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wow... you REALLY don't GET it.... NO ONE said that by stating YOUR average speed.. that you are putting anyone down... it's all the OTHER comments where you OUTRIGHT SAY that other speeds are slow... and all the other quotes...Quote:
Originally Posted by Lenusik
*shakes head*
oh.... isn't that the WORST! picking out clothes for any event? (party.... work... ride... shopping!) i STILL don't know what i'm wearing for 3 harbors tomorrow! UGH! (although i'm leaning toward pink! lol!)Quote:
Originally Posted by FreshNewbie
good gawd... the tour reference just reminded me about the post i made a while back... about attempting to ride with eric saunders... a professional racer.. maybe some of you remember it.... i tried SO HARD to keep up with him and hubby going up the hill that i made myself light headed and had to stop... something i've never had to do before!!!!! he didn't put me down for that.... he didn't put me down for being a slower rider....... HE WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS OK! it's all in the attitude......
Lenusik,
Perhaps you're actually caculating your average speed in km/h as opposed to mph.
(tongue firmly inserted into cheek)
Yes it is the worst considering that I don't have that much party clothes or cycling clothes for that matter. I only have one short sleeve cycling jersey that I keep washing after every ride :-). Well I am getting this http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=19046 after my first century in august. Pink sounds good to me, although lately I love electric blue
OMG, where have i been?
Lenusik writes "I must admit, I am not as consistant (sic) as it sounds."
well yes, you seem consistent enough in ways.:rolleyes:
"If I don't get enough sleep or the food was not right the day before"
food was not right? When is food not right?
"or I have head wind"
I hate it when I have wind in my head :cool:
"If you have some sort of disbelieve"
Well, I do have "some sort of disbelieve".
I can't believe I'm responding to this when I could have head wind.
"please, you are more than welcome to come and ride with me and my friends. We will host you, provide you good food, find a good bike for you"
Oh my, you saying I don't have a good bike? Darlin' you have no clue how good a bike I have do ya? Or anyone else heres bike? Keep your bike, dear, thanks very much, ya got nothin' on mine.
"and even take you on those hills which you think are "flat". Maybe you will find that riding with a good group is not all that bad and people are quite nice."
I've found a good group darlin'.
I'm a member of the best bike club IRL the velogirls
And the best dang club in cyberspace TE.
Come ride with us, if you're woman enough that is.
Whether I'm leading the fast group (rare) trying to hang with the fast group (pant pant), trying to even keep the fast group in sight :cool: hanging back (because darlin' the fun is in the back of the pack) or sweeping in the last riders...it's all good, it's all cycling.
Okay, now I am REALLY in NEED of one of those smilies that are rolling around laughing!!!!
Trek420 you are the BEST!!! Of course, maybe not, since I think I just peed my pants!!!! :D :D :D
Thanks for that - I've not had that good of a belly laugh in a long time!!!
Tracy
I don't care who thinks my 11.5 MPH average is slow. I'm still happy with it (proud of it, even), because it's better than my average walking speed - 2.8 MPH!
I don't care when chicks like Lenusik blow by me - I'm glad to let 'em. I don't care when guys in team kits give me snotty looks on the bike trail - I smile at them anyways and sometimes feel a little sorry for them because I'm having a nice time and can smile and ride at the same time. I don't care if climbing that last little hump of hill is done on foot or on the sidewalk at 1 MPH - and if you have a problem with that, then it's your problem and not mine. I feel joy and pride in being out on my bike and refuse to let the opinions of others affect this.
I'd like to improve my average speed, sure - it means that I'm growing as a cyclist and getting fitter. But that only matters to ME in the long run; there's no sponsors, no bettors with money riding on my performance. I use my average only to mark my own progress and growth. I also use my distance and TITS for the same purpose - judging myself, and not others.
And, for the record, I prefer beer to liquor and wine. BeerFest this year was a scream - my friend and I got to taste a huge variety of brews. My dream vacation would be a cycling tour in Germany that would allow us to go to Oktoberfest!
(Spoken by the woman with the world's largest selection of cycling clothes!!!):pQuote:
Originally Posted by caligurl
Lenusik, I think you missed her point. The point being if the top cyclist in the world "only" go 40 kmp/25 mph while drafting off of one another on a flat stage in the TDF then it is reasonable to assume that the women here on TE are riding pretty doggon fast if their "average" speed is 15 mph - because they are factoring in traffic, hills, etc. - shoot, even less then 15 mph is pretty good for us recreational riders. If you can average 20+ mph (by definition avg. means factoring in the climbs too) then I would recommend you go pro...you're not far from being able to compete with the very best.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lenusik
Even though this thread has ruffled some feathers I'm glad it was started. All new riders wonder how we are doing. It's only natural to question if your speed is considered "okay". I think we all know there are a lot of variables but I think most new folks probably search out about the same terrain...not too many hills! And I'm finding out that to go from 14.7 mph to 15 mph is hard!! So, I'm guessing that if you bear in mind that your ride isn't the same as my ride we can still use each other's averages to give us an idea of how we are doing. To me it obvious not to compare myself to someone who is riding 5,000 miles a year...they are obviously much fitter than I. So I try to "compare" myself to those who do about 1000 miles a year and have been riding for for only a year or two.
So here is my recommendation, let's see if we can post something that others can compare to:
Years riding: 2
Miles per Year: 700/1,000
Terrain: Rolling (options: flat, rolling, hilly, city)
Wind: Moderate (options: none, slight, moderate, windy)
Heat: Hot (options: cold, cool, warm, hot)
Avg Speed: 14.7 mph / 23.66 kph (this is what your computer says, or what your speed averaged over the entire ride, not just what you did on the flats sections)
Maybe this will help those of us interested in how we are doing to "compare" ourselves with people doing at least somewhat the same ride. I know there are more factors than the above, such as age, weight but I'm trying to keep it short.
Ok, Ok, I just have to reply now. Most of this thread has been quit entertaining, I was thinking there was a flame war coming for sure.
Anyway back to my point 13.5 or 13.9, whatever the first poster said is a fine speed, if you feel that you like it. My very first ride on my road bike two years ago was a whole 11.98 mph. Yes, I remember it exactly becuase I knew I was slow, and knew I was pathetic. Ok so I weighed 240lbs. But the ride was mostly flat with a slight false flat. I got to the end of the false flat and thought I would die. Fast forward almost two years later and 17-18mph is an avearge ride for me. Oh and I got down to 185, I know that is what helped the most. And for me personally I'll never be fast enough for what I want to be. But do I impose that on others NO, I really don't care what you average or how far you go as long as you are moving. I really and truely like to go fast because it makes me feel free, and and adds a little bit of danger and out of control. Kind of like riding a roller coaster. To me it is so liberating to know that I am going say 25mph under my own power and not some motor powered machine.
But what does gall me in all of this is how you attacked Lenusik and then RoadRaven. They were stating there opinions on the topic. Ok, so most of you feel that Lenusik came off as arrogent and rude, and hurt your feelings, so ignore the comments then don't encourage it by replying to it. Even I did a double take and said yeah right when I read that post, only two women I know that can do those speeds all the rest would be men. And by the way both those ladies lapped me three times in a crit.
You know what annoyes me even more and I think at least one of you has been in on it. Those threads that end up "I'm so thin and scrawny that size 0 and 2 don't fit me." You know some of us can litterally never be that small, I weighed 150 pounds in high school right on for my height and build and was a blasted 16. Got down to one point recently to only 5 pounds above weight where I could go into the military, and had to lay down on the bed to button a size 10. Which if one considers the change in sizing it would have been like an old 14. As far as cycling clothes you'd have to cut off my breasts to even fit into the biggest of the regular size womens jerseys in most lines.
Oh wait I have another one lets put each other down based on miles we ride. I know I'll be toward the bottem on that list. Just because you can ride 300k which is less then a double century doesn't make you all that just like an average of 26mph doesn't. Are both admirable, very much so, would I like to be able and go out right now and do both, you bet. But I'll bet that double century comes long before that 26. Ok the rant is over.
I don't care what speed you ride or how far you go, just ride your bike.
Years riding seriously: 1
Miles per Year: 700/1,000
Terrain: hilly, city
Wind: Slight-Moderate
Heat: cool
Avg Speed: ~12.2 mph
So here is my recommendation, let's see if we can post something that others can compare to:
Years riding: 2
Miles per Year: 700/1,000
Terrain: Rolling (options: flat, rolling, hilly, city)
Wind: Moderate (options: none, slight, moderate, windy)
Heat: Hot (options: cold, cool, warm, hot)
Avg Speed: 14.7 mph / 23.66 kph (this is what your computer says, or what your speed averaged over the entire ride, not just what you did on the flats sections)
Maybe this will help those of us interested in how we are doing to "compare" ourselves with people doing at least somewhat the same ride. I know there are more factors than the above, such as age, weight but I'm trying to keep it short.[/QUOTE]
I LIKE this. It can give us cause to celebrate our acheivements:)
Years riding seriously: 1
Miles per Year: 800 -1200 (season's not over yet) excluding winter trainer
Terrain: rolling with at least 1 good climb
Wind: High except for 1 day a year
Heat: cool, cold, warm, hot (had 4 layers on one day)
Avg Speed: ~13.5 - 14.5 oh 14 MPH !
AND NOW EVERYONE I STARTED THIS THREAD AND I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO SHAKE HANDS AND MAKE PEACE! :)
I will agree with CR400 about comments that were thrown back and forward between some of the gals on this thread. I believe most of women who post here are grown up, intelligent and friendly people, which leads to believe that one can handle a situation much better than it was. I don't think that some of the remarks that were posted were any better than an ignorant ( to some) posts by Lenusik or RoadRaven. Anyway, conversation about drinks way better than this blahhhhh conversation
Oh, one more thing...when it comes to weather it varies so much...just pick whatever your recent rides have been. Base all your info on your last few "normal" rides.
Hmmm.... somebody in Trollville might just be keeping score on how many pages we've put into this... but lots of it *has* been interesting. (I'm thinking that the clever interpretation of "average" and "opinions" and friendliness ... Sorta reminds me of some of the messages thrown at us from politicians...)
I'm not at all galled that somebody finally tossed back a little of the "from my sanctified heights I would be most glad to entertain you" in the same kind of form. I have to disagree that attitude can't be judged in postings. I'm not saying it was a wonderful thing -- but it ain't galling, and the comments kept coming.
Years riding seriously: 2 years & 9 days! :cool:
Miles per Year: 7277 (that's 1/2 of my 2 year grand total.... so a good average)
Terrain: rolly, hilly, town with some stop lights/signs or open desert usually...
Wind: moderate to stong
Heat: desert (upwards of 110-120 in the summer... and yes... i ride in the afternoon after work in the summertime!)
Avg Speed: ~13.74 (my average using all rides for the 2 years according to bikejournal) (13.66 for just this year alone)
i'll add one more:
elevation gain: 201,316 for this year (jan 1 to jul 4th rides) 343,945 for last year
Years riding 2, serious around 5 months, started in March.
Miles per year: Bike has 3,525 miles total on it, 1,326 so far this season. I live in the north so riding in the winter takes a really dedicated cyclist to get miles in outside.
Terrain: it really depends on my route that day mostly rolling to flat with a few good hills thown in. A few rides this year have been on steep route though.
Wind: really does change daily try not to ride in winds over 20mph.
Heat: Moderate, it can range anywhere between 95 to 30 during the spring to October riding season. Did a race this year at start time it was 28 degrees.
Average: between 17-18.5 mph, my bike journal ave is 16.77. this includes my much slower rides in freezing January to early March.
wow :rolleyes:
RAAM Winners 2006
distance 3,042 miles
terrain - varied, flat and windy to very mountainous
temp- death valley to cold of night
men's winner: Daniel Wyss, avg speed 13.36 mph
women's winner: Shanna Armstrong, avg speed 10.63 mph