how slow am I?

[RoadRaven]

Wow... did this thread explode, or what?

I wanted to agree with Eden and BouncyBouncy way back on the first couple of pages...

Averages are really no more than an interest thing... a bit of fun... and don't really tell you much. There are too many variables...

The best advice in this thread I saw first was about page 6 I think from Eden... compare your average, fine, but only over the same course in similar conditions.

I have about four training courses, and about six club courses where I will try and do PBs.
I can compare myself to other riders on the club courses, and on my training course.
I try and choose days that I attempt my PB that have similar weather/wind/temperature conditions so the variables are minimised and I can measure my improvements more accurately.

To give an example of how averages do not tell you about ability UNLESS you have all the information...


On the 4th of June I rode flats for 9km but only managed an 18.5km av - this is way below what I am comforatable riding at but I was riding with my 10 year old son.

On the 5th of June I rode 83km at an average of only 22.74km - again, as a speed, not what I am comfortable riding at but this course has loads of hills and it was the first time I had ridden this far.

On the 2nd July my average was 31km per hour - I did a PB over a club TT course, though it wasn't a race situation and I think I would have done even better if it had been a club race.

I was happy with all those averages - but they need to be understood in their context.

I am much more of the opinion of time on the bike, and rides per week are the measures by which you watch your riding. While I was obsessed with averages to begin with - and it is a very real way to measure yourself as a beginning biker... I only fret about my average now in race (against others or myself) situations.

As for the stir that Lenusik made, well - I read the post and agreed with her... alot of the averages here are slow for me... now.
But I'd like to say to all the beginning riders... that all pro-riders started at a beginning level...
And to those who are not motivated by speed but rather by enjoyment and the pleasure of getting on a bike and increasing personal fitness ... don't get put off by people, like myself, who are obsessed with PBs (and beating my sister-in-law or my colleague at work).
We all have our own goals, and they are all valid.

The important thing is that we are all on bicycles, and we all get pleasure from the cycling we do.