Cycling Averages

[Dogtrousers]

I'm concerned that my point here is being lost.

Whilst I CAN belt about the place at great speed. I LIKE not to.

Not sure I can make that any clearer.

I don't think anyone's disagreeing with you. I think we heard you the first time

It's all relative. There's always someone faster than you. And they'll always choose the time when you are zooming along feeling like a cycling god to cruise effortlessly past you.

 

[cyberknight]

Really depends how i feel, how tired i am and what the weather is doing .
Did the Midland monster and averages 17.7 mph for 87 miles door to door , i have a 24 mile route i can average 20 mph on a good day , on the flip side coming home from work , tired, hot and into a nasty headwind for 10 miles i averaged 14.5 mph.

 

[sutts]

My distance has gone up from 12 miles a day when I started, to 30 miles a day nowadays (in fact, my average over the last 4 years including days off, is at 29 miles a day). Speed-wise, I am pretty hopeless (and I really do try to keep up when people pass me, but my lungs just can't do it!) but I average between 14-15 mph most days. I did get to almost 18mph a couple of years ago, but those days seem to have passed now.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I'm concerned that my point here is being lost.

No fella, didn't miss your point, I know what you're saying. I just wish I could ride at that 25 average over 25 miles, presuming you're talking about road riding and not TT'ing.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Speed-wise, I am pretty hopeless (and I really do try to keep up when people pass me, but my lungs just can't do it!) but I average between 14-15 mph most days. I:

15mph (24km/h) is far from hopeless.

Leaving aside the fact that all speed is relative, if speed is everything, and 24km/h, which is faster than I ever go, is "hopeless" then I, probably along with majority of cyclists out there, am "hopeless".

I just don't accept that.

 

[Aravis]

I felt "hopeless" for a long time because I couldn't do what I once could. My all-terrain average used to be a moderate 15-16 mph, but I could lift it for lengthy periods if I wanted to. That power is now gone, and usually I feel very one-paced.

Eventually, however, I found a rhythm that works for me, and I am discovering that as far as distance and endurance is concerned, there seem to no obvious limits. I'm intrigued to see where this will lead me when the opportunity arises.

In that context, a working average of 13 mph feels anything but hopeless.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Thanks for the reassurance @Aravis

I know I'm not hopeless, and I'm proud of the fact that I've upped my speeds this year to average 20kmh (12.something mph) door-to-door over significant distances.

I'm mainly posting on here for anyone who stumbles across this thread (it is, after all in the "Beginners" forum) and sees that everyone seemingly zooms around at 15mph plus. They may be depressed at the fact that they go much slower and feel that this is somehow bad.

Well, I have good news for all these people.
(1) It doesn't matter. Theres's always someone faster; there's always someone slower.
(2) Even if it did, it's not true. Only quick people are volunteering their times in this thread.

 

[sutts]

I have a right to call myself 'pretty hopeless'. It was self-deprecating and it was personal to me.

If people look at that personal comment and say to themselves, 'I can only do 12mph' therefore I must be hopeless too, well, that's their issue, not mine.

 

[kapelmuur]

I used to be a competitive distance runner, the first time I rode 10 miles on a bike I was slower than I used to run the distance.

I'm not a lot quicker 4 years later.

 

[johnnyb47]

At the beginning of the year I would average around 11/12 mph on my heavy mountain bike over a 12 mile ride. When I bought my old vintage Peugeot road bike my average jumped immediately up around 14 mph. Each night with rides varying from 16 miles to 25 miles I have now got my average up to around a shade under 16 mph. The rides I take my averages from are fairly flat with just the occasional hill climb. It's been quite interesting to watch my average increase over the months. Some days you feel your average speed is going to be well under par but when I get home and check my bike computer it can sometimes surprise me. A sure sign of my fitness going the right way. I think my average will now plateau off somewhat. I,ve now got my basic fitness back, which is the easy part but trying to progress further to a better average will be a much slower curve.

 

[gbb]

Getting fixed on your averages is understandable if it's important to you, but it comes with a negative...you're never happy, always wanting more (I'm talking for myself here)
At 45 or so, I could easily maintain 15 average over 40 miles, modestly rolling countryside, non stop cycling. I usually rode 125 to 150 miles a week.
I wanted to increase my fitness, push myself and one year in particular, worked at upping it. Heaps and heaps of hard work, pushing at every chance saw my average up to 18 mph over 50 or 60 miles...I'd bust a gut and enjoy it...but it got to a point where I suddenly stopped enjoying it and baulked at the idea of hammering myself for 3 hours.
I slowed it back, felt a bit rueful at that loss of peak fitness, but enjoyed myself more.

Ill health and damaged lungs saw it all the disappear for a couple years and at 58, I've just had my first full year back cycling and can still easily average 15...but am struggling to find the time and mojo for 20 mile plus rides. And then I think...what the hell , just ride. And as soon as I get on a bike, that's it, I go as fast as I can. It's just in you, you can't help it

 

[gbb]

15, 14, 13 mph..whatever, you can rest easy at night, the vast majority of people you work with for instance, aren't as fit as you are. If you cycle regularly, you're doing OK.

 

[johnnyb47]

Getting fixed on your averages is understandable if it's important to you, but it comes with a negative...you're never happy, always wanting more (I'm talking for myself here)
At 45 or so, I could easily maintain 15 average over 40 miles, modestly rolling countryside, non stop cycling. I usually rode 125 to 150 miles a week.
I wanted to increase my fitness, push myself and one year in particular, worked at upping it. Heaps and heaps of hard work, pushing at every chance saw my average up to 18 mph over 50 or 60 miles...I'd bust a gut and enjoy it...but it got to a point where I suddenly stopped enjoying it and baulked at the idea of hammering myself for 3 hours.
I slowed it back, felt a bit rueful at that loss of peak fitness, but enjoyed myself more.

Ill health and damaged lungs saw it all the disappear for a couple years and at 58, I've just had my first full year back cycling and can still easily average 15...but am struggling to find the time and mojo for 20 mile plus rides. And then I think...what the hell , just ride. And as soon as I get on a bike, that's it, I go as fast as I can. It's just in you, you can't help it

Your right in what your saying in that getting your average speed can become an obsession and take away the enjoyment of cycling. When I'm out on my 16 mile ride I usually take the same route. I mentally try and pace myself and enjoy the first ten miles and cycle at a nice steady pace but on the final 6 miles I give it hell for leather and push as hard as I can. I do this because I know home is not to far away and there's a comfy sofa to collapse on with a beer at hand lol.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@gbb I was a bit like that a few years ago 150-200 miles a week was the norm year lt avg for 2013 & 2014 was over 15mph 2013 just short of 9,000 miles and 2014 just over 6,000 miles, last Aug I built a new pond and never got back in to the high mileage my avg sp dropped and then I have had a period where money has been so tight I had to curtail rides to just transport due to maintenance costs, however in the last three months or so I have done an overall on the bike, tyres brakes cables chain and some better wheels in terms of durability and strength new headset (subtle as things are its almost like a new bike)
Its just easier if I show a chart for figures, but the last time I was doing the distance I am now was basically the 1st quarter of 2015, all be it in fewer days riding, so I am now riding more days but less distance per day, this is due to attending more groups in Wakefield and hospital apportionments.
This shows (excluding the last few days) a 90 day rolling summary. One other thing I have to say compared with 2013/14 I tend too always carry at least another 2-3Kg in luggage these days, you will also see a correlation between elevation and avg sp and since this is over 90 days it tends to negate any off days and weather conditions.

 

[Johnno260]

I was happy with this, no idea if it's a decent standard or not?