Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - My speed....

Okay first off I am riding a 2009 Giant Sedona Mountain Bike. If it matters I am about 360lbs or so. 36 years old.

I have been riding for a couple months now. Thanks to this forum I have bought all sorts of fun gear for my bike. Latest being a mirror and I just ordered my first pair of bike shorts.

I have worked up to doing 10 mile rides. I am trying to do about 3 or so of those a week with 2-3 smaller 6 mile rides. My butt right now is the fail point and I am hoping the shorts will help.

Anyways....

My question involves my speed. Generally I can hang in there about 9 mph - 11 mph for the whole ride. I usually am very consistent in that range. I will have dips as low as 7 if I am riding in 100+ degree temps.

Is this horrible? WAY to slow? I read all through here about you fellow Clydes bouncing down the road at 15 mph. Right now if I drop it all the way down and stand up giving it my all I can do 16 mph or so and nearly have a heart attack after a couple blocks.

Is it me? Do I need to work up to it? Or is it just being on a mountain bike with big fat knobby tires? All my riding is around the neighborhood on the street.

If it is the tires - do they make tires that can get me going faster?

Thanks all

Speed is no different from any other performance metric in cycling. Everything about it takes time and repeated efforts. It's all about physical conditioning.

Don't sweat that you're not able to sustain 15 mph right now. As you continue to ride, push your own limits a bit each time, and you'll see it improve.

And yes, tires can help. Skinnier tires generally require less effort to roll down the road. If you never take your bike off-road, there's little to be gained in having standard mountain bike tires on it. With skinnier tires you'll either go faster for the same perceived effort, or ride your normal speed with less perceived effort. Just don't expect the tires to get you all the way to where you want to be, speed-wise. It still takes work on your part.

Oh, and street tires will make your bike sound a lot less like a 4X4 with studded snow tires on it, as you head down the road.

you will get stronger, faster, and fitter!

Dan,

you'll get there bro. i am still working my way up to 15mph average and i am on a road bike with skinny tires.

change the tires if your not going off roadin. get some nice commuter tires at your LBS or some slicks. the rest is all up to the engine to get the speed faster. once we work on that me and you will be able to average 20mph on a bamboo bike ;)

I have a Sedona and a 15mph average would be really good. Think of it as a training bike. Just ride and don't sweat the details.(well... go ahead and sweat)

I average 12.5 mph. Keep riding.

Not bad at all! Actually pretty good for an MTB with knobby tires through the hoods.

Some comparisons of my rides:

40 mile smooth ride on a trail no stops pushing hard....MTB with knobbies 16 mph averge...roadie 19 mph

8 mile climb 2200ft 6% grade............on knobby tires 1:30......roadie 1:01

I rarely ride my knobby tires on pavement (save them for the dirt) but I do once in a while for something different and these are how the numbers compare.

For a guy your size and only riding 2 months, you are doing fantastic. The more you ride the better you will get. At the beginning of my cycling I did improve with time but I'd say that it took a year of consistent cycling before I woke up one morning and said, "Holy cow I am fast!".:D

We have a tandem. First year we tried to hang with some groups rolling by on the trail at 19 mph. We gave it our all but it wasn't happening. I thought they were super human, all of them. So we just did our thing then about a year later, I saw a group going by and wondered if we could hang this time. Next thing i know we are at the front pulling the group at 26 on the same road where we couldn't hang at 19 the year before. It was like waking up into a sweet dream.:D

Keep riding and if you want a little more speed, try some 1.25 slick tires. Higher pressure 90 psi will make for lower rolling resistance and more speed.:thumb:

But like I said, for now, you are doing pretty darn well!! :thumb:

I have a Sedona and a 15mph average would be really good. Think of it as a training bike. Just ride and don't sweat the details.(well... go ahead and sweat)

Sweating is certainly something I do well. lol


Thanks all. I will just keep working at it. Next time I take the bike in to the LBS I will have them toss some slicks on it.

*snip*

Thanks Mr. B

My question involves my speed. Generally I can hang in there about 9 mph - 11 mph for the whole ride. I usually am very consistent in that range. I will have dips as low as 7 if I am riding in 100+ degree temps.

Is this horrible? WAY to slow? I read all through here about you fellow Clydes bouncing down the road at 15 mph. Right now if I drop it all the way down and stand up giving it my all I can do 16 mph or so and nearly have a heart attack after a couple blocks.

Is it me? Do I need to work up to it? Or is it just being on a mountain bike with big fat knobby tires? All my riding is around the neighborhood on the street.

If it is the tires - do they make tires that can get me going faster?

Thanks all

Big fat knobby tyres will roll more slowly than slick tyres. So that won't help your speed.

When I started riding I was overtaken by just about everything else on any number of wheels. Kids on BMX bikes, middle aged women on bikes with baskets on the front... you get the picture. If I managed to hit 15mph even briefly on the flats I was thrilled. The thought of cycling 10 miles seemed daunting. Put even a modest gradient in my path and I'd slow, and from a speed that wasn't exactly blasting along to begin with. Having been cycling for a while 15mph is the kind of speed I aim to maintain as an average (and there are riders in here that are way faster than that), but you don't get from one to the other overnight.

Over time your average speed will increase, your endurance will increase, your fitness will increase. Along the way your weight and resting heart rate should decrease. Just keep at it... and before you know it you'll be doing things you'd consider impossible now.

Keep riding and if you want a little more speed, try some 1.25 slick tires. Higher pressure 90 psi will make for lower rolling resistance and more speed.:thumb:


You sure about that? I agree with the slicks, but when I was doing research into mine, the only size that would carry my weight (370ish at the time) was 2.0". I read that if you go smaller at our weight you would risk getting blowouts.

I'll have to get out the calculations again but I think I pegged myself at 2.0 until around 280 pounds, then I could go down to 1.5...

My question involves my speed. Generally I can hang in there about 9 mph - 11 mph for the whole ride. I usually am very consistent in that range. I will have dips as low as 7 if I am riding in 100+ degree temps.

Is this horrible? WAY to slow? I read all through here about you fellow Clydes bouncing down the road at 15 mph. Right now if I drop it all the way down and stand up giving it my all I can do 16 mph or so and nearly have a heart attack after a couple blocks.

Other people have mentioned that your tires are slowing you down. And if you're in pain from your saddle, that's got to be working against you, too.

Are you a speed demon? I mean, is going fast the most fun you have on a bike? If not, then it doesn't matter in the least how fast you are. But a ~10 mph average isn't bad at all on a MTB with knobbies.

People in the road forum will say that average speed is almost meaningless, or at least that you can't use it to compare anything important. Even if you do the same ride twice, the wind will be different, but if it's your ride compared to someone else's, then you have things like hills, traffic, and the like, that are messing the comparison up. With that said, you should have a look at peoples' Garmin Connect data. People who brag about sprinting at 30 mph will post their GPS data, and sometimes if you look at it, you'll notice that when they say "we average 25 mph" what they really mean is "if you discount all the stops and up hills, we would have averaged 25." That's a long and drawn out way of saying ~10 mph isn't bad at all on knobbies. :D

Don't give up DT, as most of the others say....keep riding.....I sit here at my desk just waiting to get off so I can ride my bike. Im 48 and Im as my third son would say "Giddy" with the thought of riding a bike....incredible!

You sure about that? I agree with the slicks, but when I was doing research into mine, the only size that would carry my weight (370ish at the time) was 2.0". I read that if you go smaller at our weight you would risk getting blowouts.

I'll have to get out the calculations again but I think I pegged myself at 2.0 until around 280 pounds, then I could go down to 1.5...

I never weighed 360 so I never researched into tires for riders that big. But I myself don't see how a rider can get a blowout from a tire .75 narrow.

Where did you find that info? Scientific or word of mouth from other riders? Just curious as I've seen some word of mouth claims that a Giant Cypress comfort bike is just as efficient as a Colnago C50 on the climbs. Which sort of shocks me since the TDF riders aren't all riding comfort bikes.:p

FTR, I have afriend that rides a road bike with 700X 23 and 25 wheels while weighing 290. So I myself can't really see a 26 X 1.25 slick being a problem. I'd think the 2.0 with less psi would allow more flex and more of a chance of a blowout.

Sweating is certainly something I do well. lol.

you had me laughing so loud at my desk three rows over they heard me :)

He stated the Sore Butt is the limiting factor. I'd stay with the 1.95X26" size that came with the bike. It's not super aggressive. Yes a slick would go faster but he needs saddletime. Here's a picture of the stock tread.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m596/hessejef/SedonaTire.jpg

you had me laughing so loud at my desk three rows over they heard me :)

lol


And to all - Thanks. What I am getting from all this - I won't worry about my speed. I will concentrate on my main goal which is time in the saddle. Can not wait to get my bike shorts. Maybe I can ditch the big fat gel seat then. Thing gets rough sitting on it for hour long rides.

He stated the Sore Butt is the limiting factor. I'd stay with the 1.95X26" size that came with the bike. It's not super aggressive. Yes a slick would go faster but he needs saddletime. Here's a picture of the stock tread.


Ahh yes! Has the flatter section in the middle for less rolling resistance. I myself would wear these sucker out then go with the slick. As long as the stock tire is durable.

But yes, as I mentioned, keep riding, he'll get better and faster. ;)

lol


And to all - Thanks. What I am getting from all this - I won't worry about my speed. I will concentrate on my main goal which is time in the saddle. Can not wait to get my bike shorts. Maybe I can ditch the big fat gel seat then. Thing gets rough sitting on it for hour long rides.

Shorts makes a big difference but so does the saddle. Many rides don't stick with the stock saddle. I can do about 20 miles on a stock saddle then it starts to give me sore spots, even saddle sores if I am not careful. Most bikes are sold with a saddle that is only good enough to get it of the show room floor.

But depending on the green factor (money) some riders stick with the stock saddle and don't ever really see the best side of the comfort factor. Our saddles on our bikes cost anywhere from $50 to $120. Only one of our 10 bikes has the stock saddle. That's because it's on my MTB and most of those rides are in the dirt aren't over 15 miles with lots of standing on bumps, descents etc.

You already have your answer, but I'll chime in and say YOU'RE NOT ALONE! Some rides I average 9-10, and on longer rides (my longest is 2.5 hours), I might average 7. This is on a flat bike path, and my Forerunner 305 "auto pauses" if I stop, so there's no stop signs, stop lights, trains or anything else to help me rationalize my slowness :o.

It's not easy, but you need to do what I'm trying to do, and ONLY MEASURE YOURSELF AGAINST WHERE YOU WERE LAST WEEK OR LAST MONTH. Nothing else matters.

PS. The shorts will help - ALOT!

I never weighed 360 so I never researched into tires for riders that big. But I myself don't see how a rider can get a blowout from a tire .75 narrow.

Where did you find that info? Scientific or word of mouth from other riders? Just curious as I've seen some word of mouth claims that a Giant Cypress comfort bike is just as efficient as a Colnago C50 on the climbs. Which sort of shocks me since the TDF riders aren't all riding comfort bikes.:p

FTR, I have afriend that rides a road bike with 700X 23 and 25 wheels while weighing 290. So I myself can't really see a 26 X 1.25 slick being a problem. I'd think the 2.0 with less psi would allow more flex and more of a chance of a blowout.

I'll try to dig up the info, it's been a few months.

lol


And to all - Thanks. What I am getting from all this - I won't worry about my speed. I will concentrate on my main goal which is time in the saddle. Can not wait to get my bike shorts. Maybe I can ditch the big fat gel seat then. Thing gets rough sitting on it for hour long rides.

Yes ditch the gel seat. I had one, but more solid is far better.

I'll try to dig up the info, it's been a few months.

Cool, I've never seen it but it all adds up to the mental data base.:D

Yes ditch the gel seat. I had one, but more solid is far better.

Will work on it

When I made a uninformed decision and bought a mountain bike to ride on the road I was miserable. The one thing I did to make it a lot easier was to swap out to slicks. Made a night and day difference, until I bought a road bike.

Don't worry about the speed right now.As you build your muscular endurance and lungs up, the speed will come. Just keep on riding and you will see.

We moved to Colorado quite a few years back. I was overweight, and got started hiking. I've always had reasonably sturdy legs, and when I started hiking up the hills and mountains, I had legs of steel after a while. Big legs of steel.

What I got to noticing after a while, though, was that the good hikers weren't big sturdy guys with legs like trees. They were just small all over. The moral being, it was a lot better not to have that weight in the first place, than it was to have that weight and then try to build up the muscles to tote it up the mountain.

I find the same thing is generally true in cycling. I started riding a bicycle to lose weight, but when I got interested in going faster, I mentally switched to where I was trying to lose weight so I could ride better.

Final conclusion, keep riding, your speed will be whatever it is. People will pass you, don't worry about it. If you're specifically interested in going faster, as opposed to just losing weight or having fun or whatever, look up "intervals" and all the training stuff that the racers do. If you're just out to have fun and get more fit, just keep those pedals moving and stay away from the kitchen. Speed will gradually improve with fitness.

We moved to Colorado quite a few years back. I was overweight, and got started hiking. I've always had reasonably sturdy legs, and when I started hiking up the hills and mountains, I had legs of steel after a while. Big legs of steel.

What I got to noticing after a while, though, was that the good hikers weren't big sturdy guys with legs like trees. They were just small all over. The moral being, it was a lot better not to have that weight in the first place, than it was to have that weight and then try to build up the muscles to tote it up the mountain.

I find the same thing is generally true in cycling. I started riding a bicycle to lose weight, but when I got interested in going faster, I mentally switched to where I was trying to lose weight so I could ride better.

Final conclusion, keep riding, your speed will be whatever it is. People will pass you, don't worry about it. If you're specifically interested in going faster, as opposed to just losing weight or having fun or whatever, look up "intervals" and all the training stuff that the racers do. If you're just out to have fun and get more fit, just keep those pedals moving and stay away from the kitchen. Speed will gradually improve with fitness.

+1.

Okay first off I am riding a 2009 Giant Sedona Mountain Bike. If it matters I am about 360lbs or so. 36 years old.

I have been riding for a couple months now. Thanks to this forum I have bought all sorts of fun gear for my bike. Latest being a mirror and I just ordered my first pair of bike shorts.

I have worked up to doing 10 mile rides. I am trying to do about 3 or so of those a week with 2-3 smaller 6 mile rides. My butt right now is the fail point and I am hoping the shorts will help.

Anyways....

My question involves my speed. Generally I can hang in there about 9 mph - 11 mph for the whole ride. I usually am very consistent in that range. I will have dips as low as 7 if I am riding in 100+ degree temps.

Is this horrible? WAY to slow? I read all through here about you fellow Clydes bouncing down the road at 15 mph. Right now if I drop it all the way down and stand up giving it my all I can do 16 mph or so and nearly have a heart attack after a couple blocks.

Is it me? Do I need to work up to it? Or is it just being on a mountain bike with big fat knobby tires? All my riding is around the neighborhood on the street.

If it is the tires - do they make tires that can get me going faster?

Thanks all

Speed is the most overrated aspect of riding, IMO. Unless you are racing or need to get big miles in during daylight, ignore it. I don't have a computer on my bike anymore, simply so I won't think about it. It's far better that you enjoy yourself out there.

People in the road forum will say that average speed is almost meaningless, or at least that you can't use it to compare anything important. Even if you do the same ride twice, the wind will be different, but if it's your ride compared to someone else's, then you have things like hills, traffic, and the like, that are messing the comparison up. With that said, you should have a look at peoples' Garmin Connect data. People who brag about sprinting at 30 mph will post their GPS data, and sometimes if you look at it, you'll notice that when they say "we average 25 mph" what they really mean is "if you discount all the stops and up hills, we would have averaged 25."

This is why I like my GPS unit (Garmin 60CSx), it shows me my moving average speed and overall average speed. Moving average is based on the time I was actually moving (even if down to 1mph as I approached a red traffic light), overall average is a simple matter of the total distance covered divided by the total time taken.

Keeping a track log means I can look at the ride metrics later and pull out the averages over specific sections. That gives me higher numbers over shorter sections but also lets me look at things like my improvement over a specific hill where I can focus on only the first part if I got caught at the red traffic light half way up, then focus on the second section once I'd got back to speed when the light turned green.

It's also good for pulling out silly fast average speeds relating to downhill sections, and the kind of places where I can get to 35mph because of the big hill and then maintain 25mph because the road has a gentle decline which makes it easier to hold higher speeds.

I think you are doing very well, especially on a mtn bike!! As others have said putting narrowe,r smoother tires on will help a bit for sure. Out of interest I looked up my early Garmin info and my first ride on my road bike was Sept 20 last year. I rode 3.12 miles at a 10.4 mph avg. I remember being red faced and completely out of breath!! Fast forward eleven months and most of my recent rides have been at 18-20 mph avg over a 30-35 mile ride. Keep at it and you'll see big gains in a relatively short time!!

Speed is the most overrated aspect of riding, IMO. Unless you are racing or need to get big miles in during daylight, ignore it. I don't have a computer on my bike anymore, simply so I won't think about it. It's far better that you enjoy yourself out there.

Neil, don't you miss your bike computer? My little Sigma makes me so happy. Even if I am going slowly (which I am most of the time / this is only 1/2 way through my first month of riding after 10 years off the saddle), I feel so inspired knowing how I am doing. But then again, I'm someone that pushes too hard and the computer gives me hard numbers so I can objectively analyze myself. Otherwise, I'm too critical of my progress.:commute:

Okay first off I am riding a 2009 Giant Sedona Mountain Bike. If it matters I am about 360lbs or so. 36 years old.

I have been riding for a couple months now. Thanks to this forum I have bought all sorts of fun gear for my bike. Latest being a mirror and I just ordered my first pair of bike shorts.

I have worked up to doing 10 mile rides. I am trying to do about 3 or so of those a week with 2-3 smaller 6 mile rides. My butt right now is the fail point and I am hoping the shorts will help.

Anyways....

My question involves my speed. Generally I can hang in there about 9 mph - 11 mph for the whole ride. I usually am very consistent in that range. I will have dips as low as 7 if I am riding in 100+ degree temps.

Is this horrible? WAY to slow? I read all through here about you fellow Clydes bouncing down the road at 15 mph. Right now if I drop it all the way down and stand up giving it my all I can do 16 mph or so and nearly have a heart attack after a couple blocks.

Is it me? Do I need to work up to it? Or is it just being on a mountain bike with big fat knobby tires? All my riding is around the neighborhood on the street.

If it is the tires - do they make tires that can get me going faster?

Thanks all


Getting slicks will help, but it won't help 5-6mph worth. I would say the heat is a large factor, but I don't know your physiology. I know for me temperatures near 100 definitely subtract a few mph. It's possible since you live in Texas your body is more acclimated to it. I live in Buffalo... 80 is too hot ;)

Fitness, however, will be the biggest improvement. When I started cycling this year I could do 11mph for 10 miles on a flat. This is after an entire year of 5-6 hours of cardio per week (recumbent exercise bike, skiing). So I had the lungs for good performance already, but I lacked the right muscles. 3 months later I can do 15mph on my 19 mile commute. So I grew my muscles in the time between.

If you're coming from a background of almost no cardio, I expect it will take you longer to ramp up, because you've got to build your cardiovascular system as well as the muscles for biking. I wouldn't sweat it. Or rather, I would sweat it ;)

In short, next year you'll do better. Keep at it.

Speed is the most overrated aspect of riding, IMO. Unless you are racing or need to get big miles in during daylight, ignore it. I don't have a computer on my bike anymore, simply so I won't think about it. It's far better that you enjoy yourself out there.

I tried ditching my computer on a long grueling ride once, just so I wouldn't be agonizing about how long the ride is. This was about 20 miles into a 50 miler.

Just for fun I said to myself "I bet I'm at 45 miles". Check computer it's 44.98.

I just use my computer now.