Average Speeds?????

[Chuck Jazz]

I am relatively new to road cycling this is my first real season. I am a teacher so I have the summer off and have been riding a fair amount 150-175 miles a week. Doing this along with some strength and weight training and a new diet I lost 15 pounds and increased my lactate threshold dramatically. my question is regarding average speed and training. My average rides are 35-40 MILE(sorry I am an American who just can't relate to the whole KM thing) efforts. These rides usually have three or four (depending on the route) climbs of 2-4 miles at 5-6% grade. I don't go out and pound flats just to say wow look how fast I am. I have increased my average speed from 13.9 miles an hour in May to 17 Miles and hour now(August) and feel like I have made huge gains. The pro's are riding upper 20's on a route that is equivalant. Training a 150-175 miles per week can i get any faster our do i need to ride more? Also what is a respectable speed for a club rider? I wonder if a Bike upgrade would make a difference I ride a Specialized Allez the base model it was new this season and its my first real road bike is it possible to outgrow a bike in one season in terms of training and skill? Just looking for some help!

Thanks

 

[jhuskey]

I am relatively new to road cycling this is my first real season. I am a teacher so I have the summer off and have been riding a fair amount 150-175 miles a week. Doing this along with some strength and weight training and a new diet I lost 15 pounds and increased my lactate threshold dramatically. my question is regarding average speed and training. My average rides are 35-40 MILE(sorry I am an American who just can't relate to the whole KM thing) efforts. These rides usually have three or four (depending on the route) climbs of 2-4 miles at 5-6% grade. I don't go out and pound flats just to say wow look how fast I am. I have increased my average speed from 13.9 miles an hour in May to 17 Miles and hour now(August) and feel like I have made huge gains. The pro's are riding upper 20's on a route that is equivalant. Training a 150-175 miles per week can i get any faster our do i need to ride more? Also what is a respectable speed for a club rider? I wonder if a Bike upgrade would make a difference I ride a Specialized Allez the base model it was new this season and its my first real road bike is it possible to outgrow a bike in one season in terms of training and skill? Just looking for some help!

Thanks

I think your bike is fine. If it is comfortable,within reason you are fine.17 mph is pretty good if you are on a solo ride.
You can do better by riding with a partner,partners and take turns pulling.
I'll stop there as I am sure other will have comments on other issues.

 

[Eden]

Why do you expect to be riding like a pro after one summer of training on your own? Plus you are likely comparing peleton speeds to your solo speed, which is apples and oranges.

 

[jhuskey]

Why do you expect to be riding like a pro after one summer of training on your own? Plus you are likely comparing peleton speeds to your solo speed, which is apples and oranges.

Agreed pro are generally the top 10%.

 

[buckybux]

I have been riding a road bike for three years, but riding bicycles on 10 mile + routes for 30 years. On the road bike, I am improving every year, but I ride on solo rides between 15-17 mph (which includes hills). If I ride hard solo, I can average 20 mph over 60 miles on a flat course. When riding in a pack, I can average 24 mph, even in the hills.

 

[Chuck Jazz]

Guys thanks for the quick responses! I am new to the forum and its cool to have people to bounce things off of. I don't expect to be where the pro's are after one summer of training I am just trying to evaluated myself and just don't know where I stand. is 150-175 miles a week (5 rides) two days off enough to continue getting faster? I would love to get a coach but can't afford it I sure you guys know how it is.

 

[shrimpeater]

dont feel bad my avarage speed is 13 MPH lol

 

[RussB]

Your average speed is fine. I started riding last September. I'm 46 now and hadn't riden since I was in my teens. I started doing 5 mile rides last year and averaged 12 mph. About a month ago I was up to 15 mph average on a 26 mile ride. Now I average 14.5 mph on a 50 mile ride. And I'm always improving. Also in my area I have 70% hills or more. The 50 mile ride probably only has 5 sections of flats which are close to a mile. I wish I had an area with 5 or more miles of flats just to see how fast I would average.

 

[buckybux]

Guys thanks for the quick responses! I am new to the forum and its cool to have people to bounce things off of. I don't expect to be where the pro's are after one summer of training I am just trying to evaluated myself and just don't know where I stand. is 150-175 miles a week (5 rides) two days off enough to continue getting faster? I would love to get a coach but can't afford it I sure you guys know how it is.

The key to improving at your level is the intensity. You might also get one of the books about training, I use Friel's book, Cycling Past 50. As I mentioned before, I am strictly a recreational rider, who works on improving every year. I also ride about 150 miles during the summer, and I usually take one or two days off every week. Last year, my peak was 40 miles at 20 mph on the flats. This year so far I have done 72 miles. My goal is to do 80 miles.

 

[fauxpas]

Avg speed doesn't really mean anything due to all the variables you encounter. Even on the same ride done a day apart, a headwind can cut your avg speed in half.

Having learned that myself, I am now concentrating on keeping my cadence up and heart-rate up.

I have a mini Alp d'Huez near my house and instead of being intimidated by it at the end of a ride to get home, I am going to utilise it to train on.

My mini Alp d'Huez is very short, but very very steep. So steep I have never seen any kids trying to ride a skateboard down it. I hit 87.91 kph down it without trying too hard. The mini Alp d'Huez is a part of a 5k loop, so I'll be doing laps. This weekend, I want to do 3 full laps, then more and more each weekend after that. When I can do 30-40 kilometres of lasp, attacking that hill each time, I think I'll have enough in the tank to start criterium racing, which is what I've set my sights on at the moment...

 

[Chuck Jazz]

Thanks again guys and gals! This is all very helpful stuff! I do train with a heart rate monitor and try my hardest to concentrate on cadence. I have been using the Michael Charmicheal videos on days when i can't get out because of weather. The TT video is awsome! I also recently discovered Grame Street's website Cyclo-Core. I downloaded his "climb like a cyclingt god" stuff but I don't have enough time to really be strict about that packet so I have kind of given up on it for this season. School starts next week so we'll see how the training goes! Any help or advice y'all can give is greatly appreciated!! this seems like a really cool forum people really seem to know there stuff!!

Thanks Again!

 

[rayhuang]

Since you cannot afford a coach, I would recommend Joe Friels self coaching book. I just bought it and I have found it to be extrememly informative. As a school teacher, the methodology of it all shold come easily to you (making plans, writing down details, etc.).The number one thing I would recommend if increasing speed is of importance to you, then you mustnt train for endurance all the time and do not overtrain!! If riding 5 days at steady pace is what makes you happy, hey do it!! But if you want to see improvemenrts in speed, power, etc. you'll need to read and learn to train, not just ride.

 

[Chuck Jazz]

Ray,

Thanks that is exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Jacob24]

The 50 mile ride probably only has 5 sections of flats which are close to a mile. I wish I had an area with 5 or more miles of flats just to see how fast I would average.

lol, be happy you don't have the opposite problem, around where I live we get excited to see what you guys don't even consider a change in elevation