Where do I stand?

[suzbyrd]

While out riding today (22.5 miles in 80mins), I was thinking about this site and the other women who ride and post here....my question is....What kind of riding, and at what pace do you ride it at? I live in a very hilly part of Tennessee where there are elevation gains on every ride, even the short ones. I know I try to push it every time I ride and since there are very few (if any other) females who ride around here, I was just thinking about what other folks do and where I stood in regards to all of ya'll (that's southern speak for all you northerners!). I read where some of you ride 40-50 miles at a time or at amazing paces. I know that here, a 15 mile ride could take an hour, because of the hills. A 50 mile ride would take a major effort and 3 1/2 hours. So, what kind of miles do you ride and at what pace? How old are you? How long have you been riding? What kind of bike do you train on? Any information you could share with me for comparison's sake would be greatly appreciated.

[maillotpois]

While comparing data from others might be interesting intellectually, there's just no way you're going to get any sort of real comparison because everyone rides vastly different terrain and conditions. I couldn't give you an average pace, climbing or ride, even if I wanted to, because each of my rides is so different.

Ride your bike and have fun. Compare yourself to yourself. Look for improvement in your rides. Set your goals according to your terrain and what you want to do on the bike, not what you think you should be doing because of what others are doing.

Just my 2 cents.

[suzbyrd]

Gotcha! I'm just someone who wants to figure out where she stand in regards to others. Most times I feel like I'm slacking and need some motivation

[maillotpois]

Best thing I have found for motivation is a goal - something you want to be able to do. Is there a metric century or century in your area you might train for? Are there any groups in your area you might ride with who have casual paced rides you could join and start to get motivation from riding with others?

You say you have a lot of hills in your area - do you have an altimeter or other way of measuring those hills so you can start to compare one ride to another? If you do a 30 mile ride that has 2500 feet of elevation gain, that should take you a lot longer than a 30 mile ride with 1000 feet of elevation gain. Unless the wind is blowing really hard. Which goes back to my original mention of "conditions".

You can also set goals of trying to improve your time on specific rides, etc. There's plenty of competition you can find with yourself.

[ZenBiker]

I understand your interest in comparing, I wonder the same things and won't be able to resist reading the responses. At the same time, I'm trying not to think too much about how I compare to others. I have a tendency to get too caught up in the numbers and end up feeling bad about myself. For example: I'll be riding in an event this coming weekend with a bunch of friends who are all better cyclists than me and have been stressing over that. So every time I start out on a training ride lately I remind myself, out loud, to have fun. There will always be someone (in my case many someones) who ride further and faster and that's OK. As long as I'm progressing and enjoying it, it's all good. (Of course if I were training for a race it would be different, then the whole point is to compare - but I'm not).

Edited to add: just saw your reply about looking for motivation. Makes sense. I like maillotpois's suggestion about tracking your own stats and working to improve on them, or training for an event to give your rides structure.

[Velocivixen]

I live in a town that's a suburb of Portland, Or with the entire metro area of 1 million or so. There are plenty of flats as well as hills if you want them. I consider myself a leisure rider. I like to go out and see & smell new places. According to my Cateye Strada my average speed ranges from 10-14 mph. I have ridden about 197 miles in the last 4 weeks or so. My max. speed, usually down a hill is about 18-21 mph, although I can go up to about 16 mph on flats if I want. I find that when I ride faster I have to pay more attention, and it takes away from my enjoying the scenery and looking around. I have been riding in the past 6 months my new Trek FX 7.3 FX. I have ridden more in the past 6 months than the entire previous 25 years. This is due to having the appropriate bike, and one that I really enjoy. So, my typical rides involve riding to a destination, maybe 5-10 miles away, having a coffee or lunch, then riding home.
So that's it. Hope that helps. I find that motivation is a fickle friend-it comes and it goes, so I don't rely on it to keep me active. I just do it.

[jobob]

I've stopped bringing my Garmin on my rides. I have no idea what my average pace is anymore.

[maillotpois]

I've stopped bringing my Garmin on my rides. I have no idea what my average pace is anymore.

I did that for a while last year - after it was stolen. I'm back, but the break was refreshing.

[Grits]

I am 50 years old and have been cycling regularly (recreation only) for 3 or 4 years. I recently did a 50 mile ride with gorgeous weather and very moderate rolling hills and finished at an average pace of 16.1 and was absolutely thrilled. I did another 50 mile ride a few days ago which was hillier and hotter and finished at 14.9, and felt disappointed in myself, which is ridiculous, but there it is

It is so easy to get caught up in comparison to the point that riding is no longer fun, but I agree that it is very motivating! I mostly just try to keep up with the riders I'm with and have found that my pace has increased (slowly) over time - especially since the other riders are usually a little faster and I have to push myself.

[jlnc]

Hi Suzbyrd, welcome! I am in NC and there are lots of hills around me, so i feel your pain. I am 40, only started cycling last year and have a Trek 7.5 FX (hybrid). I can do a 14 mile ride in about an hour. I totally slow to a crawl on the hills, but don't let it bother me. I have found some all female beginner groups to ride with, and it really helps push me to do longer rides than i would do alone. If I do ride alone, I usually just do about 8 miles.

[Biciclista]

I would HATE to have to deal with your hills. The fact that you are out there tackling them is very impressive.
Where do you stand?
RIGHT SQUARE in the MIDDLE of the rest of us

Where I live we have rain most of the year, some of us have to ride where it is 100 degrees, others have 50 mph winds half the time, you have the most NASTY little hills.
but you're doing it. Good for you. keep riding
ok, i'll answer your questions. I'm going to be 60, I have a road bike. I do a work day commute 2-3 times a week of 9 miles.
I also am working on a 100k challenge, once a month i have to ride about 62 miles. i ride for fun and also for the exercise.
i don't ride very fast, but i do ride efficiently!

[Bike Chick]

It is so easy to get caught up in comparison to the point that riding is no longer fun, but I agree that it is very motivating!

This is very true! This happened in golf with DH and I and began to in cycling as well. Now we are mixing it up and doing triathlons and some marathons (I do the half--no desire to do a marathon) and that keeps us from getting so focused on one thing. You can get carried away with any activity and lose your perspective. Pretty soon it gets to be work and it's not fun anymore.

[featuretile]

I'm 59 and have been riding a little less than 3 years. Like you, I live in a very hilly place - the Santa Cruz Mountains in CA. There are no flat rides. I usually average between 10 and 13mph. But when I look at my computer on the flats, I am riding between 13-17mph. I can go downhill between 20-30mph. But, going up these hills I am back to 5-7mph and my average is like 11.9 on a good day.

I feel frustrated when the other club members all pass me by on the hills. But, I am getting better. I just finished a bike tour from Santa Cruz to Paso Robles, and even though I was mostly last, I did climb some impressive mountains.

Like Darcy, I have discovered that riding defeats old age. I am in so much better shape now than I was before I started riding. And we have an 82 year old ride leader that I want to be like when I am 82.

I like to ride better with people who are at the same speed/level as I am (or just a little better to push me). It's more fun. My DH rides with me sometimes. He started the same time as I and does not ride near as much, but he is tall and thin and a guy, so it is easier for him. He'll wait up for me if necessary.

Anyway, elevation gain makes average speed go down. But, it also makes you stronger. Don't forget to drink enough (and put some electrolytes in your water), and have a bite to eat every once in awhile. You'll get more tired if you try and go a lot faster than what is comfortable for you.

[grey]

I'm 34 and have been riding 5 years, but the past 2 years have been a little rough - first I hurt my back in the Spring of 09 and couldn't wiggle my toes, let alone ride, that killed one year. Last year I rode off and on, when I was home. It was a crazy busy year and I just never had the time to really get into shape.

So this year, things have been great, I have a good schedule and my back seems to be ok. However, you lose a lot in basically 2 years of not riding, so far this year my longest ride is 30 miles. I'm just south of Chattanooga, so I also have KILLER hills. Some days I just do a 17 mile very hilly loop - but I confess, on some of this looooong bad boys I stop in the middle, catch my breath, and then go on - it's much easier than pushing myself to the brink, and shows me just how far I still need to go conditioning-wise.

My goal this year: to do the 60-mile century in August and go up the mountain at least once.

You can't compare yourself to others. All you can do is your personal best. Besides - the point is to have FUN!

And in my case, part of the fun comes later, as gastronomy is one of my favorite indulgences, riding lets me pig out! Unfortunately, it means losing weight is a wee bit slower when you're eating fresh bread dipped in homemade pesto, a creamy pasta of whatever sounded good and a glass or two of red the night of a ride... and then top it off with chocolate mousse!

[Grog]

I have recorded pretty much every kilometer I've ridden on my road bikes (not necessarily my commuters) over the past seven years, but I quit recording time about three years ago. Don't miss it one bit!