When figuring your time to finish a century, do you use moving time (not counting natural and rest stops etc.) or total/elapsed time (finish line time minus start time)?

Yes

Always total. Moving time doesn't mean anything.

It doesn't matter.

Total time.

If you have to take a break in order to finish the century, the break time is included in the total time.

Whatever you feel like, it's not a race after all. I don't count total time, only moving time, but on a century I'll only stop long enough to pick up food, throw banana peels and what not in the garbage and use the portaloo if needed. Usually I'll stop around 40 miles then 70 miles. If you are taking the p!ss and taking 20 minutes a time for every stop then moving time and total time will be pretty far apart and your 6 hour time is probably more like 8.

Whatever makes you feel better about your accomplishment, not so you can live up to the demanding standards of internet strangers.

Both. Moving time tells me how fast I'm moving; Total time is just that. Centuries that, by nature of their route, require a lot of stops for lights/signs/traffic, etc. will increase total time through no fault of the rider. A sag stop that is well stocked with sub sandwiches, fresh watermelon, warm cookies, and clean bathrooms - well you can't fault a rider for spending some extra time there, eh?

If it's an officially timed century then I'm using the same time as the organizers- over all time. If I'm just doing it to keep track of my performance, I use moving time.

If you're asking, then you know the answer: it's total time. Using moving time or moving speed creates an inflated impression of your ride.

+1

Unless you're able to do a non-stop century ... then your total time would = your moving time.

Impression by whom?

Moving time for us.
Yes, have done non-stop centuries in my younger days.

If you're getting paid to ride fast, then you better not stop but also demand a domestique to come up behind you to give you something to eat and drink.

If you don't have a domestique, then the heck with it. You're not getting paid for the ride, just the opposite, you are actually paying for the sag support.

If you do it right, the moving time and total time are the same.

Just finish the ride. You're not racing anyone, are you? If you are racing someone, just beat them to the finish. Time will take care of itself.

And the consensus is...there is no consensus. It's good to know both times, but whatever you want to measure by then track that. I like to know both but not concerned if they are way off, meaning the rest stops where good or the line to the port o potty was long.

Whatever you want it to be. No big deal either way as far as I'm concerned. Then again I like pbj sandwiches too much at sag stops

Me at sag stops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8MDNFaGfT4

It's not a question of faulting, it's a question of accuracy. The ride ends when you get to the finish line.

Thanks for the laugh

I think you have that backwards.

Some of you Freds seem to think that if you use the 'wrong' way of measuring time, the century police will come out of the internet and hunt you down.

What is your goal?
* To finish the full century in under 8 hours? 6.5 hours? 5 hours?
* To finish with an average moving speed of 15.5 mph? 18.5 mph?
* To eat tomato sandwiches, apple pie, dill pickle potato chips, hot potatoes and other food at the rest stops?
* To take nice pictures, chat with friends new and old and enjoy the day?

I want to ride whatever centuries you ride in.

mmm I had apple pie at the end of a 200 last month.

Say what? The vast majority of recreational cyclists who do a recreational ride, which is what a century is, aren't eating/drinking and taking natural breaks on the bike. If you want competition and to see if you can keep going the whole time, you need to be doing a Fondo.