new to cycling--speed??

[Zen]

I like to ride at a speed that makes me smile but not so fast as to make me scared.
In order to retain what little is left of my dignity I won't give actual numbers.

[Red Rock]

When I first started riding after a 20 year layoff, I did not have a computer. I think this was a good thing actually. My brother and Dad told me about them. Once I knew what it did I was like "cool".

By the time I actually purchased one, I think I had been riding for about 6 months. This was good for me because I was able to think about my body and how I was feeling as I rode. I had no direct speed in front of me as I rode. Since I was riding more I could feel my body become stronger. Areas where I would ride that were difficult in the beginning, eventualy were not much in the end.

If you find you are becoming a speed demon like TriGirl, you might want to disconnect the battery for a while. Then when you are ready, put the battery in and see how far you have progressed in the meantime. Just a thought.

I have an odometer on my road bike but nothing on my commuter or mountain bike. I have thought about it many times, but when I ride, I want to enjoy my ride. I can tell how I am doing physically by how I feel.

I hope this helps.

Red Rock

[chicagogal]

My cycle computer and I have a strange relationship. I use it on solo rides to make sure that I am at least maintaining my usual average speed on usual routes. However, sometimes I think that little computer makes me go slower. For instance, sometimes on group rides, I am feeling great, and we are flying down the road, and then a glance at my computer and see some crazy high number and then think to myself that I "should" be tired - that of course gets to my head and I end up feeling tired. Once last season, on a day when my computer was broken, a couple friends and I went out for a 30mi ride before work. I was doing a lot of the pace setting, feeling great despite some killer headwinds. When we got to the end of the ride, my friends were toast. They were like, "what was that?!?!?! we never go that fast/hard! Do you know how fast we were going?" Um, no my computer was broken, I was just having fun . . .

My point is that just going out and having fun without worrying about speed does not necessarily equate to going slowly. It just means listening to your body instead of being obsessed with some number on a tiny screen.

[moonfroggy]

my current bike is a mountain bike. last time i rode i managed almost 12 mph but really it depends on the roads and how steep they are and the whether and stuff. sometimes i go 8 mph on my mountain bike that's what my range is

i am eager to see how fast i will be able to go when i get my new bike. it will be a luna orbit more of a touring bike i am planning on slick tires.

[Crankin]

When I started riding, on a mountain bike with slicks, I didn't have a computer. After about 6 months, I got one. I seemed to be averaging around 12 mph. After I got my first road bike, (another year), I was able to get my average up to around 13.5-14. Then I got a carbon road bike. By this time, I was fairly obsessed, after 3 years. My average sat around 16 for a couple of years until burnout, illness, and injury brought it down. I still look at my average, but I no longer obsess on it. My goal is to enjoy myself. Basically, I ride in a hilly area, and on those rides my average is anywhere between 13.5 and 14.5. On flatter rides, it's closer to 15.5-16. I do have a computer on my commuter bike, but I never look at the average, just the total miles I have gone. It's a heavy steel bike, usually with a loaded pannier. I enjoy just cruising a long on that bike.
I feel stronger this year, and perhaps my average will go up. But, my goal is to not burned out/tired by the middle of the summer, which often happens. So, I am starting slowly.

[Skierchickie]

Just have fun. Everyone who has posted here has given some really good information. There is no "right" speed. As someone who tends to judge herself by comparing herself to others, I can say it just isn't healthy, and won't make you happy.

I've been riding off & on since I was a kid, so I really can't say where I was as a newbie. If I wasn't riding, I was swimming or skiing (i.e., when I'd get on my bike, I'd still be faster than if I'd been doing nothing). I was faster in my 20s, when I got my first computer. 20-some years later, yeah, I'm slower at everything. I'm also riding farther on my longest rides, though.

Right now, on my mtb, which I ride anywhere from 0-3 times per week in the summer, I'll average maybe 6-8 on singletrack trails. Faster on 2-track and dirt roads. On my road bike, which I ride by far the most, I'll start the season at around 13-15, and usually end up 16-18 by September (by October the weather is cruddy for biking, and I'm bored & ready to ski anyway, and enter my Fall Doldrum period until the snow flies). Hills vs flats, wind vs no wind - that will all make a huge difference. Yesterday (my second ride of the season), I did 23 miles at some speed, with a the wind gusting to 30 - I knew it was silly to look, because it just didn't matter. I had fun!

Example: Yesterday - I'm guessing 14-ish (that gusty wind was at our backs for about 10 miles). Last summer ONE TIME, on a point-to-point ride with big rolling hills and a 30mph tailwind, 19.5 (my most-fun ride EVER). On a typical solo 100-miler, 14-14.5 average, pretty darn consistently.

[DarcyInOregon]

For me, speed is important because it is a function of my heart rate. I ride because I love cycling. I have already put in close to 1500 miles since January 1, 2010. However the cardio fitness of each ride is important to me and I want my average heart rate to be in cardio zones 3 and 4 and my maximum heart rate in zone 4 or 5. In order to reach my desired heart rate zones, I need to push myself and give myself as much speed as is possible.

To answer the question, the desired speed you want is the speed that will place you in the heart rate zone you wish to be in. The speed will be different for individuals because of the differences in height, weight, age, fitness level, quality of bike, terrain and weather conditions.

And for me, a bike computer with a heart rate monitor is vitally important so as to provide me with the data that allows me to improve my cycling skills and fitness level.