Average Speed

[Catrin]

I was considering my general 2011 cycling and fitness goals the other day before discussing them with my trainer and we got in a conversation about average speed on the bike. He warned me to not set my goal overly high because it changes daily based on a lot of things, much of which is out of our control.

I know there are many different ways to calculate average speed, and it changes from day to day. Is it just the actual time on the bike, was drafting involved, presence of strong winds, hills, so many things affect average speed.

My average speed in August, when I rode close to 600 miles, was between 13 and 13.5 or so. It was in mid-September when I developed my injuries so August was the height of my season and fitness. Of course my average speed difference depending on assorted factors, and am curious how others calculate/consider this.

[marni]

when I rode cross country, my average speed was 14 mph but that was mostly on 60+ miles per day and a minimum of 5 days riding between days off. Training around here locally 2 or 3 x a week with an average of 40-60 miles per ride, I average about 16 mph but that is because I am riding a route I know, flat riding, and usually pushing myslef a bit, and also because when I get home I know I will have a day off of alternate activities during which I can do bike laundry, clean and lube the bike, check the tires, clean the breaks etc. and update blog, facebook, training log etc. instead of having to cram it all in between dinner and an early bed for an early start and another long ride the next day.

I almost universally ride alone so I just log the miles per day with an average speed and then work out a rough average of speed and number of hours ridden (time in the saddle) per month. Some months it's pretty good, others, not so good, but I figure as long as I am not seriously losing ground and I don't have to open the coffin lid in the morning, it's all good.

[indysteel]

I'm not sure I totally understand your final question, but when I did keep track of speed, I rarely averaged out all my rides as there are, as you noted, a lot of factors. I typically did the same training rides every week, so how I did on those routes from day to day and week to week told me what I generally needed/wanted to know. It was easy enough to note any significant factors, like wind, that may have affected my speed. In other words, it wasn't all that hard to figure out whether I was trending toward getting faster or getting slower.
Now I don't worry as much about my average speed. I took my computer off my bike. Not that I don't think it's a valuable metric, but I just haven't had the time or energy to focus on it, and it does take some focus. I didn't get appreciable faster until I started really pushing myself to ride with a faster group during nearly every ride. It was fun for a time but I burned out from it.

If you do make speed a gaol, just be mindful that it could easily lead to another overuse injury. Just go easy, okay! :)

[Owlie]

I consider my average speed on hills separately from flats and overall. My computer says my average is about 12mph. I'm pretty sure that my average on flats is closer to 14 or so, because that computer number also includes stopped time and whenever that computer decided to malfunction.

Hills, we don't talk about. ;)

[Owlie]

I took my computer off my bike. Not that I don't think it's a valuable metric, but I just haven't had the time or energy to focus on it, and it does take some focus.<snip>

If you do make speed a gaol, just be mindful that it could easily lead to another overuse injury. Just go easy, okay! :)

Typo or Freudian slip, Indysteel? :D

[azfiddle]

I started riding in July 2009. My averages during 2009 were 13- 13.5.

In 2010, my monthly averages started at about 14- 14.5 and got as high as 15.5 during the fall, but like Catrin, I have had various setbacks this year, and have had to really cut back at times. My goal would be to average 15 -16 to keep up with groups I ride with, but it will depend on whether I can keep my hip issues under control. Right now, I'm happy to be riding relatively comfortably and hope it will improve from here.

[Catrin]

Thanks everyone, I figured that everyone would look at average speed differently so wanted to get an idea how others use it as a metric. IndySteel your point is well taken. My trainer has already brought that up and encouraged me to just focus on a very moderate increase in 2011 - just try to bring my average speed up to 14-15, though speed will not be my main focus. I was unsure what would be a reasonable approach to this so I appreciate the comments...

My focus will include searching for that inner hill-climbing beastie and long distance riding and, most important of all, having fun :) I suspect that a lighter bike, once I have it, will increase my average speed.

[Crankin]

I don't even like to talk about this anymore.
I also judge my speed on one or two of the regular loops I do. Since they all end in a big climb up my street, unless I bust my azz, I check my average before I do the climb, and afterwards. So, on a "good" day on my 16 mile loop, with some rollers, my average might be 15.5 before the climb and 15 when I get in my driveway. Some days it's a bit less, sometimes a bit more.
I rode about once a week with Hirakikubou. We usually did 30-50 miles, involving climbing. Those rides, my average was rarely above 13.5. But, who cares. I enjoyed them more than most. Then there are the times DH pushes me... my average might get close to 16 or a bit above that. It's all relative and I have stopped obsessing on this. When I was doing that 10 mile climb in Spain, all I cared about was how slow I was going, so I could be assured that I would make it, without throwing up or fainting.

[indysteel]

Typo or Freudian slip, Indysteel? :D

LOL. It was a typo, but now that you mention it.....

[Catrin]

LOL. It was a typo, but now that you mention it.....

Hehehe, this has been helpful. I think that I will just not worry about using "average speed" as any mind of metric. I think a better one is how my body feels when climbing hills and dealing with the wind - and how I feel afterwards. Knowing me I will be rather ambitious this year and I want to avoid further over-use injuries. I will also be changing the rest of my fitness activities during the season with the same goal - to be able to ride and ride and ride without injury :)

[OakLeaf]

In a flatland paceline with da boyz, barring excessive wind, 19-20.

In the hills, terrain much too variable for small-group drafting, a hard ride of 30-40 miles might average 16. Much longer than that, or at an easier pace, I'm more likely to average around 14-15. That's moving average. Using total ET could be a lot slower, depending on how often we regroup, whether we stop for lunch, etc.

Same bike. Same self. Different conditions. Don't worry about it.

[arielmoon]

I use average speed when recording my miles but there are so many factors that are more important on a per ride basis. I may have a fast average on a Monday night group ride with upwards of 10 strong riders but I know I didnt do all or even half the work. The terrain, wind and company are going to strongly influence the average.

However, I can track and compare my averages month to month and yearly. I do like to see what months I tend average more or less. Stuff like that. I have noted that my overall averages have increased every year since I started riding.

[redrhodie]

When I got my first Merckx, I decided not to put a computer on her. It was a hard decision, because I was addicted to it on my old bike. But, so many rides were ruined by it. I often felt I should be faster. It's such an awful feeling, never being good enough.

I think not having a computer has been really good for me. I bet if I had one, there would be days I wouldn't ride because they'd lower my average speed, like windy days. Knowing me, I'd probably design my routes to bump up my average, only riding with tail winds and no hills. :rolleyes: It's just better that I don't go there. There's no reason. I'm not racing.

As for speed, I'm happy with where I am. I don't need to be faster. I get to work on time. ;)

[Catrin]

I haven't found myself stressing over my speed, it helps to be a beginner :) I like my computer because it help me to keep track of my mileage - I am not known for sticking to my own mapped routes :) It is nice to have cadence for the hills, but haven't allowed myself to obsess about the speed - though I could do so quite easily...

[chicagogal]

Like has been stated many times, speed day to day is affected by too many things, so I don't really compare from one day to another. However, I do my intervals on a loop, and without a power meter, I still like to know that I am putting out basically the same effort from interval to interval, rather than fading into oblivion. So, I do use my computer to compare these efforts. If I can't keep my speed up, my workout is over.

[arielmoon]

When I first started I was obsessed with speed to the point that I now do not allow the computer to be on average while I am riding. Only when I am done do I look at it.

For the most part, I know, after a ride, what kind of effort I put in and that, in the end, is what matters for fitness and strength. It is kind of nice sometimes to realize, all things being equal, you did a specific route faster and with less effort and know that the hard work is paying off.

[Bike Writer]

I use a computer to track mileage and being a beginner with a very heavy bike my avg speeds are slow in the 10-11 mph range. But this also includes time spent walking the bike partially up a hill and my walk speed is 3 mph. Nearly every ride still has me walking the bike up one or two of the more significant hills. I only have one route that is flat and only get to that one on occasion. In that case mileage increases to 12-13 mph range.

What I have come to rely on even more is time spent on a particular route and that has been decreasing. For the first 2/3 of the summer I didn't have a bike computer so my guess is that my mph was in the 7-8 range because my time spent on individual routes has improved considerably.

I also carry a camera and stop to take a lot of photos so this decreases average speeds with all the stopping and starting.

My goal for next riding season is to increase avg to 12 mph and don't think I can seriously get much higher than that without a new bike that is lighter and has more than 7 gears.

My only real reason for wanting to get any faster at all is to be able to add to my mileage per ride without increasing the time spent.

Compared to my turtle pace most of you sound like racers to me! :D

[nscrbug]

Ehh...I used to totally stress-out about my crappy "average speed", which on most rides is usually somewhere in the 14's or 15's. But then I realized that all of my riding is done in very traffic-congested areas, with stop signs and/or stoplights every 1/2 mile (or often more frequently), as well as dealing with wind on nearly every ride...so that will definitely bring my average speed down by a lot. I'll check it, every so often on longer rides...but generally I don't concern myself with it anymore. If I remember, I might check it at the end of a ride just to see how I did.

[LivetoRide]

I'll check my average speed at the end of a ride just to see what it is but I don't obsess over it becasue as others have mentioned, a lot of different things can affect ones average speed (a ride with a lot of climbing, higher winds, lots of stop signs / lights, etc.). I do a lot of riding just for fun and towards the end of the season this year and (my year was pretty messed up, too with a 6 week long break and then not riding too many times per week thereafter) my average was getting up to 15.5mph. As I ride more next year I of course hope to improve it but I'm not going to obsess over it.

[marni]

aside from speed, I always like to finish a ride fresh enough that I could do another 10 miles if I had to.

My speed may have gone up this year but my total mileage is only 1/4of what it was last year thanks to injury, addition of 90 year old FIL to household with all that that implies, sucky sucky weather during the summer and general life stresses. My aim for next year is to just increase my overall mileage at about the same pace.

I also got a trainer for Christmas, which means that I might be able to achieve this, but am thinking that I only want to count road miles.

[smilingcat]

Is the question asked because you just want to know if your avg speed is going up? (probably not)

Are you asking this question because you want to know if your physical conditioning is better? (most likely)

I'm no physiologist but I think you need to look at your resting heart rate, your elevated heart rate for some fixed duration and how fast your heart rate drop back down. For instance, if you ride hard and come to a stop at a light/stop sign, does your heart rate drop down quickly or does it take a long time for you to recover. Panting longer time or shorter time.

Speed is one thing but your heart rate, elevated heart rate, how fast you recover is more of an indication to your conditioning.

Some are naturally gifted at running, or swimming, or bike riding. Others are not. It's not that you are out of shape but rather your physique isn't built for the sport. I'm small with short legs. Can't possibly run against someone with European or African ancestry. For each step they take I need to take more than one...

Pay attention to your heart rate, how fast it responds to physical stress and how fast it recovers.

[Catrin]

I was looking for some kind of metric that I could use in 2011 to have some kind of idea improvement. After this discussion here I've decided that average speed just isn't it. I think an occasional self-imposed 'time trial' will get me closer to what I was looking for, along with general fitness/heart rate/how my body feels/etc. Thankfully my heart rate recovers quite fast, and while I certainly won't say that I never find myself panting, it passes quickly. This does help :)

I do appreciate all of the comments, they have been quite helpful :D

[jelee1311]

I've found avg speed was something to obsess about when I first started riding but now I don't worry about it. I'm not competing,I'm not getting paid,I'm not a professional,so I don't have to have that be a factor on daily rides. Ride with someone faster,or better than you and it will make you faster. When I ride with my DH I push myself to keep up and my speed goes up. I like to do this every so often to show myself possibilities. He does this this himself during racing season,he will ride track races he's not going to win to condition himself for road races he can.

[featuretile]

Do all the people who have average speeds of 14-15mph live in the flats? I live in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and try as I may, the average speed on my bike computer is always between 10-12 mph. I may be going down at 30mph and going up at 5mph. It seems like 13-14mph (when I look down) in the very few flat areas.

I notice after not being able to ride much due to rain, that I am somewhat out of condition. It seems that even the rides that I think of as 'flattish' and relatively easy are full of hills that I notice more when I haven't ridden for awhile.

I am trying to gradually improve my speed and not feel so frustrated with myself.

[aicabsolut]

I would not set your training goals around average speed. However, average speed can give you some useful information when taken into account with the rest of the ride conditions.

For example, when I am doing one of my large team rides, if I see that our average was 20mph or more on the way back into town, I might think, wow, this ride was really "race pace" (for me, maybe not for most of the guys). Of course, this is in a large group, and I will never put myself into the wind unless I need to bridge a gap or go for the town line sprint. On the other hand, if I do a ride on similar terrain by myself or in a small group and the average is 16mph or less, I may see it as a good aerobic, endurance ride if we were rolling smoothly. Or, it could be poor training for me if I am leading new cyclists, for example, and we are stopping or regrouping a lot. A 16mph average or less could also mean a really good, really hard ride if I'm out in the mountains where I spend a lot of time sub-10mph but at or above threshold.