Depends where ya live, boss.

Yeah, zombie thread. If he's still riding, he figured out the answer long ago. Next time somebody asks this, let's all say we average 25 mph and he's a wuss if he doesn't.

Generally , I knock the speed average to hell, with pub stops .. :beer:


A 55 year old Eddy Merckx will still be faster than I Was at 30, mostly because I dont care about going fast
and am not insecure about the need for speed ... riding just for pleasure and not bragging rights.

Set up a Time trial and have it all age grouped for all the local riders .. in increments of 5 years,

make a category of 55~60 and then you will have Data. to compare ..

I can't believe so many people posted and no one caught the thread date until you

The answer actually depends for most on how serious and committed they want to do. Going out and leisurely enjoying a ride is one thing. To get faster you need to push and work hard. You also need to make a larger time commitment for most. Group rides with a strong mix of riders really help. I'm convinced that most people in their 50s and 60s can get to a fast pace (18-20 mph) by doing 100 miles a week with some speed work. The question becomes is that what you want or enjoy?

I fall into the camp that if you are fast enough to stay balanced, you are doing it right. :)

If you want to challenge yourself, I rhink that unless you are racing, it is better to compare yourself with yourself rather than other people.

Ride a course, see how you do. If your goal is to improve, then improve, if it is to maintain, then maintain.

If you want to go faster, do whatever it takes to get you there. For me, I have found that throwing in some hard short duration segments into a ride helps me to increase my average cruising speed over time. But after a few poor years, I need to first build up some ability to cover the distances I want to cover.

But, to answer your question the only way I can,,, based on me. When I have a season where I have been riding enough to be in reasonable shape, I would probably average 12-15 mph on a 30 mile ride, and progressively slower as the distance increases. Probably slower than others. But, I am a 50+ Clydesdale who just started a Meetup group called "Slow Riders of NE PA". :)

According to my Garmin I average 13-14 mph depending on the roads I use.

Is he still alive?? I think he only made one posting.

One posting and he gets 82 responses. Not including mine which doesn't count for much.

Uh-Oh. Looks like resurrecting the dead thread was my bad. I typed "bikeforums" into a history search and this thread somehow came up at the top (must have gotten some stuff out of order in the history library), then I saw all the March dates in the thread and never even noticed they were 3 years old!

Oh well. Early April Fools on me courtesy of my computer.

Zombie threads are fun. Keeps things interesting.

That's a valid question here.

Thanks for the entertainment!

I've thought about this a bit, and I've decided it's however fast I feel like riding on any given day.

I average 14-15mph on good day's - and 14-15 on bad day's. As long as I am out riding - that is plenty fast for me.

I am way slower than all you guys. I ride 20 miles almost every night with and average of 13-14 mph.

I was riding with a bunch of retirees a couple of weeks back, one on a recumbant (but very fit one time RAAM guy), most of them on hybrids or bike with road triples. I was my Trek. Kept up at about 15 MPH. Decided to test my brakes on a downhill section, showed them why I have drop bars, as I tucked in and flew down the hill. Good test of the brakes, as there was a flashing yellow at the bottom. So I'd say for downhills, its as fast as you dare.

I'm 59 & ride 2500-3000 miles per year. My typical ride loop of 14 miles has so many stop signs and slow down areas that I really have to haul booty to average over 14. But on the flat, no wind, I comfortably cruise at 15-16. While I like a 92 rpm cadence, 80-85 is much more comfortable for cruising. When doing intervals I go up to 105 rpm, maybe 110. My current goal for summer of 2015 is get to a 20 mph average speed (solo) for an hour...and that's going to take a combo of more aero and more watts.

One rides at a speed that feels fine for the given circumstances. More dependent on fitness level rather than age as far as speed. On Sunday for my 28 mile out, I averaged 18.2mph and on the 28 mile back I averaged 23.7mph. Neither were at full effort since I still had a half marathon to complete after. I'm 63 and ride with a gentleman age 68 who would whip my butt, but he also rode 15,000 miles last year and has 4,000+ this year to my 1,800 miles. Not saying that I could do any better if I had 4,000 miles this year, but I sure hope I could.

Holy crap.........you guys are kicking my arse!!:cry: At 51YO and 254 lbs lard arse, I am averaging 12-15MPH which fluctuates with the wind. This speed is captured on my rocketship Trek Domane 4.5 :speedy:! Hoping to increase as the summer approaches.....well praying it will increase....but we will see.

John S

P.S. Boy this old thread got some legs.....

Zombie kittie wonders, WTF?

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...A/f4ae6b6d.jpg

At 55 my 5 mile commute was done at an average of 11-12 mph.
At 58 I just did that same commute at 18.5 mph. Nose breathing half of it.

At 55 a century was unthinkable. I did one with 5280 ft of climbing two months ago in just under eight hrs.

YMMV.

You must live in a nice neighborhood.

How fast should a 55 y/o be able to ride?

Answer: Faster than a 56 y/o.

But seriously, back in the '90s I, in my 30s, figured on an average of 12-15 mph on a 4+ hour ride (on level pavement). But that was when I had a bike computer... Now days I don't even bother with such stuff (the only bike I have with a computer/speedo is my e-bike).

^ lol

Some of the fastest riders I know are in their 50s and 60s. Outrageously strong ... and only marginally slower than they were in their 30s, if at all.

My answer: As fast or slow as they damn well please.

Geez.

On my recent century (have you heard about my century yet? Let me tell you all about it...) my average moving speed was 11.8 MPH and I was thrilled with it.

Point of fact, I got passed four times by a couple who averaged 15.5 MPH and finished just ahead of me but spent an hour at each rest stop. Where is the justice in that?