how slow am I?

I think one can only comment about another's speed in only 2 cases: 1) a race in which they have the results of the racer's peers for comparison, and 2) if s/he knows firsthand the person's age, weight, bike type, general fitness, bike skills, terrain, distance, solo or pack, pavement quality, temperative, humidity, wind, heath issues and probably a multitide of other things - including the goal of that day's ride.

Look around you at your fellow riders (not forum members unless they also ride with you) if you wish to make a comparison. Then, go ride your ride.

Editing because I keep thinking of things that affect speed.

Also, be sure you compare door to door average speed, not "cruising speed"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tprevost

So Lenusik, you clearly have a natural talent and that's fabulous; but I would rather hear encouraging rather than discouraging comments.... or maybe some tips if someone wanted to try something new.
Tracy

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Tracy, I do not have any natuarl talents. Those who do participate in races, etc. I did not mean to discourage anyone, and there is no harm in knowing that you can ride much faster. How can somoene get better if he/she believes that the limit has been reached? E.G. I don't want to play tennis with someone who I constantly beat, unless I am teaching this person. I want to be beaten and learn from it, get better! But, again, I cannot push anyone, this is not my role. People create thier own path. It does not matter to me how fast or slow people ride, as long as they ride. To me it all that matters.

L~

I am sure your initial post was not meant to be discouraging, just please remember that we on this end cannot see your expression nor "read" your intent into your post. And you must have some natural talent over there because clearly you are doing a great job with your cycling and are continuing to improve ;)

T~

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lenusik

Sorry girls, but 13-15 mph sounds really slow to me..

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Well then hon, I'm really slow to you. :rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lenusik

Sorry girls, but 13-15 mph sounds really slow to me. I was riding faster on the first days of my ride. And I am not a racer by any means. And sometimes a have bad days. But if you don't push yourself, you will not get faster. If I cannot average (including hills) 18-20 mph - I know I am having a bad day. My normal spead to hold is 20 - 23 mph. I can hold 25 - 27 for a couple of miles when I push. My fasters spring on flats so far is 34 mph. Speed during climbs depends on the hill grade: from 8mph all the way to 17mph.

But the quote is right: there is always someone faster or slower. Do whatever feels right.

---

Interesting post.
But not very encouraging, more guilt inducing even with the addendum at the end

BUT I have been processing, trying to put things back into perspective and thinking of the variables.

A. Age
B. Any health concerns other than weight or physical fitness
C. Type of bike
D. Physical conditioning level going into the first ride
E. Topography - hills are not all equal (grade and length)
F. Weather conditions (7mph wind vs 15 or 20 mph wind)

I did a search on our local forum to see what the Tuesday night hammerheads were averaging. Their May 30 ride was an average speed of 18.5 over 31.27 miles. They ride in a very close pace line.
Their June 21st ride was about 14 mph for the first 15 miles and 30 mph for the last 15, (They turned around - 25 mph wind that day)

Now I can’t belive these guys are all weenies, but according to Lenusik she could smoke them.

One of our better riders completed Ride the Rockies in CO a couple of weeks ago. As we were all WOWing and asking him about the climbs and types of riders on the tour he said there were all types of bikes and levels of riders, some rode all the climbs and some had to walk. The most interesting statement he made was “ We ride against the North Dakota wind, that is great training for mountain climbs”

A statement made by many cross country cyclists ( We are one of the main stops on the adventure cycling northern route) “I’ll take the Rockies any time over a prairie head wind - you know the climb is going to end and then it is downhill for awhile, wind never ends.

Another couple who went through last week said their toughest 20 miles to date was in North Dakota

Thanks for listening, things are back into perspective for awhile

And Lenusik this was not meant to sound harsh - I would love to know some of your techniques, training, equipment, whatever, that help you achieve those kind of speeds.

BTW One thing I would like to get going here is a once a week hammer ride for slower riders. I have talked to some of the guys about helping us out and teaching us the techniques. I believe it would help overall strength and conditioning. And I would WAY RATHER ride my bike outside even against the wind than do an indoor class of any type

AND I still believe -

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lenusik

And I am not a racer by any means. And sometimes a have bad days. .

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hmmm... if you really can do what you say below, perhaps you should think about trying it.

Quote:

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If I cannot average (including hills) 18-20 mph - I know I am having a bad day. My normal spead to hold is 20 - 23 mph. I can hold 25 - 27 for a couple of miles when I push. My fasters spring on flats so far is 34 mph. Speed during climbs depends on the hill grade: from 8mph all the way to 17mph.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lenusik

I realize that I will never be faster than some other riders who I know, but it does not mean that I will not push myself.
Thanks again.

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I agree that pushing yourself is a great thing to do, but at the same time for a lot of people, just getting on the bike is pushing themselves. I lost 48 pounds before I'd even allow myself to walk into a LBS to look at bikes, because I was afraid of what others would think.

My first group ride I did an an average of 14.8 mph & was told by some of the 'A' group riders(who I kept up with for 1/2 way through the 40 mile ride) that I kicked arse for my first time out. I plan on increasing speed in the future, but right now my focus is more on distance, than on speed.

Just please remember that different people push themselves in different ways.

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Originally Posted by jobob

Well then hon, I'm really slow to you. :rolleyes:

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Seems like just about all of us are "slow".

As has been said, Lenusik, it might be best to try not to insult most people on this forum. Yes, this is a place for open discussion. However, we usually try to be supportive or at least consider how our statements affect others. There's nothing wrong with being direct and honest (I am that way myself), but there are nicer ways to do it without putting off everyone else. You did add a nice statement at the end, but that doesn't negate how you started.

I agree with Eden - you seem to have natural talent and might consider entering a race.

I live in one of the fittest counties in the nation, so when I see a very heavy person out jogging, my first thought is surprise, then my second thought is "Good for them, they are out trying to get some exercise and improve their quality of life".

Good for all of us, we are all out there riding (no matter the distance or speed), having fun and enjoying cycling for the exercise, the camaraderie , the scenery, etc.

Another thing I wanted to mention regarding averages on the computer, stop signs and traffic lights slow you down, but so can drinking (I'm no good at pedaling while reaching for my bottle and drinking), waiting for fellow riders who got caught at the light, slowing way down to find that coffee shop you looked up on google, the list goes on. When I ride home from work (20 mi.) I ride hard on the highway and into my town, but once I get into my neighborhood I slow way down to start cooling down, and to watch for children, squirrels, and cars pulling into the street who never look behind them first :eek: . Sometimes I'll note my average before I slow down and the difference between that and what my cyclometer says in my driveway can be really significant. Sometimes I'll focus on speed for shorter rides, but when I'm riding for distance I don't even care about speed. It all depends on what your goals are. And if your only goal is riding for fun then just try to have fun!

Good points Happy Anika. My average improved today moving off of the bike path and onto the road. Even with all of the stopping we had to do at stoplights, it doesn't compare to the slowing that you have to do on a beach path...especially this time of year! It seems that there are many factors that go into calculating average speed. I'm just happy to be out riding!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eclectic

Interesting post.
And Lenusik this was not meant to sound harsh - I would love to know some of your techniques, training, equipment, whatever, that help you achieve those kind of speeds.
BTW One thing I would like to get going here is a once a week hammer ride for slower riders. I have talked to some of the guys about helping us out and teaching us the techniques. I believe it would help overall strength and conditioning. And I would WAY RATHER ride my bike outside even against the wind than do an indoor class of any type
AND I still believe -

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I do not conisder anything to be harsh as long as it is true. If you want to know my technique, there is really nothing special about it. I eat right and ride frequently. The main thing is to periodically change what you do. One day, do a shorter ride: 20-25 miles and do sprint intevals. Another day do a long ride and maintain constant speed. As we learn here, this spead is different for everybody. Then devote your day to hill climbing. I strongly believe that it is better to ride with someone else who is faster and can motivate your by dropping you on the way. That's why I ride with my husband and with a group. I can already keep up with them on flats, but not on the hills yet.

I wanted to send a link to you with the results from Tour de Phoenix in April 2006 for 26 miles including a good 4 mile climb. http://www.pbaa.com/!ETP/p26m-06.htm
This includes men and women, not professionals, but simple average riders. Those who beleive that they are a little better enter the 74 mile competition. Please check the average speed of the first 24 riders. This is a pretty standandard goal that an average rider may want to consider. This is not my opinion, just the stats. But again, what you do is your own personal choice and we all have our own motivations.
I beleive that I am the only person who can discourage myself or put myself down. I've done that and I prefer to think differently. If I offended anyone, my appologies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lenusik

I do not conisder anything to be harsh as long as it is true.

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geez.... you have a LOT to learn about communcating! the truth CAN be harsh... there are nicer ways to put things... like in your post.. if you had left out the first 3 or 4 sentences... i don't think anyone would jump on you..

so if you ask your husband "honey, does this make me look fat?" and he tells you "it makes you look like a freaking cow" and it's the truth... you don't think that's harsh... compared to say... perhaps... "well..... i like this other outfit better" or even "it's not the most flattering outfit you've worn"....

it's all in communicating skills...

out of curiosity... is english your second language? perhaps there where the problem lies? maybe they are more blunt in the ukraine??? *shrugs*

Electric,

I will agree with the ladies who said that average speed involves many variables. I know it's hard not to compare yourself to other riders, but if you want to continue enjoy the sport you should only compare yourself to your own results. There are always someone faster than you, and at some point it will get too frustrating to not be able to catch that "rabbit". I think it takes some people less effort to improve their speed than others, and you might need a little more time, but if you put determination and chase it down with love for sport then you will get there. When I see someone in the street who is overweight but he/she is biking, running, etc it puts a smile on my face. Like someone said before, "pushing" is different for everybody. Experiment on different things: diet pre/post rides, different types of training, change of scenery and you might get better results. However, I must say that there are so many different women on this board, and everyone has their own opinion, and if they are asked they will voice it. Unfortunately, we don't see their facial expressions and emotions so it's hard to say if they meant their comment to be harsh or not. We are all in the same sport, some people willtry to encourage you and comment on your results, others feel that "encouraging" is not about only looking at a positive side of the story....
In the end you are out riding, doing it, enjoying and wanting to improve and that's awsome in my book

Quote:

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Originally Posted by caligurl

out of curiosity... is english your second language? perhaps there where the problem lies? maybe they are more blunt in the ukraine??? *shrugs*

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Whatever you wish to think.
Have fun everybody and keep enjoying this wonderful sport.

I may use the ignore function for the very first time.

El Tour of Phoenix is a timed event, not the every day ride the average rider is using for stats.

These avg speeds do not include warm up, cool down, or the normal traffic and physical obtacles that slow most of us in our ordinary rides.

Drafting of other riders is not prohibited so we must assume there is drafting.

Terrain - Phoenix is FLAT. I travel there several times a year. It is the same type terrain I ride on. FLAT. You cannot assume the speeds in your area are typical for other areas.

24 miles is very short distance compared to some rides (say 100 miles, 200k or 200 miles).

Where in that list does it show the riders' weight, fitness, skills, health conditions, wind resistance, etc.?

13.5 mph is pretty much right smack in the middle of a list that is all ages and both genders. There is not true peer comparison in this list.

Lenusik, I realize you are trying to provide encouragement but your lack of perception about the variables is really detrimental.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

ITerrain - Phoenix is FLAT. I travel there several times a year. It is the same type terrain I ride on. FLAT. You cannot assume the speeds in your area are typical for other areas.
.

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http://www.hlhap.com/azroadclimbs.html

Well said SK - on all accounts!

I personally don't see how this sort of reply : "out of curiosity... is english your second language? perhaps there where the problem lies? maybe they are more blunt in the ukraine??? *shrugs* " is better than anything that Linusik posted in her replies. I am not going to take anyone's side on this post because I think it's pointless to argue about this without having all the variables we mentioned before. But personally I don't think that the above comment was any better? - attack is the best deffense? and do we need to defend? Why make this post into something it was not meant to be...

i didn't mean to attack her... ... i was just trying to justify her bluntness... saying that perhaps what she really meant to say wasn't translating well? that perhaps there is a language barrier? thus the bluntness... harshness....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FreshNewbie

I personally don't see how this sort of reply : "out of curiosity... is english your second language? perhaps there where the problem lies? maybe they are more blunt in the ukraine??? *shrugs* " is better than anything that Linusik posted in her replies.

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Thank you. It is hard for people to agree with the reality. People don't think that I take any conditions into consideration. All I give is averages for anyone in any situation. But different things work for different people. As I said, there was no plan to offend any one. Thanks.

I've been trying to ignore parts of this conversation but I want to make sure that (particularly) new cyclists aren't discouraged by the stats that Lenusik keeps quoting.

I really believe that the important thing here is that we are all riding, and we are riding because we enjoy it, regardless of speed.

There are racers who participate in this forum, and I know that they are very cognizant of (and trying to improve) their speed. There are non-racers too who are working to improve their speed, and there are others of us who just want to ride. I'm not a fast rider, and I never have been. My body seems to like the speed it goes, and that speed happens to be slower than many other riders. In fact, I'm one of the people who occasionally rides with Robyn where (as she said in her post last week) she knows she won't be riding her max speed on those rides. And she's fine with it - if she wants to ride at a higher rate of speed then that's not a good day for us to ride together. I believe that works for both of us.

On the other hand, while I'm not put together for speed, I am very happy riding long distances. Touring, being on my own on a bike exploring new territory, playing with my camera - all make me very happy. And when I'm touring, I'm going at an even slower pace than normal because I'm either hauling a trailer or I have loaded panniers on my bike.

What I think it really important is that we each continue to use our bikes to meet our own goals, to add something good to our lives, to enjoy our own version of cycling. That might include riding at a faster pace, but it might not.

Have fun on your bikes!

--- Denise

Quote:

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Originally Posted by caligurl

i didn't mean to attack her... ... i was just trying to justify her bluntness... saying that perhaps what she really meant to say wasn't translating well? that perhaps there is a language barrier? thus the bluntness... harshness....

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I was a straight "A" student. :)

Well, now we see that not everything that we post is interpreted the way we want to, no matter what your first language is.

Yep, flat like Davis. Flat, flat, flat, oh gosh, more flat, thank goodness a hill to break up the monotony, darn, back to the flat. The girls in the California Bay Area, the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades and the Rockies are all scratching their heads. Let's talk 5-20 mile long climbs and then a repeat.

And, those speeds were still from a very short race.

I am so tired of these constant comparisons of speed when we don't know the variables for each person. It's like asking "are my eyes bluer than yours" without having a picture or a judge that has seen both pairs of eyes. It's ridiculous. If you want to know how fast you are, ride with someone you consider a peer on a familiar route. Sorry to everyone. I'm getting a bit wound up over this one. I don't want anyone to be discouraged through lack of understanding about comparisons of average speeds.

There are people in bike clubs who sincerely and earnestly have Lenusik's attitude (also in academia) They "don't have any special talents" - (but they're straight A students, etc...) so if other people would just TRY HARDER they could all be better, and what's with all the excuses??? They just need to push themselves~ we can only know what's been in our universe.

It is a good thing to see this discussion and see that this is how their minds work... and if it's foreign and doesn't make sense... then when somebody talks like that at a ride, you know that person is coming from such a different perspective than yours and to put "discouragement shields" up. Or... get angry and use that for motivation.

Hard to tell when we need encouragement and when we need that kick in the rear - but it's the KITA at the wrong time that does more harm than the other way around.

Woo-hooo! My average is the slowest! 10.9 mph!!!

(do I get a prize?)

I can't wait to do my first triathlon next month: in my miniskirt with my bike seat with springs under the butt and upright bars with a dingy-bell and fenders and a big ol' grin on my face!

Have fun, everyone, cuz we'll all be dead someday!

But (say it with me now) we're NOT DEAD YET!!!!:D

-KnottedYet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Have fun, everyone, cuz we'll all be dead someday!

But (say it with me now) we're NOT DEAD YET!!!!:D

-KnottedYet

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I love that! Thanks for riding!

Like Denise said - your body will let you know what speed is good for you. Some days you might want to go faster, other days you might want to take it easy. If you want to improve your overall speed, whatever that may be, then set that goal and work towards it. The more you ride, the better chance you may have to improve speed. However, you might be riding at your optimum speed now. It just depends. Riding should be fun. This discussion has quickly degraded into something not very fun. Please don't be discouraged by those who will tell you that you are slow. That is unproductive and unnecessary. Just be happy to ride and if you want to try to improve your speed for you, then I wish you luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

I am so tired of these constant comparisons of speed when we don't know the variables for each person. It's like asking "are my eyes bluer than yours" without having a picture or a judge that has seen both pairs of eyes. It's ridiculous. If you want to know how fast you are, ride with someone you consider a peer on a familiar route. Sorry to everyone. I'm getting a bit wound up over this one. I don't want anyone to be discouraged through lack of understanding about comparisons of average speeds.

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Thanks SK for speaking my mind very clearly.

I think all those discussions about speed are totally useless.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

Yep,I am so tired of these constant comparisons of speed when we don't know the variables for each person. It's like asking "are my eyes bluer than yours" without having a picture or a judge that has seen both pairs of eyes. It's ridiculous. If you want to know how fast you are, ride with someone you consider a peer on a familiar route. Sorry to everyone. I'm getting a bit wound up over this one. I don't want anyone to be discouraged through lack of understanding about comparisons of average speeds.

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Amen, Sister! ...One of the reasons I don't post my average speeds or distance in my daily ride post.

Quote:

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There are people in bike clubs who sincerely and earnestly have Lenusik's attitude (also in academia) They "don't have any special talents" - (but they're straight A students, etc...) so if other people would just TRY HARDER they could all be better, and what's with all the excuses??? They just need to push themselves~ we can only know what's been in our universe.

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HA! HA! "Keep riding and you will be as fast me someday!"

Yea, unfortunately... there are genetic barriers involved in our speeds... and how much faster we can get... I do believe.

I could ride 7 days a week, and I know I would never get very fast (aka: 22-25 mph average). I'm not sure what my top speed will ever be, but after 1.5 years on my bike, the fastest I have ever gone is a 17 mph average. But, most days, I hang around 15-16 mph.

I can only DREAM of breaking the 17 mph barrier!

The fact is... is that some people have natural ability... some do not. If we all had the same abilities... everyone would be riding the same speed!

For me, I don't have the natural ability. All I have is the ability to be perfectly mediocre. And that allows me to ride with groups and makes me happy!

You can't stop participating in a sport because there are professional-level people who can obliterate you at it. A sport is about a lifestyle, about health and fitness and happiness, and you want to try hard, of course, you want to do your best, but you'll have to accept that other people's best will
frequently be better than yours.

Mike Magnuson, Heft On Wheels

(Nanci, who faces this acceptance on each and every ride)

you know, I have a great worksman bicycle at my office. It is a huge thing, it weighs 40 pounds. After zipping around town on my little cross or roadbike, it is a humbling experience to hop on to this rather newish bike and ride just as fast as i can (on the flats here at work) and MAYBE get up to 10 miles an hour. What's more, I'd like to see anyone else do 15 mph on the flats on a bike like this.
having said this, I must add that I can do a lot better on a lightweight bike.
So if you are the owner of a comfort cruiser, Do not expect to go really fast no matter how fit you are, because the sheer weight of the bike is going to slow you down.
Your speed on a bike has a lot to do with the bike itself.
Take a look at the kinds of bikes they are riding in the Tour de France.
Those bikes weigh about 1/2 of what most of our road bikes weigh; and they are even built differently, different geometry and stuff.
One of the reason that they can sell those really expensive bikes is because they do add to your speed.
So worry about YOUR speed, not someone else's. but even that is subject to so many variables. Try to beat your own records, but if the wind is going in a different direction, even if you worked twice as hard as you did the last time, you still might not be any faster.

The biggest bummer about speed is that it limits who you can ride with. If you have a friend that averages 15 mph and you only average 12 mph, it won't be any fun riding with them; either they will be falling asleep waiting for you to catch up or you will be working TOO hard to have fun... or both.

if you are riding to get fit, don't compare yourself to anyone else. Just imagine me on my worksman bike trying to go fast.
:)

An interesting thread. I was worried about my average speed, too, when I kept reading what others have posted. But, as I began to think about this conversation, I realized that the truth is, as a newish rider, I don't really pay too much attention to the "speed" I'm going. In fact, I more often have my computer set to cadence. That way, I ride by feel rather than some arbitrary number that may have nothing to do with road/weather/fatigue/whatever conditions. And just because I'm riding by feel, it doesn't mean that I'm not pushing myself on a given day.

While I am aiming for general improvement, I'm really more interested in enjoying my life than besting the other person. As has been stated, there will ALWAYS be somone faster than me, so why worry about what *they* can do? Why not just worry about what I can do? Seems like that's plenty enough to make me happy.

For what it's worth.

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Originally Posted by Flatlander

. . . I'm really more interested in enjoying my life than besting the other person.

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Most excellent words and worth a lot. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KSH

HA! HA! "Keep riding and you will be as fast me someday!"

Yea, unfortunately... there are genetic barriers involved in our speeds... and how much faster we can get... I do believe.

I could ride 7 days a week, and I know I would never get very fast (aka: 22-25 mph average). I'm not sure what my top speed will ever be, but after 1.5 years on my bike, the fastest I have ever gone is a 17 mph average. But, most days, I hang around 15-16 mph.

I can only DREAM of breaking the 17 mph barrier!

The fact is... is that some people have natural ability... some do not. If we all had the same abilities... everyone would be riding the same speed!

For me, I don't have the natural ability. All I have is the ability to be perfectly mediocre. And that allows me to ride with groups and makes me happy!

---

And discussions like this program us all to think that we are slow. I used to think that I was very slow. If I went by my average training ride speeds, I probably would still be sitting around believing it. (btw KSH - you don't sound too mediocre to me!)

Look gals unless it's a race, IT'S NOT A RACE. If it is a race it may not always be the fastest person who wins, but the one who rides the smartest. It's good to have goals and its fine to want to improve your speed, but comparing your average speed to other peoples is likely to not bring you any happiness. I can see why people on other bike forums usually shut this topic down pretty quick when it comes up. There is no real point to making the comparison if you aren't doing the same ride in the same conditions.

If you want to use average speed - compare yourself to yourself on a course you ride often. Be kind to yourself - one day of slower speed doesn't mean your slipping - maybe it was windier, maybe you were hungry or tired. It's like getting on the scale every morning - look for trends, rather than what happens each individual day.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KSH

For me, I don't have the natural ability. All I have is the ability to be perfectly mediocre. And that allows me to ride with groups and makes me happy!

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Wwwooooh, wait a minute dear.

I generally agree with your post, but I strongly refuse to think of you as "mediocre". (There is definitely an ironic spin to your post and I'm sure that's not what you think, but I still need to clarify.)

A trainer I worked with along with other members of my club, who also works with elite and professional athletes, kept telling us that we were all athletes - no matter at what level - and in any case close to the peak of the fitness pyramid in the general population. About 1% of the population participates in triathlon, and probably not a lot more than 10% of the population is capable of running 5-10 km continuously or cycle for more than 30 km. So please don't say you are mediocre. Perhaps you would seem relatively out of place if dropped inadvertently in the middle of the world championships. But even then you wouldn't be mediocre. Do not put yourself down like this, it's absolutely not founded.

Besides that, yes, genetics do play a part. For example, it's proven unfortunately that no matter how much they train about 1/3 of the population will not significantly increase their respiratory capacity... which doesn't prevent them from having fun and reaping other health benefits from exercising.

However, there is also a strong social, personal and familial component. My dear partner, to take only one example of someone I don't even dream of passing on a hill (unless he has a broken leg... and even then...) has been involved in sports since he was a very young child and never stopped cycling, running and swimming, all his life. He didn't come in first, but he certainly wasn't out of place at the abovementioned world championship when he went there. He has good genes, perhaps, but above all he had a lot of encouragement as a child, a lot of experience, a lot of training, and he's built over the years an amazing machine of a body. That serves him well. (Hummm, serves me well too, but that's another matter. :rolleyes: ) I, on the other hand, while never sedentary, never was into any sport, but chose politics and volunteer work instead. Without offence to my parents, I may not have the most athletic set of genes, either. I have now added cycling (and some running) to my life, but not at the expense of other activities I love and find meaningful. So of course I'm not improving as much as much as I would if I would put cycling first. So what? That doesn't make me mediocre.

Quote:

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And discussions like this program us all to think that we are slow. I used to think that I was very slow. If I went by my average training ride speeds, I probably would still be sitting around believing it. (btw KSH - you don't sound like you are particularly slow)

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Well, it all depends WHO I ride with. As I posted before, speed is relative.

If I ride with my triathlon group, it's ALWAYS a race for them... and I get dropped. When I ride with them, I am slow. Even the people who just bought their bikes a week before keep up or pass me. It's sad.

Whereas if I ride with my cycling club, there are riders who are my speed and I have a group to ride with. So, when I ride with this group, I am perfectly mediocre- average.

Overall though, I never pay attention to my speed or my average on a ride. I focus on my cadence (90-100) and shift according to that reading.

Quote:

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I generally agree with your post, but I strongly refuse to think of you as "mediocre". (There is definitely an ironic spin to your post and I'm sure that's not what you think, but I still need to clarify.)

---

Mediocre:

1: moderate to inferior in quality;
2: of no exceptional quality or ability.

I appreciate the kind words... I really do! And trust me, I'm don't pity myself and I'm not trying to put myself down. I'm just being honest. Also keep in mind that I compare myself to the people who train/compete in triathlons with me... not to the person who never exercises.

Now... I have FUN doing what I do. Sure, I could train a few more hours a week, maybe not eat all the bad food I do, I could train using my heart rate, etc... and I would probably get better... but I want to have fun with all this... so I do what I feel like doing.

Otherwise, I have always been OK at everything I do. Not the worst, not the best, just somewhere in the middle.... medicore. In all my triathlon's, I am in the middle of my age group, in H.S. when I was a competitive swimmer- I was a decent swimmer who got the job done. Nothing spectacular.

That's me. And I'm perfectly OK with that. I have fun riding, swimming, and running... even if I will never come in first place.

I think going too fast limits people, too. They don't have time to stop to see one of the largest oaks in Florida and take a picture of their bike by it. They don't have time to help a Three-Striped Musk Turtle across a busy road. They don't have time to watch a family of baby alligators. They don't have time to look up and down the River Styx and spot a white heron. They don't know where to find the restroom key at Tim's Fast Nickel. They don't stop for scenic group pictures along the way. All those speedy A and B riders- most of them aren't training for racing, maybe they just want to be REALLY fast for the annual Century, maybe they have to get home to do chores, maybe they just enjoy the limited field of view of the rider ahead's butt- good for them, go go go, but they are missing out on the _pleasure_ of riding a bike from one good thing to the next.

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Originally Posted by Lenusik

. My normal spead to hold is 20 - 23 mph. I can hold 25 - 27 for a couple of miles when I push. .

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Lance Armstrong is a remarkable bike rider. He has/had access to all the latest technology, the best bikes, the best training, personnel trainers, etc. and almost unlimited funds to help train. Training was his full time job. He won the Tour de France 7 times with an average speed of 24.99 mph.

Lenusik if your "normal spead" is 20- 23 mph I think you could be the first woman to ride le tour.
My average speed is more in line with knotted and once, an old man walking his dog, talking on a phone beat me up a hill. But I still love to ride.

Jones.