guelerct

There must be a big wrold of road racing going on. I am in shape and can't comprehend some of the cadences and mph's some of these posters boast about
ANyone else get discouraged about reading of people taking on hills at 20mph? Or keeping a 90 rpm cadence at 20 mph? Man, I need to stop reading these forums...

Creakyknees

it's like the guy who asked how to get to Carnegie Hall... practice baby, practice.

zoste

I know how you feel...I joined a local club and planned to go with them for a 50 mile "C" level ride until I emailed the ride leader and she emailed back telling me to "expect hills" and that they planned to average 14 mph. Shooooot; I can barely average 12-13mph on a flat rail/trail.

skijor

Don't get bummed. Hills are relative. Wisconsin hills are probably speed bumps to folks out west.
Besides hills are half downhill

merlin55

Just ride with people that match your skill and fitness level, not some stinking Cat 2 in their 20's

cod.peace

I just tell myself they have mis-calibrated computers. Seriously though, if you're worried about performance, the only comparison that really matters is yourself now compared with before. If you're improving great, if not, well, try to figure it out.

If I'm on flat ground (hard to find in eastern MA sometimes...lots of little hills) I like to push myself up to around 20 mph for short distances since the hybrid riders can't keep up for long due to poorer aerodynamics. Then I get passed like I'm sitting still by those skinny roadies on their carbon fiber wonder bikes.

JoelS

I had exactly the same thoughts a year ago. I've worked really hard to get stronger/faster/lighter. Now I can do most of the group rides without getting dropped.

But a year ago? I had trouble just riding 10 miles.

snowman40

last year i had trouble cruising at 15 mph.

I now cruise somewhere around 19 mph and my avg (on flat routes) is 16 mph.

Cycling, like everything else, you get better the more you do.

Nighteyez

I don't let it get me down. Everyone has their own pace. Like some of the above people have already commented on, they have improved their times the longer they ride. I am sure you will improve yours too. No matter how fast you are now, there will always be somebody faster. Sure there will always be somebody slower too. Just be happy with what you can do.

I will not be able to beat anybody's times with my current knee problem, so I don't even try. That does not mean I don't go out there, and try to beat my own times though.

Neil_B

I sometimes do. Then I realize going uphill at 20 MPH proves nothing, and I resume my riding.

CliftonGK1

I don't let fast people get me down, since I don't race.

No matter how fast anyone rides, nobody's going to "win" the Tour de Cure next weekend. Same thing with randonneuring; the results are published alphabetically.

txvintage

The only speed or cadence that matters is your own. It's ok to use other peoples averages as goals or measuring sticks but don't let it get you down.

If your speed or cadence never increases it soesn't really matter if you just keep riding. Persaverance trumps performance. Persaverance will eventualy lead to performance.

Mazama

I ride alone.

MikeR

Hey! I take hills at 20 MPH!!!

It's just the other side of the hill.

jesspal

I figure subtract 20-30% from most of the numbers people throw out there.

chewybrian 

That's my answer. I always set my goals and judged success by the odometer, not the speedometer. I can now go 250 miles in a day, and a lot of those roadie speed freaks won't ever even try that kind of ride. Try centuries and rando rides, where you set your own goals, and everyone else wants you to "win".

crtreedude 

Unless you are actually riding with someone, it is hard to really know how strong they are. Case in point, Joe Gardner and Heather his wife are now neighbors. I think nothing of jumping on my bike, cycling to town and coming back. In fact, for a while when my office was in town, I did it everyday. Joe told me it was worse than anything they did when they were bike touring?! It is all rock road and the temperature is normally about 80 F here. The hills are steep with loose rock on them. But in time, it just feels normal.

But when I would read what speed people hit, I would think "Wow, they are incredible" when in reality many people might not be able to do what I am doing.

I know almost none of the locals can.

Longfemur

In the world of bike forums, a guy hits 25 mph once with the help of a tailwind and that becomes the speed he "averages".

Cycle for the pleasure and fun of it. There's no need to make it into one more performance thing that we have to achieve. Just ride, pace yourself, don't deliberately try to ride hard, and before you know it, you're riding pretty fast anyway. Unless you're in a short race, it's best to go a bit slower so you can go longer anyway.

racethenation

It takes hours upon hours in the saddle to get there. Last August My average speed for all rides was 14.5 mph, in April my average for all rides was 16.7. So it took 8 months to improve my average speed just over 2 miles per hour. These guys that are riding 20 plus did not start riding yesterday, and most of them are not 200 or even 300 plus pounds. (Although there are several that are.) All you can compare yourself to is you. What is your goal? If you want to be fast then go be fast. If you don't care if you are fast then enjoy the ride. Personally, I do some of both.

1bluetrek

I will probably never be fast, and I will probably never do a 2 or 300k. I know I will never race lol. But I do manage to have a great time on my rides. Especially the organized rides. I have been pretty lucky to meet lots of folks like me to ride with. Slow and friendly!
I'll be doing the Tour de Cute in Redmond with CliftonGK1, he's gonna ride the century and I'm gonna do the 45. I'm hoping that when he's done, he will be good enough to send a search party out for me! I'll be poking along somewhere off the back lol.

chipcom 

I'm 6'1" 240-50ish...cruising the flats at 20mph is no big deal...climbing at above 14, not so much.

Neil_B

From what I've read about CliftonGK1, he's going to LEAD the search party. The man is a riding animal.

CliftonGK1

Depending on how fast 1bluetrek and I are each going, there's a possibility of overlapping each other on the course. The Century kicks off at 7am and the 45 miler rolls out at 9am, and the courses converge around the last 20 miles. But trust me, I don't plan on riding this like a 100mi Pursuit!

surfrider

I ride in a group of three - me, myself, and I. We're all about the same level of fitness, and take turns pushing the pace, charging up hills, and deciding where to just cruise along and enjoy the scenery. We have no idea how fast we go since we're more interested in a good workout.

1bluetrek

*...Eric gets his Batman tow cable ready and packed*