I'm 53 years old and just wondered if covering 10 miles in 42 minutes is any good? There was just a couple of hills on the route but it was mainly flat surface. My avg speed says 14.3 mph, but I have no idea if this is any good for my age. I am using a Giant Defy 4 Road bike, it's not a Carbon bike and cost around £600 new. What do you reckon? Cheers!
10 miles in 42 minutes any good?
- Thread starter MBosh
- Start date
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Garry A
Calibrating.....
- Location
- Grangemouth
Sounds ok to me 
. I'm 47 and I did 30 miles at average 17 mph today. The question is, did you enjoy it? I did.
Giant Defy 3 btw.
. I'm 47 and I did 30 miles at average 17 mph today. The question is, did you enjoy it? I did.Giant Defy 3 btw.
Specialeyes
Guru
- Location
- Essex
Download the free version of Strava to your phone (or set up an account if you already have a Garmin, Wahoo or other computer) and compare yourself today with yourself yesterday 
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Pretty brisk.
Faster than I ever go. But the main thing is that you enjoyed it.
Faster than I ever go. But the main thing is that you enjoyed it.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
That's really slow, you need to up your game 
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
Average 14.2857 mph.. Nice bike. And you enjoyed it (which is the only bit that really matters). All good .
.Yes, I just looked around the web and I now see that it's average. But I did enjoy it and I don't think I'm going to get any quicker due to losing my knee cap. I just wish I could go further, but what's left of my knee starts to get sore and I can't push through it. I'd probably do more harm to my knee if I tried to push through the sorness, but it's annoying because the energy to go further is still there.
Do you think my speed would increase if I had shoes that fastened to the peddles?
Do you think my speed would increase if I had shoes that fastened to the peddles?
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
No!
I don't think you are being limited by your pedals, and having half a knee is not going to be helped much by clipping in either.
What might help (or might not - you'd have to try it and see) is to use different gear ratios. If you happen to be using too high a gear that could be hurting your knee because you are having to use too much force. If you are using too low a gear then that might hurt your knee by desperately spinning the cranks round trying to keep up.
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No!
I don't think you are being limited by your pedals, and having half a knee is going to be helped much by clipping in either.
What might help (or might not - you'd have to try it and see) is to use different gear ratios. If you happen to be using too high a gear that could be hurting your knee because you are having to use too much force. If you are using too low a gear then that might hurt your knee by desperately spinning the cranks round trying to keep up.
That's interesting. I did notice I was using a higher gear to get upto speed, but I didn't feel totally comfortable while I was in a higher gear. When cycling with two perfectly normal knees do you usually just peddle at a comfortable pace, or do you use a higher gear to add presure to your legs? I'm trying to increase my stamina using cycling as an exercise. So would it be best to apply pressure to the legs or cycle at a comfortable pace to gain stamina? Any thoughts on that anyone? Cheers!
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I think you should try to minimise the pain. If you further damage your knee then that isn't going to help you get fit...
Find a gear which is comfortable when riding at a speed which you find quite hard (but not horribly hard). Try and do that same route in 41 minutes next time! Keep knocking a minute off here and there and you will soon get fitter. If you ever get it down below 30 minutes then you would be fitter than most people.
An alternative would be to ride further but trying to average the same speed.
Find a gear which is comfortable when riding at a speed which you find quite hard (but not horribly hard). Try and do that same route in 41 minutes next time! Keep knocking a minute off here and there and you will soon get fitter. If you ever get it down below 30 minutes then you would be fitter than most people.
An alternative would be to ride further but trying to average the same speed.
You should try to have a higher cadence, it works your cardiovascular system more, protects the knees from over stressing. It will build endurance.
14 mph is a fair speed for a beginner.
Im currently riding 14-15 on my slow touring bike, but can ride at 20 mph on my faster bike for an hour
I prefer my touring bike
14 mph is a fair speed for a beginner.
Im currently riding 14-15 on my slow touring bike, but can ride at 20 mph on my faster bike for an hour
I prefer my touring bike
That's a pretty decent pace, I used to commute that distance each way daily and worked on about that pace and I'm a good 10 years younger than you.
I'd suggest not worring about anything too much, as a beginner you'll see large improvements in pace and endurance very quickly. Use this time to work out what you enjoy/works for you bike wise and just keep doing that. Don't worry about how much your bike cost or whether it's carbon or not, that's largely irrelevant for modern bikes unless you race at higher levels
.I'd suggest not worring about anything too much, as a beginner you'll see large improvements in pace and endurance very quickly. Use this time to work out what you enjoy/works for you bike wise and just keep doing that. Don't worry about how much your bike cost or whether it's carbon or not, that's largely irrelevant for modern bikes unless you race at higher levels