just cant do it!!!

[gbb]

And regarding my above thoughts, you can simplify it right down to its essence, I just can't bimble along. If I do set out and think I'll just have a steady one....within a few miles, I'm pushing myself to go faster.
Its been like that ever since I was a kid.

 

[Katherine]

You may not get back the time spent climbing but you do get the thrill and pleasure of the descent which can't be measured on a computer.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I agree with the 'don't gain it on the descent view' as well.

i'd also add that quite often people assume that someone's descents are all hurtle-thons at 40mph or whatever gee-whizz speed that floats your boat.

Quite often I have to toil away at some evil ascent only to be rewarded with a very steep descent down a very narrow single-track lane that has grass in the middle, grit on every bend and the potential for some twonk to come hairing up it in a car.

Some descents can be pretty damn slow!

 

[potsy]

Wonder how his average is getting along nearly 3.5 years later?

 

[Justinslow]

I think it depends on the ride and the conditions, if it's a bit windy or a bit hilly I don't try to force the speed because you just end up beating yourself up. However if the ride feels nice with the weather, the route etc then I push on a bit and see what I can do. Had a nice 40 miles the other day using this method as it felt nice, managing 21.2 mph average on the 20 out and 19.2 mph on the 20 coming home (slower as I was tiring by this point) so an average of 20.2 mph over 40 miles, was my best average speed over that distance to date. Obviously living in Suffolk it's not very hilly here so that helps.
Try to do a bit of a warm up before you start, so that once you are riding you get up to a reasonable speed (and maintain it) quickly - get the blood pumping and the body into bike mode, because if you start at a slow speed it's harder to raise your average speed over the course of a ride.

 

[gbb]

Its interesting to read how conditions and weather affect peoples rides..i never used to find that (generally speaking).
Peterborough is generally flat, especially headed east. Head west and you have the rolling, shortish hills towards Northants or Rutland.
When I was fit and 50 mile rides were the norm, windy, not windy, head east to the flat or head west to the rolling hills....my times never varied much at all over those 50 miles.
I rationalised it as follows..
East, flat and open. No gains to be made on the descent, there isn't any, so the pace is steady all the time. Its actually quite hard cycling on the flat, in the open, its relentless.
Head west, usually into the prevailing breeze/wind. Rolling hills (not generally too steep or long) can be attacked, recover by spinning once topped, then get the slight downhill, get the tailwind on the way home...this kind of riding is more enjoyable for me. IIRC, there'd be around 1000ft of ascent in those 50 miles.

50 miles, east or west...never made more than a few minutes extra whichever way I went, whatever the conditions etc etc.

Big hills WILL make a difference to your average, agree with that.