Question about average speeds

[ace]

How do you guys determine your average speed? Do you base it just on what your bike computer says it is at the end of the ride? I'm trying to get my "average speed" up, but it seems to stick at 10 mph. For instance, the 23 mile ride I did had maybe 3 miles of very steep hills, so even though I was going 15-19 on all the flats, I'm so slow on the hills that my average speed ends up being 10 mph. Probably a stupid question, but I would think that an average speed has little meaning unless you calculate in what kind of terrain the person is riding.

Yeah, it's just a number, but I'm slightly fixated on numbers.

Thanks,
Amy

[Veronica]

I use what my HRM says, but it also has an altimeter, so I know how much climbing I've done.

V.

[kelownagirl]

I watch my average speed over various routes. My best average by the end of the summer for a flattish route, small smaller hills, and one big hill at the end, was 27kmh. My average speed for a hilly route I often take was 24 kmh. I also time myself up the last big hill and try to beat my last time.

I love numbers too....

[mimitabby]

hills will always slow you down, even guys like Lance are slower on hills.

[makbike]

I go with what my bike computer indicates as well as taking in concideration the terrain I tackled that day. I also track my cycling data (time, avg. speed, max. speed & distance) on a spreadsheet so that I can see how I am progressing as the year clicks by.

[Pedal Wench]

I only use averages to compare to myself on the exact same route. Last year was X, this year X+2. What you can do is use that 10mph average as a starting point, and try to improve that, and only compare that number (if you must) to other people doing the same route under the same conditions.

[Geonz]

I also only cmopare that average speed when it's the same route or at least comparable conditions... and the same route when it's windy will be different, too.

There are so many things you can look at - keeping the speed up above X heading up those hills as long as I can, total time for the trip (less resting), but mainly I look at my *total* accumulated mileage... 'cause that's always improving and I'm a terminal optimist.

[Eden]

I only use averages to compare to myself on the exact same route. Last year was X, this year X+2. What you can do is use that 10mph average as a starting point, and try to improve that, and only compare that number (if you must) to other people doing the same route under the same conditions.

+1
and realize that you will mostly only see the larger changes in your fitness by watching average speed. Small increments get lost in differences in the wind/weather, if you need to slow down for one more red light/turning car etc., how intense the workout you did the day before was and the zillion other things that make every ride different from the last.

[KSH]

Do you base it just on what your bike computer says it is at the end of the ride?

Yep.

This also how I know how to pick what group rides to join.

[ace]

well, interesting that you should say that about using avg speed to know which group rides to join, because that's sort of the source of my question. I'm doing a Cinderella training series that has many groups, all segregated by supposed average speed. The first week I went with the 10-12 mph group, and it was painfully slow for me, so I switched to a group that's 13-15 mph, and they're really pushing us, and telling us we're doing 16-19 mph (and my bike computer confirms this on the flats/rollers). However, my crapola hill performance is making my average come out to 10 mph. I actually looked down and I was doing 3 mph up a really steep hill yesterday. So I can't necessarily base which group I'm going to ride with on my avg. mph.

That makes sense to me, though, only comparing my avg speed when I do the same routes.

I must get better on hills....I heard what you guys said about the only way to get better on them is to do them, but it is really a battleground for me.

[kelownagirl]

me too. I don't hate them anymore but I don't love them either.

[Eden]

In general the ride classifications I've seen given by clubs are supposed to be for ideal conditions on the flats - so the 10 -12 group should be going 10-12 on the flats and slower on the hills, etc. It sounds like your 13-15 group is probably pushing the pace a little faster than advertised.....

[jobob]

I'm doing a Cinderella training series that has many groups, all segregated by supposed average speed.

Could you ask the ride leaders what they mean by average speed (with respect to the group assignments) ?

Alas, like it or not, you're only going to get stronger & faster on hills if you do more hills. There's no getting around that.

If you can, find a hill near your home and go up and down it a few times during the week. You'll get faster on the flats as well as the hills. Trust me.

[SadieKate]

Yes, trust her.

[ace]

I will trust you. I will do the damn hills repeatedly.

The one really really bad hill we did this weekend (something referred to as "the animals" in Fremont) kicked my butt so bad that I was in granny gear about 100 ft from the top of a 2.6 mile climb, and my legs just gave out. I was afraid I was going to fall over, so I stopped. I've never stopped on a hill before. It really pissed me off because I was soooo close, but I just could not safely do it.

Given, I'm 75 lbs overweight, ride a clunky hybrid, and have a still-healing bone bruise in my knee, so I'm cutting myself some slack. But I figure if I practice, lose even 20 lbs and get a road bike, I'll be flying up the hills. How's that for optimism?