Average Speeds

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gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
Many cycling computers these days have the ability to record you average speed at just the time you cycle and not whilst you are standing still.

Do people think this is cheating?
 
Depends what you want.

After all, red lights are an "enforced stop" so why should they impact on your AVS? Same as I consider a trail run "without stopping" if I only stop to open/close gates, no cheating at all.

The end user knows in their heart whether or not it is cheating...

Of course, if you are using the computer results to argue average speed over a car in rush hour, then the result will naturally be biased and flawed
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
they certainly record all the slowing down and speeding up again

and the free wheeling waiting for things to get out of the way
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
I only use this in the same routes for my benefit...no-one else..i.e. felt like death on a circuit, actually turned in a good training time...

That's it..................
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
nope I wouldn't want it to record overall time, I have a watch or clock for that:biggrin:

As per ST it's only for my own personal use, I don't treat an individual result as an absolute, barring top speed. I just use the results to monitor trends and give an idea of improvement/fitness level. But my goals are pretty narrow as well...fit enough to complete a commute within a reasonable timescale, fit enough to be able to take part in social rides and fit enough to use a bike as the main mode of transportation.

When I started the computer was much more important and I was constantly checking speeds and times, trying to improve. Now I only bring it if I'm doing a long ride or a training ride. All my local stuff I don't bother anymore, same as I only put lycra on for longer stuff. So anything up to about 10 miles goes unrecorded these days. I can't actually believe that I used to add in trips to the shops etc, even as little as 0.5 miles sometimes:blush:
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
It's OK provided you're honest about what average it is you're talking about.
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
When you look at the display on your computer after a ride, its AFTER the ride.

Do you want to know an average RIDING speed so you can plan and predict future rides?
Yes, then the Auto stop/start will show you a better idea of what you want.

I have been playing with my Garmin Edge and planning routes through the countryside and through the city. Garmin estimates a Estimated Time at Destination. It is close to 12.5 mph through the countryside, but comes down to as low as 11.8 mph through the city.
Something is suggesting to me it is compensating for junctions ( just like I did 20 years ago ).

When you have a good idea of your average RIDING speed, it’s a simple process of counting up the junctions you might need to stop at and add on a frig factor. I found 1% per junction gave me a reasonable result so I wouldn't be late for the train.
 

dodgy

Guest
My Edge stops recording when I stop, and I have Sporttracks set to ignore any speeds under 4mph. That means when I import the data, the Edge might show an average speed of 20mph, but Sporttracks might up it to 20.3mph (for example).
My data is not comparable to anyone else, riding any other bike on any other terrain. It's for me to spot trends. And for that use, it's reliable.
 

Norm

Guest
Mine stops when the bike does, but then I only use it for personal consumption rather than any pissing contest so, as GrasB says, I can make my own rules.

I have to say, though, that if I ignored everything below 15mph, it would reduce my cycling mileage by about 95%. :biggrin:
 
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