I do record my average speed from my cycle computer each ride and my average average is high 13's mph. Ride when I've got plenty of energy my average might be in the low 14's mph, sluggish day low 13's mph.
Yet article from CUK says an average cyclist rides between 15-20 mph! I've never managed a ride averaging even 15 mph. Maybe I should be "trying harder" and never appreciated I am "below average".
I always found it was down to mileage. When I commuted 30 miles a day I could hold 20mph average with panniers on a tourer. Now I do about 6 miles a day and would struggle holding much more than 15 (without panniers), I'm not even sure I could reach 20 on a straight!
Your "just riding along" speed on a relatively flat road will be significant higher than your average (mean) speed (especially if your average is the overall average rather than moving average). Slowing & accelerating for junctions, etc. can make a surprisingly big difference to the overall average for a ride.
I don't think 15-20 is unreasonable for steady speed riding on flats roads. (Would probably be "mode" average IIRC?)
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Personally I average about 12mph fuelled by whatever I was going to eat anyway with the occassional supplement of cake from a suitable cafe. If it drops to 10mph I'm not bothered, if it reached 15mph I'd be checking the calibration of the computer .
I think it's safe to say that the article has been written with sports nutrition for amateur athletes in mind, at least that's how I read it. That isn't made clear in the links to the article from other pages on the website.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
gaz wrote:Personally I average about 12mph fuelled by whatever I was going to eat anyway with the occassional supplement of cake from a suitable cafe. If it drops to 10mph I'm not bothered, if it reached 15mph I'd be checking the calibration of the computer :wink: .
I think it's safe to say that the article has been written with sports nutrition for amateur athletes in mind, at least that's how I read it. That isn't made clear in the links to the article from other pages on the website.
Do articles like this risk discouraging cycling as an every day activity, something you just do without needing all sorts of special gear, diet considerations, etc. (Although I mostly wear a helmet) one argument about personal choice is that helmet compulsion could discourage people from "just getting on their bikes and going for a ride". Do you think articles about having to consider what you eat could have a similar effect making everyday cycling seem too complex and thus discouraging people?
Yes, it starts making it look harder than it is, like it's something you need to plan, train for etc etc, rather than just popping out for a ride. Sheldon Brown wrote an article about how he thought bike-a-thons and sportives for charity are a bad idea, as it gives the idea that cycling is hard and you will suffer if you go out for a ride.
Psamathe wrote:Do articles like this risk discouraging cycling as an every day activity, something you just do without needing all sorts of special gear, diet considerations, etc. ...
IMO yes articles like this can discourage people from taking up cycling, although I'd be a little surprised if this particular one actually did.
I would hope that anyone reading the article would realise that the writer isn't talking about getting on your bike for a three mile trip to the shops or a ten mile commute to work for that matter.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
Psamathe wrote:Do articles like this risk discouraging cycling as an every day activity, something you just do without needing all sorts of special gear, diet considerations, etc. ...
IMO yes articles like this can discourage people from taking up cycling, although I'd be a little surprised if this particular one actually did.
I would hope that anyone reading the article would realise that the writer isn't talking about getting on your bike for a three mile trip to the shops or a ten mile commute to work for that matter.
I would agree with that, IMO it isn't a bad article, but totally inappropriate without making it clear she's talking about a particular genre of cycling and the further away from that you get the less it applies. I've been out today with the local CTC group, averaged 18 (KPH!!) fuelled by a cheese scone and a slice of cake. A typical CTC group route, lanes, tracks and bridleways that even the fittest triathlete would struggle to average 20 mph on.
Goodness me, it's all to do with ascent per mile. Live somewhere "normal" and no doubt I could average 15mph or more .................... round here? Don't make me laugh
Try riding 20/30/40/50 miles with circa 100ft of ascent per mile like I do just about every time I'm out. Today for instance.
I tow a 20kg lump everywhere I go, so frankly I'm amazed I even keep moving when I hit a hill. Don't use a computer (would be too depressing) but must average around 10mph. I don't care, I do this to relax.
I upload my GPS to Strava purely for archiving purposes and because I know it records 'moving averages' correctly after discarding stops ... I'm wrong side of sixty, last 8 road rides, average of averages per Strava = 21.3 k/h or 13 mph. Rolling countryside at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds but does include a couple of Nunburnholme 'chevron' ascents which for me is a walking speed slog.
Psamathe wrote:I do record my average speed from my cycle computer each ride and my average average is high 13's mph. Ride when I've got plenty of energy my average might be in the low 14's mph, sluggish day low 13's mph.
Yet article from CUK says an average cyclist rides between 15-20 mph! I've never managed a ride averaging even 15 mph. Maybe I should be "trying harder" and never appreciated I am "below average".
When I was a youff such a statement would have been greeted with "yer bum's out the window" pronounced in a stern Belfast accent. I would guess that the average trained, 30-year-old cyclist on a carbon butterfly might well motor along at such speeds, but if you include every cyclist of every age and condition (and exclude electric cheats) I would suspect that 8 mph might be nearer the mark. Crikey, my Tuesday dander was at an average of 21.6 kph (you work it out) and I was fair boogerd at the end of it.
I would be delighted to turn in an average of 13 mph. Last time I did that was when I was 60.
Some folk live in flat areas and can maintain much higher speeds - much of Lancashire, Norfolk and Suffolk where there's only slopes, it ain't flat around 'ere.
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
al_yrpal wrote:There are lots slower than you, me for a start!
About 10.4 on the Dobbin
About 11.8 on the Mercian
And about 8 offroad on the MTB in winter
Some folk live in flat areas and can maintain much higher speeds - much of Lancashire, Norfolk and Suffolk where there's only slopes, it ain't flat around 'ere.
Al
At least the hills give you some respite from the wind. I suspect my ride home tonight is going to be in single figures
I average high 13s in the hills(1000ft of ascent per 10miles) and mid-high 15s in "The Flatlands" between Barnsley/Doncaster/Wakefield/Selby where's its more like 300ft per 10miles. In the two CCs I'm a member of this is considered a slow or "Social" pace or 'B' ride. The A rides are 18-22mph(depending on terrain) over 50-80miles. Personally I'm happy where I am.I have done 17.5mph average on a flattish 40 miles but it hurt.
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