Average MPH

Roger Zoul said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: Doc O'Leary wrote:
::: In article <YMmgh.481377$5R2.19648@pd7urf3no>,
::: "nash" <[email hidden]> wrote:
:::
:::: What are your average MPH when doing a normal commute
:::: or training ride?
:::
::: I don't bother to monitor it. When I want to get
::: somewhere on a schedule, I just figure I can easily
::: average 15mph and plan for the distance I need to go.
::: When training, I just push myself harder than I
::: normally would. Most of the people who get into
::: pissing matches about speed are the kind of people that
::: don't count the time they spend at stop lights.
:::
::
:: That always irritates me when people claim some
:: particular average or riding time for a century or
:: something, and then I find out it is only "riding" time,
:: not actual time.

I don't get it. Why not count riding time in an average? Who'd want to count
anything else?

Resting makes a difference. It's the old turtle vs. hare story -- there's
no getting beyond your actual fitness, whether you go fast with rests, or
slower with no rests.

Matt O.

joseph.santaniello said:

20mph (32kmh) is pretty darn fast for even a short commute. I consider
myself to be on the fast side (I have never been passed by another bike
on my commute!) and on my slightly rolling 20 mile each way commute I
can get as high as 29kmh (18mph) if everything works out properly. That
is seldom, and anyway I usually try to just take it easy on the commute
and save the workouts for training rides.

Traffic and traffic lights are a great equalizer. Over the years most
commuters I've known have reported 15 MPH averages, even with great
differences in fitness. This is the speed I use to estimate my own ETA.

Matt O.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::: <[email hidden]> wrote in message
::: news:[email hidden]
::::: Doc O'Leary wrote:
:::::: In article <YMmgh.481377$5R2.19648@pd7urf3no>,
:::::: "nash" <[email hidden]> wrote:
::::::
::::::: What are your average MPH when doing a normal
::::::: commute or training ride?
::::::
:::::: I don't bother to monitor it. When I want to get
:::::: somewhere on a schedule, I just figure I can easily
:::::: average 15mph and plan for the distance I need to go.
:::::: When training, I just push myself harder than I
:::::: normally would. Most of the people who get into
:::::: pissing matches about speed are the kind of people
:::::: that don't count the time they spend at stop lights.
::::::
:::::
::::: That always irritates me when people claim some
::::: particular average or riding time for a century or
::::: something, and then I find out it is only "riding"
::::: time, not actual time.
:::
::: I don't get it. Why not count riding time in an
::: average? Who'd want to count anything else?
::
:: Because it's apples and oranges. If someone does a 180km
:: ride in 6 hours including 1 hour of pit-stops, that is a
:: big difference from taking 5 hours including 1 hour of
:: pit-stops. If the first riders says they did it in 5
:: hours, the second is given a bum steer.
::
:: Joseph

Just report actually riding time and you're golden. It's when you don't do
that that problems start.

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]
:: On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:37:47 -0500, Roger Zoul wrote:
::
::: <[email hidden]> wrote in message
::: news:[email hidden]
::::: Doc O'Leary wrote:
:::::: In article <YMmgh.481377$5R2.19648@pd7urf3no>,
:::::: "nash" <[email hidden]> wrote:
::::::
::::::: What are your average MPH when doing a normal
::::::: commute or training ride?
::::::
:::::: I don't bother to monitor it. When I want to get
:::::: somewhere on a schedule, I just figure I can easily
:::::: average 15mph and plan for the distance I need to go.
:::::: When training, I just push myself harder than I
:::::: normally would. Most of the people who get into
:::::: pissing matches about speed are the kind of people
:::::: that don't count the time they spend at stop lights.
::::::
:::::
::::: That always irritates me when people claim some
::::: particular average or riding time for a century or
::::: something, and then I find out it is only "riding"
::::: time, not actual time.
:::
::: I don't get it. Why not count riding time in an
::: average? Who'd want to count anything else?
::
:: Resting makes a difference. It's the old turtle vs.
:: hare story -- there's no getting beyond your actual
:: fitness, whether you go fast with rests, or slower with
:: no rests.

Yeah. So, if you do it in 4 hours with no rests and 3:30 with rests, what's
the deal?

Fitness is hard to measure, anyway. If I weigh 50 lbs more than you and we
both complete the same course in the same amount of time, who is fitter? If
you beat me my 5 minutes, does that make you fitter?

In article <[email hidden]>,

dgk said:

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 01:22:00 GMT, "nash" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Anyway if you care to post your average MPH or KPH to let the OP know that
might give the right message.
Hope you needed this.

I'm slow, probably average 10.9 or so. I'd be quicker, but the wind is
always against me.

I'm about the same, I think. But my main/work bike is
a heavy beast, and making it go takes some wattage,
especially with startups from dead stops.

Anybody can go fast with uncomplicated terrain and
a lightweight bike and the nerve to barge through
city intersections without looking first.

Maybe the physical workouts one can derive from riding
oughtn't be expressed in distance/time, so much as in
power output/time.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Roger Zoul said:

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]
:: On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:37:47 -0500, Roger Zoul wrote:
::
::: <[email hidden]> wrote in message
::: news:[email hidden]
::::: Doc O'Leary wrote:
:::::: In article <YMmgh.481377$5R2.19648@pd7urf3no>,
:::::: "nash" <[email hidden]> wrote:
::::::
::::::: What are your average MPH when doing a normal
::::::: commute or training ride?
::::::
:::::: I don't bother to monitor it. When I want to get
:::::: somewhere on a schedule, I just figure I can easily
:::::: average 15mph and plan for the distance I need to go.
:::::: When training, I just push myself harder than I
:::::: normally would. Most of the people who get into
:::::: pissing matches about speed are the kind of people
:::::: that don't count the time they spend at stop lights.
::::::
:::::
::::: That always irritates me when people claim some
::::: particular average or riding time for a century or
::::: something, and then I find out it is only "riding"
::::: time, not actual time.
:::
::: I don't get it. Why not count riding time in an
::: average? Who'd want to count anything else?
::
:: Resting makes a difference. It's the old turtle vs.
:: hare story -- there's no getting beyond your actual
:: fitness, whether you go fast with rests, or slower with
:: no rests.

Yeah. So, if you do it in 4 hours with no rests and 3:30 with rests, what's
the deal?

Those times may be (probably are?) comparable, but who knows?

Quoted message said:

Fitness is hard to measure, anyway. If I weigh 50 lbs more than you and we
both complete the same course in the same amount of time, who is fitter? If
you beat me my 5 minutes, does that make you fitter?

No he is probably not fitter, but he is faster! There are no time-outs
in a race (which is what it is if one is comparing times), nor weight
classes. The amount of rest plays a big part in the total performance.
Sure one can qualify the time when there are mechanical issues, but the
time is still the time.

Joseph

John Kane said:

I'm a fairly slow rider and seldom average more than 20 km/h on a
commute or even when on a solo ride. Thirty-two km/h is for the lyca
louts with 10 year of steady training.

It doesn't take 10 years, just a good aero position on a decent bike and
a couple of years of regular solid riding. And age doesn't make much
difference.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

Matt O'Toole said:

Resting makes a difference.

Not much when you're fit, IME, since you recover quickly just by
easing up or coasting occasionally.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

DougC said:

Quoted message said:

Do you really think 20mph is normal.

Quoted message said:

No, not for ordinary people riding alone.
It is believable if they are in good physical shape, and pacelining.

Are you serious?

I ride with lots of people who can easily hold 32 km/h or better on
the flat without wind indefinitely. I would expect anyone who
races to do considerably better, maybe 36 km/h.

Stick us in a paceline, and we can easily sit on 40.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

"Daryl Hunt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Earl Bollinger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"nash" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:YMmgh.481377$5R2.19648@pd7urf3no...

Quoted message said:

Hi,
after seeing this, I have a query.
<<<<Longer rides sound great, 3 hours at an average of 20mph is going to
burn around 2800 calories (depending on 'a whole bunch of factors'😉.
<<<<
It was posted on riding and weightloss thread and this is a kind of
subtopic.

What are your average MPH when doing a normal commute or training ride?

Do you really think 20mph is normal. My rides average 15mph amd I have
been biking since I was 8. Just starting an exercise program I would
not advise anyone to try to do this. They might feel so negative that
they failed and stop biking for life. We are suppose to be encouraging
commuters to get on bikes not off. maybe the poster is a little
anxious. he says skip the warm-up also.
If you average 20mph you might break something. I do not warm up myself
but then I am not trying to do a whole workout in 45 mintutes.
Just a precautionary message is all I am saying. Ride slow enough in
the begining to get the blood flowing and you will be alright.

Anyway if you care to post your average MPH or KPH to let the OP know
that might give the right message.
Hope you needed this.

A 23 mile one way commute, 46 miles round trip.
It takes me an hour and a half, maybe a little longer depending on how I
feel that day, and the weather wind conditions.
In the summer 2 hours in the afternoon as it is really hot. Hills,
overpasses, up and down.
If there aren't any traffic accidents it takes me an hour to drive it in
my truck.

I have had people claim that they did 20 mph or more but I pass them all
the time. I have a Low Speed Electric Vehicle that can average 20 mph
without pedaling. If I choose to pedal without the electrics then 15 mph
comes to mind quickly. I had a person that made claims of averaging 23
mph. I was pedaling that day making about 15. I came up from him from
the rear as I had a few miles to go and was in the long haul mode. He saw
me and started to come up off his seat and pedal, barely pulling ahead.
He only had about a half mile to go to his destination. But he was one
tired puppy when he got there. I pulled in about 15 seconds behind him and
wasn't even breathing hard.

Yes, you can make better than apprx 15 mph but when going 5 miles or more,
don't even think about it if you care to be able to do anything for a time
after you arrive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
It has removed 5200 spam emails to date.
Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
Try SPAMfighter for free now!

Well I ride through a congested urban area, through several cities to get to
and from work.
The best I ever did one day was riding the 23 miles home from work, with a
NorthEast Tailwind and doing it in a little over 16mph.
That was one of those days you feel really chipper, you are climbing a hill
and feel that something is wrong and realize you are on the big chainring.
:-)
Usually I am in the low 14mph range for averages. Once in a while 15
something. On bad days, hot days, or heavy headwinds 12 something.
But if I only commute, I have tendency to slow down over a few months and
wind up in the 13 mph range.
A bike computer will average the time versus distance wrong, as it takes
like 10-15 seconds to realize you have stopped (eg. at intersections), so
the computer has you riding for longer than you thought you were riding.
Thus any average will be skewed by how many stops you have to make along the
way, Then you have those intersections where you slow down look and if clear
decide to run the stop signs or stop lights or not. Of course when I have my
panniers loaded the hills cause your to bog down significantly.
Then stopping along the way to talk with someone, or visiting a bike shop
for a while and so on can screw up a average real good.
In the spring the Industrial parks I ride through, usually spruce up their
landscaping with neat flower displays, so stopping to take some photos of
the flowers is fun.

Matt O'Toole said:

Traffic and traffic lights are a great equalizer. Over the years most
commuters I've known have reported 15 MPH averages, even with great
differences in fitness. This is the speed I use to estimate my own ETA.

My old 15 mile commute was a C-shaped route that effectively took away
any wind advantage (though it could sure assess a disadvantage). I'd
almost always make it in 45 to 50 minutes (18 to 20mph) though on days
when I was really motivated and caught some of the lights right, I
made it in about 41:30 (21.7mph).

OTOH, I used the commute as training time, rather than just getting to
work, and rode a lot harder than I would (after all, I wasn't all THAT
interested in getting to work earlier). ;-) I also commuted without
bags (having a week or two of clothes stored at work).

I remember that I counted the lights and stop signs once - don't
recall precisely, but they added up in the mid to high 20's, combined.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Michael Warner said:

John Kane said:

I'm a fairly slow rider and seldom average more than 20 km/h on a
commute or even when on a solo ride. Thirty-two km/h is for the lyca
louts with 10 year of steady training.

It doesn't take 10 years, just a good aero position on a decent bike and
a couple of years of regular solid riding. And age doesn't make much
difference.

I'd say age makes almost no difference. The strongest guy in our club
(by far) is 49, and he just keeps getting stronger.

32km/h is certainly acheivable with only a few years (2+) of training
and a more or less standard road position. And training doesn't have to
be anything more than just riding. If it is comfortable to maintain a
pace like that commuting is another question. Out for a training ride
is a different story.

Joseph

Michael Warner said:

Matt O'Toole said:

Resting makes a difference.

Not much when you're fit, IME, since you recover quickly just by
easing up or coasting occasionally.

For longer rides (4+ hours) I think it makes a big difference.

Joseph

Michael Warner said:

DougC said:

Quoted message said:

Do you really think 20mph is normal.

Quoted message said:

No, not for ordinary people riding alone.
It is believable if they are in good physical shape, and pacelining.

Are you serious?

I ride with lots of people who can easily hold 32 km/h or better on
the flat without wind indefinitely. I would expect anyone who
races to do considerably better, maybe 36 km/h.

Stick us in a paceline, and we can easily sit on 40.

30km/h seems to be a magic number around here. Not many can keep an
average higher than that. It's not flat here and the roads are rough,
so that may be a factor. Shorter stretches can have higher, and groups
significantly higher. Plenty of people can ride at 32, but they
can't/don't average 32.

Sort of touching on the subject or riding time vs actual time is the
notion of riding average vs actual average. I have ridden a 540km ride
with a riding average of 31.75 km/h, but that is misleading becaue I
needed almost 2 hours of rest/pit-stops so my average was really 28.5
km/h. That is a huge difference from someone who could ride it with an
actual average of 31.75, regardless of wether they did it by riding 31+
non-stop or 33+ with stops.

Joseph

Quoted message said:

Michael Warner said:

DougC said:

> Do you really think 20mph is normal.

Quoted message said:

No, not for ordinary people riding alone.
It is believable if they are in good physical shape, and pacelining.

Are you serious?

I ride with lots of people who can easily hold 32 km/h or better on
the flat without wind indefinitely. I would expect anyone who
races to do considerably better, maybe 36 km/h.

Stick us in a paceline, and we can easily sit on 40.

30km/h seems to be a magic number around here. Not many can keep an
average higher than that. It's not flat here and the roads are rough,
so that may be a factor. Shorter stretches can have higher, and groups
significantly higher. Plenty of people can ride at 32, but they
can't/don't average 32.

Sort of touching on the subject or riding time vs actual time is the
notion of riding average vs actual average. I have ridden a 540km ride
with a riding average of 31.75 km/h, but that is misleading becaue I
needed almost 2 hours of rest/pit-stops so my average was really 28.5
km/h. That is a huge difference from someone who could ride it with an
actual average of 31.75, regardless of wether they did it by riding 31+
non-stop or 33+ with stops.

Joseph

Also, my average includes lots of times that I have to slow for
lights, or worse, circle while waiting for them to change. Stopping is
probably better than circling, since the computer keeps going at the
speed of 1 mph while I circle. That has to hurt the old average.

Plus the terrain I commute on, NYC streets, aren't exactly the best
for optimal speed. There are places I could go faster but don't
because I don't want to hit some crack or pothole and go flying.

dgk said:

Quoted message said:

Michael Warner said:

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:54:42 -0600, DougC wrote:

>> Do you really think 20mph is normal.

> No, not for ordinary people riding alone.
> It is believable if they are in good physical shape, and pacelining.

Are you serious?

I ride with lots of people who can easily hold 32 km/h or better on
the flat without wind indefinitely. I would expect anyone who
races to do considerably better, maybe 36 km/h.

Stick us in a paceline, and we can easily sit on 40.

30km/h seems to be a magic number around here. Not many can keep an
average higher than that. It's not flat here and the roads are rough,
so that may be a factor. Shorter stretches can have higher, and groups
significantly higher. Plenty of people can ride at 32, but they
can't/don't average 32.

Sort of touching on the subject or riding time vs actual time is the
notion of riding average vs actual average. I have ridden a 540km ride
with a riding average of 31.75 km/h, but that is misleading becaue I
needed almost 2 hours of rest/pit-stops so my average was really 28.5
km/h. That is a huge difference from someone who could ride it with an
actual average of 31.75, regardless of wether they did it by riding 31+
non-stop or 33+ with stops.

Joseph

Also, my average includes lots of times that I have to slow for
lights, or worse, circle while waiting for them to change. Stopping is
probably better than circling, since the computer keeps going at the
speed of 1 mph while I circle. That has to hurt the old average.

That is just what I mean. Riding at a given speed is a whole different
animal than averaging a given speed. Obvioulsy some situations make is
worse (like NYC streets, or Mark's 20 stop lights), but even in optimal
conditions it is hard to do.

Quoted message said:

Plus the terrain I commute on, NYC streets, aren't exactly the best
for optimal speed. There are places I could go faster but don't
because I don't want to hit some crack or pothole and go flying.

Unless things have changed dramatically in 20 years, NYC actually had
IMO very nice surfaces, all things considered. No reason not to be
cautious, of course.

Joseph

joseph.santaniello said:

Quoted message said:

Plus the terrain I commute on, NYC streets, aren't exactly the best
for optimal speed. There are places I could go faster but don't
because I don't want to hit some crack or pothole and go flying.

Except on really wide roads, I usually don't feel safe going full speed in
traffic. Just as with driving a car, I need a margin for safety, braking
distance, etc.

Matt O.

Matt O'Toole said:

joseph.santaniello said:

Quoted message said:

Plus the terrain I commute on, NYC streets, aren't exactly the best
for optimal speed. There are places I could go faster but don't
because I don't want to hit some crack or pothole and go flying.

Except on really wide roads, I usually don't feel safe going full speed in
traffic. Just as with driving a car, I need a margin for safety, braking
distance, etc.

Matt O.

Indeed, going full-tilt is not wise with traffic around. My time-trial
speeds are around 40 km/h, but my commute (with only 2 lights right at
the end) rarely breaks 30. With more traffic I'd need even more margin,
and my commute would be even slower.

Joseph

Michael Warner said:

John Kane said:

I'm a fairly slow rider and seldom average more than 20 km/h on a
commute or even when on a solo ride. Thirty-two km/h is for the lyca
louts with 10 year of steady training.

It doesn't take 10 years, just a good aero position on a decent bike and
a couple of years of regular solid riding. And age doesn't make much
difference.

Age?

Well it depends on where and how you're riding ISTM. I can easily hold
32 km/h for a hour or two on a group ride in the country (assuming wind
and hills permit, of course) but 32 km/h when traveling or commuting
is, I think, another matter.

I'm talking elapsed time over distance, not time on the bike. I have
done a number of rides over the same route and come in pretty
consistantly for 100 km at 20 km/h which includes lunch, pit stops,
etc. Oh and with panniers.

An old friend who was in a German cycle troop in WWII seemed to agree
with me that a 20 km/h time was reasonable. Of course he was riding
single speed and fully equipped for combat 🙂

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

Roger Zoul said:

"John Kane" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]
:: [email hidden] wrote:
::: Doc O'Leary wrote:
:::: In article <YMmgh.481377$5R2.19648@pd7urf3no>,
:::: "nash" <[email hidden]> wrote:
::::
::::: What are your average MPH when doing a normal commute
::::: or training ride?
::::
:::: I don't bother to monitor it. When I want to get
:::: somewhere on a schedule, I just figure I can easily
:::: average 15mph and plan for the distance I need to go.
:::: When training, I just push myself harder than I
:::: normally would. Most of the people who get into
:::: pissing matches about speed are the kind of people
:::: that don't count the time they spend at stop lights.
::::
:::
::: That always irritates me when people claim some
::: particular average or riding time for a century or
::: something, and then I find out it is only "riding"
::: time, not actual time.
::
:: Good point, I did a ride in about 9 hours (180km) and at
:: work the next day I asked a college how the ride went
:: and he said it was great and his group had done it in 5
:: hours. EH! Turns out it was riding time. He forgot the
:: hour spent swimming etc.

So, he did the riding, swimming, etc in 6 hours. Pretty good, considering.

Yes, he is a strong rider and has a good strong group to ride with.
He's certainly a lot faster than I am under normal circumstances and
more competative. My normal group has no desire to ride fast, we just
like to arrive. 🙂