Cycling UK Forum

25 mph for a 25 mile time would be respectable for an average racer but nothing great. Most pros manage closer to the 30 mph if they're on their game. However the world record isn't quite at 30 mph yet. I think a recumbent without fairing has managed 29.76mph.

As for normal humans - 15+ mph is respectable, I know quite a few 70+ year olds who can still manage that on long rides. I think if you take stops like lights into account then your average speed will drop considerably, but most computers have an automatic switch off when the speed reads 0.

If you never push yourself to become stronger then you'll never average 20 but most people use their experience to improve, some are content with low speeds and why not, it's nice to load a pic-nic and just cruise around.

kster - I think your crank is one of those cheap ones where you can't just replace the chainrings. You can get a new crank and front derailleur for around a £100 - Shimano Deore quality with a 48 T ring, but I would scrap that idea and buy a faster bike that is part tourer and part road racer with a flat bar - starting at around £300. They're fast, tough and good for any kind of riding.

Sorry, that was long winded.

There must be a lot of factors involved in these averages: fitness, age, type of bike, load carried, terrain, weather, traffic and whether you're pushing all the time as in a race or going comfortably so you can hold a conversation. I had a look at the Bealach na Ba Challenge results which is 90 miles and about 8K feet of climbing. The winner averaged about 21 mph, while the last recorded was about 10 mph. So it depends on why you're cycling

geocycle wrote:Do many folk really record averages of 20mph?

No.

"Many Folk" IHMO are Normal Folk.
Racers and TT's manage it, but normal cyclists don't.

I keep a Bike Rides Diary. I record my average speeds as well as how far and where to as well. My averages vary between 14.5mph and 11.5mph depending on where I go or how fit I'm feeling. Let alone the weather.

Cruising speed is another matter again. That can vary on so many things, even more than the average speed.

Regarding the MTBs on the road;

A friend and myself managed 18mph average on the Liverpool - Chester - Liverpool ride last summer. Riding in organised rides like that help your motivation and slip streaming riders and riding in at least pairs helps as one take the wind for a while.

That ride was with (26"*1.5) tyres while I was still on a 11-34 rear cassette, and a 22,32,44 chainset. Using spreadsheet estimates 11 - 44 with 90 cadence gives just shy of 27mph, which means you definitely run out of gears down hill. I've since upgraded to a 11-32 rear, and 26,36,48 front and at 90rpms your at about 29mph, but with a 120rpm sprint it would be possible to touch 38mph.

All that said on an average (windless) 14 - 17 mile ride (commute) the averages where around 15-17mph. These got knocked right down if you hit a wind though. Riding like that was riding hard, and I never quite managed the five day commute!

Got on my bike for the first for two months time last weekend and was struggling to get averages of 15 over 10 miles. Alas your fitness drops off A LOT quicker than it builds!

I remember a chap doing LEJOG in under 2 days at an ave speed of close to 20mph. It was some time in 80's and he was 45 and from Manchester wheelers. If you can get under 20 minutes for 10 miles you doing pretty well. Greame Obrea on his Old Faithful managed 18mins&36 secs and also did 50 miles in 1hour 39 minutes. For me it is not really about speed but getting out into the beautiful British countryside and getting some fresh air.

Gethin Butler holds the End to End record with a time of 1 day, 20 hours, 4 minutes and 19 seconds. He did this in September 2001. He also set a new 24hour record of 509.3 miles during the ride and continued to set a new record for 1000 miles.

MickF may have been a tad slower but he was pulling a trailer....

I recall a 9 year old on a 20" wheel drop bar 5 speed hammering across the flat part of northern Finisterre (Brittany) at 18mph with me struggling to stay alongside on a loaded touring bike. I also recall running out of food on Assomption when all the shops are shut & struggling to maintain 8mph.
These things, as they say, are relative!

thirdcrank wrote:MickF may have been a tad slower but he was pulling a trailer....

AND I went there and back!

(Ta, TC!)