What's considered a good average speed on flat roads
 

I have no benchmarks. Started riding this spring after 40 years off a bike. Average speed is increasing, especially since I got a computer and am tracking it now but no idea where I should be for average fitness/strength/endurance for a 58 year old man. No desire to race or anything but might consider a club or group ride once I feel that I won't hold everyone up. Please don't laugh but my average speed on a typical ten mile ride is barely in the double digits. I read here about people going 15mph all day long and faster. No way I'm even close to that

For me it's a conflict, I want to be fast or I guess faster but when I get out riding I get in a relaxed laid-back mood and just enjoy myself. Those rides 25+ miles tend to be in the 14 MPH range, I did about 40 miles Monday and averaged 13.5 MPH but I have elevation gain. 25 mile rides are commonly in the 1200-1500' gains and I think the 40 miles was about 2500'. I'm 45, 6'3", about 198 pounds, been riding since June and was a 2 pack a day smoker up until about 14 months ago.

I'm hoping to get to do some group rides which is what people says I need to get faster, better riders dictating the pace.

Where you ride will affect your average quite a bit. Lots of stops, hills, or pretty girls jogging, will slow it down.

Also, everyone's fitness level is different. I'd say barely double digits is good for you on your route(s). You're out there doing it. Keep it up, push yourself a bit, and you'll get faster.

Yeah, I get the impression sometimes that only a dottering old fool would ride a bike under 10 MPH. I am still learning as well, slowly increasing leg strength. Mostly concentrating on cadence and hold my line, two very important parts of riding in a group. At best I average 10 MPH.

I ride with a local casual cyclists group (non-racers). They organize rides into 4 levels. Copy-and-paste from their Meetup page - it should be obvious that these "rider levels" are not universal and every group/organization is going to have its own standards:

Ride Level Chart:

A note about our ride levels. We try to accommodate all levels of cyclists with different types of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best.

Introductory Level : If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle).

Beginner Level : If you can easily ride your bike for 10 miles (distance) with some minor hills at a comfortable pace (10+ to 12+ mph).

Medium Level : If you can do 20 miles pretty easily at a moderate pace (13 to 15+ mph).

Advanced Level : If you can do 20++ miles easily at a 15+ pace and / or handle various challenges as rain, night riding, or other odd cycling situations.

The big thing is you know what you need to improve on and you're working on it. Using the bike, or learning to use the bike will make a huge difference and while smoothing out your riding style you will be getting stronger, improvements will come in big gains for awhile. The first of July 11.6-11.9 were my rides and now make upper 13's on 25+ mile rides, have done 10 miles over 15 mph average but that's my best.

I live 8 miles from the nearest bicycle path. The urban miles getting to and from the paths REALLY drags down my average speed. If my average speed mattered... I'd drive o the rails-to-trail paths. No hills to speak of, and very few stops.

But why use all that gasoline driving.... when I could double my cycling speed (and mileage) with the addition of a 2nd magnet for the bikes computer?

When I come back after my 10mi. ride at 10mph I am pretty tired but not totally exhausted. If I push too hard it isn't fun anymore. I have to exert a fair amount to keep a 10mph average and my thighs burn after getting off the bike. I ride a little slower when my wife joins me but the other day she decided to push and over did it. I did NOT encourage her to go faster, she just thought it would be fun to drop me for a few miles so she did and the next day she was hurting. I guess I could average 11mph for ten miles but then I'd be the one that was hurting and not wanting to ride the next day. I didn't have the computer when I started but I'd guess my average speed back in April was 8 mph and I thought that was pretty good until I started hanging out on BF

Dang, I'm still at the beginner level. I guess that means I shouldn't be offering advice to newbies yet.. LOL

There is no "should".
Ride for yourself and set your own goals.

I commute in the city, all road in the AM, some path in the PM, road bike with pannier. 55 YO pack a day smoker but ride avg 3K miles a year. In city traffic with all the starts and stops a good rolling avg is 12-13 mph a 14+ mph day I was absolutely rocking it. Today was 21 miles, 1:32 moving time for 13.74 mph top speed of 25.5. My average "rolling pace" I would guess in the 14-16 range. That said, I usually budget 10 mph for "real time" to get places. Wind makes a difference, how many clothes, spring start up is slower avg, cold weather riding is slower too.

Agreed but I just wanted to know if I was WAY slower than the average. Obviously the answer is yes but I had no average speed goal before starting this thread. I'd like to reach the medium level so 13mph is now my goal.

thanks for this. I think it's an excellent reference. I find myself at the high end of the beginner phase. I'm ok with that being in my mid sixties and riding a suspension hybrid.
A change to smoother tires, and cooling weather (Florida in summer=reduced riding) should bring to the entry stages of 'medium' level. It accurately reflects my cycling goal. i.e. to go approximately 15-20 miles at an average of 14mph.

I find myself not even, or barely at the beginner phase. Dang, 500mi. and still slow. LOL :)

Those clubs are liars, liars, pants on fire. Every level I've ridden go 2-4 mph above the ride rating and drop slower riders, burn them at lights. Charming practice.

Focus on enjoying your rides, having successful rides. My spouse rode 8-9 mph when she started, it was a long first year for me. Now she paces me pretty well, and I've learned to enjoy a more social pace. The only thing fast riding is good for is distance, if you are going a century you don't want to be averaging 10mph. If you do ride with groups, I'd say pick those that are a little under your avg. pace ability, you'll be glad you did.

I've found that more often than not, average speed is more determined by where and when I ride than it is physical ability. Throw in a couple of stop signs/lights on a route, and my avg. speed will drop 1-2mph over the course of the ride. I've ridden the exact same route multiple times, and had average speeds anywhere from 13.8mph to 17.2mph.

Which is why I pretty much ignore average speed as a useful metric.

Just started riding in June 2015 on a hybrid and am 62 years old. I only have done Greenways and Rails-to-Trials and my speed has stayed stuck at 10MPH. Longest ride was 40 miles. I tried going faster but it takes the fun out of it for me. I also get sore knees or numb hands it I push it to hard for to long. I am not clipped in either.

DBrown, what are you riding?

It must be the natural competitiveness in all humans. The ride may be rated for 12mph but sooner or later someone's going to go faster and then EVERYONE is going to try and go faster.

comfort hybrid 38c tires. Cheap big box store Schwinn network 3.0

A good ave speed on level ground is what ever speed that you can comfortably maintain. Not what some other person says it should be.

Based on my limited experience as a cyclist, I'd recommend finding a beginner-friendly local cycling group and start going on rides with them. You'll have a good time and probably pick up some good info. I found the one I ride with through meetup.com.

Not if you're on a group ride with a responsible group. Group rides always have a leader - he/she gets to set the pace and no one else.

There are benchmarks for everything. My blood pressure was 150/99 and that was comfortable for me to maintain. :) My doctor told me the benchmark is 120/80. That is now my goal w/o meds.

I'm 57 and started about 3 years ago after nearly 40 years off. Some of the old habits remained. I started on a flat bar hybrid and was much more comfortable when I got back on vintage steel with downtube shifters. It just felt right.

Within about 6 months, I was averaging around 14 mph riding anywhere from 20 to 50 miles. Didn't really get much faster after that. I can do 15 mph if I just concentrate. Your mind tends to wander and you slow down a bit if you don't maintain a bit of focus. If I really work, I can get to 16 mph, but can't hold that for more than about 25 miles. And only achieved that recently as I sort of figured out how to attack our modest hills with a bit more effort. (Average routes are 300 - 400 ft/10 miles.)

I do virtually all my riding alone. You get faster if you ride with faster riders. Or if you train harder than I care to. I calculate my speed by getting distance off ride with GPS and dividing by clock time from when I walk out the door to when I get back in. I never got a computer because I didn't want to obsess too much while riding. Although I obviously still worry about it enough to keep track.

(edit - I ride alone or with my wife. She has a computer and on those rides we're booking if we hit a 12 mph average. But I enjoy those rides just as much.)