Originally Posted by
WHOOOSSHHH...
"when you're riding by yourself it just doesn't matter how fast or slow you are"
It doesn't? Seems to me the faster you ride, the better shape you get in! Not everyone is a pack rider. The OP asked what is considered a good average speed on a flat terrain with no wind so that he could judge his progress. Therefore you
super fast, pack riding, superheroes, should take a time out on this one and let us solo experts answer. 17 mph, alone for 10 miles and your on your way to success, in the land on the lone rider!!
WHOOSH, you never make any sense. Merlin was merely saying that there are too many variables for a speed to be meaningful. Flat, windy, road quality, etc.... are all things that are going to affect speed, and if you aren't trying to keep with a group why does it matter how fast you are going? In any event, except for where I just mentioned the crits, my answer was for solo
cruising,
not average, on flat ground. Of course nothing is flat around here. 17 mph alone for 10 miles is not fast at all unless you are rinding into a strong headwind or in the mountains.
Edit: in my avatar I was cruising pretty comfortably at > 24mph but it wasn't fast enought to stay away from the pack.