gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
Try as I may I just can't make my average speed to reach 15mph. It always seem to peak at 14.8!! So I am now resigned to it and just enjoy my cycling. No world record for me.
just cant do it!!!
- Thread starter gavroche
- Start date
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paulb55
Über Member
- Location
- Birmingahm
same with me, cant get over 12 mph and cadnece above 75 for last 3 months, frustrating but hey, cycling is about going out and enjoying the views
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
billy1561
BB wrecker
- Location
- North west England
Try doing it over 500 yards 
Seriously, with time it will come. Just stick in there.
Seriously, with time it will come. Just stick in there.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Tag along with faster riders
+1 you'll never do it just trying to beat yourself. you need to ride with someone who is naturally rides maybe 1 or 2mph faster than you, and you will become faster. when i have been away on trips with friends who ride faster, i am faster when i come back, but this always drops off once i'm left to my own devices for a few weeks.
a 4 day trip to paris saw me reach 17.9mph to work (over 17 miles) about a week after. a month later i was back to my 14 .8 average.
Nearly there
Veteran
- Location
- Cumbria
as long as your enjoying it who cares about stats
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Step 1 - turn off computer/watch
Step 2 - Enjoy your cycling for a while
Step 3 - put your computer/watch back on in a couple weeks and see the magic 15mph
You can get too target focussed, just get out and enjoy riding without being on the clock for a bit and you'll probably improve
(Oh, and make sure that you have the tyres pumped right up)
Step 2 - Enjoy your cycling for a while
Step 3 - put your computer/watch back on in a couple weeks and see the magic 15mph
You can get too target focussed, just get out and enjoy riding without being on the clock for a bit and you'll probably improve
(Oh, and make sure that you have the tyres pumped right up)
I'm about a year into my cycling adventure, and have a bit of a speed obsession.
My view is that you need to look for multiple small gains:- I worked on my diet, weight, equipment (cleats, shoes, bib tights etc) pre-ride nutrition etc. Most of all though its just hard work. Build up distance, work on intervals and push yourself hard.
I kept one route for timing and don't do it very often - no more than once a month. Otherwise fluctuations just annoy.
My view is that you need to look for multiple small gains:- I worked on my diet, weight, equipment (cleats, shoes, bib tights etc) pre-ride nutrition etc. Most of all though its just hard work. Build up distance, work on intervals and push yourself hard.
I kept one route for timing and don't do it very often - no more than once a month. Otherwise fluctuations just annoy.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I agree with you about the views. I'd rather ride somewhere scenic slowly than race along a dual carriageway!
I'd say that I am currently only averaging 8-10 mph on many of my rides, but they are usually over multiple hills up to 1,500 ft high. On a flat road, I'd probably average 15-20 mph.
If you are talking about your speed on crowded roads with loads of traffic lights forcing you to keep stopping, then that is bound to slow you down. If you can't do more than 12 mph on a quiet, flat country lane though, then that is a bit strange. 12 mph on a decently maintained bike on a flat road is much easier than walking at a brisk pace. (I used an online bike calculator and it said that was only required a power output of about 60 Watts which isn't a huge number.)
I'm not trying to be funny Paul, but are you using a comfortable gear ratio? If you were trying to spin a massive gear, then I'm not surprised that you'd be struggling. If there are any hills on your route, then they make a big difference to your average speed too, and not in a positive way! (You will never get the time back on a descent that you lost on the ascent.)
Step 1 - turn off computer/watch
Step 2 - Enjoy your cycling for a while
Step 3 - put your computer/watch back on in a couple weeks and see the magic 15mph
You can get too target focussed, just get out and enjoy riding without being on the clock for a bit and you'll probably improve
(Oh, and make sure that you have the tyres pumped right up)
+1 best improvement I have had in ages was when I became less focussed on numbers and challenges.
Hip Priest
Veteran
I average about 17mph but it's pretty flat round here.
So glad to see someone rebutting that myth.
I was hovering around a similar speed on my road rides for a while, then I took a night ride. Because I couldn't see the computer, I was just riding for the fun of riding at a speed which felt comfortable. When I got back, my average was over 1mph faster than my normal over the same route.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
When people argue with me about it, I present them with this scenario - Your average speed on the flat is 21 mph but on a 21 mile mountain road you only average (say) 7 mph so it takes you 3 hours to get to the top. You then turn round and descend at a crazy 63 mph average speed, the 42 mile round trip takes 3 hours 20 minutes for an average speed of 12.6 mph. 42 mph on the descent = 12.0 mph average. 31.5 mph descent = 11.5 mph.So glad to see someone rebutting that myth.
Therefore ... you never get back the time lost on an ascent! If the gradient is low and/or you are very fit and are a demon descender, then you can get back most of it. If you are not superfit and you climb a long, steep hill then you will lose a lot of time!
I use a more realistic scenario as I only average about 15 on the flat.
The other way to put it is that Einstein's findings mean that you can never make up on a down hill for any up hill which slows you beyond half your average.
