when does it get easier or faster?

[Peteaud]

can i ask how hilly the 22 mile route is?

 

[Dan B]

It never gets easier, you only get faster.

Greg LeMond (and probably others)

 

[Andrew_P]

thats total time, well an average last couple been 1.35 1 40 due to wind and the rain. it is good? what do others average on your commutes?

Are you travelling in peak times? If you are 1 hr 10m across London is a great time, my average plummets when I encounter traffic. With a good tailwind and clearish run my best has been 19.5mph but that is moving time as my Garmin is set to autostop so I can safely compare times without overly worrying about Traffic Lights holding me up.

According to Garmin the last 30 days

Count: 49 Activities Distance: 766.33 mi Time: 43:36:23 h:m:s Elevation Gain: 27,840 ft Avg Speed: 17.6 mph As I say I would reckon if it was calculated by Total Time the Avg Speed would be much much lower

 

[400bhp]

commute 22miles each way 5days a week to work and was averaging 1 hr 45mins on a hybrid switched to a roadie in dec last year and knocked 25mins off this so average trip ( not mega windy bad traffic and some traffic light luck) is around the 1hr 20 ish mark average speed 18 MPH but each trip now seems the same effort and when i try extra hard on a fri eve mainly or a Monday morning when i fell freshest the time does seem to change by some miricale i did a 1hr 11mins one trip a few weeks back and hoped i could get this down as an average but no luck... ideas? hints?

Please, for the love of god, use full stops.

 

[400bhp]

Traffic lights make good interval training.

 

[Dan B]

Please, for the love of god, use full stops.

At traffic lights, you mean, or where?

 

[Jdratcliffe]

Please, for the love of god, use full stops.

sorry typed it in a rush...

LOCO, yea i travel in for 9am mostly and leave at 5:30pm. Though i think i started hr earlier the day i did the 1:11.

 

[400bhp]

At traffic lights, you mean, or where?

No, plough through traffic lights regardless.

 

[Col5632]

I ask myself the same question everytime i jump on the bike by my average speed has went up 2mph in about a year of commuting

 

[Andrew_P]

sorry typed it in a rush...

LOCO, yea i travel in for 9am mostly and leave at 5:30pm. Though i think i started hr earlier the day i did the 1:11.

Honestly if you are crossing London in peak and have hit a 18mph total avg including lights. junctions and stacked traffic, your moving avg must already be 20mph+ not that I have crossed London in peak but that would be my guestimate. Try puting your device on autostop to get a moving avg..

 

[BrumJim]

Suggestion No.1: Cross training. Take up running - it helps you with your stamina, ability to keep pushing when free-wheeling is so much more tempting.
Suggestion No.2: Get a fixie. See above.
Suggestion No.3: The Nemesis. Sit on the side of your regular route for the entire morning commute one day, and take note of those that look fast and strong, and the times they pass. Repeat for a couple of days to weed out the occasional and tourist cyclists. Then change your commute to coincide with the faster riders, and try to keep up. It will be a fight between your ego and your lungs. If you are a bloke, ego tends to win most time. Either you will get faster due to the challenge, or get a restraining order.
Suggestion No.4: Electric assist. In some corners this is regarded as cheating. Especially this one.

 

[Jdratcliffe]

mm like the idea of finding a cycle buddy even for just a small part of my route though regarding timings i do my route at near enough dead on the same time each morning, regarding a fixie thinking that wouldl be great but then i consider my route ( link below) if you have tips on a low cost (>£200) fixie please suggest below.

http://j.mp/NcA5Bv

 

[vorsprung]

I put my fastest ever times for commutes in during nice days in the the summer with a bit of a tailwind, on a light racing bike with a triple
One time that was good I remember drafting a tractor, another time I got into a couple of races with other cyclists

Agree with the consensus that 18mph is v good

 

[cloggsy]

I think that at 5 days a week, at 22 each way in just over an hour at 18 mph, is something to be extremely proud of, thats real man cycling !!

+1!

 

[Herbie]

commute 22miles each way 5days a week to work and was averaging 1 hr 45mins on a hybrid switched to a roadie in dec last year and knocked 25mins off this so average trip ( not mega windy bad traffic and some traffic light luck) is around the 1hr 20 ish mark average speed 18 MPH but each trip now seems the same effort and when i try extra hard on a fri eve mainly or a Monday morning when i fell freshest the time does seem to change by some miricale i did a 1hr 11mins one trip a few weeks back and hoped i could get this down as an average but no luck... ideas? hints?

Like anything else you get good days and bad days on the bike....don't beat yourself up about it...just enjoy your pedaling..1hr 11 mins is an excellent time for that distance