w8up4me

I avg about 13mph including traffic stops on my mtb w/ a riding pace around 14 to 15mph. My round trip is 12miles and commute 4 days a week. It's a fairly flat commute. I was just wondering what everyone else does, it seems that I always pass the few people I see on my commute.

NoRacer

I have about 1200ft of climbing on my 16 mile morning route to work. My ride average was 15.8 MPH just doing my normal thing (i.e., not racing it) this morning.

Going home, I usually average 18+ MPH, but have been as high as 20+MPH with a good tailwind. No one ever passes me in either direction, but very few go my way to start out with.

thdave

Geez--usually speed posters are one's I can't relate to.

My average is a little slower--around 12--but I'm sure that depends on your route and stops. I typically go about 16 or so on the flats. Doesn't seem that fast but I also pass most riders. Still, I get passed once in awhile, but almost always it's by a roadie all dolled up.

No doubt I'd get passed more often if there were more riders!

Mr. Underbridge

Computer stops when I'm not moving, but somewhere around 17-20 average when moving depending on motivation and fatigue. 6 miles each way.

I've definitely noticed an improvement in my fitness level since I've started commuting near full time. I also gained an extra 1-3mph this morning when I realized my rear brake had been very lightly rubbing the rim for a few weeks now. That was like a Christmas present

1ply

6 miles each way. 25km/h average (15.53428MPH) The computer does stop about 10 seconds after I stop. Most (about 3-4 stops) are on my way home as not too many things stop me at 6:15 am I also usually go faster on the way home so it all averages out.

I have a couple of not too bad climbs on the way to work (of course) and the wind ALWAYS changes direction midday and blows against me for most of the ride back (of course).

The average speed will decrease slightly as the week wears on, by Friday it will be down to maybe 13mph.

vtjim

I average 13-14 over a week, but it's kind of meaningless because I slow up and/or stop for signs, peds, etc. There's a wood-decked bridge I usually stay below 10MPH on because it's rough, plus I check out the scenery. It also includes walking the bike from my office to the elevator, then outside and around to the front of the building.

I can't remember the last time I got passed. It happens, but it's rare, and usually a roadie out for a serious ride.

6.4 miles one-way. Mostly MUP.

yetsukeng

I have 22 mile each way commute and I average 18+ on the way to work and 17+ on the way back. It's mostly on a trail with dozens of stops and a little bit on the streets with first 6 miles of light climbing (1-3%) and the rest is mostly down (400 feet over 16 miles). I usually cool down last mile or two as well.

stuartjeff

10 miles each way. Ride there with 700 ft of climbing and I average 17-18. Ride home has 400 feet of climbing and I average 19-20. I have trouble taking it easy.

VA_Dave

10 miles each way. I think I average 14-15 mph on my hardtail with only a handful of crossings. The way into work is slighlty uphill, about 400ft. I swear there's a headwind every afternoon on the way home.

badhat

about 18mph on my commuter, (15 miles in roughly 50 minutes).

when i commute on my roadie i avg. between 21-23mph (15 miles in just over 40 minutes).

bkriete

I do 11 miles in 40-45 minutes on the way in, 35 on the way home. Guess that works out to between 15 and 19 MPH depending on which way I'm going.

knucklesandwich

I don't have a computer, but I've been doing my 13mi r/t long enough to figure out that it takes me between 23 and 25 minutes to ride the 6.5 miles to or from work. (Going home is much more downhill than coming in but the difference doesn't vary much at all, due mainly to lights.)
That's about an average of 16mph including stops- a handful of MUP road crossings, and a handful of lights once I turn off the MUP.


Moving this wknd and my commute is stretching to about 11.5 miles each way, further along the same MUP that I live on now. The new portion of it has less road crossings, so I'm hoping I can up my avg speed a bit, and cover the distance in around 40 minutes...

w8up4me

dang some of ya'll are quick... Not that I try to race myself back and forth to work, but I am using my commute to get myself back into shape, I have lost 40lbs "woohoo" since I started and I've only been commuting for about 5 months now, luv it!! Thankx for the reply's, give's me something to aim for and/or look foward to.

Keep'em comming.

Mr. Underbridge

That's impressive, congratulations!

Pig_Chaser

i average 26kph (16mph) on my 21km (13mi) commute. My best average was 32kph (20mph), but my commute is fairly flat with only 2 or 3 stops. My highest speed was 67.8kph (42mph) on a gradual slope with the wind at my back.

Cassiel

I average 15 mph, but have gotten up to 17 mph on the way home when motivated. The way to school is mostly flat, but I take a roundabout route home which is very hilly, and the whole thing adds up to 30 miles. Interestingly, I don't notice a lot of difference in my average speed on the hillier route as opposed to the flat route, but I think this is because when I do the flat part of the route it's early in the morning and I am feeling slow. In the evening, I'm ready to go home and I'm ready to enjoy a ride.

swwhite

Well, this explains why everyone passes me.

I don't have a computer, but calculations based on the known length of my route and the approximate time it usually takes indicate that I travel between 9.5 and 10.5 miles per hour.

I use a heavily-loaded mountain bike, and carry a rather heavy backpack. I wait like cars at all the red lights. I'm 57 years old.

DataJunkie

I can average 17-20 mph on empty MUPs and streets without stop signs.
Throw in stop signs and traffic lights and my total average drops to around 15mph. Anyhow, this time of year is not about going as fast as possible for me.
All in all it is around 15 mph. The occasional increase to 17 mph requires a large amount of effort that I do not have the energy for.

Oh and 28 miles each way. I can average higher speeds when I ride shorter distances.

w8up4me

Yeah my doctor was impressed to. 6 months ago she had put me on high blood pressure and chloresteral med's and now I'm off both.... I change my eating habits, cut out drinking, walk-jog a little and bike commute to work.

PaulH

I average about 10 mph. If I went faster, I'd have to shower and chang clothing, which would defeat the purpose of riding faster.

Paul

tarwheel 

Tracking your average speed is a good way to gauge your individual performance and fitness, but it means little to compare with other cyclists. Many of their routes are undoubtedly very different than yours and factors such as the amount of climbing, traffic signals, wind, road surface can greatly influence avg speed. Avg speed also depends on whether someone is going all out or taking a recovery ride.

FWIW, my average speed commuting ranges from 14-17 mph over a hilly route. I've also got about 10 traffic lights to contend with. Yesterday I rode my lightest road bike and pushed it, averaging about 17 mph on the way to work. Today I rode my commuter and caught every single freakin traffic light along way, averaging just under 15 mph. On Mondays I am usually recovering from long, fast weekend rides and sometimes average just 13 mph. On weekend rides, my average speed is generally 18-19.5 mph on rides that are 50-65 miles long, but I'm riding with a group in pacelines and don't have a bunch of traffic lights to contend with.

HenryL

You guys are just too quick. If I catch all the lights I might average 16 mph, if not maybe 14.5 mph. All of the stopping and starting along with coasting up to lights and attempted track stands at the lights alter the rolling average. Even on the road bike the route requires me to slow, stop, look, re-start so the average is not that much higher. I look at my commute as an opportunity to either spin for recovery miles or hammer some stop sign sprints. Over the 11.3 miles inbound ride my avg speed really doesn't change arrival time all that much.

chephy

And you will live to be much older given your safe approach to cycling.

Leiniesred

14 mph on my 25 mile RT commute. I'm rollin' on my 1986 Rockhopper with knobbies, fenders, rack and panniers (over 40 pounds) these days. Top speed = 36MPH (terminal velocity for this bike? It was like 180 RPM or something.)
My best is 16.7 MPH RT on the 1988 Jamis Diablo with 2.35 Schwalbe Big Apples.
I don't have anything but mt. bikes.

chipcom 

Between 16-18mph average (per the computer) on my 25 mile (each way) route, depending upon which bike I am on, the wind, how I feel, etc. The morning commute has a about half the elevation gain and less traffic, so it is usually a little faster than the commute home.