Is there something "magic" about riding at or above 14 mph
05-18-15, 11:46 AM
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05-18-15, 11:50 AM
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The magic starts at 44 mph. I've heard angels sing ...
"...comin' for to carry me home..."
"...comin' for to carry me home..."
05-18-15, 12:09 PM
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14 mph could be a recovery pace for some riders, FTP for others, or an all out effort for others still.
05-18-15, 03:03 PM
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05-18-15, 04:45 PM
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I'm with others here, I'd have to try to go that slow. On my adventure bike, 26lb with 35mm cross tires, I still average 17+.
05-18-15, 05:15 PM
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05-18-15, 05:40 PM
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A good speed for someone in their 50s who's 25 pounds overweight is very different from a good speed for someone in their 20s who's not at all overweight.
The former description describes me. I now ride just about 14 MPH on average, on moderately hilly terrain. When I got back onto my bike 7 months ago, I was 50 lbs overweight, and I needed a couple of weeks back in the saddle to get to a 12 MPH clip. When I was in my 20s and riding semi-competitively, and I weighed 150 lbs, I was quite a bit faster, and I too would have to intentionally slow down to get under 15 MPH. It's all relative
The former description describes me. I now ride just about 14 MPH on average, on moderately hilly terrain. When I got back onto my bike 7 months ago, I was 50 lbs overweight, and I needed a couple of weeks back in the saddle to get to a 12 MPH clip. When I was in my 20s and riding semi-competitively, and I weighed 150 lbs, I was quite a bit faster, and I too would have to intentionally slow down to get under 15 MPH. It's all relative
05-18-15, 07:51 PM
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The question has not been answered. Is the speed where you start to fight your own wind resistance approximately 14 mph. Obviously, its different for a small woman than a large man. Does the guy on the blog have any reasonable evidence to support his claim?
05-19-15, 05:08 AM
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There is going to be a crossover point where wind resistance becomes the predominant force on the bicycle (since aero drag is by velocity squared and most other forces, such as momentum/acceleration and rolling resistance, is constant or linear with velocity). 14mph is probably about right. If you ride a fixie, it becomes pretty obvious. 14mph on the flat (with little wind, of course) is right around that point of a sweet, effortless roll where momentum is doing most of the work.
05-19-15, 06:31 AM
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Right?
I feel pretty good about myself when I can maintain 14+ riding solo. I typically expect that to be 16 or so in a group, but is actually easier with the draft.
When I came back to riding I was going perhaps 8, average, which is also where my wife is now that she started (we ride 20" wheel trikes together).
I have read that drafting has no real effect under 15, so perhaps there is some "magic" to the equation at speed, IDK
I feel pretty good about myself when I can maintain 14+ riding solo. I typically expect that to be 16 or so in a group, but is actually easier with the draft.
When I came back to riding I was going perhaps 8, average, which is also where my wife is now that she started (we ride 20" wheel trikes together).
I have read that drafting has no real effect under 15, so perhaps there is some "magic" to the equation at speed, IDK
05-19-15, 09:23 AM
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05-19-15, 09:43 AM
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As long as you make sure that you Dial It to 400W then it doesn't matter what speed you're moving at. You'll be a-okay over here.
05-19-15, 09:51 AM
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That may sound facetious, but it's probably not far from the truth for most people. I notice many recreational riders do tend to coast a lot, and tend to proceed at less than 14 mph. However, I think that given a modern road bike, for most people, 14 mph is easy to achieve without noticeable muscular strain when pedaling consistently.
05-19-15, 09:52 AM
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The speed at which aerodynamic drag becomes higher than rolling resitance (which I mean to include tire rolling resistance, chain, derailleur, etc...) will vary. Because aerodynamic drag is a function of relative wind speed, if you have a headwind you will reach that point at a lower speed than if you have a tailwind or no wind.
Second, the less aerodynamic the cyclist is the lower the speed at which drag becomes the main force oposing you. By less aerodynamic I mean both drag coefficient and area. All things equal, a larger guy will fight more drag than a skinny guy because of surface area.
And finally, the higher your rolling resistance the higher the speed at which drag becomes the main thing you are facing.
So I don't think you can make an absolute statement like the article does that 14mph is where you start fighting wind resistance. I've seen graphics (one may even be posted to this thread) that suggest speeds as low as 9-10mph for not-particularly aero cyclists.
On the other hand, 14 is 41 backwards. Yeah, that blew your mind didn't it?
Second, the less aerodynamic the cyclist is the lower the speed at which drag becomes the main force oposing you. By less aerodynamic I mean both drag coefficient and area. All things equal, a larger guy will fight more drag than a skinny guy because of surface area.
And finally, the higher your rolling resistance the higher the speed at which drag becomes the main thing you are facing.
So I don't think you can make an absolute statement like the article does that 14mph is where you start fighting wind resistance. I've seen graphics (one may even be posted to this thread) that suggest speeds as low as 9-10mph for not-particularly aero cyclists.
On the other hand, 14 is 41 backwards. Yeah, that blew your mind didn't it?
05-19-15, 10:09 AM
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14mph on a 35 pound comfort bike with the rear brake dragging a bit is a good workout.
