z1xq

My wife and I started cycling for fitness. She has a hybrid with 700c slicks, and I have a singlespeed track oriented bike. In the last few weeks we have worked up to cycling 20 miles every Sunday morning for exercise. Our route has 10 miles up a gently sloped, but unforgiving hill, and then we ride 10 miles back the way we came. Today we did it in 120 minutes counting 3 - 5 minute breaks. I am wondering how fast an accomplished cyclist can run a 20 mile course with some hills. I don't know any other cyclists so I am asking here. I want a measurement to measure my progress against. So, how fast do most of you guys do 20 miles? What is a decent time?

cyclefreaksix

Little less than an hour. But, there are many variables at play.

AtlBentRider

1 hour.

Sardian

Takes me about an hour and 15 minutes if it's hilly. I average about 16 miles an hour. But I have only been riding for 6 months and I hope my times improve over time.

jbhowat

45 minutes.








Not my time, but someone can do it. Also depends on if your definition of hills are Colorado hills or Florida hills.

z1xq

My hills are Arizona hills. They tend to be not hugely steep, but very very long.

roadiejorge 

38.89 minutes as the Nazgul flies, and you better hope you don't have one of those on your tail.

diverguy

Yeah, same here. That sounds about right.

HastyDeparture

Au contraire, I'd say that you'd be better off with one behind you. It would likely make you ride faster.

umd

Impossible to say

Depends on the route, the conditions, and what "accomplished cyclist" means

Kurogashi

Depends on the wind...
I bike only along the waterfront, so the wind gets pretty harsh out there at times.
But on a good day, maybe 40mins?

Grumpy McTrumpy

proof?

Kurogashi

Kind of hard... unless you fly over to Canada, Toronto... lol
Oh and fyi, it's all flats, sorry I didn't mention that. But waterfront usually don't have hills anyways, especially in the cities..

Grumpy McTrumpy

you should have no problem at the time trial world championships then

umd

You realize you are saying you can average 30mph for 40 minutes...

mechBgon

I used to have a 19.5-mile commute that was mostly highway with some small rollers. The largest hill was a fairly-gradual 2-mile grade. I typically averaged 16-19mph on a road-sport bike that's about 26-27 pounds out the door, including water. Keep in mind that riding a hybrid with 700c slicks or a singlespeed makes this an apples-to-oranges comparison.

I don't know about anyone else, but it takes me a while just to get warmed up, too. If I jammed around in downtown traffic for 20 minutes before tackling my 20-mile ride, I'm sure it would help.

Kurogashi

Oh... forgive me, the OP said 20miles. I was assuming that it would be 20km.. ok then that makes a big difference b/c 20miles is like 35km, which I do around an 1hr or so, which is maybe on average, 20-23mph?

Randochap

There are generally too many variables to answer questions like this. When I'm in decent shape (I'm a marathon rider) a short 20 mile (32 km) ride would take me just over an hour.

Unlike my Ontario compatriot, my usual route along the West Coast waterfront is fraught with short, steep rollers and I must work hard indeed to keep average speed above around 17 mph.

I'm guessing it might be possible to maintain 30mph with a Lake Ontario gale at your back.

adacas

roughly 1:45 for me but I'm definitely not accomplished and usually try to average 15 mph on a good day

Homebrew01

The only measurement that makes any sense is to measure against yourself. The only other "speed" that would matter is if someone else road the exact same course as you, on a similar singlespeed.

lbear

Slowing for things like wind and stop signs/lights have a big effect . Having to stop a few times or slowing for traffic can really cut your average. Thats why its hard to compare average speeds. Without knowing where you are riding it hard to tell. But thats a decent average.

dadof3boys

+1 (although I tend to be in the 1 to 1 1/2 hour range depending on...uh, everything)

MrTuner1970

I'm not an accomplished cyclist, but maybe this will give you something to go by. I'm 39, and began road cycling in August 2008. Almost all my rides are solo. My average speed now is between 18 - 19 MPH except in stronger winds. The terrain around North Mississippi (where I live) has many hills, mostly short. Very rolling terrain, where flats almost never exist.

ENER

A little less than an hour

exRunner

I would not consider myself "accomplished" and I have no idea what the OP considers an "unforgiving hill" but today on the club ride the 11 of us went through the 20 mile mark at 51:10 and most of that was rolling hills (2 to 4% grade with less than 100 ft of climb each). That was on our way out for a 50 miler total in a 40 degree weather and 15 mph crossing/shifting wind. Pretty nipply out there.