Matthames said:
Just wondering how quick everybody is, so what are your average speeds on your commute?
My average is 11mph there and 13mph back, all over 4 miles. The route I use has some pretty big hills which tends to eat my average. Along the flat parts I am usually flying along at about 20mph.
I have only read your response, so somebody may have pointed this out, and whilst I know that you never implied such, I have noticed that almost everyone I talk to about bikes always breaks into a song and dance about how they could go dead fast, or how their bike is better because they can go faster.
I initially did relegate this to probably a more benighted car-drivers approach where amongst their prejudices about cycling, speed was their main (ill-thought) trumph card; however plenty of cyclists also have this approach, which is ridiculous when they are nodding their 2 wheeled knives (or chunky mountain bikes) whilst making snooty side-glances towards my poor Brompton, as if that is the decisive point. One wouldn't compare a Morgan, a Ford transit van, a people carrier, and one of those sporty SMART cars, then declare the SMART car the winner since it goes the fastest, likewise bikes are built for different purposes.
Anyway, that's the end of my rant
For your information, I average 12mph in hilly territory, and
15-17mph (excluding traffic light stops), back in London (Zone 1).