rbnjr

Im wondering how many miles is considered average for people in this age group. im trying road biking again.

if you have 3-4 hrs to ride, 2hrs each way on a nice burke gillman stretch?

just wondering.

DnvrFox

Range from maybe 25 to 300+ per week.

I would guesstimate 100-150/200 miles per week for many folks.

George

4 hours, 60 miles. You really can't go by that though. It will vary with all the different conditions we all run into. Just ride and enjoy yourself for now.

JanMM

No burke gilman stretches in Central Indiana.
I'm good for 50-60 miles max. Usually less. 14-16 mph average. That's on roads. Not on a 'road bike'.
Is it road biking if it's done on trails?

Enjoy the ride.

Miami Biker

Do some research on how to build your engine. All miles aren't equal.

You will want to build your base by increasing your heart lung capacity and your leg muscles. Some say to build your core too, to enhance your entire body.

I started on a hybrid at age 63 doing 1,000 miles per year over 45 weeks. After three years got a road bike and increased mileage and speed to 2,500, 4,000 and on track for 6,000 in 2014, averaging 45-50 miles per ride. YMMV.

Mark Stone

I ride probably 15 to 20 miles a day, which is really not that much. However, rbnjr, I think the amount of miles you should ride is not as important as the amount of time on the bike.

chasm54

I'm not sure I fully understand the question. Are you asking how many miles you ought to be able to cover in 4 hours?,

If so, there really isn't a meaningful answer beyond "it depends". Too many variables. If you're coming back to cycling and want to get fitter, focus on time on the bike, and mix up the intensity - mostly fairly easy, sometimes hard - and speed and distance will follow.

bruce19

+1

As for me, I'm riding better than I have since I got back on the bike 10 yrs. ago. I am 68 and doing 100 mi. / wk probably averaging 15-16 mph overall.

RR3

I have no idea what a burke gillman stretch is but 4 hours on the bike for me is anything from a 40-80 mile ride depending upon wind, weather, and hills. It is hilly where I am so, I would normally only be able to cover 55-60 miles on a 4 hour ride solo and that is riding pretty hard for me. Said 44-60 mile ride would have 4-6000 feet of climbing depending upon the route chosen. I went on an easier club recently that was all hills, 41 miles with a lengthy latte and muffin stop and it took us 4 hours. Most riders were 60-75 years old on that ride.

Miles per week is anything from 120 to 800.

Gerryattrick

In a cohort such as the 60+, average is next to useless as a goal to aim for.

Just get out and ride.

mrodgers

Google tells me it is a flat paved trail in Washington.

I can't wait until I can "legally" be in this forum . Having 4 hours to ride would be fantastic.

10 Wheels

My first two years average ride was 62 miles.

trailrnr

My rides vary in time between 1 hour and 4 hours, depending on how much time I have. I prefer rides in the 1.5 to 2 hour length. Depending on the hills, wind, and terrain, I will average between 12 mph and 19 mph. Some times I ride conversationally, some times I like to just plain crank, and push my limits.

I don't think that your rides should be judged by what anyone else is doing. Keep in mind that most everyone on this forum has more experience riding that the general public. Just go out, enjoy what you are doing, in whatever time you have available, depending on how the spirit moves you.

wphamilton

Four hours is an unusually long ride for me, which I'd only undertake for some specific reason. Most of my weekend workouts are 2-3 hours, and when it's more than three hours I'm probably just out riding around.

linnefaulk

I have been averaging about 50 miles/week since I started in May.

Sculptor7

100 miles a week or more. Average speed: 11 mph*. Age: 79
*on a club ride: 13.4

cfcdjb

I just started riding last December, part of the year in SW Florida and the most of it up here in central Indiana. I am really pleased if I can get over 80 miles a week and tickled to death if I am able to get over 100 miles per week. Only ride 5 days a week. Sure do love it though!

spdracr39

40 to 60 miles in 4 hours depending on who I'm riding with and where.

jon c. 

I seldom have 4 continuous hours that I can ride. I play golf twice a week as well and since those are ~ 4 hour blocks, I really can't find that much more spare time. Normally, I'll do two or three rides of 12 - 15 miles on weeknights and a 30 - 40 mile ride on the weekend. I like to shoot for 100 miles a week, but often don't manage that.

(If I do make the time for a 4 hour jaunt, I'll cover just about 60 miles. I seem to end up with the same slow but steady pace no matter the route or distance.)

Rick@OCRR

I'm not sure I understand the question either (and wouldn't know a Burke Gillman if it weren't for mrodgers having looked it up!), but I ride about 200 miles a week, usually a bit over.

A typical local 4 hour ride I do is Glendora Mountain Road from Glendora over to Mt. Baldy Village and back. That ride is 42 miles with 5,200 feet of climbing.

I'm 64 and like most (but not all!) of us here, I'm not as fast as I used to be.

Rick / OCRR

Biker395 

I average about 200 miles a week. A little over half of that is a flat commute, the rest, usually climbing in the mountains.

On those climbing rides, we typically do about 80 miles or so in about 7-8 hours, including stopping for lunch, so I guess that means we'd do about 40 miles in 4 hours.

Black wallnut 

It seems that average is close to 15 mph. So 4 hours on the Burke-Gillman might take you 60 miles total however I don't think it is that long. You could link up with some of the other trails in the area though to go as far as you are able in that time. With all the other trail users you also would be unlikely to average that speed on that trail.

Piratebike

I ride 20-25 miles each evening. That takes about an hour to 1.5 hours.

leob1

Ride as many hours\miles at a pace YOU feel comfortable with. Do it enough, the time\distance\speed will increase.
Don't worry abut anybody else does.

Enjoy the Ride!

cobolman

The best advice that I received when I started out three months ago was to ride for an hour at whatever pace suited me and then take a day off. I did that for quite a while and increased my time on the road and my mileage slowly.

I’m 67 and overweight. I started riding an old mountain bike, bought a road bike a few weeks ago and now putting in about 70 miles a week. This comes out the three 2 hour rides and one 1 hour ride. Being retired I can ride early in the morning before it gets warm and then come home and soak in the tub. If I were still working I wouldn’t have all the free time and would not be this far along. I ride alone as I have not met anyone with the free time who rides at my pace. A riding partner would be nice but it’s not imperative.

There is no one type of rider. I met a couple of men on the road this morning who had to be in their early 70’s. One was quite overweight. They were finishing up a two week bike tour of Oregon and had started in the eastern part of the state which is high desert. I was impressed