Hi guy's hope you all have had a good week, I have just started cycling 15km on road to work on a mtb, its mainly flat but some points are hilly and part down hill. I have managed to get my time down from 1hour to 45mins, would this be considered average for a beginner? I am hoping to get the time down to 40mins. I also have a goal of cycling 800km in the month of July.
Cycling 15km
- Thread starter Scarb1989
- Start date
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I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Wow!
Honestly, 15km is about 9.5 miles so for a beginner that is a great time. On the other hand, there are so many variables (traffic lights, junctions, other road users) that comparing times with other people is almost meaningless.
I consider myself to be a strong rider and my urban commute is 10.5 miles. Been doing this for years and it usually takes me around 38-40 minutes to cover this, so I would say you are smashing your commute
Honestly, 15km is about 9.5 miles so for a beginner that is a great time. On the other hand, there are so many variables (traffic lights, junctions, other road users) that comparing times with other people is almost meaningless.
I consider myself to be a strong rider and my urban commute is 10.5 miles. Been doing this for years and it usually takes me around 38-40 minutes to cover this, so I would say you are smashing your commute
RoubaixCube
~Tribanese~
- Location
- London, UK
I remember back in the day when i started getting back into cycling again that it would take me 30-40mins to cycle about 3miles on a bike that probably weighed as much as a large bag of rice at your local supermarket.
This bike made me quit cycling again after a few months of use and i didnt touch a bicycle for another 3 years.
If youre riding one of these things. Any mileage is good mileage and It will definitely fight you for every mile you complete on it.
Dont get mad and quit like i did -- get mad and get a better bike and continue riding.
This bike made me quit cycling again after a few months of use and i didnt touch a bicycle for another 3 years.
If youre riding one of these things. Any mileage is good mileage and It will definitely fight you for every mile you complete on it.
Dont get mad and quit like i did -- get mad and get a better bike and continue riding.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
Hi @Scarb1989
If you're doing 15km in 45 minutes on a MTB (presumably with knobbly MTB tyres) then you're doing great!
Do you cycle any other times or is it just commuting?
30km per day commute and 800km shouldn't be too much of a problem. But be careful not to overdo it. From 0 to 30km day after day is not nothing!
I loved my commute on the bike and once my fitness picked up I'd arrive at work fresher than ever. Best part of my day.
A bit of maintenance, especially after rain, confidence with repairing punctures will keep a lot of bad things at bay - especially important if you're starting off.
From my own experience I realised I was enjoying my commute less and less after a while. It was after I got a new bike computer and started measuring myself, then racing myself. Arriving at work sweaty and panting after pushing myself to beat yesterday's time by a minute didn't suit me. Sitting back and enjoying the ride did.
Good luck and keep it up!
If you're doing 15km in 45 minutes on a MTB (presumably with knobbly MTB tyres) then you're doing great!
Do you cycle any other times or is it just commuting?
30km per day commute and 800km shouldn't be too much of a problem. But be careful not to overdo it. From 0 to 30km day after day is not nothing!
I loved my commute on the bike and once my fitness picked up I'd arrive at work fresher than ever. Best part of my day.
A bit of maintenance, especially after rain, confidence with repairing punctures will keep a lot of bad things at bay - especially important if you're starting off.
From my own experience I realised I was enjoying my commute less and less after a while. It was after I got a new bike computer and started measuring myself, then racing myself. Arriving at work sweaty and panting after pushing myself to beat yesterday's time by a minute didn't suit me. Sitting back and enjoying the ride did.
Good luck and keep it up!
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
But try not to treat it all as a race.
As for your 800km in July. If this is your first attempt at something like this I would reduce it to 400km. 800km is 25.8km every single day, including weekends. If you miss even 1 day you will struggle to get it back and could get demoralised very quickly. 400km is 12.9km every day. If you miss a day you have a chance of catching up.
As for your 800km in July. If this is your first attempt at something like this I would reduce it to 400km. 800km is 25.8km every single day, including weekends. If you miss even 1 day you will struggle to get it back and could get demoralised very quickly. 400km is 12.9km every day. If you miss a day you have a chance of catching up.
Punkawallah
Über Member
I’d second lowering your aim - at least for next month :-)
800km with a MTB + Real Life (tm) + work is a big ask. Also, consider switching out the tyres to ‘road’ pattern ones, if you can’t put your hands on a more suitable bike.
800km with a MTB + Real Life (tm) + work is a big ask. Also, consider switching out the tyres to ‘road’ pattern ones, if you can’t put your hands on a more suitable bike.
battered
Guru
Just enjoy the ride. Times, schmimes. Do what's comfortable, don't sweat some arbitrary time, you'll get fitter and enjoy it in the process. If you enjoy it, you'll carry on doing it.
Alsl, keep an eye on your servicing. 10 miles each way is 100 miles a week, a few months of that and things like chain, brakes, wheel bearings will be showing wear and need adjustment of renewal.
Alsl, keep an eye on your servicing. 10 miles each way is 100 miles a week, a few months of that and things like chain, brakes, wheel bearings will be showing wear and need adjustment of renewal.
That's good to know then thanks for all the replies, I wondered why my brother has started cycling evry
I managed to bring it down today to 42mins, so very pleased with that time. I will be going to the bike shop later on to see if I can get some different tyres, as it is bloody tiring with mtb tyres. I would love to be hitting the 38min markWow!
Honestly, 15km is about 9.5 miles so for a beginner that is a great time. On the other hand, there are so many variables (traffic lights, junctions, other road users) that comparing times with other people is almost meaningless.
I consider myself to be a strong rider and my urban commute is 10.5 miles. Been doing this for years and it usually takes me around 38-40 minutes to cover this, so I would say you are smashing your commute
It is tiring on a mtb especially with the tyres but, I am committed to keeping fit so hoping I do stick to it, as it makes me feel great after I have finished.
I see your point there. I might say 400miles for July and then if I go over its just a bonus.
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
In urban traffic, riding 9 miles (I don't do those foreign km things) on a rigid MTB on semi knobbly tyres, will usually take me 55 minutes, and never less than 50 minutes even with a tailwind. But then I'm not bothered about average speed, and I'm not trying to be fast.
I just ride at a nice steady pace which I could keep up all day if I wished.
Setting an unrealistic mileage target in a timescale is asking for failure or injury, IMHO. My weekly or monthly riding miles varies wildly according to the weather, how busy I am at work, and what other stuff I am doing. The riding has to fit in with everyhing else, and if I'm knackered after work or it's been pissing with rain every day for a week, the cycling gets put on the back burner until the time and inclination to go out for a ride increases.
I just ride at a nice steady pace which I could keep up all day if I wished.
Setting an unrealistic mileage target in a timescale is asking for failure or injury, IMHO. My weekly or monthly riding miles varies wildly according to the weather, how busy I am at work, and what other stuff I am doing. The riding has to fit in with everyhing else, and if I'm knackered after work or it's been pissing with rain every day for a week, the cycling gets put on the back burner until the time and inclination to go out for a ride increases.
vickster
Legendary Member
Don’t forget to have rest days. At the weekend, you could do a bit more, pootle around all day at 15kmh (10mph), stop every half hour for a sit to look at the scenery, a coffee or whatever
Don’t forget July can be wet so that may affect your ability to reach a target unless you’re prepared for wet commutes.
What country are you in? On the flip side, it can be very hot in some km using countries in July
Don’t forget July can be wet so that may affect your ability to reach a target unless you’re prepared for wet commutes.
What country are you in? On the flip side, it can be very hot in some km using countries in July
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
When I started commuting by bicycle 11yrs ago I started out just doing 1 or 2 of the 4 days at first (12hr nightshifts, 4in then 4 off) so would commute only maybe 2 days in every 8 days initially. It took more than 6 months before I could cycle all 4 nights comfortably without feeling completely shattered during the final commutes. That was starting from a pretty good place, health and fitness wise and as a lifelong casual cyclist.
You do need to build up gradually and listen to your body. Don't be afraid of working hard, but if you are tired or expecting too much you will just suffer setbacks and become disillusioned, at which point you are likely to throw in the towel. It is supposed to be fun, my commute still puts a big smile on my face nearly every time and I'm still doing the exact same commute I started doing 11 years ago
You do need to build up gradually and listen to your body. Don't be afraid of working hard, but if you are tired or expecting too much you will just suffer setbacks and become disillusioned, at which point you are likely to throw in the towel. It is supposed to be fun, my commute still puts a big smile on my face nearly every time and I'm still doing the exact same commute I started doing 11 years ago