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Good average speed for a beginner?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Good average speed for a beginner?

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Old 05-18-12, 06:49 AM
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Originally Posted by SyL
Guys, what is a good way to deal with headwinds? It's the most irritating thing I encounter while riding. I try to plan my rides accordingly, but how can I make riding into headwinds easier?
I think of one word when going into the wind: patience. Lower your gears, go in the drops if you need to, and work hard but take your time. Don't overwork just to go as fast as you would go without the wind. Before you know it you'll be at your turnaround point.

I ride down the Jersey shore frequently and the wind can be a bear. I've learned that riding into the wind is more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge. Your gearing should make it so your actual effort differs little than when there is no wind; it will just take a bit longer with that same effort.
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Old 05-18-12, 09:59 AM
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Originally Posted by SyL
I'm a newbie looking to get into riding. I recently bought a road bike, but couldn't ride much because of winter.
You can ride in winter, you know...
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Old 05-18-12, 10:15 AM
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When I got back to cycling (after a near 15 yr hiatus) about 2.5 years ago, I was disappointed since I could barely maintain a 12-13 mph average. Then I stopped worrying about it. Now on a loaded touring bike with big, fat tires and a rear pannier setup acting as a wind brake, I can average 17-18 mph over 1-2 hrs. This is still slower than most on this board, but who cares. Going against the wind up to 10 mph, I can still average in the 14-15 range.

Doing sufferfest videos during the winter helped quite a bit. I try to follow a similar approach during my commute to work in the mornings.
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Old 05-18-12, 10:22 AM
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On 30 mile/48 kilometer rides I have an average speed of 16.5mph/kph (includes elevations of up to 250 ft/76 meters).
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