Average speed by age

[T4tomo]

I haven't read the article, but its bound to be crap, especially as elevation change / gain has as much to do with average speed as anything.

I do find that as I'm getting into my 50's my average speed over similar terrain is perhaps dropping off slightly, although I do still set the odd Strava PB from time to time. not that i'm remotely worried about ave speed, as long I'm enjoying the ride"

 

[alex_cycles]

Which in itself is only an average of those people who are keen enough on cycling, and monitoring their performance, to use Strava, which is just a subset of cyclists and cannot be confused with average speed for cyclists.

All meaningless data, except it does give people an opportunity to boast that those figures cannot be right because their average is faster than that.

It's probably the largest and most meaningful data set for cycling average speed on the planet. But apart from that, you're spot on.

How do you suppose we estimate the average speed for ALL cyclists including the ones who never record their speed?
Now THAT would be truly meaningless.

 

[Rusty Nails]

It's probably the largest and most meaningful data set for cycling average speed on the planet. But apart from that, you're spot on.

How do you suppose we estimate the average speed for ALL cyclists including the ones who never record their speed?
Now THAT would be truly meaningless.

As I said earlier meaningless in the context of the thread title.

Tbf I believe average speed for cyclists is not meaningful unless broken down into categories that relate to the different type of cycling. A meaningful analysis would give a detailed breakdown of the sample chosen for that analysis, plus a definition of how the data was measured.
To include people in the extremes, potentially as diverse as a keen, young club cyclist on a carbon road bike and a retired person who uses a heavy steel 3-gear bike for errands and visiting friends, and all types in between, makes it useless as well as meaningless.

 

[Dogtrousers]

As I said earlier meaningless in the context of the thread title.

Tbf I believe average speed for cyclists is not meaningful unless broken down into categories that relate to the different type of cycling. A meaningful analysis would give a detailed breakdown of the sample chosen for that analysis, plus a definition of how the data was measured.
To include people in the extremes, potentially as diverse as a keen, young club cyclist on a carbon road bike and a retired person who uses a heavy steel 3-gear bike for errands and visiting friends, and all types in between, makes it useless as well as meaningless.

You've just defined the Strava data set, which you previously dismissed as meaningless. ???

That is a self-seleted subset (Strava users) broken down into male and female. Sure it's incomplete - not everyone is a Strava user - but them's the breaks. Incomplete, but well defined, data is better than no data at all.

If you want meaningless data, see the article in the OP.

 

[Rusty Nails]

You've just defined the Strava data set, which you previously dismissed as meaningless. ???

That is a self-seleted subset (Strava users) broken down into male and female. Sure it's incomplete - not everyone is a Strava user - but them's the breaks. Incomplete, but well defined, data is better than no data at all.

If you want meaningless data, see the article in the OP.

As I said twice before, the Strava dataset is meaningless in the terms of the thread subject and title.

My gripe is not with Strava, which is a self-elected subset, but the clickbait general surveys that talk about averages for cyclists, as in the Op.

 

[Illaveago]

I guess it is normal when the average speed drops off with the age. Moreover, I don't think older people enjoy the high speed the way younger people do this.

I don't know ! I'm finding that I am cycling faster now than I used to. I used to be quite happy just pootling along looking over hedgerows and looking for archaeological features. Recently I seem to be comparing modern bikes with my old classic bikes and seeing how they perform and have upped my speed.
I can't guarantee that it will last !

 

[biggs682]

Surely it's more to do with enjoying the ride over the average speed of it

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Isn’t it just the case that older people rider slower as they keep getting stopped to be told how handsome they are? It’s my experience anyway.

 

[Alex321]

Isn’t it just the case that older people rider slower as they keep getting stopped to be told how handsome they are? It’s my experience anyway.

Oh good, that must mean I'm not old yet

 

[Rusty Nails]

I can't guarantee that it will last !

I can.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

As I have aged (66 now) I seem to do everything slower - and it's probably more pleasurable because of this.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Oh good, that must mean I'm not old yet

Hold on to that thought 😄

 

[ClichéGuevara]

As I have aged (66 now) I seem to do everything slower - and it's probably more pleasurable because of this.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?-

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

 

[Jameshow]

An old rule of thumb is 10% per decade starting at 30! So I'm 15% down on my possible max performance!!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

An old rule of thumb is 10% per decade starting at 30! So I'm 15% down on my possible max performance!!

Lucky you!

Seriously, I think everything starts sliding in your mid-20's. Forty years back for me so I am well and truly slid.