Avg. speed?



El Loto said:
...use average to highlight their best performance on a particular route on a particular day in particular weather etc.
Otherwise it’s a classic example of comparing apples to oranges. Basically no useful information is really exchanged, or gained. And “hanging your hat” on the ave-speed “holy grail” can lead to disappointment and heart ache.



Certainly there are a few “milestones” where a basic generalized ave-speed works, but really it’s not the end all measurement to use.



Example1: 25 mile mostly flat loop, basically no wind riding with a group of strong riders, ave-speed 28.6 mph. Same route solo 24+ something.



Example2: My field test road: 10 miles out and 10 miles back, first 5 mostly flat then a gentle increasing grade ending with three steps and a small “kicker” at the end, turn around a reverse. I saw that ave-speed increase from 15.2 mph to 22.3 over the course of one good season of training.



Example 2 means a lot more to me as it shows my training has worked. But to say my ave-speed is 22ish isn’t accurate either. See in my story Ave-man said his ave-speed was 21mph, but it’s obvious he didn’t have a real training program that didn’t make him well rounded, powerful, with good aerobic & anaerobic systems. His ability to recover was ****, and his maximal efforts were pretty lame as well. Those rolling hills ate him alive, because he underestimated them (like so many people will do) and didn’t ride smartly. I on the other hand enjoyed an easy, “slow paced” ride and did some nice climbing repeat intervals while I was waiting on my boy.



HR
 
i have a 30 mile training loop that I like to time challenge myself on. The times can be very different due to wind. But I finally did it in under 1:30 with an average of 21.5. I was stoked...and pooped too :eek:
 
jandbzpapa said:
i have a 30 mile training loop that I like to time challenge myself on. The times can be very different due to wind. But I finally did it in under 1:30 with an average of 21.5. I was stoked...and pooped too :eek:
that's excellent - you are able to compare effort to effort and factor in conditions that may cause the change +/- your norm.

HR
 
i have done the ms150 (150 miles 2 days to support multiple sclerosis) the last two years. first time i did the first half in 6.5 hours (including breaks). 75 miles was the longest ride i had ridden at that time. By the time I got there I was hurting. This year I did the same course in 4.5 hours and still felt great at the end. THAT was very encouraging.
 
tingle_wayne said:
What is your average speed on 15 - 20 mile ride. Mine is about 16.5 and I always feel like i'm slowing my riding buddy down.
For something as short as 20 miles riding solo, about 23 mph. Was in a race about a month ago that was 20 miles in length. Avg speed for the race was 28 mph.
 
About 16.5 going solo, and there are places where I'm going 6 on the hill and 35 on the way down. There's also a pretty strong wind most of the time. I don't think I've ever been on a flat 20 Mi ride...
 
I'm 50 and just started riding this summer. Commuting to work -- 15 1/2 miles, more downhill, with two panniers on the back I average just around 13 MPH. Coming home - more uphill, I'm a little above 12 1/2 MPH. On my longer weekend ride - No panniers, I'm around 13 1/2 to 14 MPH. I usually commute in one day and home the next. Slowly working up to biking in and home on the same day. I use my 1980 Motorbecan Grand Touring, comfortable ride, but heavier road bike.

When I first started in October, I was doing around 12 1/2 to 13 MPH on most rides. I just started intervals so we'll see if that will improve overall speed.

I use the average speed to see how I'm improving over time. I then average it over the month to see if I'm improving over the month. No scientific approach, just a habit I got into. Occasionally I'll try to get my average speed up on my rides just for fun.

Looking back when I was biking alot (4 plus years ago), I see my average speeds ranged from 14 to 17 MPH.

-- John
 
My average on solo rides is usually 15-17 mph, but with my fast friends (on their slow ride), I average 18. Conditions are a key, though. Wouldn't your avg change a lot if you skipped counting warmup time? Also - the time spent getting out of a populated area should be discounted, too. I think if you started me out in the middle of nowhere (but with great wide shoulders on the road), I'd end up having a better average. I get back from a ride with the guys, and my average is 2 mph slower than what I remember riding for most of it.
 
The first three posters are from Florida not the most challenging landscape.:rolleyes: Here in New England I've averaged 14.5 mph for twenty miles not real strong but I'm working on it (middle aged man syndrome).
 
There are just too many variables where I live to worry too much about avg. speed. First, I have to get out of the city. There are many climbs and grades to consider (Adirondack Mts.), a fair amount of rough roads and debris, if it's a solo or group ride, and of course weather & wind conditions.

Generally, my average is between the low 15's-high 17's (mph), depending on the course, distance, etc. The last full century I did in the summer was 3,992 vertical ft. of climbing, clear weather and low wind, average speed was 15.4 mph.
 
hoodoo40 said:
I'm 50 and just started riding this summer. Commuting to work -- 15 1/2 miles, more downhill, with two panniers on the back I average just around 13 MPH. Coming home - more uphill, I'm a little above 12 1/2 MPH. On my longer weekend ride - No panniers, I'm around 13 1/2 to 14 MPH. I usually commute in one day and home the next. Slowly working up to biking in and home on the same day. I use my 1980 Motorbecan Grand Touring, comfortable ride, but heavier road bike.

When I first started in October, I was doing around 12 1/2 to 13 MPH on most rides. I just started intervals so we'll see if that will improve overall speed.

I use the average speed to see how I'm improving over time. I then average it over the month to see if I'm improving over the month. No scientific approach, just a habit I got into. Occasionally I'll try to get my average speed up on my rides just for fun.

Looking back when I was biking alot (4 plus years ago), I see my average speeds ranged from 14 to 17 MPH.

-- John
You are tough! Panniers and commuter setup adds to me like 40 pounds more or less. You are 50 years old ... look around you and describe to me what the other 50 year old fit person do.

Grow a gut and play golf, bowling, darts, viagra, etc etc etc.

I will be like you not when I reach 50 ... soon enough.
 
Boy: "Dad, is that what they call a "beer gut" that's under your shirt?"

Father: "Yeah son, some folks call it a beer gut. Me, ah call it a gas tank fer an AZZ-whuppin' machine!"
 
I usually end up 16-18mph on solo rides, but I've seen as much as +/- 1mph on one of my 20 mile loops under aparently similar weather conditions. I usually pace myself by heart rate and not worry about speed.
 
The group I ride with does a ride to the coast every year, 240 miles average about 15 mph. We leave 5:30 in the morning, ususally there by 6:00 in the evening. We always get rained on also, but the next couple of days at the coast are worth it.