Average Speed

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.

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.

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! :)

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. ;)

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Originally Posted by indysteel

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! :)

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Typo or Freudian slip, Indysteel? :D

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.

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by Owlie

Typo or Freudian slip, Indysteel? :D

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

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Originally Posted by indysteel

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

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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 :)

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.

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.

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. ;)

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...

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.