What's Your Average Speed In The City?

[TomBrooklyn]

What kind of mph do you average getting around in your city? Please note the conditions.

 

[sogood]

Too many variables.

The only way to compare is just go out and ride the route and see who passes you and who you pass.

 

[nickbutcher]

Hi guys, I'm a first-time poster: nice site

I live in Cardiff, South Wales and my daily commute is 7 miles either way. It takes me around 25 minutes every day, give or take a minute or so. Most of the journey is done in fairly heavy traffic with few cycle lanes (and even fewer worth using!)

I work that out at around 17 mph.

I'm using a 1997 Cannondale M700 (rigid CAAD2) with XT brakes/drivetrain and Continental Sport Contact MTB Tyres.

My large chainwheel is knackered at the moment and while I'm waiting for a new chainset to arrive, I've used my stock 2004 Gary Fisher Sugar 1.

Interestingly, the journey takes the same time, even with the softer & lower-pressure off-road tyres. I put this down to the fact that I can jump kerbs and take the road humps and pot-holes at full speed without having to skirt around them. I'm going to stick a pair of Schwalbe Big Apple tyres on it over the weekend so I can have even more fun.

 

[Jonahhobbes]

Average is around 22kmh depending on the wind but the speed range can be from 6kmh - 40kmh and the commute takes in all sorts of country and urban settngs, cycle track, grass, roads, footbridge, pavement, rotted pavements and rotted roads.

I also carry a backpack thats 10kg-12kg, (I must have my tools! Also tried panniers and hated them). The bike has a big 12v battery on it to power the 50 watt halogen and another battery in the back pack for the 20watt helmet light. I'm nuts about lights had have about 3 other lighter "back up" lights on the handlebars. I have all my spare clothes, work clothes and clean cycling clothes for the return home, spare food, emergency stuff etc.

I'll be sorted when the Zombie holocust kicks off!

The bike is a big old giant mountain bike with semi-slicks thrown on and bomber forks for the huge earthquake made potholes that infest NZ, Dragging the monster up hills gives the shoulders, arms and neck a good work out ,so I'm not your typical cyclist shape!.

 

[mphew1]

I commute almost every day to Melbourne, Australia (to Southbank Exactly). My commute is 21km each way, along Freeway Bike Paths, 2 lane each way roads, with and without trams and then around sporting grounds and over large capacity pedestrian bridges. It's not necessarily City riding because I do avoid most major roads closer into the CBD (down town) but my average is above 30km/h in and 27km/h out (I live uphill from town). When I'm closer in and on the pedestrian routes around town I'm usually doing 20km/h or less to make it safer for the pedestrians.

 

[mikesbytes]

About 25kph, which is a lot slower than training rides.

Really depends on the conditions encountered on your route.

 

[hsg]

faster than avg spd of smelly traffic. now average speed of vitamin C replenishment.... ah there's a question.

oh and, about 22kph by comparing

(total distance) / (total time cycling)

 

[OrangePatriot]

I'm in New York City and my commute is 7.5 miles each way, straight along Queens Boulevard (or if you prefer, "The Boulevard of Death"). My highest average speed is just over 16mph on the road bike. On the full-suss Orange it's more like 12mph. On the singlespeed 29er, maybe 9 or 10 mph

 

[tejvan]

In Oxford, I average about 13mph.

The canal path into town is free of cars, but, quite a few walkers.

Some commutes can be faster, but you get slowed down by traffic lights. I race at over 25mph, but, commuting I just go slow so i don't sweat too much

 

[BHSpeedrom7]

I live in a hilly and windy area. Highest hill 400ft climb my commute is 22 miles round trip. I usually average 17.5MPH today I got close to 19mph. I have about 5 r 6 major junctions and lots of potholes and heavy traffic and stupid walkers using cycle lane as a pathway

 

[CarbonKing]

On flat ground, I usually do ~19-20mph. Sprinting on flat, I can get up around 32-35 mph, depending on headwind. It's all about the wind /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

 

[batnaso]

My commute is about 11 miles RT and I average about 25kmh which seems rather slow compared to others, but some of the hills here are vicious. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Conniebiker]

I usually back down to 18mph on the 8 mi before I get to the city, as a warm up and then pick up to 21-27mph in the timer light sections of the city. The lights every block are timered without sensors, so I have to stay around that fast to keep in the green light wave for 2-3 miles. Fun to tailgate the cars

 

[Volnix]

Nice one /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

But with only 20 posts it just might be trollish.

But anyway...

It used to be 20-24 kmh but now with the new 28x700 95psi tires its around 20-30kmh

The bike is heavy and inefficient. 13.5kg of aluminium, roller brakes and internal gear hub that seems to be useless after 40kmh. Maybe thats a good thing though. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[Damien Lee]

I average around 25km/h as I tend to ride casually for enjoyment. It's also not that wise to ride at higher speeds as motor vehicle users can be a bit unpredictable on local roads. It's better to ride slower and be more alert to avoid a possible collision. At that average speed, I get to my destination on time and safely. There are also plenty of stops, which are needed to regulate all the traffic. I also work these into the equation.

 

[Froze]

I try to keep up with traffic the best I can. I don't like passing cars unless there is a bike lane but even then I have to be careful of cars wanting to turn right. Usually I just stay in the traffic lane like I'm a car and ride at a speed that enables me to stay even with the other cars. Of course if I'm going slower than traffic then I ride either in the bike lane or the far right side. So there is no average speed, just a variety of speeds that can enable me to keep up with the traffic.

 

[DarkStarling]

Since I live in the countryside, the lack of traffic, and fairly even roads give me an average of about 28 KPH/, but it depends greatly on the day, my condition. Sometimes I go slower, sometimes faster, and sometimes I just feel like enjoying the view and going a bit slower. Having a really hot day also makes the cycling a bit slower, and I also have the tendency to day dream, which makes me as slow as a snail. When I am in the city I don't even bother recording my speed, since traffic and other things prevents me from actually going in an even pace.

 

[NibalisStickyBottle]

23kph going to work, 21kph going back home.

Interestingly enough, it's not all that different from my normal training kph...

 

[sunshiney]

It varies a lot but I'm not often trying to go particularly fast, especially stopping and starting with the traffic all the time. 15ish km/h is probably closest to my typical speed, although if I'm somewhere without a lot of traffic I usually start moving faster.

I'm very cautious about all the cars on the road so while I'm not crawling along, I leave myself enough time to get where I'm going that I don't need to rush. The traffic here is ridiculous as well, so I take my time, within reason.

 

[Kakashi]

I'm from Manila, Philippines and city riding here is about 10-15mph faster than that and it would become dangerous because of the traffic and pedestrians.