Internet Speed Inflation??
I'm just curious. I'm in my early 50s, as is a longtime friend of mine. Both HS athletes and both kept fit all our lives. For years we have both worked out, are trim and stay in shape. He's a HARD rider and I ride hard for fitness. He lives in MN and commutes (weather permitting) often, 20 mile round trip and I ride about 12 miles daily for fitness. MN has a huge bike community and he is RARELY passed (riding alone on his mountain bike no less) at average speeds of 17 mph or so. He passes the vast majority of riders he sees (and he sees a lot) including almost all folks on higher end road bikes. I ride (alone mostly) on a designated bike road near Dallas, and am RARELY passed, but pass most folks I see, including folks on road bikes, at my average speeds of 17-18 mph plus (average for the whole ride) on my Surly Crosscheck.
For all this, all over the internet, it appears people are routinely riding 20-25 mph for LONG distances. Where are these folks? A good friend of mine, age 30, just completed an Ironman in Houston. He is far and away the fastest rider I know or have seen - in amazing shape, routinely rides centuries on weekends and his avg. speed for the 112 mile riding portion of the Ironman was 21.75 mph.
What gives? Are people just reporting the fast speeds they ride when with the wind on flat ground or am I just really slow even though I think I am in good shape? Overall usually get in a couple thousand miles per year now.