What's your average speed?

[Spinners]

Just looked at my last solo ride and I averaged a very modest 15mph (quite sobering when I regularly went under 5 hours in a 100-mile TT on a bog-standard road bike).

[Darkman]

Roads around here are mostly flat so yeah the term "average" is open to some interpretation, but from what you've said I'm OK with managing 10-14mph - especially as I'm totally out of shape.

I've only done relatively short rides but I know I can go longer - I just haven't - mainly as I dont have a GPS and Lincolnshire's b-roads that I prefer to stick to can be a bit of a maze.

[foxyrider]

when i was a yoof and later when i was competing at a fairly high level, i'd ride everywhere at a minimum 20mph, after all when i was racing it would usually be at 28 to 35 mph.

these days, as junior codger, most of my riding is done at @ mid teens but put me in a semi competitive sportive ride and i could be knocking out 20mph plus for extended periods. That said, on a fast, flat 200km sportive i've ridden a few times, my usual average speed is @19.5mph. Of course, variables like bike, terrain, weather can make a big impact, i can easily be 2/3mph faster over the same route on my carbon plaything compared to one of the 'tourers'.

i would suggest that CUK rides may be the friendliest way into group rides - especially as you don't ride a road bike - its not so much that they are sniffy but especially less experienced riders can cause issues when group riding on atb's (gearing, handlebar width, braking performance). Club rides tend to be more regimented and i've had to nurse riders home after they've blown on a club run that got a little too enthusiastic!

I really like riding in a group but rarely do so these days, the racing bods go out when i don't want to and i find myself doing a lot of waiting about if i go out with slower groups.

[Si]

Normally about 12.5 when by my self. Funnily enough hills dont seem to make much difference as i tend to ride slow on the flat but compared to many others i dont slow as much when starting upwards.

[softlips]

Most clubs have a group ride which will go at the speed of the slowest rider with lots of pauses. I’d encourage you to try a ride with them. The rides tend to be slower this time of year anyway.

[ossie]

On tour fully loaded with 4 panniers and a tent it ranges between 9.5 - 12.5 mph.

On the road bike 13-16 mph dependant on route. 16 is a bloody good day

[The utility cyclist]

If I'm absolutely caning it and don't get held up by motors I can get from one side of town to the other (mine to my son's house) at 18mph average, that's 3.1 miles with 8 roundabouts and 3 junctions, there is however 95ft elevation loss which definitely helps!

On a steady but efforted ride out on a dry day with not much wind and say 40 feet per mile elevation I'd probably average about 16mph but it really can vary hugely with regards to weather, terrain and how you're feeling physically on any given day and also what mood you're in. Some days you want to ride as hard as you can, other days you're happy to potter around and just get a bit of exercise without really turning yourself inside out whilst also stopping for the odd farm shop or village pub which I generally wouldn't do on a hard ride, I don't do cake/cafe stops at all.

TBH though, just ride, ride as hard or a gentle as you feel like, if you want to keep tabs on average speed, that's fine, but for many it becomes an obsession with mile logging and trying to beat a certain time/speed over a known distance or course (Strava for instance with all its pitfalls). For me that usually means you're focusing on a very narrow aspect of cycling and some of the enjoyment of it is lost whilst also increasing your danger potentially.
Yup, some people 'enjoy' hurting themselves to go as fast as possible whether as a solo rider or in a group, personally whilst I can leave myself absolutely spent I'm really not obsessed with how fast I'm going, I'll just ride as hard as a can (whilst being safe first and foremost) but I'm equally happy to mix that up with balls out and then literally turning the pedals over, sometimes I'll just ride slow from the outset and only ride hard if I feel the irge which maybe never on any given day.

ATEOTD don't sweat it about your speed, if you're cycling regularly, get out of breath for extended periods you're doing something good for your body.
Have fun out on the roads

[Marcus Aurelius]

Ooh - too much info for me. I just ride a bike and travel at whatever speed I can or want to. The benefit of not riding with anyone else.

Quite right. I gave up caring too much about most ‘numbers’ long ago. The power @ Cadence thing is the only thing I tend to be mindful of really now, as it just makes for a more comfortable experience, on a longer ride.

[eileithyia]

Depends on the terrain, cycling companions etc. In a group with shelter and conversation etc., can be skipping along at 14-18mph. Solo often find I am nearer 12-14mph but will often have faster bursts within that, so could be bowling along at higher speeds sometimes and slower at others.

Yesterday when the rain started 3 miles out from cafe, flat bit of road, the speed was 18-20mph.... the tea and toasted bagel was calling as was the dry and warmth.

PS note MickF, this was at the start of Syd Brook Lane by the Robin Hood pub, which sadly is now boarded up and looking for a buyer.

[Audax67]

As MickF said, average speed varies with terrain. I took the very hilly route to my favourite cake/coffee shop on Tuesday, and although I came home a much easier way I still only turned in 20.2 kph* over 95 km. In general, it varies inversely with age as well; and since nobody grows any younger, second childhood notwithstanding, mine is no longer as pleasing as once it was. Never mind, I'll still make it to the crematorium.

* for those who are uncomfortable with the metric system, that's 6.738005017 x 10^-5 c

[mjr]

And the micturation contest begins! There seem to be three walls this time: speed, being so tough not to need a group and most scientific ride measurements.

[Mick F]

PS note MickF, this was at the start of Syd Brook Lane by the Robin Hood pub, which sadly is now boarded up and looking for a buyer.

Cousin lives on Langton Brow, and her mother's mother and father lived on Tinklers Lane.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/garstonian/3826491981

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Syd ... -2.7544769

[mercalia]

9 mph hmm maybe I should translate that to KMh

[DNC123]

9 mph hmm maybe I should translate that to KMh

Then nobody would know how fast you were really going

[Tangled Metal]

My 7 mile commute used to be 12mph average when I took it up again after a hiatus 7 years ago. I got up to 15 to 16mph after a few months. Then I went downhill in performance terms which coincided with asthma symptoms after 2 to 3 years. Now I'm happy with 12mph average when on my own. With my partner I get 9mph and she thinks that's fast!

10+ years ago on my ancient road bike (steel 9.5kg same weight as my gravel bike now ) I used to consistently average 20 to 21mph. Metronomic pace as I always got that average speed. Then one nasty weather ride home with very strong cross winds and heavy rain I did it in 24mph average. Never matched it since. It definitely wasn't wind assisted just I wanted to get out of it so much. I absolutely tore myself apart to make that average too.

One little point, how do you calculate your average speed? Now I use a Garmin 25 gps and a Fitbit GPS watch. They stop when I do. Back in the day I looked at the time on my watch both ends and noted the distance. That included stopping at lights. So that probably means 21 and 24mph were a bit higher in actual moving average speed. I was younger and fitter then.

Average speed matters only if you ride with a group that doesn't ride at the speed of the slowest.