What's your average mph?

[trail_mommy]

I've got to know because I am SO slow compared to dh...his is like 12.5 or 13 I'm just 7.8...I try to build up but with the kids sometimes it's a week between rides, sometimes I go every day of the week. Where do we all stand on speed and how long have you been mtb- ing? Dh is getting ready to go to a Navy school for 3 weeks and I might get one ride i n while the in laws visit over a weekend...sigh maybe it's time for a trainer

[Veronica]

It depends on where I'm riding. Last week I found myself doing 2.5 mph as I climbed a section.

You really can't compare average speeds on a mountain bike. It's so terrain specific. Some people are doing gnarly single track, some are doing flat fire roads, and there is everything in between.

V.

[trail_mommy]

I agree and I thought of that as soon as I posted...2.5 is a common climbing speed for me

[Veronica]

I made up for it when I hit 33 mph on the downhill.

It's a trail I know REALLY well.

V.

[trail_mommy]

I made up for it when I hit 33 mph on the downhill.

It's a trail I know REALLY well.

V.

OMGGGG that's nuts! I can only dream of DH like that..not gonna happen in OK

[kelownagirl]

My average speed for off-road, hill climbing rides is about 5-8 mph. Maybe that's because I tend to spend a fair amount of time pushing my bike up hills.

(My average speed for mtbiking is much slower than my roadbiking speed - last year for road biking is 14-16 mph depending on how hilly it is.)

[Trekhawk]

Its funny but I have no idea for mountain biking - now ask me about road and I could tell you. I think when Im mountain biking Im more interested in getting through a ride without falling off. If I manage that and I ride stuff I walked before Im happy. I must admit I love downhills on the mountain bike and I try to go as fast as my fear factor will let me.

[SadieKate]

It so depends on the trail. I don't think avg mph is important unless you are racing and comparing yourself to your peers on the same course.

My speeds are all over the place - 2 mph if it's really tight and technical and over 30 on fireroad descents. I love the tight, narrow singletrack of central Oregon where you may have to do a split second track stand to make a right angle turn between boulders or to get the right angle your bars between trees.

It's both fitness and skills that determine your speed on a trail. You have to have both to ride faster. Descents are all about skills and mind set, not fitness, so get the trainer for fitness but you have to ride frequently to get the skills.

[fatbottomedgurl]

I think it is uncool that my computer doesn't compute any speed below 2 mph. There are plenty of times when I'm climbing and it says "zero". But I too have hit 30+ on some fireroads and boy, what a blast! A while back my friend was blasting down like that and a coyote jumped up and ran beside her for quite a ways. I think he thought she was chasing him!
BTW, I think fit guys can generally ride faster, so don't expect to catch up, expect him to wait for you like a good hubby.