Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

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Paulatic
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by Paulatic »

Don’t forget headwind days. I once met three men on Beattock Summit. From Carlisle that morning with a stinking head wind they had averaged 6 mph!
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PH
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by PH »

bluelagos wrote:
PH wrote:
bluelagos wrote:
I'd love to see details of your route. Sub 3k climbing sounds bliss!

A day? That sounds a bit high to me, I think mine averaged less than that over 11 days.


My route is mental, plenty of days over 5k, thnk we hit 8k one day. Wont be sure til have checked all the strava (new to me) but clearly going over Wales highest pass and up the penines,was never the low road :D

(Not my choice!)

If you simply put the two ends into a mapping program like Cycletravel, it'll give you a direct but cycle friendly route, I just did that and it came to 9,200 meters ascent. There's a thread here somewhere about flatter alternatives and of course if you want to, you can find plenty more hills. I think the OP has come up with a typical route in terms of climbing and distance, I was surprised by your surprise at it!
Pebble
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by Pebble »

landsurfer wrote:I would ignore the mph and concentrate on the clock .... if your setting off at 0900hrs each morning for your 65 miles tell them you will be there for 1800hrs each day ... enjoy the ride ... stop and see stuff ...

yes - this is the best way to look at it, 9 hour day requires 7.2mph. Extend it to 12 hour days and we're down to not much above walking speed. No point knocking your 65 mile out in 5 hours then bored in your hotel / B&B
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by PH »

Paulatic wrote:Don’t forget headwind days. I once met three men on Beattock Summit. From Carlisle that morning with a stinking head wind they had averaged 6 mph!

Yes, we left the warmth and comfort of the pub in Dalwhinnie and spent five hours battling the element to cover the 30 miles to Pitlochry - Then of course the rain stopped, the sun came out and the wind died down...
Nessie23
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by Nessie23 »

landsurfer wrote:I would ignore the mph and concentrate on the clock .... if your setting off at 0900hrs each morning for your 65 miles tell them you will be there for 1800hrs each day

+1
I would deffo go with advice above.
Far too many variables to consider; breakdown/puncture, weather esp headwind, navigation failure, getting to lunch stop just behind coach party. IMO much better to have a finish time goal with some built in ‘headroom’ rather than clockwatching the whole time. However, i realise that everyone is different.
FWIW: I think 10mph is a reasonable assumption but would base calcs on 8mph to build in headroom.
afanasiew
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »

bluelagos wrote:
I'd love to see details of your route. Sub 3k climbing sounds bliss!


It's pretty much this one, but halving the number of stages, missing out the Leeds detour and taking the Scottish alternative:

https://www.cyclelejog.com/routefiles.html
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »

Mick F wrote:
afanasiew wrote:This begs the question of bike security as a solo cyclist. Did you only stop where you could leave your bike in view?
Of course.

My bike(s) are never left anywhere where I can't see them.
Cafes, pubs, shops ......... leave them by a window, preferably leaning on the window.

When I've been riding distances, get a good breakfast and get going. Stop briefly for lunch - if only a packet of nuts or something - and keep going. Get to the destination for the day in mid/late afternoon and check in. I have always stayed at B+Bs or hostels. Put the bike away in the secure storage ......... don't book anywhere that has no secure storage ............. a quick wash and brush-up, change into normal clothes and get off down the pub for a few beers and a good meal. Back to the digs for a a good long sleep.


Sounds similar to my daily pattern when doing it on Shanks's last year. 'Normal clothes' did and will consist of the lightest possible hiking trousers and shirt.
afanasiew
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »

Brianjeff50 wrote:I’ve just finished mine - 14 days roughly 65-75 miles a day, depending on where I could book to stay. My average speed was a pretty consistent 10.5-ish mph. I was staying in Airbnb and Travelodge type places and what I thought was pretty minimal luggage though still ended up with a couple of quite heavy panniers.
I aimed to start quite early 8-8.30 with a finish around 5-6 so I had time in hand at the end of each day and warned B&B places that I could be late and would warn them.
I made sure my bar bag always had a good stock of Snickers bars, flapjacks, cereal bars etc and dived into co ops for quick sarnie.
I took a cable lock but rarely used it - bought a couple of ‘cafe locks’ - like big cable ties - from wiggle which secure bags to frame and tied bike securely enough for quick stops. Always stayed where there was secure bike parking. Premier inns and Travelodge let you keep bike in your room.
‘Just potter along’ was my motto.


I'll certainly try to 'potter' more than I did when walking it last year, but being 'on a mission' is more in my nature.

8.30 - 5.30 is 9 hours, so covering 70 miles gives an overall pace of around 7.75mph. If your pace was 10.5mph, you must have taken over 2 hours of stops each day. Fair play to you, I'd love to take such a laid back approach, but will probably prefer to reach my destination a bit earlier.
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by PH »

afanasiew wrote:8.30 - 5.30 is 9 hours, so covering 70 miles gives an overall pace of around 7.75mph. If your pace was 10.5mph, you must have taken over 2 hours of stops each day. Fair play to you, I'd love to take such a laid back approach, but will probably prefer to reach my destination a bit earlier.

Nothing wrong with your maths, but that two hours of stops isn't necessarily two hours lounging around in a cafe! Every junction, every toilet break, every map/route check... it soon adds up. On a 200km Audax I can lose 40 min without having considered I'd "stopped".
Another reason I prefer early starts is that I'm sometimes nervous of completing the days distance (Camping gives more flexibility) Having at least 50% done by say midday leaves me far more relaxed. I'm more inclined to stop and use banked time, than do so assuming I can make it up later.
You didn't say if you intended to do any warm up tours or jump straight in, you may find what works on paper doesn't while on the road. Some people like that adventure, having done the trip on foot has probably taught you all you need to know about the mental aspect, which is IMO more likely to be the cause of people not finishing than the physical.
afanasiew
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »


...4 other things will too.

Hills
Poor road surfaces
Rest/feeding time
Fatigue

All of these meant that at worst, we were averaging 7 to 8 mph where my normal speed is upto 15mph.

So worth taking on view on those too, fair to say the hills in the SW on gravelly lanes are slower than fhe flat lanes in Essex!


Hi

How was your state of fitness? Your normal speed was 15mph on the flat, but was that laden?

My training rides will necessarily by hilly, here in Dorset. I'm currently fit for walking (e.g. a recent 30-miler with 5,250 ft of ascent), but that doesn't translate directly into cycling fitness - yesterday's 20-miler has left my thighs tired! I'm also doing numerous exercises aimed at avoiding knee issues.

According to the guy on whose route mine is based, 90% is on tarmac, the rest on packed dirt of grass, e.g. towpaths.

I'd hope that, by going S > N, the prevailing wind will help rather than hinder but of course, in this country, you never know!

I tend to have a huge breakfast then only cereal bar/peanuts/isotonic en route, with maybe a coffee & cake thrown in.

So, I'd hope to average at least 10 mph, ideally 12 mph, but I certainly take your points about the obstacles to that target.

Cheers

Tony
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Paulatic
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by Paulatic »

afanasiew wrote:I'd hope that, by going S > N, the prevailing wind will help rather than hinder but of course, in this country, you never know!


In May I reckon the odds are against you.
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afanasiew
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »

bluelagos wrote:
PH wrote:
bluelagos wrote:
I'd love to see details of your route. Sub 3k climbing sounds bliss!

A day? That sounds a bit high to me, I think mine averaged less than that over 11 days.


My route is mental, plenty of days over 5k, thnk we hit 8k one day. Wont be sure til have checked all the strava (new to me) but clearly going over Wales highest pass and up the penines,was never the low road :D

(Not my choice!)


You're welcome. I sought out hills and the off-road options when walking because walking's what I do. Cycling's a different matter - very much amateur status, so I'm all for the easier, albeit low traffic volume options.
afanasiew
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »

PH wrote:
afanasiew wrote:8.30 - 5.30 is 9 hours, so covering 70 miles gives an overall pace of around 7.75mph. If your pace was 10.5mph, you must have taken over 2 hours of stops each day. Fair play to you, I'd love to take such a laid back approach, but will probably prefer to reach my destination a bit earlier.

Nothing wrong with your maths, but that two hours of stops isn't necessarily two hours lounging around in a cafe! Every junction, every toilet break, every map/route check... it soon adds up. On a 200km Audax I can lose 40 min without having considered I'd "stopped".
Another reason I prefer early starts is that I'm sometimes nervous of completing the days distance (Camping gives more flexibility) Having at least 50% done by say midday leaves me far more relaxed. I'm more inclined to stop and use banked time, than do so assuming I can make it up later.
You didn't say if you intended to do any warm up tours or jump straight in, you may find what works on paper doesn't while on the road. Some people like that adventure, having done the trip on foot has probably taught you all you need to know about the mental aspect, which is IMO more likely to be the cause of people not finishing than the physical.


I'll certainly aim to do consecutive 60-milers as the date approaches. With walking I find that fitness improves as you go.

People ask or warn about the mental aspect, but it's something I struggle to understand. If I start on a challenge, I do nothing else until it's finished; stopping doesn't enter my mind as long as the body's able. My theory is that those who doubt, falter and become dispirited are simply not eating or drinking enough!
afanasiew
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by afanasiew »

Paulatic wrote:
afanasiew wrote:I'd hope that, by going S > N, the prevailing wind will help rather than hinder but of course, in this country, you never know!


In May I reckon the odds are against you.


Thanks for the upbeat encouragement, Paulatic! Should I complete, it won't detract from your achievement, you know.

I had awesome weather for the SWCP in 2018, which led me to expect a poor summer for my walking LEJOG in 2019 and yes, it was a lot wetter. Now this year's been pretty good, especially during the first lockdown, so I fully expect a relatively worse experience next year. We do seem to be getting a lot of easterlies, maybe due to global warming and changes in the jet stream but, whatever you get, you deal with it. Nil carborundum!
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Paulatic
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Re: Average speed (laden) for LEJOG

Post by Paulatic »

afanasiew wrote:
Paulatic wrote:
afanasiew wrote:I'd hope that, by going S > N, the prevailing wind will help rather than hinder but of course, in this country, you never know!


In May I reckon the odds are against you.


Thanks for the upbeat encouragement, Paulatic! Should I complete, it won't detract from your achievement, you know.

I

It wasn’t any form encouragement. Just a fact observed from many years of cycling that in the Spring there are lots of winds from N&E. It’s probably why the ground dries up and we can sow seeds.

Should I complete, You've recently said you never fail and now there’s doubt?

I’m not quite sure whatever it is I’ve achieved has any revelance :o
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