khuon

Rolling hills with a couple of moderately steep ones.

khuon

If I'm caught out alone and I see those tandems go by (they seem to travel in groups), I'll ask if I can hop on their wheel. There's nothing like drafting behind those things. It's amazingly fast... well... until you hit the hill climbs.

khuon

The other benefit to drafting... especially in a large group is that you just get sucked along by the low pressure created from the rider in front of you. This is of course more pronounced at higher speeds.

corysold

I think there is a bit of a difference between AVERAGE speed and RIDING speed when people are posting. On my ride yesterday I had a big tailwind and was RIDING at 26-28. My average was 22.3, big difference. Maybe I am a weenie of a rider, but it seems that there are a lot of people who claim to average 23-25 mph. I know some who claim this can, as I can read their profiles and see they are racers, but 24 mph on a solo ride is hauling, congrats if you can manage that.

rogue9607

My "average cruising" speed is 18-21 mph. By this I mean that I'm comfortable riding for extended periods of time on open roads in this speed range. Often this is not my overall average since I'll end up slowing down for traffic, stopping at lights, climbing hills, or pushing myself harder.

khuon

It depends a lot on terrain, weather conditions, stoplights/signs, type of road, etc. Given a flat no-wind straight road, I can ride at 20-22 MPH sitting straight up with no hands on the bar almost indefinately. I can reach around my back, pull out an energy bar and happily munch on it while my other hand is holding a water bottle. I know this can be done because on some really straight lonely roads around here, I've done just that. Since you live in the western suburbs/outskirts of Chicago, I'm pretty sure you're familiar with Butterfield Rd. between Rt. 59 and Naperville Rd. That's a fairly flat straight road to use to determine an average speed under ideal conditions.

2manybikes

There are some huge variables here that I think some people are missing. A team or a group can go much faster than an individual. When drafting you can go much faster. Not at all like riding alone. Also there is computer average, which is what your computer records your average as at the end of a ride. It is not the same as what speed you ride at most of the time, the computer average will be lower.

The wind and terrain make so much of a difference that the "average" most of the time varies too much to be a good measure of anything. Unless you know all the other variables.

Sincitycycler

Geezus. Most of you guys average 20 mph! That's frigging hauling. How do you guys improve your speed?

recursive

Three things: Ride, ride, ride.

My average speed depends on a lot of factors, wind, temperature, traffic, road surface, etc. But on a calm day with no traffic on a good flat road, I can sustain 18-20mph for at least a couple of hours. (solo)

6 months ago, that would have been about 15mph. So keep riding sincity.

corysold

I wasn't saying 22 couldn't be done, it just seems that a lot of new cyclists Kuhon, how long has it been since you have been back to IL? That Butterfield Rd you mentioned is now very built up, I hardly drive on it if I don't absolutely need to, much less take my bike there. Seems you have to head towards Dekalb to get any open roads anymore.

scubajim

As a CAV I rode my FCR4 for the first time and even tho it rained most of the day and this morning, at 315lbs and 48 years old I averaged 11.5 miles in town with a cadence of 44-55. Could've gone faster, but why?

scubajim

Oops! should preview first. That's DAV!

Tommyp

So to update, I averaged 16.4 mph on a short (8.5 mile commute) ride while wearing a 20-25lb bag. On the way home I averaged 20 mph with the same bag on my back. I usually don't shift (I'm just itching to go to a SS) when I commute, I just keep it in a moderate gear and pedal. This is cruising for me.
When I ride in the evening or weekend, I ride without a bag 30-50 miles and I'm fine averaging over 20mph.
I really don't enjoy myself unless my heart is pumping and I can't breath, so I pound up the hills and use the downhills to keep my pace up.
My secret?
Ride often, ride hard, when it gets easy -> Increase mileage or speed
I also like to focus on technique, spinning, keeping high cadence.
Don't worry, I still get passed all day long...Boulder has many faster cyclists than I.

recursive

CAV? DAV? It's still doesn't mean anything to me.

khuon

Hmmm... I guess it has been about 8 years since I've been down that way.

26mi235

I would guess Disabled American Veteran. I think that the Vet could do better for his knees with a cadence that was somewhat higher, even though I strongly suspect that he is using flat pedals without clipons.

Again, some of the dedicated non-racers that are surprised at the speeds posted should realize that some of the faster riders do three things that bring up the average speed. 1) get out of the wind; 2) do the climbs well and hard; and 3) avoid slow periods. I will also reiterate that efficient drafting makes a big difference, which is the biggest impact on bicycle racing.

scubajim

Just rode my first ride on my Giant FCR4. 11.23 miles with hills and wind, 11.3 mph average. Usually at speeds up to 14-16 mph. Not bad or a disabled old fart, huh?

meme

Most of you guys are quite fast. I guess I'm an average rider (maybe below average). I usually do solo centuries on weekends. My best average speed so far is 16.9mph. My worse was just a tad over 10mph (had to fight the wind most of the way). I've an old Cateye Vectra, it doesn't stop when I stop (unless I push the start/stop button). But I usually don't do that because I would forget to push the button again when I go...so my average speed goes down everytime I come to a stop.

DesertRoller

I've gotten in 531 miles this year so far & averaged 15.98 mph. That includes stopsigns & stoplights.

lotek 

I live in Texas, I would love to get out of the wind. We don't have hills here
instead we have wind. Today was "calm" 10 - 15 mph winds, gusting to 20.

Marty

baj32161

What does old, fat and slow translate to in MPH?

KZBrian

Currently averaging 16-18mph on rides of 10 to 20 miles. 45YO, 2 months into the season. It has been 20 years since I rode over 1000 miles in a year(or even close) , but I will this year.

ROJA

You folks are pretty impressive. I am one of the faster riders I see when I am out riding and my moving average is usually around 14 mph. It is pretty hilly here, though. I usually climb about 500-1000 ft for every 10 miles.

rbart4506

On the flats with no wind I can maintain 30-32km\h for a while...

Most rides I end up with an average speed between 25-28km\h...

wanders