DGlenday

Nonsense.

I agree that it's usually a bogus measure, but there ARE circumstances where it matters.

mattm

How do you account for wind differences? Power data would be much more meaningful.

Also, Strava is dumb.

And what are those circumstances?

All I know is that over in the racing forum, average speed is barely mentioned. It may mean a lot to you guys, but the fast guys don't seem to actually talk about it. At all.

In racing, it's all about who crosses the line first; nobody cares about the average speed it took to get there (except for of course TTs, but even then power is more interesting). And in training for racing, you certainly don't go by average speed. So I really don't find it very useful as a metric.

FlacVest

That's one of the goals I have, among many, is to do a 20 mile in 1 hour. Honestly... honestly? I bet I could do it, on a good day. We'll see this weekend if I'm feeling well enough. I"m probably going to do intervals in a hilly area all week and hope that it amounts to something tangible this weekend.

wphamilton

Actually you have that backwards I think. Not that they're not the fast guys, they are, but going faster is not the racing goal. Getting across the finish line first is.

For those of us who ARE concerned about going faster, as opposed to out-sprinting the field at the end for example, average speed is meaningful and significant. In fact, it's the most significant metric when the only concern is speed.

That would go for time trials as well. I don't care what the power number is, the winner is the guy with the highest average speed.

bikerjp

I don't. But I'm not trying to make scientific comparisons. Just watching my time over known courses. If you are using a computer to track your rides why not watch this? PM would be nice but expensive and not something I really need.

jsutkeepspining

lol, you fools are so silly worrying about average anything. ur average can only be average! why not shoot for the starts and hit a special speed!

Mike F

Did it today, by myself. no getting sucked into a group ride. Fiesta Island Time Trial course... 20km at 20.5. Probably could have done better but some dog walker lady in a SUV jammed me up good looking for parking. No drops or sprinting. Just fun Im 50 so Im gonna cross this off my list and go back to being a slug and enjoying the scenery.

m2ber04

They continually use average speed as a measurement for the tdf. Citing recently how it has diminished since th PED generation has somewhat come to an end. I think its foolish to say its not a useful metric. Its just a measurement like anything else watts, overall time, etc...

hhnngg1

For all the PM guys who say ignore everything about speed and distance except power, I'd like to see what they use for ride metrics if they're not owners of a powermeter. (I do agree that the PM is the most superior metric if you do have one, though.)


% spent in HR zone is useful, but is just as susceptible to ride circumstances and conditions as anything else.

FusionOne

As a person who always preached "average speed means nothing", I have to admit that, for the first time in a decade, Strava has me looking at my average speed on one loop that I do. I can do the 22.6 miles (two laps) at 17.8 mph average speed. That's 1,579 feet of climbing total for the 22.6 miles. My goal is to do both laps at an average speed of 20 mph. I honestly don't know if it's doable, and more than 2 mph increase is a pretty huge jump, but I'm going to keep searching for it.

hhnngg1

I don't have a powermeter (I use my trainer as a poor man's powermeter) but I know for sure that even a 0.5mph increase in my average speed on my loop with 2000 ft of climbing over about 45 miles is a BIG deal. Way more than just random variation - I have to REALLY throw down the hammer for the entire 2.5ish hours to get that gain in speed. Sure average speed has its cons, but for me, it's remarkably consistent on this loop that I've done at least 10 times in the past 2 years.

When I did it 4 times in a row, my average speed for it changed by less than 0.2mph for all 4 efforts, despite me really trying to hammer it faster. Before those trials, I was like you, thinking it was a toss-out variable, but when you see such precise datapoints, even with a few stopsigns thrown in there, and different weather conditions, you start realizing it's not as bad as you thought.

I will admit freely though that a few times where I did that loop and caught a fast draft with a pack of riders who were definitely stronger than I was, my average speed bumped up. So if you're drafting , it's def a lot harder to make any sense of the data. (I was getting 0.2-0.3mph gains from big drafts on the downloaded data, which I know exceeds my effort level for gains.)

HBxRider

I havent been cycling for long, so my opinion isn't worth much, but i've always discounted the average speed statistic. Unless you are on a track, it seems dangerous. Especially for people who ride on the streets, and on trails that are shared with pedestrians. Not only that, but it seems like its something that could suck the fun and beauty out of the experience.

I dont want to be tempted to run red lights. Be too impatient to stop to take a picture. Or not want to slow down when I am passing by a family.

I suppose its different for pros or cyclists aspiring to be pro's. I'm just cautious of burning myself out on this great hobby of mine.

bikerjp

It's not dangerous unless you are an idiot. I ride the same routes a lot so it's not a matter of trying to eek out a few seconds on one ride. It's about watching my average over many trials. Sure, make a few lights one day and it looks better than the ride where I missed 'em, but when you have 20 or 30 rides on a course you can start to look at patterns and general trends.

For what it's worth, I'll stop if I want to, ride slower or faster if I want to, enjoy the scenery if I want to, hammer if I want to, chase someone down if I want to (and can), sit up and accept defeat when I can't, etc. Set your own goals and strive to achieve them or don't.

PatrickGSR94

Man I don't know if I'll ever get to 20. Right now I can barely break 13 average on most rides. I've started doing a loop near my office and will try to improve as much as possible, but it's got a couple of pretty big climbs (big to me) and I'm only up to 11.5 mph average. Terrible.

bikerjp

Two years next week. Here is my first ride.

AdelaaR

... says the guy with the TT outfit ridin' the TT bike

Mike F

Were lucky in San Diego with Fiesta Island. Although it is open for traffic, its one way and the lane is wide. Plenty of room for a cars/riders and joggers (unless there is a clueless SUV slowing in the middle looking for parking to use the dog beach). There are also no hills (0ft - 24ft). They hold TT races and Tri's there all the time. The scenery off the island is nice but the island itself is a big pile of dirt and tumble weeds The only downside is you can get some wind since is right on the water.I prefer the scenic slower pace of riding up the coast but every few months I like to go to Fiesta and see if my I can push my speed higher. Ive gone 3 times this year (17.5, 19.1 and 20.5mph).

hhnngg1

Flatten out the loops and you'll get a good 1-2mph. Ok, so you're still not really that close to 20, but you're closer.

Averaging 20 on a flat 35mile course is a big difference than averaging it on a hilly course (like 2000ft of climbing in 35 miles) - the downhill gains usually doesn't make up for the lost uphill climb time.

jsutkeepspining

yes but i also race, and when a stage race has a tt its useful to have a tt bike and skinsuit.

wphamilton

His point being, in a time trial (in which you compete apparently), the highest average speed is what wins. So it's ironic for a time trialist to call people fools for wanting to achieve certain average speeds.

AdelaaR

Kinda.
At least in this thread the average speed topic has been addressed quite well with enough other factors being mixed into the equation.
There is, in my opinion, nothing wrong with loving to ride and loving to ride hard and loving to have data about oneself like power, or heartrate, or average speed.
It's helpful to post something like a Garmin Connect activity log to be able to put that average speed into someperspective, though.

PatrickGSR94

lol not possible in my area, finding a flat course that is. Plus I'm trying to get better at climbing.

hhnngg1

Don't worry - 2000ft of climbing in <30 miles is the norm for me around here as well. I'm surrounded by mountains.

MinnMan

20 MPH average speed is definitely a milestone, and one I may never touch. I've been above 20 on group rides, but my solo record is 19.6 MPH, for about a 20 mile loop. I have a theory that the wind shifted at just the right time on that ride.

I'm 51 now and I started riding at 48. I have a feeling that 10 years ago I could have done much better. The trouble is that as you get older, it gets harder to regain lost fitness from training interruptions, and in the midst of a demanding career, there are lots of those.

So maybe if I were younger I could get noticeably faster. Or if I were retired. As neither is an option, I try to content myself with doing the best I can - with fast solo rides topping out at about 19 when I've got decent fitness.

dleccord

when you guys go out and ride and average 20mph, do u guys hit the rollers/trainers first inside the house and then go out and ride or do you guys just go out and not warm up?