Being able to maintain higher speeds is a nice reward for all of the huffing and puffing it took to achieve that level of fitness.

:)

I'm not a big fan of focusing on averages but I hit that average on a few workouts here and there and it is nice seeing it.

I know what you mean!I feel the same way for under 10.0.

Wow, I can't even hold 20 in a paceline for a couple of miles, nonetheless as an average! Congrats on a killer accomplishment!

I'm always over 20mph in a 40k TT on race day (23+ usually) but in training for 50-60 mile rides, 18mph is a pretty good effort for me and fast enough that I'm passing almost everyone out there save the fastest packs of drafting competitive roadies. Something about training vs racing that makes it a pretty big speed diff.

I've thought about that, but everywhere I ride there are small "undulations" and my HR naturally goes up when climbing and down when descending. I pedal down but it's still easier than climbing. I actually have another interpretation for the peaks and valleys - good HR recovery. I've been watching that and I feel my fitness level has gotten pretty good. I can peg my HR (180) on a climb and then have it back to 140 when the road levels (see the first big spike on that ride, for example). Of course, I could probably ride a bit harder and keep it closer to 160 but that requires almost a TT pace/effort. On the ride below, I sort of TTd the 30mins to 90mins section and had an average HR of 165 with a 30min average of 170 and the graph is more even, but I don't want to ride a TT pace every ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/212130844

Maybe not as long as you think, but it doesn't come overnight that's for sure. Also depends on how much you ride and if you are more into training than just riding. I mainly just ride with no set workouts other than to push it a bit here and there. That 16-17mph pace with a bit of climbing like your ride is kind of where I was for a while as I worked mainly on building fitness. Then it was 17-18mph averages then mostly 18 and some 19. At that point I felt I could do the 20mph average if I tried. I'm 45 and I think it comes a bit slower with age and I wasn't in shape when I started. Keep at it.

You might consider setting your computer to 5mile laps instead of 1. I like looking at these mini-efforts. Sometimes they are mostly downhill sections or uphill, but a 20mph average is 15 mins / 5 miles so I get little checks along the road each 5 miles (beeps at each lap) and I can see how close I am to 15 mins. When looking at the data it's also easy to quickly estimate 10 or 15 miles sections too.

Just don't get too caught up in numbers where riding isn't enjoyable. It's too easy to use a number as a baseline for every single ride which can hurt over the long haul.

I forgot who said it but it's good advice - most people's hard effort isn't hard enough and their easy effort isn't easy enough. Following this do a fast and/or long, followed by very easy recovery ride. Last week I went 24 mph a couple days and followed up with an 11 and 12 mph average (which had lots of traffic lights and intersections). But averaging 20 mph all the time would have be dragging.

^^^ This.

It looks like you had a great 25 mile ride with a 20 mph average. It must be nice to be young and able to do that, but also do some slow rides and enjoy the scenery.

A handful of stop lights per hour will take your moving average down by 1-2 mph (unless you sprint to the stop light and slam on the brakes, which would be quite 41ish). A tailwind in one direction and the resulting headwind in the opposite direction will take down your average the same way a climb/descent does.

Wattage is the only thing that matters.

I wouldn't say I'm "caught up in the numbers" but they are interesting to me. Or maybe I am as they tend to be my motivator and what kind of makes it fun for me. I'm a solo rider and the computer is my companion.

I enjoy every ride and I'm 45 so yeah young.

I love it when I can maintain 20mph for any length of time although I'm at a stage where it depends very much on the headwind and whether I'm having a pigeon or statue kind of day. Heading back towards home drags it down because of the number of junctions and traffic lights. Even looking at moving average and excluding time spent stationary the time lost slowing for lights and getting up to speed afterwards can cruelly drag down an average, and if you get up to speed only for the next light to turn red it means you never get to sustain speed.

Now I just need to find a road that's downhill for about 100 miles with no junctions and no traffic and maybe I can do a sub-5 hour century...

Try Friday's stage of the Pro Challenge.

http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.co...s/2012/stage-5 (potential spoiler)

Need to click the "map" tab to see the profile.

Congrats! Start working on 25 mph average :) :) :)

Well yeah, it's all about the draft in racing. (for me anyway)

On my solo training rides I rarely average over 18 mph, and don't really try to average any specific speed. But I've gotten to the cat 2's so I must be doing something right.

It's easier if you don't stop.

Disagree. Aerodynamics, weight, and wattage are all that matters. Average speed on a course with no stops takes into account all 3, and I'd argue that aerodynamics are more important than watts at 20mph and beyond. I spent weeks trying out new fits on the bike to get more aerodynamic, and if I was just looking at watts I'd have no idea what was working and what wasnt.

Congrats man! I rode for about 3 years before I hit an average of 20 mph. I still drop below it on most rides, but I am closer to 19 now. WebRep


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I agree with this advice.

I'm a very fat rider who started last year at 10mph, and peaked at around 12.5mph at the end of last year. I plateaued there for quite some time, and started off this year doing more of the same. I had occasional rides of up to 13.5 at the front of this year but it was hardly more than a statistical anomaly.

THEN I joined a bike club. The bike club said they start at 15mph average and go up to 25mph average, depending on skill level. Within 2 months of riding with them, I am now solidly within the 15-17mph speed range. It was absolutely amazing how much easier it was to HTFU when there are people you are trying like crazy to catch up to. I'm now within the leading group of the "short riders" (the slower riders go on shorter rides, the faster riders go on longer rides; I'm at the front of the slower group), and wondering if I should make the jump to the long rider group. Unfortunately the gap between the short riders and long riders is huge (some rides the slowest they average is 21-22mph), so I'm not sure how long I would be able to keep up.

Congrats man! I'm still a LONG ways away - just started early in July with a track bike that I ride for long periods. I'm usually around 16mph avg during 20-30mile rides.

Just ordered me a road bike and looking forward to 'suffering' towards that 20mph avg :D

Enjoying every ride is what it's all about. And I said young because I'm 66.

Good idea! It'll be interesting to see what my average speed is when it's not so damn hot hear too, 102.8 Isn't exactly cool weather riding and that was the average. :)

GOOD JOB and Congratulations to you.

I was thrilled when I hit 20+ average for the first time on a solo ride. Felt even better when I hit 20.4 avg. Both were on the same 29.5 mile loop that had a bit of climbing.


Nowadays I only have mileage displayed on my computer, so I don't know average until I'm done. I just go. It seems that one can "cook" average speed a bit by hammering down hills and getting OTS after clearing intersections. I like to push and challenge myself.


I bought a "serious" road bike just last September. Joined the cycling club in October. I have been progressing fairly well. Averaging 21mph is gonna be hard, but maybe some time next year I'll get there. I'll be 57 in a couple of months...

Congrats!!!

Just looked at my file for today (almost all solo). Stops excluded, 4:16 with a 19.1 mph average. I'll get there someday too =)