Average speed - improving

[Willo]

Jimboalee

a big thank-you - received today

cheers
Shane

 

[stavros]

After getting a new road bike as compensation for not being able to run following an injury I've got the bug despite being back fit and running also. I vowed just to enjoy some cycling without clock watching, but am now increasingly looking for some challenge (for example, my morning 10 mile scenic route to the station is becoming a bit stale without trying to improve the time, same with longer weekend runs where I want to see some evidence of improvement......). I'll likely invest in a new computer soon but my question after all that (unnecessary) preamble is how average speed is actually calculated?

When folk quote their average speed as x mph, do they mean that's the average speed when actually moving or does that take into account stopping at lights, junctions etc.? For example, I went for a (hungover!) 18 mile spin at the weekend - some hilly bits and into a headwind - and just crudely calculated my average speed at just 15 mph. However, that included stopping at several juntions, a railway crossing etc. I'm flirting with the idea of working towards something like London-Paris, and would like to properly gauge myself against the average speeds some of the organised rides set as a guide. I'm also assuming a computer would calculate average speed discounting the stops, is that correct (as otherwise I could just continue with my manual calcs)?

thanks and apols if asking the obvious

 

[stavros]

You''ll find your computer will stop counting when you stop, so essentially your'e average will be a true average based on real riding time. It will tell you your total riding time, maximum speed and average speed for your trip. What you will probably find is that you will be riding against yourself (that's normal) and will feel the need to 'beat your best time'. We all do this and it's part of the fun (or should that be frustration).
Finding a good tround trip of say 10 miles and repeating this in differing conditions i.e. headwinds, warm weather etc is a good plan. I have a 10 mile circuit which has two small hills - I have found my average increasing slowly the more I do it.

PS - don't forget to keep topped up with glucose as this makes a huge difference to your levels of fatigue - even on a 10 miler.

 

[adam23]

when using my road bike to work it will take me 20 mins to 22 mins including starting and stopping etc and its 6.8 miles, but some days it can longer as you find some days you cant get into a rythum.
when i do it on my mtb same route takes 25 mins and is so much more work.
just enjoy all trips as best you can and focus on time after if you enjoy it more your times will drop

 

[KRUSSELL]

I do a 12 mile circuit in my lunch hour, anti-clockwise it has a couple of gradual climbs and clockwise it has a very steep climb and the gradual down hills (if you know what i mean)
It takes me exactly the same time which ever direction I go (strange) so I just try to get my time down for the overall ride, no matter what the computer says.

 

[GrasB]

Krussell, the key to climbing is how many meters (Or ft if you like imperial measurements) per hour you can climb. If you're doing a loop then you should find that the difference in direction is minimal over enough condition variations (ie a headwind on a shallow climb & steep decent will knock your ave down further than the reverse).

 

[Nkaj]

I dont even use my speedometre,i just know the distance iv travelled and my time and then calculate it at home.But to be honest,even though id love to tell everyone how i think i am getting better (by looking at my average speed climb up and my time decrease) i realise that many people dont give a damn about it and would use other measurements as a way of seeing how good i am.