Average speed

[gbb]

I'd also say forget any short term averages..ie a few miles done at 20 mph...within a 25 mile ride.
Take the ride as a whole, then average it out. Anything else is relatively meaningless.

 

[caz]

Thanks gbb. The furthest I've ever gone is about 36 miles and I think I averaged about 11.6 mph. When I go out by myself, I find I push myself quite a bit but can't seem to get my average up ! I try to do 12-15 miles a couple of times in the week, a longer ride up to 25 miles at the weekend and the odd trip to friends' houses in the week.

That leads me to another question. What does "base mileage" mean? I see it mentioned in cycling magazines when talking about winter riding.

Sorry gbb, I'm not far off your age!

 

[gbb]

I was just wondering what people would class as a "good average" speed. I currently ride a Trek hybrid and can average about 13.5mph on a good day!! I'm thinking about getting a road bike and have been told that would raise my average by about 2-3mph. I know that the younger/more athletic element can do 20+mph, but as a 47 year old female who's only been riding for 2 years, is my average ok??

Caz...your circumstances arent so dissimilar to mine.
I have a Trek 7.1FX. No computer on it, but that average of 13.5 doesnt look bad, specially if your rides are anywhere near 35 miles total. Thats quite respectable.
You should raise that average easily with a roadbike...you'll be amazed how much extra zip you'll feel. You will leave hybrids etc way behind

However slow or fast you think you are compared with other cyclists, i console myself with the thought...i'm far fitter than 99% of the people and friends that i know.

Oh, andbase mileage...maybe my descriptions not exacly right, but basically its good solid mileage through the winter...a good base to start from in the spring. Then you can start really pushing yourself.

 

[caz]

Snap! I've got exactly the same bike as you gbb!! I tend to average about 11.6mph for my longer rides (ie 30+ miles). The 13.5mph is for my shorter rides up to about 15-18 miles.

I certainly know I am fitter than I used to be pre-cycling days! My pulse rate is a lot lower, as is my blood pressure!! And I love going out cycling, not so sure about in the rain AND wind though. One or the other but not both!

 

[Keith Oates]

A head wind will have as much of an adverse affect on your average speed as a hill. At least with a hill there is a top to aim for but the wind is always there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Abitrary]

13.5 mph is better than average. Commuting and day to day riding I do about 12 mph and I'm pretty fast.

 

[tdr1nka]

Sounds fine to me too, as has been said it depends on many factors.
I ride my 11 year old Trek 800 with slick tyres, and average around 13mph.

I was lent a racer for a short time when I had a MTB knicked, my average then would have been a lot higher, had I the nerve to ride it faster but a commute in London is not the place to test ones sprint capabilities!

Have fun!

T x

 

[Rhythm Thief]

13.5mph sounds good to me ... coincidentally, it's about what I average over 40 odd miles these days, too! Back in the day, when I was whippet thin and commuting 50 miles a day, I'd have laughed at you. But not now I'm getting fat and approaching 40. (By gum, I am as well. That's the first time I've thought of that.)

 

[gavintc]

Your current speed is pretty good. A road bike should make this a little faster. Equally, fitness will improve over time and you should see times fall and avg speed increase. I know that I can really notice the difference if I have been commuting by bike, my avg does improve quite noticeably and the hills seem less hilly.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Skinny tyres will help, I suppose over an average Club run distance of say 45-55 miles my 'average' speed would be around the 18mph mark and I'm a nearly fifty year old 11.05 stone male. Your speeds are quite acceptable if you are that worried about them, which I suggest you shouldn't be, just go out and ride for the pleasure of riding, unless of course youn are TTing or racing, then you'll have to go hell for leather!

 

[caz]

Thanks guys, for all your replies and encouragement. I shall certainly continue to enjoy my cycling and work harder at those hills to try and get even better and fitter, not that we've got many hills round here!

Rhythm Thief - don't worry about approaching forty, I'm not that far off 50 (give another 3 years!). As they say, you're as young as you feel (but my body tells me I'm not as young as I would like to be, so I won't be blasting up those hills like the young uns)!

 

[bonj2]

I was just wondering what people would class as a "good average" speed. I currently ride a Trek hybrid and can average about 13.5mph on a good day!! I'm thinking about getting a road bike and have been told that would raise my average by about 2-3mph. I know that the younger/more athletic element can do 20+mph, but as a 47 year old female who's only been riding for 2 years, is my average ok??

I think you would easily cruise at 28kph with a road bike - you will not be able to help it caz...and faster, faster faster!. Hooked

Don't let people baffle you with kilometres, or any other new fangled thingies that eurocrats have invented come to that.

13.5 mph is better than average. Commuting and day to day riding I do about 12 mph and I'm pretty fast.

Yep. Abitrary speaks the truth. I haven't read most of the replies on this thread, but I can bet most of them will be along the lines of "MY average is over 20mph, but yes that's not bad for a girl, and get a road bike you'll enjoy it yadda yadda yadda"
Basically, don't believe anyone who claims that their average is over 20mph. They're bullshitting. Either they're Lance Armstrong, or they live in a velodrome. What they mean is, they often glance at their speedo and it's saying their current speed is over 20mph. So while it could be possible at a push that their modal speed is 20mph, there's no way that the mean is that.

 

[col]

When i was cycling all the time,i used to like to try and keep 20 mph,weather and hills allowing,on circuits i devised around the country where i live,but that was a workout speed for me,and found it hard at the end of my run,but normal enjoyable cycling was,is for me 13 to 15 now.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I was chuffed to keep my average to something over 12 mph on my two 40 mile rides the other week. On the downhills I could convince myself that I'm still the cyclist I used to be, but on the uphills I found myself flobbering around at 6mph wheezing like a distressed walrus. Knocked the average speed a bit, it did.

 

[col]

I was chuffed to keep my average to something over 12 mph on my two 40 mile rides the other week. On the downhills I could convince myself that I'm still the cyclist I used to be, but on the uphills I found myself flobbering around at 6mph wheezing like a distressed walrus. Knocked the average speed a bit, it did.

Oh aye,when i hit a hill(slight) im like one of those underpowered battery cars,i just seem to come to an almost stop now