Boy am I slow...

[Jolt]

I was riding back from the grocery store this afternoon with a very light load (the trip was mainly to get city trash bags as we were out and tomorrow is trash day), and was riding up a fairly gradual incline on this one street and all of a sudden I hear another bike coming up on my left. Somewhat unusual around here, and even more unusual was that this guy was wearing a fluorescent/reflective vest as I do. Anyway, he blew by me like I was flippin' STANDING STILL!! And it wasn't like he was even trying to go fast--he looked like just another person using his bike to get around town, not a racing type (although he was on a road bike rather than a hybrid). I'm not sure why it bothered me so much, but I felt like I wanted to go crawl in a hole! I guess I didn't realize how slow I really was until then. I'd say my average speed was about 12 mph (the majority of the return trip is uphill). Sorry for the random vent, just aggravated with myself right now!

[Zen]

Don't be too tough on yourself here. In this case equipment is somewhat a factor. I rode a mountain bike on roads last year (oof!). This year I'm on the Pilot and I eat hills.

[madscot13]

I am pretty slow too... I think I average from 12-13 miles an hour. I think my fastest was 14.5 and I was racing how to watch Grey's anatomy.;) I am not sure how to increase my speed other than just riding. But man do I want to get faster, I am sick of missing my favorite TV shows.

[ace]

Hey Jolt,

I just got a road bike, rode a hybrid for many years. All of a sudden I am the person blowing by others (without tremendous effort on my part). In the past I was always the blow-ee. For me, it's completely a function of the bike. Going 12 mph on a hybrid takes sooo much more effort for me than going 16 mph on a road bike (at least on my bikes).

Don't feel bad.

-Amy

[Jolt]

Don't be too tough on yourself here. In this case equipment is somewhat a factor. I rode a mountain bike on roads last year (oof!). This year I'm on the Pilot and I eat hills.

Do you think part of my problem might have been that I didn't have the tires pumped up to the point where they're rock-hard? It seems like letting them have a little "give" helps with the ride on the crappy roads (we have potholes and gravel out the wazoo here), but maybe I should experiment with pumping them up to a higher pressure and see if that helps with speed--I have a feeling it would.

[Zen]

I am pretty slow too... But man do I want to get faster, I am sick of missing my favorite TV shows.

:D
That sounds like a great incentive.

[mimitabby]

if you let your tires get soft, the "Give" will pinch your tubes and flatten your tires. Put enough air in your tires to meet the minimum pressure recommended if you are a lightweight; more if you are heavier than average.

You will move a lot faster on properly inflated tires!

ps 12mph is NOT slow

[Jolt]

Hey Jolt,

I just got a road bike, rode a hybrid for many years. All of a sudden I am the person blowing by others (without tremendous effort on my part). In the past I was always the blow-ee. For me, it's completely a function of the bike. Going 12 mph on a hybrid takes sooo much more effort for me than going 16 mph on a road bike (at least on my bikes).

Don't feel bad.

-Amy

So the type of bike really makes a big difference? I guess riding this one will get me in really good shape then! I haven't ridden a road bike other than short test spins when helping work on a couple at the local bike co-op.

[Jolt]

if you let your tires get soft, the "Give" will pinch your tubes and flatten your tires. Put enough air in your tires to meet the minimum pressure recommended if you are a lightweight; more if you are heavier than average.

You will move a lot faster on properly inflated tires!

ps 12mph is NOT slow

Sounds like I'd better add some air then--I don't need a flat!

[madscot13]

Oh yes I agree with the air thing, low psi makes me feel extra sluggish. However, I ride a trek 520, a nice little touring bike. Is there that much of a difference between a "road bike" and my "touring bike"?

[Geonz]

Please please *don't* be discouraged by your relative speed at this stage. If you try a group ride and can't keep up, get out there and work on your technique and distance and strength. You've only justbegun!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

For what it's worth, I don't agree with the rock-hard tires thing=faster speed.
Yes, seriously underinflated tires are not good. But there is a happy medium.
Super inflated tires will have less contact with the road and will bounce more on the upper surface of uneven pavement irregularities. The millions of tiny vertical bounces will add up to wasted forward motion. Medium inflated tires will make better road contact and thus transit forward motion energy better.
My tires say maximum inflation recommended is 105 lb/sq.inch....that's "maximum". I keep them at 95 on the rear wheel and 85 on the front. That is nowhere NEAR low enough to get a pinch flat, mind you. With these pressures, I have stable steering and a smooth quick ride, and I'm not bouncing off every pebble like a kangaroo or feeling every nasty bump right on my "keester". :)

[mimitabby]

Lisa, me neither. i use 90 lbs for my tires too.
but if they are "GIVING" they are too soft!

[madscot13]

Please please *don't* be discouraged by your relative speed at this stage. If you try a group ride and can't keep up, get out there and work on your technique and distance and strength. You've only justbegun!!!

Do you have any specific hints? i would love to hear them

[RoseC]

I have a cheap cyclocomputer to mount on my bike, but I haven't done it yet...I'm kind of afraid of what my average speed is gonna be. My guess is not much above 10mph at this point...the "casual" local group ride is something like 12-15mph. You're doing a lot better than me!

But hey, it means more room for improvement, right? And I have big tires on my Volpe right now...once I'm a little more used to the road position, I'll switch 'em out for something skinnier.

I'd like to see any tips more experienced riders can give on improving speed!

[ace]

Yup, it'll give you really strong legs! I honestly didn't expect the road bike to make THAT much of a difference, but I am shocked. These are the differences I've noticed:

1) my "I'm not thinking about riding and not putting in any effort" speed has increased by about 3-4 mph

2) I can actually ride 19 mph on a flat road and not feel like it's all that hard (though I don't know how long I could keep it up. On my hybrid I never got past 16 mph).

3) Getting up hills is, dare I say it, almost easy. On my hybrid, it was always a major struggle.

4) The bike actually feels like it's riding itself, it's the strangest thing. My pt, who's a cycling coach, said that means it really fits me (and it should, it's a custom frame).

Transitioning from the hybrid to the road bike has completely changed my outlook on riding. I keep getting the urge to go out and ride hills!

-Amy

[Jolt]

Well, I just went out to the shed and put some more air in my tires. They were at about 30 psi (max. recommended pressure for these tires is 80). I got them up to about 50-55 and they don't have the "give" now--I was afraid that if I put in much more air one might blow! I don't weigh much (105 lbs), so I probably don't need to be near the max pressure anyway. We'll see how much different it feels the next time I ride it--maybe the tire pressure really WAS the problem!

[mimitabby]

okay Jolt, NOW try that hill :D

[indysteel]

Jolt, you might ask your LBS how low you can go with those tires. Fifty psi still sounds underinflated to me if the max is 80. You won't blow them if you inflate them higher than 50 psi; I promise. While I agree that you don't need to inflate a tire to max pressure, especially if you're light, I'm afraid that you still might be at risk for a pinch flat. And whatever you do, always inflate your tires before every ride. You'd be surprised how much air they lose just by sitting there.

As for speed, since it sounds like you're beginner, all you really need to concentrate on right now is riding more. Don't worry that much about how fast you're going. Greater speed will come naturally as you get in better shape, learn to choose the best gear for the conditions, and increase your cadence (rotations of the pedal per minute) up. Have fun with it.

[rij73]

Jolt, what kind of bike do you have specifically? I'm learning that hybrid is a really general term. Some would call my bike a hybrid, but I call it a flat-bar road bike. It is a road-bike frame and components with a mountain bike handlebar. Even with that, I know that I am just naturally going to go slower than if I were riding my husband's carbon road bike.

[Jolt]

Jolt, what kind of bike do you have specifically? I'm learning that hybrid is a really general term. Some would call my bike a hybrid, but I call it a flat-bar road bike. It is a road-bike frame and components with a mountain bike handlebar. Even with that, I know that I am just naturally going to go slower than if I were riding my husband's carbon road bike.

Well, this is definitely not a flat-bar road bike! This model (Giant Nutra WSD, from probably the mid '90s) goes by mountain bike sizing and has a mountain-bike component group (Shimano Altus, 21-speed) but has 700c wheels. It has a cromoly frame and isn't all that light, probably 30 or 35 pounds. The riding position is quite upright, which is good for riding in traffic but does make headwinds a real bugger! Hope this info helps.

[missymaya]

The type of bike and tire pressure do affect speed, but don't let the techy part of riding get in the way of riding. I went riding with a fast group on Saturday and there was a guy on a mountain bike with huge nubby tires, sitting upright and was still haulin' tail at 24mph while I was riding my road bike with tiny tires in the drops trying to keep up!!! It takes time to build speed and strength and if your riding a heavier bike with fatter tires, whether they're underinflated or not, you're building more strength than you know. If you hopped on a road bike with smaller tires and a more light weight frame, I'm sure you would go faster.
Don't be discouraged, just keep riding and in time, you'll be faster.

[suzieqtwa]

I am sooooooooo slow. I get passed by everyone. :mad: The only people I can pass are the runners. On a 40 mile ride my average is about 13.3. I can get up in the 20s on flats ,but my average is always 13 something no matter how hard I try. I just smile when I get passed. I keep my tires up to 115-120. I know with my weight I should probably drop the pressure ,but I like the bumps. My tires call for 120 max.

[northstar]

I wasn't going to put a computer on my road bike for this reason! I didn't want to feel bad if I wasn't as fast as I thought I should be! I did get a computer, but I don't look at my average speed at all while I ride. I found myself doing so the first few times, and then I wound up pushing myself harder than I wanted to, just to bring up my average. I didn't like it. So now, I just leave it set to show the clock and my current speed, I ride the speed I think I should ride when I think I should ride it, and check the rest of the info post-ride. I just want to enjoy. :)

[F8th637]

I had the computer sitting around in the box for a few months before I finally put it on this week. Today was my first ride with it. Mine doesn't have an average speed but when I type my time and distance in BikeJournal.com I can get a good sense of what it was. But I do like knowing now about how fast I'm going on flats, etc. Now when I see group rides that post the average speed I know how fast that is. I get passed all the time and I'm on a hybrid or fitness/city bike. I'm just starting out so I figure I have to work my way up. In the meantime I'll guess work my legs out extra on the tougher bike. ;) I was 16-17 mph on flats but definitely slower on the hills. According to BikeJournal.com I averaged a little under 12 mph but I don't know if that includes my stopping time. I do know though that I am faster than I was when I first started. :D

[DarcyInOregon]

For what it's worth, I don't agree with the rock-hard tires thing=faster speed.
Yes, seriously underinflated tires are not good. But there is a happy medium.
Super inflated tires will have less contact with the road and will bounce more on the upper surface of uneven pavement irregularities. The millions of tiny vertical bounces will add up to wasted forward motion. Medium inflated tires will make better road contact and thus transit forward motion energy better.
My tires say maximum inflation recommended is 105 lb/sq.inch....that's "maximum". I keep them at 95 on the rear wheel and 85 on the front. That is nowhere NEAR low enough to get a pinch flat, mind you. With these pressures, I have stable steering and a smooth quick ride, and I'm not bouncing off every pebble like a kangaroo or feeling every nasty bump right on my "keester". :)

Lisa, I keep my tires inflated to 130; the maximum is 145. I don't bounce on anything except large bumps; my daily rides are smooth and fun. I don't have road shock. My cruising speed is between 16 and 19 and I can increase my speed if I desire. I prefer more air pressure because it gives me a better ride. If I kept my tire pressure as low as 95 I would be slooooooooooooow.

Darcy

[DarcyInOregon]

I am sooooooooo slow. I get passed by everyone. :mad: The only people I can pass are the runners. On a 40 mile ride my average is about 13.3. I can get up in the 20s on flats ,but my average is always 13 something no matter how hard I try. I just smile when I get passed. I keep my tires up to 115-120. I know with my weight I should probably drop the pressure ,but I like the bumps. My tires call for 120 max.

Suzie, the owner of the LBS told me yesterday that the average speed is typically 3-4 mph less than the normal cruising speed on a ride. He said to be able to factor out the slow downs for stops, other slow downs and the hills in order to determine the average cruising speed on a longer ride, take the computer's average speed and add 3-4. That would give you 16-17, which sound about right.

For example, when we did the metric together a few weeks ago, we pedaled most of the miles at between 15 and 19 into the constant wind, yet ended up at 13. If we add 3-4 to that 13, it gives us 16-17, right in the range we were pedaling for most of the ride.

Darcy

[missymaya]

Remember about the thing with averaging is, is that it is much harder to increase the average speed of a ride than to decrease. If you slow down at all during a ride (whether it be hills, coming to a stop, wind, etc), the average speed will be affected easily. For example, I rode a 5 mile loop in a neighborhood with 5 stop signs. Even though, in between the stop signs I was riding at 25mph (most of the ride does not have stops), at the end of the ride, completing 20 miles, my average was 19.5. I have to factor the stop signs and how slowly I approached them, which due to the all vehicular traffic, the stops were slow. It also was very windy and rainy, always fun. Hopefully this might also explain the "slow" average, which by the way, 16-17mph average is pretty darn quick.

[Thorn]

But.....does it matter if we're slow? Do you enjoy riding? Do you feel like you're flying even if it is only downhill? If so, isn't that enough?

In my younger days, I was much faster. I did triathlons and my bike times were almost always in the top ten women (...now my swimming...ok, never last out of the water, but pretty darn close :-).

I started riding again a couple of years back. Age and years of inactivity and now I'm slow and I don't care. Sure, I'm faster today than when I started up 3 years ago. Sure, the road bike is faster than the hybrid, but most days, we average only 13 mph.

I look at it this way....if there weren't slow people like me, the fast people wouldn't be able to feel so fast!

Some day I'm going to find a jersey for my hypothetical "racing" team, Equipo Tortuga and wear it proudly whilst being passed by the hares.

[missymaya]

There's nothing wrong with going "slow". And slow is a frame of mind anyway. What may be fast to me, may be slow to someone else and vice versa. Again, what it comes down to is, whether or not your having fun and enjoying it.

[SadieKate]

From roadbikereview issue dated 11/09/06 :

1. Weekly Dispatch o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o

We heard the buzz about a surprising new tire test in Bicycle Quarterly, a nifty magazine published in Seattle and edited by Jan Heine. The name was Vintage Bicycle Quarterly until recently, but "vintage" has been axed because it implied the mag was about old, collectible bikes and equipment.

Well, plenty of pages are devoted to arcane and interesting gear, history and randonneur-style riding, but Bicycle Quarterly also publishes cutting-edge material. The tire test is testimony, appearing in the Autumn 2006 issue.

Heine gave RBR permission to summarize several major findings. Interestingly, they confirm lots of what Uncle Al has been ranting about for years regarding tire width and inflation pressure.

Some test conclusions will be particularly enlightening if you're riding on narrow, high-pressure clinchers seeking more speed via lower rolling resistance. Your skinny tires may not be as fast as you think.

For the full eight-page report on tire performance, order the Vol. 5 No. 1 issue from http://www.bicyclequarterly.com. The test included nine 700C tires, seven 650B tires and two tubulars. The protocol and results were reviewed by industry experts. These are eight findings:

---With roughly the same power output, the rider's speed can vary by as much as 20% depending on tire choice. For example, the rider on the fastest tire [in this roll-down test] moved down the road at approximately 16.4 mph (26.2 kph) while the same rider on the slowest tire went approximately 13.6 mph (21.7 kph).

---Many longtime riders believe tires with a cotton casing are faster than modern casings made from nylon. Testing seems to confirm this. The best-performing tire in the test, the Deda Tre Giro d'Italia 700x23C (actual width 24.5 mm), has a cotton casing.

---Tire pressure has only a small effect on the rolling resistance of most tires. Narrow 23-mm tires seem to roll fastest at pressures of 105 psi (7.2 bar) or more. However, running these tires at 85 psi (5.8 bar) for improved comfort increased the test times only 2%. Wider 28-mm tires are as fast at 85 psi as they are at higher pressures.

---Tubular tires perform worse at very high pressure. At 130 psi (9 bar), the narrow Clement Criterium rolled slower than it did at a more comfortable 105 psi. The wider Clement Campione del Mundo rolled slightly faster at 85 psi than at 105 psi.

---Wide tires do not roll slower at lower pressures. In fact, testing indicated that a wide tire at lower pressures rolls faster than a narrow tire at high pressures, if all other factors remain the same. Even narrow tires can be ridden at comfortable pressures with only very small concessions to performance.

---Tires rolled slightly slower with Michelin's relatively thick latex tubes than with butyl tubes. Thinner latex tubes, like used in tubular tires, may offer better performance, but when used in clinchers they are more prone to punctures caused by friction between tire and tube. Latex tubes do improve comfort.

---Perhaps the most important result of the test is that tire pressure does not significantly affect rolling resistance. Wide tires in particular do not need high pressures to roll fast. But because many current wide tires are designed to handle high pressure, they have strong casings that lack suppleness. This results in higher rolling resistance than necessary.

---The test's findings point to a new direction for performance bicycles. For most cyclists, wide, supple tires at low pressures offer more speed, better comfort, increased versatility and improved safety than today's narrow high-pressure tires. However, this type of wide, fast tire currently is not available. Hopefully, these test results will help persuade manufacturers to produce them.

[Veronica]

Will helium in my tires make me faster?

I just got red tires. Red is a faster color than gray, right?

V.

[maillotpois]

From Sheldon Brown:

CO2 is heavier than air, you will make your bike heavy and slow if you
use it. Helium is lighter, the only way to go if you want speed and
safety.

If you are willing to live dangerously, Hydrogen is lighter and cheaper
than Helium, but don't smoke while riding your bike if you use
Hydrogen...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I've ridden about 3,500 miles now, and my average speed is still remaining between 9 and 10 mph. I pedal actively but I'm not concentrating on upping my speed as much as I am working on doing longer distances. I managed a 52 mile ride last week in 5 1/2 hours. We have lots of hills around here, and my bike is not a super lightweight carbon racer. For me, it's not about speed. It's about getting healthy, riding more, and just having fun.

[Kano]

I think that the most important lesson I've learned about riding so far has been to ride my own ride.

There's always someone with more experience on the road. We want to be good at this, and we want to be good at it right now. It's hard to accept not being able to keep up, and it's hard to be passed. Other riders can be mighty daunting, and if we don't learn that lesson, I think we defeat our efforts to become riders, and those lovely bikes we have sitting in the garage, or wherever do just that: sit in our garages. (hmmm, thinking about it, this was more a "life lesson" than a "bike lesson" and appllies to a whole lot more than bike riding!)

I'm amazed at how much easier it is to climb the little inclines I struggled so hard with last spring when I started out (and I took the winter off) and how easy it is to cruise along at 15-17 on stretches I worked my tail off to "fly" at 12mph. My "average" speed is still 10-12 most days, but I don't worry about that, since I've got a lot to learn yet! Anyway, we do get better with time and practice, and eventually, we may not pass that guy that gets us today, but there will be someone we pass along the way!

Karen in Boise

[northstar]

I think that the most important lesson I've learned about riding so far has been to ride my own ride.


Karen in Boise

Yes, yes, yes! Well said, Karen!

[Veronica]

I only averaged 12.9 mph on my last ride. Nobody told me I was slow.

V.

[Jolt]

That tire article was interesting--maybe I can't blame it all on the tires after all! It's more likely that I'm just plain slow, given my 10-11 min/mile running pace and the fact that I was never a speed demon on the swim team either (however, if I go to the local Y to swim laps I blow by a lot of people even though I generally swim a 500 in about 10 minutes--there's more of a range of swimming speeds there). I will probably still give that group ride a try in the next few weeks and see how it is, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I might do better to just ride at my own pace.

[mimitabby]

Jolt, the tire article wasn't talking about underinflated tires.
None of those tires were down to 35 lbs of pressure!
When tires are as low as yours were, there is a LOT of resistance.

I have tires that had directions right on the package for how many pounds of pressure per pounds of
weight of the rider. It took me months of trying to convince DH to leave my tires at 90 instead of blowing them up to 120 which is the max.
Did you notice the other thing in the article? the faster tires were not the 23cm ones; they were the 28 cm ones!

and Karen, right on. Ride your own ride. But don't make it harder on yourself with squishy tires.

[Jolt]

Jolt, the tire article wasn't talking about underinflated tires.
None of those tires were down to 35 lbs of pressure!
When tires are as low as yours were, there is a LOT of resistance.

I have tires that had directions right on the package for how many pounds of pressure per pounds of
weight of the rider. It took me months of trying to convince DH to leave my tires at 90 instead of blowing them up to 120 which is the max.
Did you notice the other thing in the article? the faster tires were not the 23cm ones; they were the 28 cm ones!

and Karen, right on. Ride your own ride. But don't make it harder on yourself with squishy tires.

Well, it will be interesting to see how much of a difference there is with more air in the tires the next time I make this trip (the weather has been rotten today and is expected to be equally rotten tomorrow, so that probably won't be for a couple of days). Maybe I got confused with that article because they said higher pressures weren't necessarily faster; you're right, that probably doesn't apply to ridiculously underinflated tires like I had! Having seen that article though, I think I'll just stick with the 38's for the time being rather than switch to something like 32's as I was starting to consider doing. If it won't make much of a difference for speed, I might as well have the wider ones that will handle sand, gravel and potholes better.

[Geonz]

That tire article was interesting--maybe I can't blame it all on the tires after all! It's more likely that I'm just plain slow, given my 10-11 min/mile running pace and the fact that I was never a speed demon on the swim team either (however, if I go to the local Y to swim laps I blow by a lot of people even though I generally swim a 500 in about 10 minutes--there's more of a range of swimming speeds there). I will probably still give that group ride a try in the next few weeks and see how it is, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I might do better to just ride at my own pace.

Performance in other sports doesn't reflect on cycling. I was also a serious non-contender on swim teams, but I learned a *lot* about training and technique. THere are two categories of swimmers - swim team types and the rest of the world. In the assorted triathlons I've done (the teeny tiny ones) sometimes they separate out the "slow" swimmers and I barely make the "fast" classification - basically, I'm at the back end of the people who know how to swim efficiently. It has a *whole* lot to do with my puny little arms and thunder thighs ;)

Once I got some technique and time in the saddle - but it took me three or four years (most of which weren't where I am now, so these folks think I was an overnight success), I found cycling was pretty easy and had to admit after it was proven a few zillion times that I am good at it. I didn't *really* believe it - 40 years of being a slug doesn't go away - but since for years I've taught bright students who were convinced they were stupid, I recognized the thought pattern ("they're just being nice," "she was having a bad day," "they were holding back," "it's easy for them")

It wasn't even overnight here... I got physiologically addicted and started riding 9 miles almost every morning, then adding a four mile loop to that, then another one - and I'd try to do specific intervals in those loops faster each time. SO, I was "riding my own ride," but pushing the pace... at *my* comfort level, slowling down when I felt like it. WHen I could do 8 miles and hold a 15 mph average, I went out to our "low-key but not beginner" ride and was pleasantly surprised to be more than ready to keep up (with the *back* end). I had some real Cinderella experiences that I savor to this day :)
Ride your ride... as one of our retired riders says, "There will always be somebody older and faster than you are!"

[MomOnBike]

Some day I'm going to find a jersey for my hypothetical "racing" team, Equipo Tortuga and wear it proudly whilst being passed by the hares.

I want that jersey!

And what Thorn and others have said. If you haven't paid entry fees for a race, who cares if you are slower than someone you've never met before. Pump up your tires and enjoy your ride.

[madscot13]

You are all right I love to pedal. Speed has just become one of my benchmarks for measuring my improvement, and keeping up with cars gives me great fun!

[rij73]

Jolt, you can definitely develop skill and fitness on the bike you have. It can be a great training bike, I'm sure. Just don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others. There are always going to be people much faster, and if they are on a road bike, that's a definite big advantage. Just keep working hard and you'll improve! Then, one day, you'll go for a spin on a road bike, and you'll just fly!

[Geonz]

... just getting back from my group ride which last week a couple turned back & didn't go the whole distance for; this week they hung with us but SLOW (as in <9 mph) ... and so at the halfway point I felt compelled to peek at the bike and yea, those brakes... I picked up the wheel and spun... I mean dragged the wheel around.
We managed to get 'em adjusted better (tho' they were at the end of the adjustment point) and yes, that rider feels stronger - but pretty tired!
I think what was nagging at the back of my mind was that she was *never* coasting. We were going into a 13 mph wind but still... welp, between less friction and a tailwind, the ride home was much faster.
Fill them tars up and go for a ride ;)

[rij73]

... just getting back from my group ride which last week a couple turned back & didn't go the whole distance for; this week they hung with us but SLOW (as in <9 mph) ... and so at the halfway point I felt compelled to peek at the bike and yea, those brakes... I picked up the wheel and spun... I mean dragged the wheel around.

Wow, were they embarrassed they hadn't noticed that? I bet they were relieved that the bike just had a simple maladjustment that addressing is going to help a lot!

[Jolt]

... just getting back from my group ride which last week a couple turned back & didn't go the whole distance for; this week they hung with us but SLOW (as in <9 mph) ... and so at the halfway point I felt compelled to peek at the bike and yea, those brakes... I picked up the wheel and spun... I mean dragged the wheel around.
We managed to get 'em adjusted better (tho' they were at the end of the adjustment point) and yes, that rider feels stronger - but pretty tired!
I think what was nagging at the back of my mind was that she was *never* coasting. We were going into a 13 mph wind but still... welp, between less friction and a tailwind, the ride home was much faster.
Fill them tars up and go for a ride ;)

Wow, pretty bad! I know that's not my problem (if the brakes were rubbing I'd definitely hear it, and the wheels spin freely). That said, that did cross my mind that day as there's a sound that was coming from my front wheel it seemed on each revolution--thought it might be brakes but when I spun the wheel around I didn't get the sound and it spun fine. Still not sure what the sound was--any ideas? Or could it have something to do with the brakes and it only does it when I'm riding as opposed to just spinning the wheel?

[Geonz]

They weren't rubbing enough to hear - the wheel would go around about once before stopping. Besides, she'd just brought it in to the shop (for it's "30-day free checkup" from when she bought it... except that it had been ten years!!) ... my favorite LBS, I'm embarrassed to say, but at least I can say that it had been adjusted out to the end, so my guess is it was one of their new guys who didn't know what to do when you've adjusted as far as it can go and didn't want to ask (I know, I just know my guru wouldn't have let it out of the shop knowingly ... he'd have given it new cable or whatever!)
There aren't too many things that only drag the wheel when you're riding - then it would be something in the pedal crank perhaps. I am completely unmechanical - I even suggested that smaller tires might make the brakes not rub before I looked at them and of course realized it's not the tires they hit... doh... (her hubby seemed to be leaning *hard* towards getting her a new bike, so here's hoping their trip in for gear turns into something even nicer!)

[Jolt]

They weren't rubbing enough to hear - the wheel would go around about once before stopping. Besides, she'd just brought it in to the shop (for it's "30-day free checkup" from when she bought it... except that it had been ten years!!) ... my favorite LBS, I'm embarrassed to say, but at least I can say that it had been adjusted out to the end, so my guess is it was one of their new guys who didn't know what to do when you've adjusted as far as it can go and didn't want to ask (I know, I just know my guru wouldn't have let it out of the shop knowingly ... he'd have given it new cable or whatever!)
There aren't too many things that only drag the wheel when you're riding - then it would be something in the pedal crank perhaps. I am completely unmechanical - I even suggested that smaller tires might make the brakes not rub before I looked at them and of course realized it's not the tires they hit... doh... (her hubby seemed to be leaning *hard* towards getting her a new bike, so here's hoping their trip in for gear turns into something even nicer!)

Hmm...maybe the (wicked underinflated) tire was bulging and THAT was hitting the brake pad while I was riding? The sound was short (like half a second each time) but it did sound a lot like the sound the front brake makes when I stop. It happened while coasting as well as while pedaling, so that probably rules out a crank issue. I may go for a ride tomorrow if the weather clears and I can't talk my friend into going on a hike...that will be a good test of that hypothesis because I'll make sure the tires are properly inflated this time!

[nomummytummy]

Yup, it'll give you really strong legs! I honestly didn't expect the road bike to make THAT much of a difference, but I am shocked. These are the differences I've noticed:

1) my "I'm not thinking about riding and not putting in any effort" speed has increased by about 3-4 mph

2) I can actually ride 19 mph on a flat road and not feel like it's all that hard (though I don't know how long I could keep it up. On my hybrid I never got past 16 mph).

3) Getting up hills is, dare I say it, almost easy. On my hybrid, it was always a major struggle.

4) The bike actually feels like it's riding itself, it's the strangest thing. My pt, who's a cycling coach, said that means it really fits me (and it should, it's a custom frame).

Transitioning from the hybrid to the road bike has completely changed my outlook on riding. I keep getting the urge to go out and ride hills!

-Amy


Hi - I found this too. I just went from a MTB to a racing bike. Gift for Mother's day from husband & our 3 boys. Went out yesterday & covered in 90mins the same distance it was taking 120+ before. The bike "rides itself" is a perfect description. And then I did some hill intervals taody. OMG that was fun. Better then skiing for a speed rush going back downhill. Looked at computer after & hit 45.3km/hr. Lucky I didn't know at time - would have scared me I think

[Zen]

Jolt, you might want to do a thorough visual exam before you go out, it sounds like you could be headed for a pinch flat.

[pardes]

Okay, someone has to weigh in with low numbers for speed.

Speed? Did I say speed? Heck, I only just graduated to being able to use second gear! And to be really racy.....I slid it into third going down a hill today.

My speed hovers at about 8 mph which is wonderful when you consider I was a former couch potato only one week ago riding a sofa at 0 mph.

I'm as happy as a clam and have fallen in love with my bicycle and I'm also pretty fond of that tired, sweaty woman staring back at me in my bicycle mirror.

It's not about destinations and speed. For me, it's about the journey.

I discovered a two mile lenght of rails to trails today with much of it near streams and summer flowers trumpeting their own journey that is not measured in mph.

I truly admire and respect those of you who race but I don't want to be you. I want to be ...... just be.

Isn't it just incredibly wonderful to be alive on a bicycle!

[jaydee]

I have just started riding again and my current bike is a mountain bike. I assumed that because my car tyres run at 35, my bike tyres which are smaller should run at less, so regularly rode on tyres with about 30psi. Then someone told me to read what was on the tyre wall (55-65) and pump the tyre up to the max. I have been doing that for several months now and the difference to my speed and ability to keep up with the group amazed me.

The 2nd thing I discovered was that you don't have to run knobbly tyres on a mountain bike. So I just had new tyres - called city/country - put on. They still have a bit of tread for those off dirt rough patches of road, but compared to the knobbly mountain bike tyres, they are like slicks. Now I can keep up with the front of the group.

I am learning all the time with my cycling - people who have been cycling for a while assume newbies know everything. That's why this forum is so great - everyone is so keen to help.

So maybe you could have a look at getting new tyres that are less heavy and therefore less grippy on the road.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pardes,
don't worry about your speed. It's your health and your fun that matter. :)

I'm 54, and have been biking about 2 years now. Before that I hadn't exercised a day in my life. (except for waitressing off and on). I went from doing 3 mile rides the first year to actually riding 3400 miles last year. :eek: Why? because I love riding my bike and I love how good it makes me feel.
My speed has improved slowly. The first year I averaged 9mph. Last year I averaged 10mph. This past couple of weeks I seem to be averaging 11mph.
I figure by the time I'm 85 I'll be averaging 40mph. :D

I do like to see that I am getting faster- because it tells me I am getting stronger. I don't care so much about speed, I care about the beauty of enjoying my rides. Do what makes you happy and don't worry about everyone else. :p Good for you getting off the couch!

[Jolt]

Wow, talk about an old thread being pulled up! I have to say, not too much has changed as far as my speed (or lack thereof)--still a fairly slow utility cyclist who does the occasional longer ride. To the person who's just starting out, I like your attitude! The important thing is that you're riding rather than sitting on the couch eating Twinkies. ;)

[wackyjacky1]

My speed hovers at about 8 mph which is wonderful when you consider I was a former couch potato only one week ago riding a sofa at 0 mph.


Most awesome thing I've read all day! :D


PS I'm a former couch potato and current 8-9 mph-er, too. :p

[pardes]

Thanks for all your lovely response to me digging up this old post about "being slow."

I'm on vacation today and I did 8.6 miles today on the bike.... bus to downtown Newark - do half the miles around U of Delaware campus and the Hall Rail to Trail - bus to the grocery store and then bus home on the next bus.

It was only 8.6 miles but it was Mt. Everest to me. Here's the scenic half.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/NewarkTransitHub-HallTrail.jpg

The view was quiet and spectacular on the Hall Trail.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/HallTrail.jpg

At midpoint is the old Newark train station that is now home to the Newark Historical Society. That's my Trek before I loaded down the empty pannier with groceries.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/TrainStation.jpg

I took another bus to the grocery store that is about 3 miles from home. This was my first grocery run with the bike and it was interesting trying to guess how much the pannier would hold.

As I strolled the aisles, I realized that on this trek to the summit, I really needed a sherpa. Then I remembered, Sherpa was patiently waiting outside strapped to a grocery cart corral.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/Groceries.jpg

The load filled three plastic grocery bags but I sat down like a bag lady and found that it all fit in the back pannier. I didn't even have to put anything in the front bag. Amazing! I have the regular grocery pannier at home but the set of 2 are too heavy and cumbersone to use daily on the bike. I save the clunkers for going to the laundromat or for when I'll be going directly to the grocery store and back. This Sunlite pannier doubles as my work attache case and is always on the bike or at work with me in the lab.

Meanwhile, I managed to miss the bus home.....possibly on purpose to see if I could actually bike a very heavy load home for the remaining 3 or so miles. I stopped halfway for iced tea since I'd drained my water bottle on the Hall Trail in 90 degree weather.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/loadedTrek.jpg

The icing on the cake came only a block away from my house. I was panting and trudging up a miniscule hill when I saw a female pro biker coming in the opposite direction. She did a double take and then said, "Hey you really ARE out and about!"

She was a pro biker I met at the LBS the day I bought the bike a week ago. She does very long distance rides and regaled me with stories of biking UP and down and UP and down the Blue Ridge Parkway. She was full of encouragement and ideas about purchases for my new bike and I wondered that day if she really thought I'd take biking seriously and hibernate back to the couch.

I felt wonderful pulling into my garage. Sherpa is such a good friend, non-judgemental and always willing to lag behind with me.

I'm exhausted. Time for bed!

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/DSCN0165.jpg

[platys]

That is so awesome. :) I have grocery shopping goals, but its about 2 miles away and I need to find a non busy way to go. And there's a hill.

My little 0.6 ride to the train station is killing me, I'm so out of shape. But some of it is getting comfy on my bike - I accidentally missed a turn and went over a little curb . I was like "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" until I realized I was on a mountain bike, for heaven's sake. It likes bumps. I was barely jolted.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I love reading your stories of your beginning rides. :)

Hey ladies, do remember that when you are doing city type riding, you are stopping and going a LOT- stopping for lights, stop signs, intersections, traffic, stores... all this combines to bring your average speed WAY down. Don't let that bother you in the least! :p Someone zooming down a highway or bike trail with no stops or intersections is going to go 5 times faster easily.

You guys are making biking a part of your everyday lifestyle and using your bikes for actual transportation instead of cars, which I think is ultimately cooler than just doing recreational rides. Wonderful!

[rij73]

Pardes, you are doing GREAT!!! You are an inspiration, actually...

[mimitabby]

yea, Pardes! great story. It's nice to have another wise woman on TE.

[wackyjacky1]

Not bike-related, but Pardes, your story about grocery shopping reminds me of one time when I went to the store on my old moped. As I was going up and down the aisles filling up my cart, I completely forgot that I wasn't in my car. It wasn't until I was checking out that I realized I had bought waaaaay to much stuff, including an 11-lb. bucket of kitty litter, a bag of charcoal, a 12-pack of Coke, etc. :eek: Somehow I managed to strap it all on my moped, and lurched home (the center of gravity was completely thrown off). :D

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc71/wackyjacky1/IMG_0568-1.jpg

Thank goodness for that custom rear cargo carrier. :)

[danadear]

Pardes, you are doing GREAT!!! You are an inspiration, actually...

1! You are a great storyteller and you make me want to get out and ride right this moment!

[pardes]

My next challenge is to figure out how to attach my camera/video in a shock-absorbing manner to my Trek and video some segments to encourage other senior pleasure riders to the scenic beauty spots hidden within our East Coast urban sprawl in northern Delaware.

Fortunately the camera store is right acorss the street from the LBS where both stores are extremely helpful and where they look forward to pleasure-riding increasingly strange questions. "I would like a button installed on my handlebar that when pushed will extend and reach into passing cars and smack the drivers who ride my rear tire."

In this area I'm able to pursue two hobbies: biking and researching the late 1600's settlements, particularly New Castle, Delaware where ladies, believe it or not, the only woman in America, Catherine Bevan, was both hanged and burned at the stake for allegedly killing her husband with the aid of her young male servant. In those days killing your husband was called "petit treason."


Packet Alley is a particular "haunting" spot.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/PICT0203WEB-1.jpg

A house on the cobblestone road.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/DSC_0218-01.jpg

Faithful friend frozen in time.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/DSC_0249-01WEB-1.jpg

Reproduction of the Kalmar Nykel at the dock. I went for a ride on it and can't believe it how small it was to cross the ocean and bring Swedish immigrants to this area.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/KalmarNyckel-1.jpg

It's a town that makes you reflective of both your past and your future....


http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t7/threedogwrite/Ghost-FacesWEB-2.jpg

Historic Delaware

In these historic places,
there are spirits everywhere--
those we discover looking back at us
through a mullioned window
and those we bring with us.
It's our choice
whether that will be
a haunting
or a blessing.

Pardes

[Tuckervill]

Nice, Pardes!

I was just looking online at state parks in Delaware. I've never been there, but son (14) and I are heading that way in September, and we need a beach to visit while we travel. The state park I was looking at I think was Henlopen?

Delaware and Rhode Island are states we have yet to cross off our list. Any recommendations of must-sees in Delaware?

Karen

[pardes]

Northern Delaware

Chad's Ford in Pa into Delaware to end of Route 9 in Dover. The scenic areas where herds of bikers travel.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2153752

highlights
Brandywine Battlefield
Chad's Ford Art museum
scenic roads into Wilmington
There are some major mountain bike areas near Newark in White Clay Creek parks.
very scenic ride from New Castle to Dover on Route 9 which is beautiful
Pea Patch Island a must-see and break from biking. Take the ferry to the island and step back into the Civil War at Ft. Delaware.

Delaware beaches

US 1 from Wilmington to the beaches is a MAJOR speed highway. Avoid at all costs.

I haven't traveled the beach area yet but the Rail Trail looks great. US 1 from Rehoboth to Ocean City is very busy in summer but not a super highway and not as fast and should be fine in Sept. Lots of turnoffs to get to the beach in just yards of walking.

Junction and Breakwater Rail Trail

http://www.traillink.com/ViewTrailMap.aspx?AcctID=6015481

http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/magazine/07Spr_DES_JunctionBreakwaterTrail.pdf

http://www.railtrails.org/newsandpubs/trailofthemonth/archives/0411.html

[Becky]

Pardes has some great suggestions! I love Fort Delaware and Pea Patch Island! I'll just toss out a couple more of my own....

Cape Henlopen is a beautiful state park. I actually got to live there for a couple of summers (in the park!) as a lowly intern at the college down the road.

If you go, check out the remnants of the WWII-era naval installation (Fort Miles)....the bunkers, the observation towers, and the "T-Building" at Herring Point. Herring Point used to be the "secret" beach that only the fishermen and locals knew about. Not sure if that's true anymore....

Lewes itself is a beautiful little town, perfect for strolling. It's a much quieter town than Rehoboth Beach, and more to my liking. Alas, it's been about 8 years since I lived there, so I don't know any of the shops or restaurants anymore.

A word of caution: please be exceedingly careful on Route 1, especially between Lewes and Bethany Beach. It's very heavily traveled by cars and some brave cyclists, but there are several reports each summer of cyclists and pedestrians getting hurt or killed there. I don't mean to alarm you, just looking out for you. Oh, and all of the municipalities love to run speed traps on their sections of Route 1...when they say 35 mph in Dewey Beach, they really do mean it ;)

Have a great trip!

[Duck on Wheels]

I was riding back from the grocery store this afternoon with a very light load (the trip was mainly to get city trash bags as we were out and tomorrow is trash day), and was riding up a fairly gradual incline on this one street and all of a sudden I hear another bike coming up on my left. Somewhat unusual around here, and even more unusual was that this guy was wearing a fluorescent/reflective vest as I do. Anyway, he blew by me like I was flippin' STANDING STILL!! And it wasn't like he was even trying to go fast--he looked like just another person using his bike to get around town, not a racing type (although he was on a road bike rather than a hybrid). I'm not sure why it bothered me so much, but I felt like I wanted to go crawl in a hole! I guess I didn't realize how slow I really was until then. I'd say my average speed was about 12 mph (the majority of the return trip is uphill). Sorry for the random vent, just aggravated with myself right now!

Sorry I'm so slow ;). I only just saw this thread. So here I go yanking us back to square 1. I just wanted to say that, by now, you're probably averaging more than those 12 mph, whereas I'm still pretty pleased to average 10 or 11. I'd ask to ride with you to get my speed up a bit, but I'd be holding you back. You go grrrl! And don't worry about others speeding by. I think the real speedsters miss some of the fun I have enjoying the scenery. Enjoy your rides! You're doin' fine! :p

[7rider]

"I would like a button installed on my handlebar that when pushed will extend and reach into passing cars and smack the drivers who ride my rear tire."



Wow!!!!
I want one of those!!! :D:cool:

[TrekTheKaty]

At least you're not on the couch! I looked back at my training log from my first ride and I averaged 8 mph--and I thought I was FLYING! My speed has increased significantly on my hybrid--my family rides a loop and the boys now have new street bikes. Our training is riding as hard as we can so they don't lap up before we get in 5 laps!

And 12 mph is good! I just started riding a hilly route for training and my husband said I was averaging 6-8 mph at the top of some of the bigger hills and that was slowing my average speed down (I was too busy to look--I was just trying to not stop or fall over!)

What SIZE tires do you have? We swapped out the 32's that came with my bike for 25's and that also increased by speed.