How fast do you go per hour?

[Brandi]

How many miles do you go per hour? I have no one to compare too. Please tell me.

[Melody]

When I go out, my average tends to be around 11-13 mph. That's mostly on flat roads. I'm not fast.

However, I can push that up to 20-25 but just not for very long.

Mel

[DebW]

Commuting: 14-15 mph
Recreational Rides: 15-17 mph

average on 1 hour rides on a 22 pound road bike.

[Duck on Wheels]

I think I'm about Mel's speed. But it took me a while to learn how to read my bike computer (actually a trekking computer). It computes the other way 'round. I was really puzzled that I was going slower the harder I pedalled, then I realized it was giving me minutes per mile, not miles per hour. Woops. Don't tell my engineer DH or engineering student son.

So, yeah, last ride I was doing around 5-6, which means 12-10. On a downhill or spurting on a flat I could do better, even down to 3 , but then I bailed out on hills and walked , so I guess my average is around the 10-12 I was doing on flats. Which means the Cindy will take me at least 6 hours. But ... I think I can maybe keep going that long at that speed. I've never had or loved speed, but usually done better at endurance. 'Course, I only know my endurance from hiking and lap swimming, but I'm counting on it holding up on a bike as well.

[Melody]

bikeless, this just means for the Cindy we can all stay together.

Mel

[Duck on Wheels]

bikeless, this just means for the Cindy we can all stay together.

Mel

Oh yes! Please!
I was so afraid I'd be just trundling along last and alone and bored, not even music to keep me going like at spin class. I considered listening to music on one ear with an mp3, but even on just one ear it's not good road safety practice. Much better to have company.

[Melody]

Oh yes! Please!
I was so afraid I'd be just trundling along last and alone and bored, not even music to keep me going like at spin class. I considered listening to music on one ear with an mp3, but even on just one ear it's not good road safety practice. Much better to have company.

Definately. We'll just gather all the slow riders.

Mel

[Veronica]

It all depends on the type of terrain.

Here's my data from my 69 mile ride today. I hit my lap counter at various places on my ride. My goal on this ride was to keep my heart rate below 165 (my 80%) so I was actively trying to NOT hammer.

The first number is distance for that lap. The second is average speed. The third is the % grade. The last is average HR.

9.6 miles, 13.6 mph .2%, 156
6.8 miles, 12 mph 1.2%, 160
9.2 miles 8.5 mph 2.6 %, 164
20.6 miles 14.1 mph 1.1 %, 156 The beginning of this section has a long downhill, where I hit 44.3 mph.
2.6 miles 5.5 mph 6%, 168
3.1 miles 7.2 mph 3.6%, 164
4.6 miles 5 mph 7%, 169 - the last quarter mile of this is a 17% grade!
12.1 miles 20.4 mph, -5.5%, 118, yes that's a negative percent.


Overall average speed of 11 mph, with over 6500 feet of climbing, average HR 157. Because this was a point to point ride it had much more climbing than descending - 53% to 22%. 25% was flat. The steeper the grade - the slower I go!


V.

[yellow]

How many miles do you go per hour?

As fast as the person whose wheel I am on! I looooove riding with Bubba...big shoulders block lots of wind!

Sorry, couldn't resist!

[SadieKate]

As fast as the person whose wheel I am on! I looooove riding with Bubba...big shoulders block lots of wind!

Sorry, couldn't resist!

I love those shoulders too! I've always said that a spousal unit needs to be appropriately sized to provide a good draft.

[arnaew]

How many miles do you go per hour? I have no one to compare too. Please tell me.

I ride alone, and while I know my average speed is pretty ordinary (12-15mph), it's very difficult to move it up a notch when you're a solo rider. It's not by choice, I'm just too slow for all the riders in my area. We have the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Cycling Division training here all the time, so the pressure is on to be swift, and most can rise to the challenge. Me? It's only been six months since I rode further than a 20k circuit. I'm really really bad on hills, but my endurance is getting better. In January I rode 93k on the Tour Down Under, and a week ago I did 120k (around 75m) onthe Coast to Coast Tour, which goes from the city beachfront of Glenelg to the southern coastal town of Victor Harbor, through the Adelaide Hills and down the Fleurieu Peninsula. About 1200 people do the ride, from Brett Aitken's S&L team to weekend warriors on commuters. Thank goodness for the latter - it meant that I did not come in last by a long shot. There were some mean mean hills in there, and sometimes I did not think I would make it. Towards the end, after some fantastic downhills (top speed of 74k - 45.9 approx) the sting in the tail was a trio of sharp ascents with no real descent between them. Everyone was having a hard time, and they were talking to each other, encouraging, advising. I was spinning, spinning, trying to get there, but had to stop. As I watched people going by, I felt a terrible wave of loneliness, which I don't usually. So I mentally 'slapped myself upside the head', got back on the bike and finished ( in just over 5 hours - v good for me!). Decided that I was just a bit hormonal, with a bout of PM depression. I was very proud of finishing though, with an average speed of 22k (13.6). Over the past week I've been trying to do some different rides - in particular I've been doing intervals. Next year - those hills are mine.
A

[betagirl]

Geez, how tall are you?

5'10 Well, 5'9 1/2 now. I appear to be shrinking a little. Dang, might have to lower my seat a little.

[Duck on Wheels]

... a week ago I did 120k (around 75m) onthe Coast to Coast Tour ... in just over 5 hours.
A

WOW! Very good! Can I borrow you as my inspiration next month when I try my first metric century? I'm told the hills aren't as bad as what you had, but I'm nervous anyway. Good to think that I'm doing somewhere close to your speed. Now I just have to hope I have your endurance and determination.

[snapdragen]

bikeless, here is my slideshow from last year's Cindy. There is a picture of Lemondrop hill - not as scary as you are imagining.

http://community.webshots.com/slides...428&key=YxOwBP

[SadieKate]

The annual freak about the hills on the Cindy has started!!!

Here are my very simple rules for training:
*Long and flat - train your butt
*Lots of hills - train your legs
*Long and hills - train both

The Cindy? Train your butt. Get it? Train for the distance and you'll be just fine. I think the only reason Lemon Drop Hill has a name is because Lemon Drops are handed out at a high spot on the road. Maybe I am just a bit oblivious but it took me a long time to figure out what people were talking about. Even as a newbie rider after 4 knee ops, I thought the guy just picked a nice spot to hand out candy.

The point of my post is to quit freaking about the freakin' hills and get your posterior on a bike as much as possible.