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-   -   Poll: what is your average commute speed (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/546227-poll-what-your-average-commute-speed.html)

Pig_Chaser 05-29-09 07:27 AM

My average for the year thus far: 26.56kph (16.5mph). This includes winter cycling which is significantly slower.

bdcheung 05-29-09 07:28 AM

My average speed, as measured by distance/time, is around 17-18mph.

But if you don't include stop time,then the average bumps up closer to 20.

squirtdad 05-29-09 09:44 AM


Originally Posted by stevage (Post 9002581)
Err, you should have defined "average". Average speed while moving? Total distance over total time, average across all commutes? Most typical speed while moving on unobstructed clear flat road?

(I answered 17mph, based on the third interpretation. Actual total time I'm not so interested in, it's too affected by traffic lights.)

good point I was going for your option 3....I edited the post to try to make it clearer

thanks

madavis25 05-29-09 12:17 PM

I don't have a computer on my commuter. It is a Trek 1200 road bike. My commute is 7mi each way, about 250ft elevation loss to work, Takes a little less than 30min there, a little more than 30min home, including stops

noisebeam 05-29-09 12:26 PM

20-21mph which is not a choice in this poll.

Bicycle is a FG road bike. Terrain is flat with need to stop/slow about every mile for intersections.

Scubachisteve 05-29-09 02:45 PM


Originally Posted by noisebeam (Post 9005780)
20-21mph which is not a choice in this poll.

Bicycle is a FG road bike. Terrain is flat with need to stop/slow about every mile for intersections.

Same here. short flat commute. Fuji road bike. average 20 without wind.

Tabor 05-29-09 03:23 PM

In real terms, I average ~12mph, but that INCLUDES waiting for stop lights.

giaoster 05-29-09 03:39 PM

My commute is 12.5 miles each way and the time between door to door is ~1 hour.
For me safety comes first, I rather do 10 mph going through some busy roads than taking a left/right hook at 20 mph.
-G

hairnet 05-29-09 03:48 PM

I don't have a computer but my commute is 7 miles and I get there, usually, just under 30 minutes both ways. So I'm guessing somewhere near 14 mph. I don't know much much of an impact stop lights have on this. I've also got a fair mix of uphill and down hill. Is there a site that I can map my route and know how much I climb/descend?

bkrownd 05-29-09 04:25 PM

The poll fails to account for slope. I usually do 14-18 on flat ground, 10-13 uphill, 20-25 downhill (coasting). That would "average" about 15 MPH on a round trip. "Flat bar road bike" with 25mm tires tricked out with the usual commuter accessories = 35 pounds.

Fremdchen 05-29-09 04:50 PM

Usually 13.5 overall average according to the computer. My fastest ever was 15.5 avg.

I would love to do a time trial someday just to see how fast I would be if I didn't have to stop for lights and traffic. Need to find a nice country road to use!

jasonpraxis 05-29-09 05:00 PM

12-13mph. Stop signs, lights every couple of blocks, heavy traffic, and poor roads all over Chicago make me cautious. But it's all good. My door to door bike commute is still faster than taking the bus and subway.

Bike is a Surly Cross-Check with Armadillos, Brooks B-17, and 160# dude with a 10# mess bag load on top. Typing that out makes me want to ride again.

mattm 05-29-09 05:01 PM

I've gotten to where my ~27km commute takes just under an hour, for a 28km/h avg (17.4 mph)

Not "fast" - but the fastest I've done my commute on a regular basis.

This is on a steel Ciocc bike, probably not your average commuter setup. I wear an Ortleib backpack, no luggage on the bike.

If it weren't for all the hills I'd go faster..

Metricoclock 05-29-09 05:25 PM

i don't have a computer, but it's usually at the speed of traffic on the roads here in the city and surrounding area

jl0703 05-29-09 06:07 PM

On my Trek 7.2fx (Upgarded with a new carbon fork, XT shifters, brakes, and gearing), my Garmin 705 states an average between 14.5 and 15.7 depending on wind. But, my normal CRUISING speed without stopping is about 18 -19 mph. But when you count is slowing for stop lights, pedeling up bridges and hills, the stated average falls. The Garmin does not count the stopped time in it averaging if you set it to pause when stopped, which I have set.

TheLifeOfBryan 06-02-09 10:35 AM

With my GPS set to auto-pause at 4mph, my moving average on my 5.5 mile commute is around 16mph on the Bianchi Boardwalk and 17.5mph on the Cannondale R300.

rumrunn6 06-02-09 10:48 AM

new cyclocomputer says my average is 15.5

ollyisk 06-02-09 11:09 AM

13-14. I ride a 2001 Univega rode bike.

2/3 of my computer is spent climbing hills of varying grades/lengths.

My commute IN to work is a little easier (about 40% downhill, 60% uphill), but I can't find a nice route for my ride home (I don't think I could handle come of the climbs I descend on), so my afternoon average is usually around 11-12.

I wish it was flat here.

bikegeek57 06-02-09 11:37 AM

right. fully loaded on heavy bike sweating like a pig I don't go so fast. however I love the response by 'faster than JoeyBike' must be using after burners.

reading the posts am really thinking.... gotta get a better bike.

MaxPlanck 06-02-09 11:45 AM

I had a good commute this morning on the road bike and covered the 6.62mi in 19min and 46sec, making my average 20.09mph, lights and water bottle recovery included. Generally though it's more in the range of 18 to 19mph.

The commuter bike drops the average speed to 15-16mph and the mountain bike is more in the range of 13-14mph.

SSP 06-02-09 02:06 PM


Originally Posted by bugly64 (Post 9002313)
My Garmin says a lot slower than I average because it doesn't take stopping for lights and stop signs into consideration.

Check your owner's manual. Most Garmin units have an "Auto-Pause" feature that will pause logging when you get below a certain speed.

On my Garmin Forerunner 305, I have the Auto-Pause for the bike set at 1 mph, and the Auto-Pause for running set at 3 mph.

Caleab 06-02-09 02:56 PM

~15mph (15-17 on the 2.1 and 14-15 on the FX)
2009 Trek 2.1 & Trek 7.3FX. Slightly slower on the FX, but I was also doing a little shorter distances.

chephy 06-02-09 07:58 PM

Heh, I'm in the most popular category of 13-14 mph. It's been as high as 18 on occasion, but I needed a road with no stops for that. All my commuting routes have a ton of stops, so even you actually have little chance to start and keep going fast. A lot of my riding time is spent either speeding up from a stop or slowing down to a stop (or a rolling stop). Bike: low-end steel Miyata MTB (rigid fork, slicks) from the early to mid 90s.

chephy 06-02-09 08:00 PM


Originally Posted by mattm (Post 9007422)
I've gotten to where my ~27km commute takes just under an hour, for a 28km/h avg (17.4 mph)

Not "fast" - but the fastest I've done my commute on a regular basis.

That's pretty fast in my book. Even if it's on rural road. Especially with hills.

bragi 06-02-09 10:25 PM


Originally Posted by squirtdad (Post 9000284)
what is your average commute speed? meaning what does you speedo show as avg speed when pedaling, not counting stops, lights, etc)

It would be interesting to see what the spread is.

Please list your bike details also

This depends. My average speed, including stops and hills, is about 12 mph. My usual moving speed varies considerably, depending on traffic and terrain. On a long, moderate downhill stretch, I can ride about 28-30 mph. On steeper uphills, it can get as low as 6 mph. On flat ground with no headwind, I usually can manage a sustainable 17-20 mph.

I ride a fairly heavy touring bike (LHT). Including the bike itself, and the panniers I'm carrying, I'm probably hauling close to 50 lbs.


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