# 10 miles in 42 minutes any good?



## MBosh (16 Jun 2020)

I'm 53 years old and just wondered if covering 10 miles in 42 minutes is any good? There was just a couple of hills on the route but it was mainly flat surface. My avg speed says 14.3 mph, but I have no idea if this is any good for my age. I am using a Giant Defy 4 Road bike, it's not a Carbon bike and cost around £600 new. What do you reckon? Cheers!


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## vickster (16 Jun 2020)

Decent


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## Garry A (16 Jun 2020)

Sounds ok to me . I'm 47 and I did 30 miles at average 17 mph today. The question is, did you enjoy it? I did.
Giant Defy 3 btw.


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## Specialeyes (16 Jun 2020)

Download the free version of Strava to your phone (or set up an account if you already have a Garmin, Wahoo or other computer) and compare yourself today with yourself yesterday


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## MBosh (16 Jun 2020)

Yes, I really enjoyed it. May I also add that I lost my knee cap in a motor cycle accident when I was 18 years old, so the knee feels a bit sore but not painful 

Also, I don't have the pedals where you fasten your shoes to them. Those pedals scare me


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## Slick (16 Jun 2020)

Well done, great effort.


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## Dogtrousers (16 Jun 2020)

Pretty brisk.

Faster than I ever go. But the main thing is that you enjoyed it.


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## I like Skol (16 Jun 2020)

That's really slow, you need to up your game


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## Brandane (16 Jun 2020)

Average 14.2857 mph.. Nice bike. And you enjoyed it (which is the only bit that really matters). All good .


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## MBosh (16 Jun 2020)

Yes, I just looked around the web and I now see that it's average. But I did enjoy it and I don't think I'm going to get any quicker due to losing my knee cap. I just wish I could go further, but what's left of my knee starts to get sore and I can't push through it. I'd probably do more harm to my knee if I tried to push through the sorness, but it's annoying because the energy to go further is still there.

Do you think my speed would increase if I had shoes that fastened to the peddles?


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## ColinJ (16 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> Do you think my speed would increase if I had shoes that fastened to the peddles?


No! 

I don't think you are being limited by your pedals, and having half a knee is not going to be helped much by clipping in either.

What might help (or might not - you'd have to try it and see) is to use different gear ratios. If you happen to be using too _high _a gear that could be hurting your knee because you are having to use too much force. If you are using too _low _a gear then that might hurt your knee by desperately spinning the cranks round trying to keep up.


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## MBosh (16 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> No!
> 
> I don't think you are being limited by your pedals, and having half a knee is going to be helped much by clipping in either.
> 
> What might help (or might not - you'd have to try it and see) is to use different gear ratios. If you happen to be using too _high _a gear that could be hurting your knee because you are having to use too much force. If you are using too _low _a gear then that might hurt your knee by desperately spinning the cranks round trying to keep up.



That's interesting. I did notice I was using a higher gear to get upto speed, but I didn't feel totally comfortable while I was in a higher gear. When cycling with two perfectly normal knees do you usually just peddle at a comfortable pace, or do you use a higher gear to add presure to your legs? I'm trying to increase my stamina using cycling as an exercise. So would it be best to apply pressure to the legs or cycle at a comfortable pace to gain stamina? Any thoughts on that anyone? Cheers!


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2020)

I think you should try to minimise the pain. If you further damage your knee then that isn't going to help you get fit...

Find a gear which is comfortable when riding at a speed which you find quite hard (but not horribly hard). Try and do that same route in 41 minutes next time! Keep knocking a minute off here and there and you will soon get fitter. If you ever get it down below 30 minutes then you would be fitter than most people.

An alternative would be to ride further but trying to average the same speed.


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## CXRAndy (17 Jun 2020)

You should try to have a higher cadence, it works your cardiovascular system more, protects the knees from over stressing. It will build endurance.

14 mph is a fair speed for a beginner.

Im currently riding 14-15 on my slow touring bike, but can ride at 20 mph on my faster bike for an hour

I prefer my touring bike


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## si_c (17 Jun 2020)

That's a pretty decent pace, I used to commute that distance each way daily and worked on about that pace and I'm a good 10 years younger than you.

I'd suggest not worring about anything too much, as a beginner you'll see large improvements in pace and endurance very quickly. Use this time to work out what you enjoy/works for you bike wise and just keep doing that. Don't worry about how much your bike cost or whether it's carbon or not, that's largely irrelevant for modern bikes unless you race at higher levels


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## MntnMan62 (17 Jun 2020)

You did good. I'm going to be 58 next month and I've been doing 20 miles in an hour and 40 minutes. So I'm only going about 11.5 mph. But I am doing about 1,300 ft of elevation gain in those 20 miles. I've only been riding again since the beginning of May so I feel I've been making progress. And I always make sure to take in some scenery by taking some view breaks at key spots. Just have fun.


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## stoatsngroats (17 Jun 2020)

Sounds a good time, you’ll get better, more efficient, and healthier.
I very occasionally do a 12 mile commute, in around 45 mins, aged 54, and not in too bad shape. I also don’t use clipless peddles, as I don’t see much benefit from the, and fear the locking in for my feet.
The main point as mentioned a few times is the enjoyment! It’s good to keep an eye on speed/timing etc, but for me it’s not about the data, more the accomplishment.
Well done!


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## biggs682 (17 Jun 2020)

To me it's not about speed or distance it's the enjoyment factor of getting out and looking around you watching the world go by


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## Darius_Jedburgh (17 Jun 2020)

Most clubs round here ask that you are able to ride at 15mph on the flat, on your own, on a wind free day before you join one of their "standard" club rides. You easily meet that criteria so by definition you are a decent rider.

Well done.


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## Mo1959 (17 Jun 2020)

biggs682 said:


> To me it's not about speed or distance it's the enjoyment factor of getting out and looking around you watching the world go by


This! I never seem to do the same speed two days in a row. Day before yesterday it was the road bike and 14.6, yesterday I took the hybrid as it was drizzling and set out deliberately taking it extremely easy and only averaged 12.2. Both rides were equally enjoyable, but I do especially enjoy the odd day when I take it extra easy. Unless you're training specifically for something, no point killing yourself. It's supposed to be fun.


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## alicat (17 Jun 2020)

CXRAndy said:


> You should try to have a higher cadence, it works your cardiovascular system *more*, protects the knees from over stressing. It will build endurance.



Are you sure about that, @CXRAndy?


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## CXRAndy (17 Jun 2020)

alicat said:


> Are you sure about that, @CXRAndy?


Absolutely.  I've done countless hours on Trainer Road.

I can set a power level in erg mode, lets say 200W. 

I will then vary my cadence, anywhere from 50 rpm to 110 rpm. At the lower cadences, my HR is lower by up to 10 bpm, than higher cadences. So my muscular effort is taking the burden. Its around 85 rpm my HR begins to rise with increased cadence. 

By cycling at higher cadences 90+ rpm, you can train your body to become accustomed to long periods of non stop pedalling without burning out your legs. Cardiovascular system recovers very quickly compared to glycogen depleted muscles

My max duration for non stop pedalling is 3 hr 15 mins, some do a lot more, but I'm 55 now. It usually takes me 1-2 months of Trainer Road sessions to get my heart rate to track power level without too much drift over 3 hr sessions. 

That's when I know I'm cardio fit.


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## Boopop (17 Jun 2020)

Did you enjoy the ride? That's all that matters, surely.


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## HarryTheDog (17 Jun 2020)

I started cycling at 43 and remember reading that I could expect a improvement over 5 years, starting in your 50's I dont know if that would apply. 
Comparing yourself to others on a random ride is quite hard as elevation /wind etc is not really a know, If you looked at local time trials of people in their 50's it would give you a false idea ie people doing times of say 23 minutes. That might make you feel you were not doing very well. I am now 58 and have had power meters for a while and all I see is a decline in my power over the last 3 years but I am an experienced rider, you would still see a improvement.
If you bought a power meter and did a ftp test that could give you your FTP watts/kg ( FTP is your supposed max avg watts over a hour) but then again if you compared it on the web it may make you feel crap. Mine is 2.9 watts per kg, on a website that tells me I am in the bottom 23% , however thats really for young riders. For a fairer comparison I read on a site you need to subtract 40 from your age and multiply your watts/kg by 0.04 and add to your original so would give me 3.62 watts/kg which then puts me in the top 36%.Age makes a huge difference apparently. However I race occassionaly in over 50's age group and i am always just in the bottom half so maybe dont believe everything on the web. 
Or you could take up time trialing but that could get expensive if you get the bug, or don't stress ride your bike and enjoy!


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## dave r (17 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> I'm 53 years old and just wondered if covering 10 miles in 42 minutes is any good? There was just a couple of hills on the route but it was mainly flat surface. My avg speed says 14.3 mph, but I have no idea if this is any good for my age. I am using a Giant Defy 4 Road bike, it's not a Carbon bike and cost around £600 new. What do you reckon? Cheers!



Thats lively, you're riding about my pace, but as others have said, stop worrying about your pace and just enjoy the ride.


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

Speed's not necessarily everything. My moving average speed on my last ride was 18.5 kmh (about 11mph) yet I was extremely pleased with it. The ride had other features that were quite challenging. And yes, I enjoyed it too.


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## Brandane (17 Jun 2020)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> Most clubs round here ask that you are able to ride at 15mph on the flat, on your own, on a wind free day before you join one of their "standard" club rides.


And there is another reason why I won't be joining any cycling "club".


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## Mo1959 (17 Jun 2020)

CXRAndy said:


> Absolutely.  I've done countless hours on Trainer Road.
> 
> I can set a power level in erg mode, lets say 200W.
> 
> ...


No clue on the science, but I know I am more of a grinder and on occasions when I deliberately try to spin at a higher cadence, actually feel more breathless. Presumably if I persevered it would improve. Unless you're a pro, surely it's just as well to cycle in a style that feels right to you rather than force yourself to do something different.


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

Brandane said:


> And there is another reason why I won't be joining any cycling "club".


It was a bit of a sweeping statement (that you are replying to). There are plenty of clubs that are more welcoming to all kinds of rider. Sure there are some that have ridiculously high entry requirements, (and no, I wouldn't consider joining any of those either) but it's certainly not a universal thing.


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## Fab Foodie (17 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> That's interesting. I did notice I was using a higher gear to get upto speed, but I didn't feel totally comfortable while I was in a higher gear. When cycling with two perfectly normal knees do you usually just peddle at a comfortable pace, or do you use a higher gear to add presure to your legs? I'm trying to increase my stamina using cycling as an exercise. So would it be best to apply pressure to the legs or cycle at a comfortable pace to gain stamina? Any thoughts on that anyone? Cheers!


It is indeed a good pace. So no worries there.
Yes, pedal at a pace that's comfortable and use gears to achieve this, too much pressure on the pedals will aggravate the knees with time.
Stamina is an interesting question, Stamina for what?
I have CHD (and am 57) so can't push myself too hard, but I can keep riding at my comfortable pace for over 24 hours and 230 miles over lumpy terrain, that's my stamina. There is no obvious reason why if you pedal sensibly you can't build-up the miles - just listen to your body.
One further point... set-off slowly and gently, to let your body properly warm-up, at least 10 to 15 minutes before upping the pace. At the end allow 10 mins to slow-up before you finish.
But well done :-)

EDIT: Don't go down the Strava/stats route, it's futile. You'll know whether you're getting better or not. Enjoy the ride 'Smiles not miles'!


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## Brandane (17 Jun 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> It was a bit of a sweeping statement (that you are replying to). There are plenty of clubs that are more welcoming to all kinds of rider. Sure there are some that have ridiculously high entry requirements, (and no, I wouldn't consider joining any of those either) but it's certainly not a universal thing.


There are a host of other reasons too, but it's all way off topic. Suffice to say, cycling clubs just don't appeal to me on several levels.


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## Fab Foodie (17 Jun 2020)

Mo1959 said:


> No clue on the science, but I know I am more of a grinder and on occasions when I deliberately try to spin at a higher cadence, actually feel more breathless. Presumably if I persevered it would improve. Unless you're a pro, surely it's just as well to cycle in a style that feels right to you rather than force yourself to do something different.


Me too, spinning just doesn't work.


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

Fab Foodie said:


> Me too, spinning just doesn't work.


There are certain things that I just leave to my legs. They know best and can sort it out for themselves. These include cadence and clipping in and out. If I think too much about it and try to get involved I tend to mess it up - so I leave it to them as they know best.


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## Sniper68 (17 Jun 2020)

I’m 52 and have slowed down a bit over the last few years.I’m about your speed on 30 mile rides with 2500-3000ft of climbing.I used to be in the 16s but I’m not worried about it. 
I averaged 17.8mph on a flat club 100(105.2) last year but I was absolutely done at the end.It was well into the 18s for the first 80 miles but tired legs just couldn’t keep it up.A few years ago I would’ve been gutted to see it drop after so many miles but now it’s just one of those things. 
Don’t worry about it.Getting outand having fun is what matters.


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## dave r (17 Jun 2020)

Sniper68 said:


> I’m 52 and have slowed down a bit over the last few years.I’m about your speed on 30 mile rides with 2500-3000ft of climbing.I used to be in the 16s but I’m not worried about it.
> I averaged 17.8mph on a flat club 100(105.2) last year but I was absolutely done at the end.It was well into the 18s for the first 80 miles but tired legs just couldn’t keep it up.A few years ago I would’ve been gutted to see it drop after so many miles but now it’s just one of those things.
> Don’t worry about it.Getting outand having fun is what matters.



I'm like you, I'm 68 and my pace has dropped off over the years, I can't manage the pace I did when I was a young club rider, but it doesn't matter, enjoying the ride is more important unless you're racing.


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## Hudson1984 (17 Jun 2020)

better than me and I'm 35 haha.


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## Boopop (17 Jun 2020)

Brandane said:


> And there is another reason why I won't be joining any cycling "club".



Then those clubs aren't doing a good job of encouraging new members. Please don't discount cycling clubs based on a few bad reports you hear. The cycling club I help run (usually) has four club rides in the summer, the slowest of which accomodates whoever turns up. Great way to socialise and it's made me feel very connected to the town I live in.


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## Fab Foodie (17 Jun 2020)

Boopop said:


> Then those clubs aren't doing a good job of encouraging new members. Please don't discount cycling clubs based on a few bad reports you hear. The cycling club I help run (usually) has four club rides in the summer, the slowest of which accomodates whoever turns up. Great way to socialise and it's made me feel very connected to the town I live in.


Agree totally.


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## johnnyb47 (17 Jun 2020)

That's a great pace you've done there, but the main thing above all is that you enjoyed it. Well done you buddy 👍👍


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## Ming the Merciless (17 Jun 2020)

Good for what? Unless you have time limits, or are racing then your average speed doesn’t matter. Just ride at a pace you enjoy rather than leaves you feeling beaten up.


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## Globalti (17 Jun 2020)

To give you some context I'm averagely fit for a cyclist and at the age of 61 I decided to try North Lancs RC's evening 10 mile TT. I reckoned I should be able to do it in 30 minutes so I concentrated on keeping the AV function on my Cateye at or above 20 mph. It's a triangular course and you climb about 250 feet in 2.5 laps and on that evening there was a gentle westerly breeze. The first time I did 30 minutes and 2 seconds so of course I had to go and try the next week, when I managed 29 minutes and 19 seconds. It was quite honestly the hardest physical effort I've ever made and although I enjoyed it I don't really have any interest in doing any more TTs.


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## vickster (17 Jun 2020)

Traffic, lights, junctions, roundabouts etc make a big difference to average speed around here at least!


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

vickster said:


> Traffic, lights, junctions, roundabouts etc make a big difference to average speed around here at least!


Not to mention hills.


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## vickster (17 Jun 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Not to mention hills.


Nah, there aren't many of those really


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## dave r (17 Jun 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Not to mention hills.



And head winds.


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## roubaixtuesday (17 Jun 2020)

.


Globalti said:


> To give you some context I'm averagely fit for a cyclist and at the age of 61 I decided to try North Lancs RC's evening 10 mile TT. I reckoned I should be able to do it in 30 minutes so I concentrated on keeping the AV function on my Cateye at or above 20 mph. It's a triangular course and you climb about 250 feet in 2.5 laps and on that evening there was a gentle westerly breeze. The first time I did 30 minutes and 2 seconds so of course I had to go and try the next week, when I managed 29 minutes and 19 seconds. It was quite honestly the hardest physical effort I've ever made and although I enjoyed it I don't really have any interest in doing any more TTs.



Haha! I did something similar then tried a 25 a couple of weeks later. Now that *really* hurt. Like you, I'm not going back any time soon. 

OP, your time is very respectable. Enjoy the cycling, whether or not you get faster.


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## gavroche (17 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> Yes, I really enjoyed it. May I also add that I lost my knee cap in a motor cycle accident when I was 18 years old, so the knee feels a bit sore but not painful
> 
> Also, I don't have the* pedals *where you fasten your shoes to them. Those *pedals *scare me LOL.


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## nickyboy (17 Jun 2020)

vickster said:


> Traffic, lights, junctions, roundabouts etc make a big difference to average speed around here at least!


True, and brakey descents. My quickest 2 hour hilly rides are always straight over the Snake Pass for one hour, turn round and come back. There are no traffic lights, junctions or roundabouts. And the descents are wide and sweeping so no braking. I'm probably abut 1mph quicker on this route than a "normal" hilly route around here with junctions and brakey descents


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## cyberknight (17 Jun 2020)

So many variables etc it's hard to say,well done and keep at it.my commute is 10 miles and with full kit panniers etc I'm looking at 34-35 mins but I have been doing it a loooooong time


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## RoadRider400 (17 Jun 2020)

Well done but a real cyclist records their average speed to five decimal places.


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## Garry A (17 Jun 2020)

RoadRider400 said:


> Well done but a real cyclist records their adverage speed to five decimal places.


 And goes up and down their street to round the distance up to the next mile.


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## screenman (17 Jun 2020)

Garry A said:


> And goes up and down their street to round the distance up to the next mile.




Just done that 30 minutes ago.


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2020)

Garry A said:


> And goes up and down their street to round the distance up to the next mile.


I do, but in kms!


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## Darius_Jedburgh (17 Jun 2020)

Garry A said:


> And goes up and down their street to round the distance up to the next mile.


Next mile? That's for wimps. Always ride in 5 mile units.


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

RoadRider400 said:


> Well done but a real cyclist records their adverage speed to five decimal places.


... And then rounds it up to the next whole number. 

No, make that the next multiple of five.


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## ianrauk (17 Jun 2020)

screenman said:


> Just done that 30 minutes ago.


Who doesn't?


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## Sharky (17 Jun 2020)

Globalti said:


> To give you some context I'm averagely fit for a cyclist and at the age of 61 I decided to try North Lancs RC's evening 10 mile TT. I reckoned I should be able to do it in 30 minutes so I concentrated on keeping the AV function on my Cateye at or above 20 mph. It's a triangular course and you climb about 250 feet in 2.5 laps and on that evening there was a gentle westerly breeze. The first time I did 30 minutes and 2 seconds so of course I had to go and try the next week, when I managed 29 minutes and 19 seconds. It was quite honestly the hardest physical effort I've ever made and although I enjoyed it I don't really have any interest in doing any more TTs.


20mph or "Evens" is probably the first milestone to be reached amongst time triallists. As daunting as it may seem, it is the starting point for most TT riders. But speeds in time trials shouldn't be compared to leisure rides or training rides. TT's are usually on very flattish courses, no difficult junctions, so once you achieve a cruising speed, there is nothing to hinder you.

The OP's 14mph for a training loop is very respectable and should he venture into TT's, he would have no problem getting near to the 20mph mark.

In my case, riding TT's over the years have kept me motivated and each (most) year returned to try and achieve my previous years best.


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## Globalti (17 Jun 2020)

It was astonishing to see the speed of the serious TTers as they blasted past on their special bikes with all the aero kit. If I recall I think the best were doing 21 or 22 minutes.


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## Darius_Jedburgh (17 Jun 2020)

Back in the days when I was competing 21 or 22 mins for a club 10 was usual for the good lads. This was long before the days of carbon fibre deep section everything. 653 steel frames were the norm. Pointy helmets were just about accepted. 

I'm surprised that times seem similar given the advances in gear, clothing and training methods. Maybe we weren't that bad after all.


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## fossyant (17 Jun 2020)

Just keep at it, the more you ride, and it doesn't have to be far, the quicker you get. I'm just back from a quick 11 miler in 50 minutes, all off road an a big full suspension MTB covered in mud, but with a big grin. 

Just don't grind big gears with your knee issue.

When I switched over to MTB'ing I forgot haw slow progress can be, where on a road bike I could do 16 miles in less than 50 minutes, it's more like 3 hours on an MTB


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## I like Skol (17 Jun 2020)

ianrauk said:


> Yeah Skolly.... Clear off


What did I say?


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## palinurus (17 Jun 2020)

Sharky said:


> 20mph or "Evens" is probably the first milestone to be reached amongst time triallists. As daunting as it may seem, it is the starting point for most TT riders. But speeds in time trials shouldn't be compared to leisure rides or training rides. TT's are usually on very flattish courses, no difficult junctions, so once you achieve a cruising speed, there is nothing to hinder you.
> 
> The OP's 14mph for a training loop is very respectable and should he venture into TT's, he would have no problem getting near to the 20mph mark.



When I was at my quickest (not very quick by TT standards but ok-ish on a good day) I was averaging about 15-16 for commuting & solo weekend riding. 

Time-trialling is different though, before doing my first one I'd never knowingly averaged over 20 mph* and was surprised I was able to do it.

* Perhaps the closest I got was when CH4 used to show the tour highlights 30 minutes after I finished work.


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## fossyant (17 Jun 2020)

I like Skol said:


> What did I say?



Someone had a sense of humour failure, and can't write in full words


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

Sharky said:


> 20mph or "Evens" is probably the first milestone to be reached amongst time triallists. As daunting as it may seem, it is the starting point for most TT riders. But speeds in time trials shouldn't be compared to leisure rides or training rides.


Looking to (even beginner) TT'ers as a guide to speed is a scary thing to do. Guys on TT bikes regularly pass me so fast I can't focus on them.

A less daunting way of gauging speed would be to look at Audax. An overall speed of over 30km/h (18.6 mph) would be _too fast_ and you'd find yourself kicking your heels waiting for the final control to open. Mind you if you can hold 30km/h - including stops - over Audax distance, you are very quick indeed.

I remember manning a control about 140km into a 300km Audax once and I was amazed that the first riders came in minutes after we opened up the control. There are some reet speedy people out there.

But if you can manage over 15km/h (9.3 mph) overall, you are fine. However, that's often easier said than done!!


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## cyberknight (17 Jun 2020)

Garry A said:


> And goes up and down their street to round the distance up to the *Century*


i did this , was a mile and a half short so rode up and down the road till i made it


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## screenman (17 Jun 2020)

Globalti said:


> It was astonishing to see the speed of the serious TTers as they blasted past on their special bikes with all the aero kit. If I recall I think the best were doing 21 or 22 minutes.



That would be on a slowish course nowadays, record is 16min 35 seconds. That on an out and back course, anyone work out the average I guess at a shade under 35mph.


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## dave r (17 Jun 2020)

screenman said:


> That would be on a slowish course nowadays, record is 16min 35 seconds. That on an out and back course, anyone work out the average I guess at a shade under 35mph.



I haven't heard of anybody round here managing that, but the fast boys are regularly under 20 minutes for 10 miles, an hour for 25 miles and under 2 hours for 50 miles.


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## screenman (17 Jun 2020)

dave r said:


> I haven't heard of anybody round here managing that, but the fast boys are regularly under 20 minutes for 10 miles, an hour for 25 miles and under 2 hours for 50 miles.



The one that gets me is 544 miles for a 24 hour ride, how the heck do you get your head around that one.


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## Lauris (17 Jun 2020)

Best way to measure your efforts is with a power meter.


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## dave r (17 Jun 2020)

screenman said:


> The one that gets me is 544 miles for a 24 hour ride, how the heck do you get your head around that one.



A 12 hour ride is one I can get my head round, but 24 hours! I don't know how they manage that long in the saddle


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## screenman (17 Jun 2020)

dave r said:


> A 12 hour ride is one I can get my head round, but 24 hours! I don't know how they manage that long in the saddle



321 miles is the 12 hour records 26.75 mph or about 12 x 56 minute 25 end to end.


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## screenman (17 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> I do, but in kms!



How unbritish.


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2020)

screenman said:


> How unbritish.


There are some things about Britain that are good and some that are very good; imperial units don't make the cut!


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## Darius_Jedburgh (17 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> There are some things about Britain that are good and some that are very good; imperial units don't make the cut!


How far is a kilometre?


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## CXRAndy (17 Jun 2020)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> How far is a kilometre?


621371/1000000 of a mile


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## fossyant (17 Jun 2020)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> How far is a kilometre?



1000 metres


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

dave r said:


> A 12 hour ride is one I can get my head round, but 24 hours! I don't know how they manage that long in the saddle


I've done it. 

Mind you, I did stop for a meal. Or two. Or was it three? Oh yes, and an ice cream stop. And I had a bit of a lie down after my ice cream. And there was that garage where I got some peanuts. But apart from that - 24 solid hours in the saddle.  (actually a bit more than 25 hours ... all for a measly 400k)


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## Sniper68 (17 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> There are some things about Britain that are good and some that are very good; imperial units don't make the cut!


Maybe but they are our unit of measurement.Road signs are in miles so it makes sense to use miles.I can cross convert so it makes no difference but even when cycling abroad I always convert KMs to miles when I read a sign even though my Wahoo will be set to KMs
Also a Pint is a Pint.Who wants to go to the bar and ask for a 50cl of Bitter


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2020)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> How far is a kilometre?


If you want to go all imperialist on me, the simplest approximation is... 5/8 mile. I like to think of it as a half plus an eighth so I can do it in my head e.g. 72 kms = (36 + 9) ~= 44 miles. (That will be a bit short, but near enough for most purposes.)


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2020)

Sniper68 said:


> Maybe but they are our unit of measurement.Road signs are in miles so it makes sense to use miles.I can cross convert so it makes no difference but even when cycling abroad I always convert KMs to miles when I read a sign even though my Wahoo will be set to KMs


I think you just destroyed your own argument there!


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## Sniper68 (17 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> I think you just destroyed your own argument there!


My Wahoo is only set to KMs when in Europe,here it's miles and feet


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## ColinJ (17 Jun 2020)

Sniper68 said:


> My Wahoo is only set to KMs when in Europe,here it's miles and feet


But your reason for using miles here is that the road signs are in miles. Using that logic you should completely change over in Europe and not convert back!


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## Fab Foodie (17 Jun 2020)

dave r said:


> A 12 hour ride is one I can get my head round, but 24 hours! I don't know how they manage that long in the saddle


I did it a few years back, not as difficult as I imagined. 208 lumpy miles from memory. The first 70 miles were part of a FNRttC. The rest solo after a full English and a couple pints of beer for brekkie :-)

See here!

https://www.relive.cc/view/vMv85jLpeNO


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## Ming the Merciless (17 Jun 2020)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> How far is a kilometre?



Don’t worry with a bit more cycling practice you will manage the distance


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## screenman (17 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> There are some things about Britain that are good and some that are very good; imperial units don't make the cut!



I knew I should have added a smiley.


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## boydj (17 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> That's interesting. I did notice I was using a higher gear to get upto speed, but I didn't feel totally comfortable while I was in a higher gear. When cycling with two perfectly normal knees do you usually just peddle at a comfortable pace, or do you use a higher gear to add presure to your legs? I'm trying to increase my stamina using cycling as an exercise. So would it be best to apply pressure to the legs or cycle at a comfortable pace to gain stamina? Any thoughts on that anyone? Cheers!



Easier gear, slightly faster legs should make it easier on the knees. Easier gear, not so fast legs should let you go longer to build your stamina. It's amazing how far or how long you can cycle if you keep your effort levels relatively low and keep yourself hydrated.


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## Sniper68 (17 Jun 2020)

ColinJ said:


> But your reason for using miles here is that the road signs are in miles. Using that logic you should completely change over in Europe and not convert back!


I'm afraid you've lost me now.
I live in the UK so I use Miles.
If I lived abroad I would use whatever that country used.
As I only Holiday abroad I use their system when there but my head automatically converts it as I read it.If I lived in France etc i'm sure over time I would stop subconsciously converting kms to miles.


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jun 2020)

Sniper68 said:


> I'm afraid you've lost me now.
> I live in the UK so I use Miles.
> If I lived abroad I would use whatever that country used.
> As I only Holiday abroad I use their system when there but my head automatically converts it as I read it.If I lived in France etc i'm sure over time I would stop subconsciously converting kms to miles.


Fascinating ... but there's no need to justify yourself. Use miles if you want.


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## HLaB (17 Jun 2020)

Globalti said:


> It was astonishing to see the speed of the serious TTers as they blasted past on their special bikes with all the aero kit. If I recall I think the best were doing 21 or 22 minutes.


If I remember right my best for a 10miler was 23.57 (B10/43) , the winner was 19 something, apparently its a slow course  On a fast dual carriageway course folk are doing 17-18mins  I'd love to see what Beryl Burton et al. (riders of yester year) could do with all the kit on those courses.


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## MBosh (18 Jun 2020)

Good comments really appreciate it. I've decided to give you the proper details because I recorded the ride using a mobile app. I don't know much about these apps , but it will give you a better idea if I did alright and if I can improve something. Cheers!
Duration 42.02
Distance 10.29
AVG speed 14.3 mph
max speed 22.8 mph
Elevation loss 97.8 feet
Elevation Gain 98.4 feet
AVG pace 04.11/min

What follows is each min and the mph I was doing. After about the 25 min mark, I came off the Bypass and onto some long and short back streets. I think that might be the reason I slowed up a bit after the 25 mins mark. The Bypass has a couple of hills so that might be something to take into account too. I think I might try to find a long flat road next time. There's Plenty of Bypass round here but lorries scare the crap out of me. I have visions of my front wheel leaving my forks when a lorry passes me, but that's probably because of the serious accident I had on my motorcycle.

1 min 6.3 mph, 2 mins 15.3, 3 min 18.6, 4 min 17.2, 5 min 16.0, 6 min 16.8, 7 min 18.6, 8 min 17.2, 9 min 12.7, 10 min 12.3, 12 min 15.7, 13 min 14.2, 15 min 14.5, 16 min 11.9, 17 min 8.9, 18 min 17.5, 19 min 17.5, 20 min 17.9, 21 min 17.5, 22 min 15.3, 23 min 9.7, 24 min 13.4, 25 min 10.8, 26 min 17.5, 27 min 12.3, 28 min 14.5, 29 min 14.9, 30 min 15.7, 32 min 16.0, 33 min 12.7, 34 min 11.9, 35 min 17.5, 36 min 16.0, 37 min 12.7, 38 min 11.6, 39 min 12.3, 40 min 14.9, 41 min 13.8, 42 min 11.2 mph.


I think someone mentioned why I am trying to gain stamina through cycling. Well the main reason is that I seem to be getting tired throughout the day quite quickly even though I try to remain active. I had some tests done and they came back clear. I also hate jogging with a passion but find riding a cycle really enjoyable. I also do a bit of weight lifting, but I'm not sure why at 53 I'm feeling tired a lot. Does this happen when you reach this age or something


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## vickster (18 Jun 2020)

Wow, completely flat! Less than 100ft up or down in 10 miles!

ref the tiredness, are you male or female? Hormone levels reduce in both sexes with age.
How long and well do you sleep?
Do you have a mentally or physically taxing job?


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## I like Skol (18 Jun 2020)

vickster said:


> Wow, completely flat! Less than 100ft up or down in 10 miles


Flat as a pancake! Slightly (hugely) envious of that as riding where I live involves much more climbing.

Still a good ave speed so keep it up


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## vickster (18 Jun 2020)

It’s pretty flat around here, my 12 miles on Tuesday morning was 400ft elevation gain, another was 271. 21 last night was 440. I can go hillier but I don’t bother


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## I like Skol (18 Jun 2020)

Living at the foot of the Pennines/Peak District means my leisure rides are typically 100ft/mile of climbing and this is something I have dealt with since being a kid in short pants so is accepted as normal and doesn't bother me.
Luckily my commute of 10 miles each way is a bit better and 'only' includes 40-45ft climbing per mile. The start and finish points are roughly the same elevation so there is just the ups and downs in between to contend with, it isn't any harder riding to or from work, which is a mercy when riding home after my 4th 12hr nightshift!


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## MBosh (18 Jun 2020)

vickster said:


> Wow, completely flat! Less than 100ft up or down in 10 miles!
> 
> ref the tiredness, are you male or female? Hormone levels reduce in both sexes with age.
> How long and well do you sleep?
> Do you have a mentally or physically taxing job?


I'm male and do find I have difficulty with sleep and maybe some stress at times. Even when I do get a good regular 8 hours of sleep though, I still find I get tired more quickly these days. I've tried drinking more water and energy drinks, but I still feel drained at times. Take today for example. There's no way I would have the energy to cycle 10 miles, but on another day I'm raring to go and soreness in the knee is the only thing that prevents me from going further. I just feel like my energy is being sapped more times then not lately.


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## vickster (18 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> I'm male and do find I have difficulty with sleep and maybe some stress at times. Even when I do get a good regular 8 hours of sleep though, I still find I get tired more quickly these days. I've tried drinking more water and energy drinks, but I still feel drained at times. Take today for example. There's no way I would have the energy to cycle 10 miles, but on another day I'm raring to go and soreness in the knee is the only thing that prevents me from going further. I just feel like my energy has been sapped more times then not lately.


Might be worth discussing with Dr again and seeing if other blood tests helpful (thyroid, hormone etc)


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## VeganWheels (18 Jun 2020)

Putting me to shame I'd say.
I'm 49 & about three months into Cycling.
Last weekend I did 27.51 miles in 2hrs 18 ,1740 ft climbs at an average of 12 mph.
Need to up my tempo I think???


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## VeganWheels (18 Jun 2020)

In fact looking at strava I seem to be annoyingly consistent ,weekend before 32.16 miles,2hrs 40 mins 1800ft climbs,12 mph average


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## vickster (18 Jun 2020)

VeganWheels said:


> In fact looking at strava I seem to be annoyingly consistent ,weekend before 32.16 miles,2hrs 40 mins 1800ft climbs,12 mph average


It’ll probably take a few months to see improvements (all assuming the conditions - traffic and weather- and route are identical each time)


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## MBosh (19 Jun 2020)

VeganWheels said:


> Putting me to shame I'd say.
> I'm 49 & about three months into Cycling.
> Last weekend I did 27.51 miles in 2hrs 18 ,1740 ft climbs at an average of 12 mph.
> Need to up my tempo I think???


No Fella, I'd reckon that's probably same as me given my ride was mainly on flat and not climbs. Plus I was giving it all I've got and would say I'd probably feel more comfortable doing 12 to 13 mph on flat 

The funny thing is I've just started cycling again after a few months off, but before this I found I couldn't get any faster on this route in the 6 months I was doing it 5 times a week. Maybe give or take a minute on my overall time each time, but I was always around the 40 min mark over a 10 mile distance. I also found I was really pushing myself to get this distance in that time, but I did feel less tired doing it over the course of the first few weeks.

I even tried changing my diet, but nope still same distance and speed. I've just come to the conclusion I'm going to get slower or stay the same due to my age and the problems I have with my knee. But it's still all good exercise and better then doing nothing. I also enjoy riding down the cycle paths and seeing the country side.


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## VeganWheels (19 Jun 2020)

I think i’ll always be a plodder to be honest & never very quick.Both rides were in pretty tough conditions with strong head winds ,but i tend to mentally switch off,which is good ,but then i have keep reminding myself to up it a bit.


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## Brandane (19 Jun 2020)

screenman said:


> That would be on a slowish course nowadays, record is 16min 35 seconds. That on an out and back course, anyone work out the average I guess at a shade under 35mph.


Since no-one else appears to have been sad enough to work it out....
16 mins 35 seconds is 16.5833333 minutes, or 0.2764 hours.
10 miles divided by 0.2764 = *36.18 mph*..
I need to get out on a bike .


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## screenman (19 Jun 2020)

Brandane said:


> Since no-one else appears to have been sad enough to work it out....
> 16 mins 35 seconds is 16.5833333 minutes, or 0.2764 hours.
> 10 miles divided by 0.2764 = *36.18 mph*..
> I need to get out on a bike .



Is that all.


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## Person (19 Jun 2020)

Don't be fooled by the media into thinking we all have average speeds of 20+ mph.
If you can cruise along at 20mph on flat roads and have an average speed of around 16mph, you'll be doing very well.


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## El Yako (19 Jun 2020)

Nice to be able to compare how I'm doing...on Strava I'm the only one in my age/weight class around here. Suppose the others are dead by now ;-) ....51/+115kg but generally better than 16mph on a 2.5/3hr ride. But then, pretty stress-free out here in Spain.


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## RoubaixCube (20 Jun 2020)

I think our performances are generally similar 

15.88 miles
Distance
1:03:18
Time
1:00:00
Moving Time
1:19:17
Elapsed Time
15.0 mph
Avg Speed
15.9 mph
Avg Moving Speed
26.4 mph
Max Speed

88 m
Elev Gain
114 m
Elev Loss
7 m
Min Elev
37 m
Max Elev

87 rpm
Avg Bike Cadence
123 rpm
Max Bike Cadence

---------

I did stop a few times. bumped into a guy from work so stopped for a natter so hence the difference between time/moving time. im about 90kg depending how empty the tank is. (though ive lost 30kg since I first signed up here)

No matter how fast you think you are, there will always be people who are faster so the most important thing is not to put too much thought into it and just enjoy yourself.

What i like about my particular route are the long flat straights with really good tarmac for me to do some out of the saddle sprinting and absolutely just knacker myself.  slowing down and stopping for lights and other road users before cranking it up again just adds to the intensity


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## MBosh (20 Jun 2020)

RoubaixCube said:


> What i like about my particular route are the long flat straights with really good tarmac for me to do some out of the saddle sprinting and absolutely just knacker myself.  slowing down and stopping for lights and other road users before cranking it up again just adds to the intensity


I don't think I've ever come out of the saddle since my gears slipped and I ended up on the cross bar on my cycle. I found it a really painful experience for obvious reasons. The embarrasment also hurt a little, but I peddle the quickest I've ever done that day just get the image out of the minds of people watching. I think I managed 30 mph that day and it only took me about 5 seconds to reach that speed.


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## SkipdiverJohn (20 Jun 2020)

Sniper68 said:


> As I only Holiday abroad I use their system when there but my head automatically converts it as I read itn



I usually convert metric weights, fluid measurements and even small linear measurements back into imperial as I encounter them
If I see a bike quoted as weighing 10kg, that's 22lbs in real money, and for the steel stuff I'm interested in, is very light. My bathroom scales reads in stones and pounds, not kg. When I work out how much water I've drunk during a ride, it's always converted into pints. When I'm looking at a bike frame and assessing whether it will fit me, a 57cm is a 22 1/2" and a 59.5cm is 23 1/2". I even mentally convert metric width tyres in order to get a comparison with familiar imperial sizes; a 35mm hybrid tyre is roughly the same as a 1 3/8" roadster one, so I expect similar performance. 28mm is roughly 1 1/8", so more a fast tourer spec.


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## RoubaixCube (20 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> I don't think I've ever come out of the saddle since my gears slipped and I ended up on the cross bar on my cycle. I found it a really painful experience for obvious reasons. The embarrasment also hurt a little, but I peddle the quickest I've ever done that day just get the image out of the minds of people watching. I think I managed 30 mph that day and it only took me about 5 seconds to reach that speed.




Should have. Your LBS have a look at that. Shouldn't be happening on good bikes like the defy


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## Globalti (20 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> I'm male and do find I have difficulty with sleep and maybe some stress at times. Even when I do get a good regular 8 hours of sleep though, I still find I get tired more quickly these days. I've tried drinking more water and energy drinks, but I still feel drained at times. Take today for example. There's no way I would have the energy to cycle 10 miles, but on another day I'm raring to go and soreness in the knee is the only thing that prevents me from going further. I just feel like my energy is being sapped more times then not lately.



Go and see the GP for a check up to ensure there's no underlying illness but at the age of 53 your testosterone levels are dropping so you will feel less energetic and take longer to recover. You will also find it less easy to cope with stress. Unfortunately a secondary effect of lower testosterone is that the female hormone naturally present in your body will begin to predominate and you'll begin to accumulate body fat. At 64 I've a cute pair of moobs and there isn't much that can be done about it.


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## Ming the Merciless (20 Jun 2020)

MBosh said:


> I've tried drinking more water and energy drinks, but I still feel drained at times.



Two things here.

You don’t want to be drinking too much water. If you are getting to the stage of colourless pee, then you’ve drunk too much.

Energy drinks. These are to be avoided, and don’t have a positive influence on the heart if drunk regularly.

Then the fatigue.

Is this recently after you have taken up cycling? It takes a while for the body to adapt to a level of intensity and / or frequency duration of exercise. Sometimes all that’s needed is to back off the exercise for a week or so to allow the body to recover.


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## RoubaixCube (20 Jun 2020)

Energy drinks will do you more harm than good. Super high sugar content and minuscule amount of caffeine. You end up on a sugar high rather that gives you a feeling of being 'alert' like what it says on the can. Its not an affect that lasts particularly long. youre basically consuming empty calories with no nutritional value other than giving you diabetus if you drink too much.


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