3rd week now, does it get easier?

[Frood42]

Easier, no, you may get faster...

This is my first year commuting, very close to 8000 miles.

My average speeds for the year have varied between 10mph to 15mph on my rides, depending on the route, distance and weather.

My best average speed was 16mph over 22miles, but that was a one off, still don't know how I did it either... it was in the height of the good weather though (the hybrid I ride is a little heavy).

Keep pedalling through the colder months if you can and come the warmer months you'll be whizzing along.
Try not to worry too much about speed right now, just get some miles under the belt to build a good base.
.

 

[HLaB]

It certainly does get easier, I can remember the first time I crossed the FRB nearly dying at the other side now I'd cross it without a thought and go quite a bit further.

 

[ColinJ]

It certainly does get easier, I can remember the first time I crossed the FRB nearly dying at the other side now I'd cross it without a thought and go quite a bit further.

From Peterborough - I'm impressed!

 

[ColinJ]

When many people first start cycling, doing a few miles slowly is all that they can manage. There isn't a lot of scope for slowing down, or cutting the distance down.

When you get fitter, you could go further and/or faster for the same amount of effort, so that wouldn't feel any easier. However, you would also have the option of riding slowly or cutting the distance down to what you were doing when you first started, and that would feel pretty easy.

I rarely bother to go out and do less than (say) 15 miles now, usually with several big hills. That would have felt quite hard when I first started, but would now feel like just a gentle 'pootle'.

 

[HLaB]

From Peterborough - I'm impressed!

I'll hopefully cross it again next week when I'm home for Christmas but if its 90mph gales I'll give it a miss, apparently one cyclist did

 

[ColinJ]

I'll hopefully cross it again next week when I'm home for Christmas but if its 90mph gales I'll give it a miss apparently one cyclist did

Oh, I remember reading that some mad person tried it in recent gales. What happened to him/her?

I can't find news about a cyclist but there was this fool in a van ...

 

[HLaB]

Oh, I remember reading that some mad person tried it in recent gales. What happened to him/her?

I can't find news about a cyclist but there was this fool in a van ...

I read a blog a while back quoting 'if you got half way across before they stopped you, they'll let you go on; it was probably him

 

[PhilDawson8270]

All I need to do to know that it must get easier, is look at the half dead 80 year old guys that overtake me effortlessly going up hills

 

[JoeyB]

Isn't cycling good fun though. Slower than my car yes, but I'm noticing stuff I've never seen before.

Yes, I've never experienced pain like it lol

 

[Dave 123]

Thanks again guys. Dave I've just got back in from a quick 8-mile local loop (I use the term quick under advisement) The wind was stronger than yesterday so decided to go short and try and stay away from the climbs. Today's average was 11.5 mph but wind was tough. I was feeling pretty good as I tried to stay in the big front ring for the whole trip and then I watched a guy the same age as me blast past me, and I had lost sight of him within a couple of minutes. So that dragged me down to earth with a bump, and backed up my stance of not joining a cycle club yet, as all the old boys will be leaving me for dead.

Checking out the stats for the whole 6 rides I've done so far, shows an average speed of 10.5 mph, but I've not gone further than 12 miles or been out longer than 1.25 hours yet. This weekend was going to see me attempt a 2 hour trip but weather killed that idea.

I promise not to take the computer too seriously, but at this stage I need to see how I'm developing into a super-fit high end athlete

Super fit high end athlete.... When you get there do tell me. You can give me the elusive answer!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

All I need to do to know that it must get easier, is look at the half dead 80 year old guys that overtake me effortlessly going up hills

Did you check to see if they were on eBikes?

 

[Cyclist33]

Not too far from me, I'm in Warrington, always happy to put bike in the car to see new places, so if you're planning on going out and want a riding partner, give me a PM

And I'm also Warrington, and 11 years into the adult cycling game I haven't got the slightest bit faster, so I would be happy to tag along too

 

[stu9000]

Yes it gets easier.
Just keep at it and you will steadily improve.