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.