Decent cruising speed?

Sky Fly muttered:

[snipped...]

Quoted message said:

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

Depends, but normally on the flat ~20-23 mph...

--
bob [at] bobarnott [dot] com bobarnott.combobarnott.comOpen ↗
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Crash programs fail because they are based on theory that, with nine women pregnant, you can get a
baby in a month."
-- Wernher von Braun

Quoted message said:

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed?

I live in Sheffield - there isn't any flat, so I don't have a cruising speed
🙁

Quoted message said:

Not that it matters - the enjoyment you get from cycling is more important than the speed
you go at.

Thaas true 🙂

"Sky Fly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OK, a variation on the speed theme.

After a long period of eschewing the 'pedal like buggery' philosophy of cycling, I decide to
see how fast I could go on my hybrid and was pleasantly surprised to find that my cruising
speed was up to 17-18mph (flat route, little or no wind) from 15mph the last time I could be
bothered to check.

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

With no wind (I live in a flat area) I would cruise at 15 -17 mph on my hybrid.

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W simonmason.karoo.netsimonmason.karoo.netOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, Sky Fly <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

OK, a variation on the speed theme.

After a long period of eschewing the 'pedal like buggery' philosophy of cycling, I decide to see
how fast I could go on my hybrid and was pleasantly surprised to find that my cruising speed was up
to 17-18mph (flat route, little or no wind) from 15mph the last time I could be bothered to check.

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment you
get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

Living in a totally flat area, I usually "cruise" at about the same speed as you, typically
averaging between 16 and 17 mph for round trips of 15 to 25 miles.

Bike - hybrid. Me - 56, and perhaps the odd pound or two too many round the middle... Mileage - 300+
per month spring to autumn.

--
Roger Barker [email hidden] Boston, UK

"Sky Fly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

Just measured my commute on the map with pencil & paper, which is exactly 11 miles, and it always
takes 30-32 mins, so I guess I do a tad over 20mph (hybrid bike 23c tyres 120psi). I probably get a
fair bit of wind assistance as there's quite a few busses & lorries on the route.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Bob
Sky Fly muttered:

Depends, but normally on the flat ~20-23 mph...

[censored] Bob, you'll cause a cyclone at that speed (chaos theory). I'm flat out maintaining about 35kph on the flat (which come to think of it is about the same). No wonder it's been so windy here lately.

Spider1977 said:

[censored] Bob, you'll cause a cyclone at that speed (chaos theory). I'm flat out maintaining
about 35kph on the flat (which come to think of it is about the same). No wonder it's been so
windy here lately.

Not chaos theory but there really was a theory that in the US tornados are triggered by driving on
the right. members.aol.comtbit 8.htmlOpen ↗. Bob OTOH is presumably cycling on the left,
being in the UK, and is very valiantly doing his bit to prevent tornadoes - with some success it
would seen given their rarity here ;-)

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." Mark Twain

Spider1977 muttered:

Quoted message said:

Bob said:

Sky Fly muttered: Depends, but normally on the flat ~20-23 mph...

[censored] Bob, you'll cause a cyclone at that speed (chaos theory). I'm flat out maintaining
about 35kph on the flat (which come to think of it is about the same). No wonder it's been so
windy here lately.

Well I do cycle a lo-pro triathlon/time trial bike and that sort of speed is on a good day on the
tri-bars and cycling around Cambridge is pretty flat...

--
bob [at] bobarnott [dot] com bobarnott.combobarnott.comOpen ↗
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Crash programs fail because they are based on theory that, with nine women pregnant, you can get a
baby in a month."
-- Wernher von Braun

Quoted message said:

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

I average about 21.5 over 26 miles, although that's versus traffic lights and traffic for about 6
miles of the route. It's a pretty flat route, just some long undulations, but it's rather exposed to
the wind - if you're it in the face, you really have to get down low and focus on pedalling
technique.

On the trainer, in the last week, I'm now doing 28 for 15 minutes, then about 25 for the rest of the
hour. I've not tried cycling out on the road as hard as I have been now, so I don't know how well it
will translate. I'm waiting for a new stem ATM, so I'm stuck on the trainer for another week, week
and a half.

--
Callas

"Sky Fly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OK, a variation on the speed theme.

After a long period of eschewing the 'pedal like buggery' philosophy of cycling, I decide to
see how fast I could go on my hybrid and was pleasantly surprised to find that my cruising
speed was up to 17-18mph (flat route, little or no wind) from 15mph the last time I could be
bothered to check.

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than

On the commute to work through London, I generally cruise at about 18 mph (where possible - *sigh*),
which comes down to about 14 mph average with breaks for red light stops/getting run over by bmw's.

Mind you, that's only after five miles. Irritatingly, I always find riding on Thursdays and Fridays
to be absolute hell - just don't have the energy most of the time. *really* looking forward to the
time the commute becomes a doddle.

Thomas

Sky Fly' of said:

OK, a variation on the speed theme.

After a long period of eschewing the 'pedal like buggery' philosophy of cycling, I decide to see
how fast I could go on my hybrid and was pleasantly surprised to find that my cruising speed was up
to 17-18mph (flat route, little or no wind) from 15mph the last time I could be bothered to check.

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment you
get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

Not all cyclists are speed freaks. My cruising speed is around 13-14 mph, average speed per the
computer now in the 10.5-11 mph range. My daily ride either involves a lot of junctions or some off
road instead, and a park where I go slower because there are plenty of pedestrians, so the average
is a lot below cruising speed. I can't even do a sprint at the speeds some of the rest of you claim
to achieve steadily. Even tucking in behind spouse to get a tailwind the best I could achieve was a
mile at 17 mph, and it was damn hard work. But I enjoy it.
--
You can't have everything, where would you keep it? Steph Peters delete invalid from
[email hidden] Tatting, lace & stitching page
<sandbenders.demon.co.ukindex.htmOpen ↗

"Thomas" <La de la de la> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On the commute to work through London, I generally cruise at about 18 mph (where possible -
*sigh*), which comes down to about 14 mph average with breaks for red light stops/getting run over
by bmw's.

Mind you, that's only after five miles. Irritatingly, I always find riding on Thursdays and
Fridays to be absolute hell - just don't have the energy most of the time. *really* looking
forward to the time the commute becomes

a

Quoted message said:

doddle.

I put an old bike computer on my going to work bike, a road bike, and altered it to show KPH. When I
set off I was climbing quite hard and only showing 15kph - Odd I thought, I'd been off the bike for
a week but thought never mind. Down the hill I was doing 40kph and on the flat I was busting my bits
to do 30kph - Of course I was bloody knackered when I got to work I looked up the speedo on the web
and you have to re-set the wheel size setting as well - It was still on mph And I though it was some
sort of computer! Normally it's 19/23mph for me on the flat no headwind twiddling away.

"Steph Peters" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sky Fly' of said:

OK, a variation on the speed theme.

After a long period of eschewing the 'pedal like buggery' philosophy of cycling, I decide to
see how fast I could go on my hybrid and was pleasantly surprised to find that my cruising
speed was up to 17-18mph (flat route, little or no wind) from 15mph the last time I could be
bothered to check.

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

Not all cyclists are speed freaks. My cruising speed is around 13-14 mph, average speed per the
computer now in the
10.5-11 mph range.

Actually, when you factor in stops and slowdowns, my average speed in an urban area is about
12-13mph. The speed I quoted in the OP refers to what my speed would be if there was none of that.

Quoted message said:

I can't even do a sprint at the speeds some of the rest of you claim to achieve steadily. Even
tucking in behind spouse to get a tailwind the best I could achieve was a mile at 17 mph, and it
was damn hard work.

Quoted message said:

But I enjoy it.

And scrub out anything else that's been said so far - that's the most important thing. I'm sorry if
I'm giving the impression that the fast makes one superior - quite frankly, my more enjoyable rides
are the ones where I've pootled along slowly enough to take in the surrounding scenery (while still
keeping an eye on the road, of course!).

--
Akin

aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk

Callas <[email hidden]> wrote:

: On the trainer, in the last week, I'm now doing 28 for 15 minutes, then about 25 for the rest of
: the hour. I've not tried cycling out on the road as hard as I have been now, so I don't know how
: well it will translate.

Not very well IME. Speedos on trainers are useful in that they are consisent between sessions, but
unless you've calibrated it very carefully it won't be close to an open-road speed (and that's
before we get into the wind/hills/etc problems).

Arthur

PS Haven't seen you on the group for a while! Still got that 55 tooth big ring? Or have you got a
more normal size one now?

It's about 4 miles from work to home, but I do between 11 and 28 depending on my mood after work. On
a good day I can average over 17mph but there are quite a few hills here in the ouskirts of
Portsmouth, my average being taken down by Southwick hill road. I',m still abit overweight at 13st
6lb (should be around 12st 10 for my build) and I've just turned 47. Don't really know if that's
good, bad or indifferent as no-one else mentions there age...or weight ! Also, this is on a road
bike. "Sky Fly" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OK, a variation on the speed theme.

After a long period of eschewing the 'pedal like buggery' philosophy of cycling, I decide to
see how fast I could go on my hybrid and was pleasantly surprised to find that my cruising
speed was up to 17-18mph (flat route, little or no wind) from 15mph the last time I could be
bothered to check.

It made me wonder - what is everyone else's cruising speed? Not that it matters - the enjoyment
you get from cycling is more important than the speed you go at.

--
Akin

aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk

Sky Fly' of said:

"Steph Peters" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

But I enjoy it.

And scrub out anything else that's been said so far - that's the most important thing. I'm sorry if
I'm giving the impression that the fast makes one superior - quite frankly, my more enjoyable rides
are the ones where I've pootled along slowly enough to take in the surrounding scenery (while still
keeping an eye on the road, of course!).

You didn't give that impression, but collectively and unintentionally this newsgroup does. Those
interested enough in cycling to read and post here are also keen cyclists, so generally fitter and
faster than the average cyclist I see riding around. Or else those who aren't so fast keep quiet.
Reading this group can be a bit intimidating for a new or returning cyclist because it gives a
misleading impression.

Steph fatslowbirdonabikehavingfun

In article <[email hidden]>, Steph Peters
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Sky Fly' of said:

"Steph Peters" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

But I enjoy it.

And scrub out anything else that's been said so far - that's the most important thing. I'm sorry
if I'm giving the impression that the fast makes one superior - quite frankly, my more enjoyable
rides are the ones where I've pootled along slowly enough to take in the surrounding scenery
(while still keeping an eye on the road, of course!).

You didn't give that impression, but collectively and unintentionally this newsgroup does. Those
interested enough in cycling to read and post here are also keen cyclists, so generally fitter and
faster than the average cyclist I see riding around. Or else those who aren't so fast keep quiet.
Reading this group can be a bit intimidating for a new or returning cyclist because it gives a
misleading impression.

It can also be a bit depressing for "mere mortal" keen cyclists! I would be ecstatic if I could
break "evens" just once in my life, and now I read about all these folk who do it on a daily basis
commuting to work. I think one person was even managing it on a full sus mtb... :-(

--
Roger Barker [email hidden] Boston, UK

Paul Saunders said:

It's about 4 miles from work to home, but I do between 11 and 28 depending on my mood after work.
On a good day I can average over 17mph but there are quite a few hills here in the ouskirts of
Portsmouth, my average being taken down by Southwick hill road. I',m still abit overweight at 13st
6lb (should be around 12st 10 for my build) and I've just turned 47. Don't really know if that's
good, bad or indifferent as no-one else mentions there age...or weight !

Well, I'm also 47, 6'2", 13st 1lb (this morning), and if I was averaging 17mph on any of my bikes
I'd be pleased at this moment; I used to be able to do a lot more, but at present I'm tending to
average about 15mph on road, a little less off.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

;; when in the [censored], the wise man plants courgettes

Roger Barker said:

It can also be a bit depressing for "mere mortal" keen cyclists! I would be ecstatic if I could
break "evens" just once in my life, and now I read about all these folk who do it on a daily basis
commuting to work. I think one person was even managing it on a full sus mtb... :-(

Ok, in an attempt to re-introduce the element of 'cycling for the rest of us'...

I've just started cycling again after a few years off and go out about once a week for 30 - 40
miles. Would do more if I could, but my job's a bit busy a the moment - and I can't commute because
I need to drive during the day for work.

I hover about the 19-20kph (12-13mph) range overall and it's not very hilly round here. I don't go
all out for speed, but I don't hang around either - I just try to 'make progress', as they taught me
on my driving course many years ago.

Being an old git of 45 and weighing 18 stone (I'm 6ft 3) probably doesn't help the celerity too much
(Fi! on all who cry "I'm a bit overweight at 7
1/2 stone...". I am getting a bit fitter, but I strongly suspect that the stats won't be improving
that much over the next thirty years - it's not all that different from what I used to do when I
was ten years younger. In the end, I like the idea of pure speed, but it's awfully tiring and you
don't get the chance to look at things properly on your way.

Of course, this will all change when that £7000 carbon racing bike I'm going to win out of Cycling
Plus arrives - wonder when they're going to announce my prize?

David