rydabent

You have to be specific as to ones actual speed, or their internet speed which will be at least 5 mph faster to who ever one wants to fib the most.

My actual speed with out wind factor is 13 to 14 mph. On the internet, I blow doors off Mustangs, altho that is not hard.

mrodgers

Man I must be really slow because I will and have stated that on the road with average of 70-80 ft/mile climbing my 230 lb rear end up I average about 10 mph and on a perfectly flat bike trail, I average about 13. I can't believe I only average an actual 5 mph on the road

wphamilton

@Tbone2 there is a strong sentiment in 50+ opposed to striving for more speed, or enjoying fast rides. I can't fathom why, but it is what it is. A prevailing perspective, even though there are several 50+ members who are quite fast, a few blazing fast. You might get more information posting in the road cycling forum, or in general cycling. But please phrase it as other than "average speed" or some variant, since "average speed" questions are something of a stereotype and evoke a certain amount of mockery.

ClydeTim

On a 40 mile flat ride I will average 17-18 solo. On the same ride with a couple of buds I averaged 19.3.

But I am still a youngster at 54 years old.

I do like to push myself and do all my own work 98% of the time. I'm almost always at the front. I get my workout fighting the wind and like to see my own efforts as far as averages and numbers. It's almost an embarrassing feeling for me when I suck wheel.

I will say climbing during the week helps lift the average speeds on longer weekend rides. Plus keep riding doing your thing, it's all good and helps increase ability on the bike. I remember riding 20 years ago and not being able to hold on to a group that was doing 20 mph. Once I adapted to riding, I was at the front easily holding 22 for a good period of time. Just keep riding. If you want to get faster, push yourself whether you are solo or with a group. Even if you get dropped, don't worry about it. It's all contributing productive exercise.

Carbonfiberboy 

If the OP is interested in improving his MPH averages, I think that's a good sign of life. If you want to ride faster, two things work in tandem for that: riding more, and riding faster.

Riding more: Take a longer commute route home, even much longer if you can wear real cycling clothing, like up to 30 miles sometimes. But one way or another, gradually increase your weekly total mileage. Keep track. Set goals, Try to increase weekly mileage by 10%/week to start with. You'll hit the wall with that pretty quickly, but then you'll at least know what your current limits are, and they'll very gradually increase. When I was just starting out at 50, on weekend rides I'd ride away from home until I was tired, then ride back. I only had to make the call of shame a couple of times.

Riding faster: once or twice a week, ride a shorter distance than usual, but ride it as hard as you can, hard enough that you think you're going to have a lung up. Hills are especially good for that. See hill, ride up it.

It looks like you live in a nice rural area. If you live on or very near a paved road, no need for bike trails. Just go out the door and ride away. You don't need bike trails to be safe. Statistically, you're actually safer on the road. I mostly ride on two lane roads with no shoulder. Not a problem as long as you stay away from high-traffic roads at commute times. The nice thing about riding with cars is that car drivers know what they're doing and drive predictably. So you ride just as predictably. Stay to the right and hold your line.

canklecat

Yup, sounds familiar! I haven't seen a doctor for anything in about 12 years, since I had to visit the ER for pneumonia (actually I barely remember that incident -- a family member took me after I seemed unusually sluggish and unresponsive).

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroid disease about 17 years ago, which has multiple seemingly unrelated ailments. I took synthetic thyroid supplement for awhile but it wasn't helping so I discontinued it. I really need to get back to a specialist to see if they can try something else. I know it's a significant drain on my energy and stamina.

Funny thing, I was in nursing for years, including hemodialysis. And I've been a caregiver for three consecutive older family members over the past 25 years or so. But when I have spare time I don't want to waste it on my own medical appointments. So I tell myself I'll feel better after a bike ride. Usually it's true, at least until the next day.

BlazingPedals

Don't be too hard on yourself. 70-80 feet per mile is a LOT of climbing. My home range is more like 15-20 feet per mile.

DaveQ24

@canklecat, I've to the best of my ability tried to really address my health issues- I regret the poor life choices of my past in a lot of areas and my health is one of of them. I just went from burying my head in the sand years back and ignoring things hoping they would go away, to in the past five years having a lot of different issues arise OR simply addressing issues I knew where there but ignored. Currently it's more a problem of "treatment fatigue" - too many medications and supplements to take every day, it gets tiring to juggle them all and the side effects and interactions aren't fun - plus the semi-perpetual upset stomach. But better than the alternative.

Tbone2

Thanks for the replies.
I'm in it for the health and the fun, don't want to obsess on numbers however I think since I am just starting the average speed is a fair gauge of improvement. I use Strave to track my commute occasionally to see how I am doing.
I find that a fast cadence is more comfortable than a slower one in a higher gear so I pick the gear that keeps me spinning at that comfortable pace and I don't stop peddling unless I have to, intersections and such.
Since it is my commute ride that I am tracking the variables are the same I don't bother with Strava on my other rides.

And your right I do roll faster on the club rides but I haven't tracked one to prove it.

70sSanO

Lol! Since you are not on the equator, maybe 800 or so mph.

Back to the OP. Decades ago the formula for me was more miles at a higher cadence with more hills. A buddy of mine and I used to ride the riverbed once a week after work that invariably turned into a race. The more hard miles I rode in the hills, the faster I was on the flats.

John

Cougrrcj

My previous 10.5-mile work commute had 'goals' at around nine miles from either end that I strove to make in less than 30 minutes - including traffic lights - that's a 18mph average speed with five or six traffic lights, but then I had the 1.5-miles at the end for a 'cool-down' so I wouldn't arrive all sweaty. Sometimes I'd beat that 18mph goal, and sometimes i wouldn't. Best overall time was around 34 minutes, and would range to 42 minutes depending on traffic lights/wind, etc..

My new 'retirement job' commute is 12.5 miles, and my goal is to be 44 minutes or better door-to-door. That's 17.0mph INCLUDING traffic lights!

Now remember, these times are for a now nearly 60-year-old pot-bellied, graying, balding 'clyde' riding a 40-year-old 31-pound bike (as ridden with rack, water bottle, pump, tool kit, lights, work clothes on-the-rack, etc) and that isn't so bad now, is it???

Timj219

I haven't advanced yet to the point where I'm checking my average speed. So far I'm only paying attention to heart rate and cadence. I'll have to eventually though before joining a group ride with the local bicycle club. I'll want to be sure I can keep up before I try it. I can see from the club's website that they have grades for each ride that include speed and terrain and they have at least a few which average 10-12mph over mostly flat route.

Retro Grouch 

The nicest thing about speed and average speed is that they are easy to measure.

What we really need is a "fun meter". I think that it could be easily done with some kind of sensors or electrodes in your helmet to detect the pleasure centers of your brain. Maybe the sensors would be located in your saddle. Anyway, if we only had an easy to use fun meter for bikes, that would change everything.

rm -rf

Club rides:
It's good to start with an easier paced group where you won't have any problems keeping up.

As the ride speeds increase, the riders will be doing more drafting and close riding. You don't want to be maxed out on your first rides (that can come later if you want).

Some rides can be faster, depending on who shows up that day. Most riders will try to hang on even if the pace is faster than expected--and this kind of encourages the speed boosts. A good ride leader can keep the pace under control.

So, it's good to contact the ride leader if you are new. Ask about the average speeds and what are the typical flat road speeds of the group. For example, around here, with stop lights and hill climbs on the ride, a 15 mph average speed often has 18-19 mph speeds on the flat sections.

Kevindale

There's nothing wrong with looking at average speed to track how you're doing, and frankly, doing solo rides at 16 mph is more enjoyable than 14 mph, and 18 mph is more fun than 16 mph. It's also fun to do group rides without fearing that you're going to pass out or force everyone to slow down. The biggest thing that has happened for me as I've improved from a 10-12 mile rides at 14-15 mph avg to 20-30 miles at 18 mph is that I can deal with wind and hills much better. I used to turn back if I hit a stretch of 10-12 mph headwinds, since I would be struggling in my easiest gears and barely moving. Now I plow ahead.

If you want a fairly simple way to push your pace, do one ride each Saturday where you push your speed as high as you can manage without gassing out. Recover on Sunday, then do your regular commute riding on the weekdays. And don't just start out going fast on those intense rides -- give yourself a few miles to steadily get up to speed. Just push yourself to hold about half a mile per hour more than feels comfortable. Use your breathing to monitor where you are. Over a period of months you'll find yourself making steady progress. Use Strava for all your rides, so over time you can see the patterns.

You have a good bike for commuting and medium speed riding, but you're going to be getting into the speeds where aerodynamics become paramount. Right now your riding position makes your body like a sail, except you're trying to sail into the wind. If you have the flexibility to go to a drop bar (either on your Giant bike, or get a decent used road bike) you'll find it much easier to do solo rides in the 16-18 mph range. You don't need a super fancy or super lightweight bike, just a setup that allows you to be much more aero. That takes some work to get used to riding that way, but it makes a huge difference. Over time you'll go from always being on the top of the bars, to being on the hoods with arms locked, to being in the drops or on the hoods with elbows bent. And you'll be pulling on those group rides, which is a great feeling.

ptempel

@Tbone2, just keep on riding and enjoy the view. You'll get faster as you get more miles on the bike. Keep up the riding and you can get some legs like this:

canklecat

I've never gotten that impression at all.

What I do see is plenty of encouragement toward folks who are struggling to regain some fitness after a long layoff or injuries and illnesses that accompany aging.

That's not the same thing as seriously disparaging folks over age 50 who can and do ride fast. That's great. Very encouraging. I'd like to be able to ride as fast as I could 30 years ago. Probably won't happen but when I see that other folks my age can and do I feel encouraged to keep trying. It's not a finite pie. More encouragement toward struggling older cyclists doesn't steal encouragement away from the fitter and faster riders.

My only concern is cyclists like this, using the MUP as their personal racetrack, threading the needle through a designated slow zone with speed bumps, crowding and endangering casual users. And more often than not it's guys who appear to be past age 40. There are plenty of places around our area to ride fast without endangering pedestrians, kids, older folks and slower cyclists. Heck, there are even places on the MUP where it's safe to open up without endangering anyone else.

NVanHiker

I have reduced lung capacity, and I spend my life puttering along at 12mph, commuting and touring. It ain't pretty, but I get there.

moth54

<i> What I do see is plenty of encouragement toward folks who are struggling to regain some fitness after a long layoff or injuries </i>

This. After three fractures, I am now quite wary of falling. I am so grateful to be coming out of my last injury, so grateful that I'm going to get to cycle at all again, that I'm willing to trade a lot, just for the joy of staying in the saddle. This does not mean I disparage those who get fun out of upping their speed, just that I'm glad to look around, from my position at the far, far back of the pack, and see that I'm not alone.

Also, my MUP has a maximum speed of 20 kph (12 mph.)

Daspydyr 

Intervals and some weight lifting, squats, lunges and other horrible things help me get to almost 17 mph average. I am happy there. If I can keep my golf handicap and average riding speed pretty close, I am happy!

Slightspeed

My Garmin lifetime avg is just under 15 over 3 years or so. I'm 67 and do just under 5K miles/yr. I see 17 and 18 every so often, but it's a rare day.

SylvainG

My daily commute is 25 miles (40 km). Elevation is 96 ft up/down 158 down/up (morning/afternoon). I usually average between 14 and 16 mph, depending on the wind. Today morning's commute was 16 mph and 15.2 mph this afternoon. My average cadence this morning was 77 rpm (highest at 104) and 78 this afternoon (highest at 103). HR was averaging at 152 this morning (highest of 164) and averaging at 144 this afternoon (highest of 160). I'm 54 years old. Started cycling last August but had to stop because of snow in December. Started again two weeks ago.

BlazingPedals

Probably not, at your latitude.

BlazingPedals

Hmm... I see a recumbent trike may be in your future...

sevenmag

I participated in a metric century this weekend that covers parts of my daily routes. I averaged 16.1 (according the garmin) and was completely happy with the ride.

I did the whole thing solo, and stopped at the 46 mile pit stop to top off on water and grab a bite. That was the only stop I made. I found it funny at the end when I finished with the faster groups. They were obviously faster than I am. but they had to pass me 3 times since I didn't need to stop at every pit stop.

BTW. that's pretty much my usual average speed on a longer ride and I'm happy with that. I can do better on short days.