New to cycling. Average speeds? How long to improve?

[onepedalaway]

I have been cycling for two months now and is strange as my muscles ache like no other! Not like running anyway (Runner by trade) Anyway, I started off with a few 10 milers in the first few weeks then two weeks ago did a few 30 milers and did a 68 miler on Saturday. I am averaging 18 mph which feels really slow. That and irritates me that I am passed by the club riders with me being competitive. As I am riding solo and conscious that the clubs will be too quick is there any beginners clubs I could go to? (Live in Bolton)


How quick does it take to improve this? Also 68 miles is short for a number of riders so how long does it take to get used to 100 mile + distances?


Look forward to your advice. . .


Kind regards


Onepedalaway

 

[Slaav]

I will be interested for the experienced and non newbies to answer this as your 'progress' appears pretty good to me!

Out of interest, traced a very small portion of the Cotswold Classic Sportive this morning and a couple of the smaller groups were up at around 20mph even after 60 and 100 miles. May have been sprint finishing but you never know

 

[Glover Fan]

Out of interest, traced a very small portion of the Cotswold Classic Sportive this morning and a couple of the smaller groups were up at around 20mph even after 60 and 100 miles. May have been sprint finishing but you never know

Well i've done a bit of running before, including races and there is a thing known as a "negative split" as in you aim for the second half of the race to be faster than the first half and I for one have carried this over to cycling events and I always finish an audax or long ride quicker than I start it.

Personally averaging 18mph over 68 miles is an excellent achievement, as for being passed by club riders that is just the peleton effect, so many times riding as a group of 10+ we have swallowed up individual riders like they are not moving on the road, don't get down it's incredibly easy to go fast as part of a group.

I for one wish I could sustain an average 18mph for that long!

 

[edindave]

If 18mph feels slow then put some effort in!

Only kidding - 18mph is not slow by any standard. Club riders in formation will be naturally faster due to the energy savings made in group riding - they're probably putting in a lot less effort than you are!

I'd consider joining them if I were you!

 

[onepedalaway]

Cheers for the advice and your right edindave I should put some effort in however had no clue how to pace myself being that there is no one to pace with or no idea what the distance would feel like. In truth it felt like I could do another 30 no problem with another lucozade.

I agree though Gloverfan and feel the same as you. I am faster 20 miles in the ride than when started and find I do not really warm up till then.

Looking forward to longer distances and some more stamina.

Kind regards

Philip

 

[cloggsy]

18 mph average is superb!

I normally average 16/17 mph!

 

[Bicycle]

AI agree with all the others.

I'd be VERY pleased with 18mph average after a couple of months' riding.

You can get faster just by doing the hard miles.

But for now it sounds as if you're doing fine.

 

[pepecat]

18mph average??!! Flippin eck.... I've been riding for about a year (with a break through the winter....) and I still only average about 11-12mph.
Fair play.....

 

[MacB]

18mph average, on your own, over 68 miles, the terrain doesn't matter that's quick by almost all our standards, and for some of us old duffers it's the sort of stuff we dream of.

 

[briantrumpet]

Cheers for the advice and your right edindave I should put some effort in however had no clue how to pace myself being that there is no one to pace with or no idea what the distance would feel like. In truth it felt like I could do another 30 no problem with another lucozade.

I agree though Gloverfan and feel the same as you. I am faster 20 miles in the ride than when started and find I do not really warm up till then.

Pacing-wise, the general advice is not to ride faster than 'conversation pace' for the first 30 minutes or so - something to do with what source of energy your muscles are using. I'd add in: don't grind at any point of the ride - keep the legs spinning - but especially in the early part.

Training-wise, unless you want a particularly structured approach (about which subject I'm no good), just mix up the rides - shorter higher intensity ones, some, but not too many, endurance rides. Many experts go on about the benefits of interval training - but if you live in a hilly area, they'll sort of give you interval training anyway.

Set yourself some targets - they'll help you focus. I've got two - one for my short loop (22 miles) and one for 100 miles - as they make me cycle in different ways, and keep it interesting. Using a cycle computer I've found it useful to aim for an average target speed through the ride (I go for 20mph, whatever the distance), so if I've climbed a hill at 13mph, I'm going to have to cycle the same length of time at 27mph down the other side. It's crude (and obviously I don't always/often hit my target), but is quite a good way to push yourself.

If you're a club sort of person, 18mph (I gather) will mean you'd fit in fine. I'm not - I really just enjoy pushing myself on long solo rides, and with a fairly unscientific & unstructured approach (no more than 'get out and ride as much as possible on a variety of routes') have seen quite a pleasing increase in stamina & speed in just 6 months or so. But now I'm pushing at my physical limits, so know that the progress will be more marginal.

Just my experience though - people's physiology and fitness will vary enormously, so will all experience different results. The main thing is to have fun doing whatever you do.

 

[brockers]

Some of the faster racing types in my old club were bloody good runners (32min 10k rockets), and have developed big engines which transfer well to cycling (I've started running more now as a result and I've found it's a quick way of getting my threshold up). 18mph is a very very good average speed on your own (terrain dependent), but there are some training groups/chain gangs around here that will average north of 21mph. The best way to get faster is to ride with people who are faster than you! And like running, mixing longer, easier runs/rides with shorter and higher intensity intervals. Join a club and ride with a group where you're trying to hang on the first couple of times. Believe me no-one will take the p*ss if you get 'dropped' - it's virtually a rite of passage - and you'll get far more respect and be one of the boys if you come back for more the next time. Far better than choosing a group within your comfort zone and sitting on the front for most of the ride. Try not to get too hung up about average speeds though. Most guys who race couldn't give a monkey's about it. Race speeds can be 20mph at one moment and then 35mph the next. It's all about who you beat not how fast you went!

 

[Globalti]

Agreed with all the above, I can manage 17.5 mph solo on a long straight flat road like the A6 to Lancaster but throw in some hills and that drops by 1 or 2 mph. On a hilly ride in the Ribble Valley my cycling pal and I can manage about 16.5 mph if we work together a bit.

 

[400bhp]

I suspect you are honed in on this because of running.

Cycling and average speeds are very different than running

IMO, average speed on a cycle is not something to worry too much about as there are too many variables. There are the obvious ones (traffic lights, junctions and hills) but there are also perhaps the less obvious ones (road surface being a major factor).

 

[reacher]

i'v just started as well so i was interested in this , 3rd april on the road myself , can you tell me is that 18 mph include hills or would you say thats a flat'ish route ?

 

[Rebel Ian]

The worst feature of bicycle computers is the bit that tells you your average speed. People become obsessed with it. If you want to get there quicker take the car, or you could just take your bicycle and enjoy the ride.