Road Cycling - Ave. Speed for Non racers?

Hi...I'm relatively new to road biking. I've riden mountain bikes and hybred until late last summer and bought a roadie. I love the speed baby!! woo! fun!
On my hybred, I managed to ave. about 11mph for a century and that seemed like a snails pace. NOW...I'd say I ave. about 13-14mph with is quite comfortable.
For me to get going at 18-20 mph for any length of time - is quite the aerobic work out. If I get going over 22 mph, I'm going down hill! :)
I've toyed with riding with a bike club, but feel I'm not fast enough to keep pace.
What about you other non-racers???
;)

First of all, let me say that once you learn to ride in a group, your average speed will increase dramatically as riders in a properly working paceline share the "work" and increase their oveall speed.

When I ride solo, I average about 14-17 m.p.h. Depending on my mood, and energy level. If I feel "Good" and want a good workout, I can average 18-19 for about an hour, but I'm definately maxed at that point w/o being completely anaerobic.

When I ride in a paceline (group ride) it's not a problem to average 21 - 22 mph. for an hour and a half.

If you're riding solo around 15mph, you're doing well! Increase your distance and endurance first, then increase your speed!

L8R

Hi ya L8R... yeah, I've heard you'll ride faster in a group and I did read some of the thread on etiquette and that riders need to be wary of other riders. Watching the Tour de France - makes me realize how skilled those guys are in the peloton.

It depends on your purpose for riding, your terrain, length of riding, general fitness and a whole host of other things.

If your goal is to be a faster rider, then no doubt you will improve if you find a group just a bit faster than you, whether or not you ride in a pace line. A pace line is definitely not my idea of fun, but it is for others who seem to enjoy it immensely.

I prefer riding at my own pace, but, at times (especially as I am getting fitter after a hard winter) I will find an area with a lot of riders and choose someone or a group faster than I and secretly ride at that pace for a period of time. They never know I am "racing" them (well, that is a good thing because if they did kow they would blow me away), yet I feel challenged.

Some of us ride for solitude, some for speed, some for fitness, some for transportation and commuting. Some ride on roads, some on windy trails, some on the "flats" and some in hills and mountains.

Your average will vary markedly depending upon purpose and the above factors.

Forgot to mention, I live in FL, and everythings flat! The only deviations in my riding, are headwind, tailwinds, crosswinds, occasional bridges (we call these hills), traffic and no traffic.

L8R

I am sorta where you are in avg speeds, Bbmoozer. I average around 16 miles an hour riding by myself. I have been out of cycling for about 8 yrs. I kinda got a bit serious back than, with my running/cycling. I didn't have a road bike than, instead I was joining the roadies/triathletes with my Diamond MT bike. I took off the mt tires, and put specialized fat boys, which helped me speed a lot.

Anyway, my point, is that when I did ride with the group, I was able to manage avg at least 19 mph. I was stronger back than, and I did draft, since I could have never pulled that group, not with a heavy chromoly steel bike. I will say that it took a little while to get use to being right behind someone so close. After a short time I got comfortable. The sad part is that I finally got my used Cannondale road bike, and just got out of riding. So I never participated in another group ride since than. Now I feel like I am ready to get back in the pack.

So i guess averaging 18-20 alone is pretty good?

Hey Costanza... get on out there again! bet you'll love it!

a2p--i'm pretty flat here too...wisconsin..and we get BIG winds! wooo woo!

Denver...yeah, i ride for fun, fitness and to 'think' about things... its a wonderful way to feel refreshed physically, emotionally and mentally.

It's pretty good. How long are you riding?

It's amazing to think that Jan averaged 30 mph today for 47km. What a machine. I usually average upper 15's to mid 16's if I dont push the down hills. I usually let my legs recover before the next climb. If I push the entire route, then it is around 18. I know alot of these guys average in the low 20's it seems.

I was feeling good last Sunday and took a ride. I got 19.6mph for 18.9 miles. I felt great.

I'm glad you asked that question -- I've been riding for about a month & my average page hovers around 14mph over a 20 mile ride. At first I was riding in an area that was totally flat (while at Kiawah Island and my speed was staying between 15-18mph) but now I'm riding in a hilly area at home. It took a couple of rides to adjust, but now I'm doing an average pace of 14mph with the hills (I guess the coming down hill makes up for the slowing down going up -- :) ) . Anyway, I was wondering if that was a decent speed for a beginner.

The fastest I've taken my bike so far is 20mph & that didn't last for long. :D

I've also just registered to do the MS150 Breakaway to the Beach here in South Carolina. It will be interesting to see if I can make that distance. LOL It's September 20 & 21st. My average pace will probably be 5mph for that ride! :D

It looks like I'm right in the zone.
I just checked my ride log and I'm averaging about 16.5mph on a ride averaging about 20 miles in about 1:10.
Since getting and using my HRM and not blasting into anaerobic/lactic state I can ride 16.5avg.mph much more comfortably and feel good the rest of the day.
I like what was said earlier; Increase your distance and endurance first, then speed.
For me, it's always been about the ride, the sweat, the rhythm of the pace, time to talk things over with myself. I don't care much for group rides. Maybe an occasional ride with a buddy.
One of the reasons is, when I first take off on a ride it might be my intention to ride hard or climb some hills, then end up just doing a good pace on the flats or visa versa.
The other is rules, etiquette and those self appointed...
Go ride, have fun, then meet at the coffee shop for bagels, coffee and bull****ting.

14-15.I bet this makes me a novice,a very nasty word to the so called racers.Is a racer the guys i see on weekends in LA outfits,head to toes and on his bike with there belly on the TT?

16 is about what i do, and 20 miles comes at about 1:10, so i think we should all ride together :) its a little hilly where i am but nothing to write home about. I have been riding for 3 months now, and I would say that you need to build up the muscles first once your legs stop to hurting after 15-20 miles work on time. but, try not to let speed be your governing factor, time and distance come first. :)

I don't even get rolling until I do about ten or twelve miles. Thats the warm up. I did my ride tonight with an average of 17.6 over about thirty miles. 15-20 is early spring milage when you coming off the wind trainer.
I see there is someone who does Kiawah Island. My Uncle lives on Seabrook Island and I visit him in March. As there are NO hills I can cook along at about 20 mph. When i get back to Wisconsin I'm shocked back to reality. The bike club freaks blow me away in the early april rides.
The long and the short of it is to join the bike club. This will make you better. You will meet some really good people too.

Keep the rubber side down

Jim