What is your overall average MPH?

[redrover77]

I ride a steel touring bike, so...

Unloaded - on flat terrain, about 15mph, on hilly terrain, about 12-13mph
Loaded (with an added 10kgs or so) - on flat terrain, about 12-13mph, on hilly terrain, 10-11mph...

Definitely room for improvement!

I get totally intimidated by ppl who say they average 20mph... HOW???

[redrover77]

I ride a steel touring bike, so...

Unloaded - on flat terrain, about 15mph, on hilly terrain, about 12-13mph
Loaded (with an added 10kgs or so) - on flat terrain, about 12-13mph, on hilly terrain, 10-11mph...

Definitely room for improvement!

I get totally intimidated by ppl who say they average 20mph... HOW???

I should add that these are averages over distances that are at least 30 miles and over...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey, I hit my new all-time lowest average speed record this morning!

Believe it or not, my average on this morning's 12 mile ride was.....7.6mph!
I know why....first there was about 2 miles of low highway uphill grade in granny gear. Then I had several miles of steeper uphill on a VERY rocky freshly graveled wooded road where I had to pick my way between 2" rocks the whole way. Finally I got to the top and looked forward to the long downhill home on that same gravel road- but had to pick my way through the boulder-riddled lunar landscape the whole way down, slogging through fresh gravel and riding my brakes all the way down home. Despite the obstacles it was fun- got to watch some cool cows and goats grazing amongst rusted model T fords...and I also passed some people looking for a lost hog. I spotted the giant red hog a bit further up the gravel road and doubled back to tell them where it was.
It was a good ride, and I wouldn't have traded it for one of my "zippy" 9-10mph rides.

[Chile Pepper]

I'm around 20-22... km per hour. If you want to feel faster, try setting your computer to kph. Works for me. That and the fact that everything is metric here.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm around 20-22... km per hour. If you want to feel faster, try setting your computer to kph. Works for me. That and the fact that everything is metric here.

Hey what a great idea. In fact, I'm gonna set my bike computer to METERS per hour instead of KM!!!

[Chile Pepper]

Hey what a great idea. In fact, I'm gonna set my bike computer to METERS per hour instead of KM!!!

Go for it! You'll be smokin'.

[Jiffer]

GLC1968 Thanks for sharing that great story! How totally inspiring! I could totally relate because, as a new rider, I have a big goal to get good enough to keep up with other people and I'm always wondering how my pace compares to others, specifically a friend of mine. I'll get a chance to find out on Monday when we ride together. I know she's definitely faster than me, but I'm curious if I'll surprise myself if I really work it to keep up with her.

I have learned that I can usually do a lot more than I typically push myself to do. Though it's no fun to go all out and kill yourself every time, it's nice to know you CAN when you either have to ... or just make up your mind to. It sounds like you had an amazing ride. What a feeling of accomplishment!

I can also relate to trying to pace yourself to make it through a ride and not really knowing how much more you could have pushed it had you tried. Your story inspires me to choose to push even harder and see what I can really do! (At least some times!)

So, thank you!

[GLC1968]

Wow, that other thread scared me! I must have missed it the first time (and I'm glad that I did!)

I'm super competitive by nature so when I first started riding (a little less than 2 years ago), I was dying to know how my average speeds compared to everyone else's. I only rode with guys, and most of them could kick my butt and did on a daily basis. I was always worried that I wasn't fast enough to ride with groups. I would hang back on all group rides so that I'd avoid getting in someone's way, and I rarely pushed myself because I was afraid of running out of steam before the ride was over. This was true when I rode with anyone...including DH. The only time I rode hard was when I was alone because then I figured that if I bonked, no one else would have to put up with me. I know...backwards thinking...but whatever. About a month ago, something happend that made me stop thinking about whether or not I was fast enough/good enough...

My husband and I planned a Sunday ride and we decided to take our touring bikes. We rode out to a local plantation that we ride to often, but this time we took it slow, took tons of photos and planned on taking a tour at the plantation once we got there. As we approached our destination, DH started having a mechanical problem with his bike that basically left it unrideable. We ate our lunch, but skipped the tour in the interest of getting back before too late. We rode about 5 miles up the road to a local country store and then I left DH there while I rode home to get the car. We were still 20 miles from home, it was 90 degrees and the sun was blazing (2 pm ish). DH sat down and resigned himself to waiting 2.5-3 hours for my return. I decided that I wouldn't let that happen so I hammered. I rode as hard as I could on my heavy bike, attacking every hill, and hammering in the flats. When I got home, I threw the rack on the car and drove back to pick him up. He was stunned when I arrived. I'd averaged 17.5 mph over hilly terrain (about 1500 ft of climbing) for 20 miles on a 32 lb touring bike after having already ridden for 24 miles. And in the heat, no less. This was obviously an extenuating circumstance, but because if it, now I know that I am capable of more. I know that I can push myself and I can do well - I figure that if I could do that on my own (no drafting) on THAT bike...I'm going to be capable of way more on my road bike that I ever thought. It's weird, but I don't think about my speed anymore. Now I ride based on how I feel, if I'm feeling strong, I ride fast...if I'm not, I don't. I don't really know why, but that one ride changed the way I think quite a bit.

Anyway, I ramble on...my point is that it's really tempting to want to compare your speeds to others, but the best thing to do is to know your own abilities, ride your own ride, and only compare your speeds to your own speeds over time. And if you want to get faster, I think the best way to do that is to challenge yourself and ride with people who are faster (when you can).