remember where I read it or how long it takes to raise the limits.*


 
Something to do with central governor theory?


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## Andrew_P (17 May 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> Something to go with central governor theory?


Yes it looks very similar the research I read was just applying it to new exertion that the brain had not experienced recently or for a long while and it was there to protect the muscles and heart. Bit disappointed that it just a theory! It did/does make some sense to me in new exertion on the body less so in established athletes/ amateurs


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## on the road (17 May 2013)

Mikey32shaw said:


> Well i am new to cycling although I would see myself as quite fit. After purchasing the new bike getting Strava App and having a onboard computer I have started clocking up the miles. I have done just short of 80 in the last week but for the life of me can't get my average above 17.5mph.


You obviously have very high standards


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## hopless500 (17 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Crikey - I'm useless.
> 
> 80 miles a week is "not a lot" and 17.5mph av' needs improving on!
> 
> Are you chaps young by any chance?


I was thinking along similar lines  and thinking, 'I wish...'


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## Rob3rt (17 May 2013)

LOCO said:


> Yes it looks very similar the research I read was just applying it to new exertion that the brain had not experienced recently or for a long while and it was there to protect the muscles and heart. Bit disappointed that it just a theory! It did/does make some sense to me in new exertion on the body less so in established athletes/ amateurs


 
It is discussed in Matt Fitzgerald's book "Brain Training for Runners". He is (IMO) one of the better writers on endurance sports, nutrition and sports science (for the layman) even if his focus is on running and triathlon and not specifically cycling.


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## thegravestoneman (17 May 2013)

I tend to average 17.5 to 18.5 on most rides (I think), but at the moment I am still trying to break 21mph for a ten. I am 48 in about a week and have been back on a bike since February after a 25 year lay off. I hope to improve over the summer but we shall see.


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## hopless500 (17 May 2013)

thegravestoneman said:


> I tend to average 17.5 to 18.5 on most rides (I think), but at the moment I am still trying to break 21mph for a ten. I am 48 in about a week and have been back on a bike since February after a 25 year lay off. I hope to improve over the summer but we shall see.


do you eat 3 weetabix??


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## Widge (17 May 2013)

Well.....all I can say is 'Good Lord!

I have been road-biking for about 8 months and loving it.
I live on the edge of Dartmoor (pretty damn hilly) and am trying to keep my averages in double figures.
I am a weedy wheezy stressed 55 yr-old...but reading all this talk of 17.5 tp 20 mph just makes me want to give up!? I thought it was just about getting out there and riding yer bike.

I think I must be the most pathetic cyclist on the planet!


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## Andrew_P (17 May 2013)

Widge said:


> Well.....all I can say is 'Good Lord!
> 
> I have been road-biking for about 8 months and loving it.
> I live on the edge of Dartmoor (pretty damn hilly) and am trying to keep my averages in double figures.
> ...


Might help if you move up from 3 x 4" Wheels?! 

Seriously though you nailed it with the hills, and just getting out there. I was GUTTED after two years and what I thought was monster miles on my Hybrid, I shelled out £1500 on a shiny carbon bike and averaged 12.5mph on my commute. I thought the bike was going get me to the then magical 15mph avg overnight the only thing it taught me is whatever the bike you still need a decent engine to get it going. Miles, miles and more miles + effort + effort + sensible rest = improvement.


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## AndyPeace (17 May 2013)

Widge said:


> Well.....all I can say is 'Good Lord!
> 
> reading all this talk of 17.5 to 20 mph just makes me want to give up!? I thought it was just about getting out there and riding yer bike.
> !


To me those speeds are intermediate level, not beginner! I think your spot on, it's all about getting out there and enjoying it. Don't let this cock waving thread put you off


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## hopless500 (17 May 2013)

Widge said:


> Well.....all I can say is 'Good Lord!
> 
> I have been road-biking for about 8 months and loving it.
> I live on the edge of Dartmoor (pretty damn hilly) and am trying to keep my averages in double figures.
> ...


 
No you're not - I claim that accolade


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## Sittingduck (17 May 2013)

LOCO said:


> I thought the bike was going get me to the then magical 15mph avg overnight the only thing it taught me is whatever the bike you still need a decent engine to get it going. Miles, miles and more miles + effort + effort + sensible rest = improvement.


 
The most sensible bit of advice on the thread, so far 
Forget about other people's quoted avg speeds, especially if you're a beginner. Just concentrate on getting the regular rides in and building up distances and duration. If you really want to improve speed significantly you need to ride hard and often, imho.


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## Fubar (17 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Have they by any chance been cycling for years though? I am certainly struggling to make all that much progress. Sometimes gets a bit disheartening.



I feel the same sometimes (Especially seeing some averages on here!) but there is always someone faster than you so really the only person you should compete against is yourself - no-one else really matters. Regards, Mark


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## Mo1959 (17 May 2013)

Fubar said:


> I feel the same sometimes (Especially seeing some averages on here!) but there is always someone faster than you so really the only person you should compete against is yourself - no-one else really matters. Regards, Mark


It does get a bit frustrating, but you are correct. I should be grateful that I am at least making a little bit of progress albeit at a much slower rate than some on here. When I started last August I often averaged not much more than 11mph. At least now it is usually between 13 and just over 14 on a good day  I am getting decent miles in so maybe if I can keep it going I will see a little bit more improvement yet.


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## ianwoodi (17 May 2013)

Is that 17.5mph on the flat or around hills. I average 17mph around hills on the flat i think i could average 20mph plus not much chance of i flat run around buxton derbyshire


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## Sittingduck (17 May 2013)

Lol


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## 2bluegp (17 May 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Age is only a barrier if you make it one. 3 vets in the top5 of my club race last night


Are they old or are they cat killers?


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## Andrew_P (17 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> It does get a bit frustrating, but you are correct. I should be grateful that I am at least making a little bit of progress albeit at a much slower rate than some on here. When I started last August I often averaged not much more than 11mph. At least now it is usually between 13 and just over 14 on a good day  I am getting decent miles in so maybe if I can keep it going I will see a little bit more improvement yet.


Going by the ticker you have the miles going from 11mph to 14mph in 8 months is a *20%+ *increase which is huge. I would say your progress is above average.


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## Pat "5mph" (17 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Jeez
> 
> I was thinking the same............I would kill to be able to average 17.5mph


I am aiming to maintain 14 mph on the flat for more than 100 yards


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## redcard (18 May 2013)

Widge said:


> ...but reading all this talk of 17.5 tp 20 mph just makes me want to give up!? I thought it was just about getting out there and riding yer bike.



Why on earth would you want to give up because there's someone faster than you?


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## Nebulous (18 May 2013)

I started 2 and a half years ago as part of a weight loss plan. I was 48 years old, had done no competitive sport in my life, was far too heavy and took very little exercise. Yet for some reason I wasn't desperately unfit. I see some people saying they were struggling in the beginning to do a mile. I started with 10s and built it up to 30 within the first month.

I showed steady progress up until December last year and then mainly because of bad weather and partly because of a run of punctures I backed off quite a bit and my fitness/ speed dropped.I'm back with a vengeance in the last month and its picking up again now but having my first real setback was disheartening.There will doubtless come a point where the hard work and slow progress make me wake up to the fact I'll never enter the Tour de France, and question whether it is worth it, but I want to delay that as long as possible.

I think its very much about how much you want it. I've had to work at it like nothing I've ever done in my life before. It also has to fit into the rest of my life. I've a pretty busy job, with some irregular hours. I've a family who are well on their way to growing up but still need a fair bit of time, and bizarrely and slightly reluctantly we got a dog last year. Its amazing how much of a hole he can make in cycling time.

People cycle for different reasons. Speed is very high up my list. Never having done it before I want to test myself against others. 20 mph is a magic number for me. Hitting 20 on the flat for the first time, averaging 20 for a mile and then doing the same for 5 miles were all significant milestones.


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## Mo1959 (18 May 2013)

LOCO said:


> Going by the ticker you have the miles going from 11mph to 14mph in 8 months is a *20%+ *increase which is huge. I would say your progress is above average.


Thanks Loco. Your comments must have given me a bit of inspiration. My legs were feeling a bit tired and heavy this morning so decided to just do one of my shorter loops of around 23 miles but I worked really hard and ended up with a 15mph average so I am well chuffed with that.

Must admit, it was very calm so no wind to bother me. I am liable to go out tomorrow and be back down to 13mph again but at least I now know the potential to get a bit better is there. 
http://app.strava.com/activities/54797855


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## MaxInc (18 May 2013)

Mo1959 said:


> Your comments must have given me a bit of inspiration. My legs were feeling a bit tired and heavy this morning so decided to just do one of my shorter loops of around 23 miles but I worked really hard and ended up with a 15mph average so I am well chuffed



This is the kind of performange I'm yet to achieve  In honesty, it is not the speed but your determination than I find very inspiring and I think that's a lot more powerful feeling. Well done!


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## Mo1959 (18 May 2013)

MaxInc said:


> This is the kind of performange I'm yet to achieve  In honesty, it is not the speed but your determination than I find very inspiring and I think that's a lot more powerful feeling. Well done!


Thanks very much  It is the odd good day when things seem to feel right that keep most of us motivated I think. Makes up for the days when I feel like I am cycling through treacle


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## cyberknight (18 May 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> Is that 17.5mph on the flat or around hills. I average 17mph around hills on the flat i think i could average 20mph plus not much chance of i flat run around buxton derbyshire


Went up a killer hill that started at a ford then went over a park/farm area on single track road that came out at tissington hall last sunday, if anyone can average 17/18 up that they have been using pharmstrongs medication practises.


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

Average speed over distance not up a hill dur


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## Nigelnaturist (18 May 2013)

Strava will work out your avg up a hill if its a segment, as so many are.
I did this over a mile last with a light uphill gradient of 0.5%
However the 15.3mph it says conflicts with the 19.6mph in the table.
http://app.strava.com/activities/54709572#995715120


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

Hooked up with strava i am 8th out of 600 people on one segment well pleased but i did have the wind behined me will try and get first when wind is around 25mph that should push another 5mph for first


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## cyberknight (18 May 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> Average speed over distance not up a hill dur


Ahh you said around hills so it was confusing , mind you a club member of mine can average 18 mph on a strava KOM segment where most of us are about 13 mph in the top 10 .


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## cyberknight (18 May 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> Hooked up with strava i am 8th out of 600 people on one segment well pleased but i did have the wind behined me will try and get first when wind is around 25mph that should push another 5mph for first


I just found out i have a KOM !
http://app.strava.com/segments/3738439
And heres the hill in question, in my defence i only ever go up it in full commuting mode on my virtuoso with rack, gaurds,lights and 2 loaded panniers !
http://app.strava.com/segments/1045328


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

What i mean i could never go up hills at 20mph and around here every time you head out you are on a hill and i live on a hill so what i am saying is its a average speed over 40 miles with hills


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## SpokeyDokey (18 May 2013)

You lads and your Strava - any excuse and you'll whizz a link in on any thread! 

I might start a thread on pineapple growing and see if you somehow slip a loosely related link in on that.

In fact I think I will, it's raining and I am bored.


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

Thats not a hill


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## Supersuperleeds (18 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> You lads and your Strava - any excuse and you'll whizz a link in on any thread!
> 
> I might start a thread on pineapple growing and see if you somehow slip a loosely related link in on that.
> 
> In fact I think I will, it's raining and I am bored.


 
Pineapple you said?

http://app.strava.com/segments/1423523


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## Mo1959 (18 May 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> You lads and your Strava - any excuse and you'll whizz a link in on any thread!
> 
> I might start a thread on pineapple growing and see if you somehow slip a loosely related link in on that.
> 
> In fact I think I will, it's raining and I am bored.


Well...........you do get pineapple segments


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## cyberknight (18 May 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> Thats not a hill


A hills difficulty is not just based on the steepness but how hard you ride it


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

pinapple is not a hill its flat but not a bad speed might be able to match it on a good day


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## chernij (18 May 2013)

So I have a hybrid bike (pretty rubbish one at that) and a good average speed for me (over 30 mile distance) is 13mph. Would changing to a road bike make a lot of difference, or is it simply a case of increasing my time in the saddle per week? As in, will I see much of a difference if I stick to the same bike and simply work harder, and will changing to a road bike give a decent boost?


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

Go to a road bike you will find a big differance in speed you should manage around 15mph over 30 miles


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## HLaB (18 May 2013)

Nigelnaturist said:


> Strava will work out your avg up a hill if its a segment, as so many are.
> I did this over a mile last with a light uphill gradient of 0.5%
> However the 15.3mph it says conflicts with the 19.6mph in the table.
> http://app.strava.com/activities/54709572#995715120


I know my mate Craig is super fast but 35.5mph up the Dunfermline DC when AB (another super fast rider) is only (only ) 22.6mph; when you click on Craigs ride its 19.8mph, slow for him but more realistic  Its a similar story for the KOM but even more extreme, 44.2mph shown and 11mph in the details; I'm dubious of his top speed though but on the whole its looks to be another dodgy segment but outside the top two it seems reasonable


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## HLaB (18 May 2013)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Pineapple you said?
> 
> http://app.strava.com/segments/1423523


I know that segment well; its like the Cambridge Fens in miniature; very flat and exposed.


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## DiddlyDodds (18 May 2013)

I used to know what my average speed was a few years ago , now I never bother looking.

It makes no difference what speed you go there will ALWAYS be people that will pass you, and there will ALWAYS people you pass.
Now I just need to know I will actually get up the hill, and not how fast I get up it


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## chernij (18 May 2013)

ianwoodi said:


> Go to a road bike you will find a big differance in speed you should manage around 15mph over 30 miles


Thanks - is there that much of a difference between the cheapest road bike (no idea how much - where's the best place to look?) and a middle-of-the-road one?


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

my first road bike was a scott speedster 40 £600 great bike still got it for winter and training rollers my other is kuota carbon di2 £3500 which is a blast they say your bike will not improve your speed but on my kuota i can increase my speed by another 10mph on the flat so enjoy like i have


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## Andrew_P (18 May 2013)

oh my


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## HLaB (18 May 2013)

chernij said:


> Thanks - is there that much of a difference between the cheapest road bike (no idea how much - where's the best place to look?) and a middle-of-the-road one?


Theres quite a difference at the lower end of the scale (say below £500?) but when you get higher range (£800-1000 plus) there diminishing rates of return. Depending on your budget there's a massive difference between the £300 Decathlon Triban and the £100 Toyrus special.


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

yes i agree.The jump i made from £600 bike to a £3500 bike was amazing the bike handled great the lightness was amazing


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## Hip Priest (18 May 2013)

I read an interview with an italian ex-pro cyclist called Zoppi recently. He said that Team Sky's success has had a downside, with loads of newbie amateur cyclists thinking that getting better involves complex training and dietary interventions.

At this level, if you want to improve, just ride your bike more and put more effort in.


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## Andrew_P (18 May 2013)

Hip Priest said:


> 'marginal gains'


Darn, I never managed to get that in to one of my posts!


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## Hip Priest (18 May 2013)

LOCO said:


> Darn, I never managed to get that in to one of my posts!


 
I've since taken it out, but my editing wasn't quick enough!


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## Pat "5mph" (18 May 2013)

redcard said:


> Why on earth would you want to give up because there's someone faster than you?


There is always someone slower than you (me)


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## Pat "5mph" (18 May 2013)

Widge said:


> I think I must be the most pathetic cyclist on the planet!


No, that would be me.
But I'm having great cycling adventures at 5mph


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## ianwoodi (18 May 2013)

What ever your cycling ability enjoy it


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## redcard (18 May 2013)

Pat "5mph" said:


> There is always someone slower than you (me)



We call them pedestrians!


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## Pat "5mph" (18 May 2013)

redcard said:


> We call them pedestrians!


I scalped a wee mobility scooter once


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## Nigelnaturist (18 May 2013)

HLaB said:


> I know my mate Craig is super fast but 35.5mph up the Dunfermline DC when AB (another super fast rider) is only (only ) 22.6mph; when you click on Craigs ride its 19.8mph, slow for him but more realistic  Its a similar story for the KOM but even more extreme, 44.2mph shown and 11mph in the details; I'm dubious of his top speed though but on the whole its looks to be another dodgy segment but outside the top two it seems reasonable


I had one like that last night, it showed my avg of 19.6mph over the 1.1 mile but the segment detail showed 15.3mph
It's more likely strava.
http://app.strava.com/activities/54709572#995715120


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## monkeylc (18 May 2013)

Couple of grams a week  +


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## Rob3rt (19 May 2013)

redcard said:


> Why on earth would you want to give up because there's someone faster than you?


 
There is no such thing as defeat if you don't compete!


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## BigDane92 (28 May 2013)

My average speed is 24km/h


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