Ok, Ok, I just have to reply now. Most of this thread has been quit entertaining, I was thinking there was a flame war coming for sure.

Anyway back to my point 13.5 or 13.9, whatever the first poster said is a fine speed, if you feel that you like it. My very first ride on my road bike two years ago was a whole 11.98 mph. Yes, I remember it exactly becuase I knew I was slow, and knew I was pathetic. Ok so I weighed 240lbs. But the ride was mostly flat with a slight false flat. I got to the end of the false flat and thought I would die. Fast forward almost two years later and 17-18mph is an avearge ride for me. Oh and I got down to 185, I know that is what helped the most. And for me personally I'll never be fast enough for what I want to be. But do I impose that on others NO, I really don't care what you average or how far you go as long as you are moving. I really and truely like to go fast because it makes me feel free, and and adds a little bit of danger and out of control. Kind of like riding a roller coaster. To me it is so liberating to know that I am going say 25mph under my own power and not some motor powered machine.

But what does gall me in all of this is how you attacked Lenusik and then RoadRaven. They were stating there opinions on the topic. Ok, so most of you feel that Lenusik came off as arrogent and rude, and hurt your feelings, so ignore the comments then don't encourage it by replying to it. Even I did a double take and said yeah right when I read that post, only two women I know that can do those speeds all the rest would be men. And by the way both those ladies lapped me three times in a crit.

You know what annoyes me even more and I think at least one of you has been in on it. Those threads that end up "I'm so thin and scrawny that size 0 and 2 don't fit me." You know some of us can litterally never be that small, I weighed 150 pounds in high school right on for my height and build and was a blasted 16. Got down to one point recently to only 5 pounds above weight where I could go into the military, and had to lay down on the bed to button a size 10. Which if one considers the change in sizing it would have been like an old 14. As far as cycling clothes you'd have to cut off my breasts to even fit into the biggest of the regular size womens jerseys in most lines.

Oh wait I have another one lets put each other down based on miles we ride. I know I'll be toward the bottem on that list. Just because you can ride 300k which is less then a double century doesn't make you all that just like an average of 26mph doesn't. Are both admirable, very much so, would I like to be able and go out right now and do both, you bet. But I'll bet that double century comes long before that 26. Ok the rant is over.

I don't care what speed you ride or how far you go, just ride your bike.