Just got back from the 3rd road ride on the trot where my average speed was around 15 miles an hour. Last summer the same route was around 18mph.

I’m using my CX bike with nobbly CX tyres rather than road bike, so that may account for some of the difference, but generally I just feel slow, especially on the long drags where I’m struggling to put the power down.

So how much is down to the tyres and heavier bike, how much is down to the cold conditions, and how much is down to me just being horribly out of shape? 🙁

seem to be about 2mph down on my 17mile commute. Some will be the darkness, some the cold, some the incessant head wind!, the rain etc.

Regardless of season, I find CX and knobblies around 2 mph slower than summer road bike over my typical 20-40 hilly roads rides .

I’d say I’m about 15% slower in winter than summer. I put it down to the amount of time (ergo fitness) that I spend on the bike.

10 kg slower

Couple of mph for me. Even when I’m on the same bike !!

Same as bikebuoy, about 15%.

I also lose weight in the winter as I am not cycling as much.

I think it’s usually a combination of simply not being as strong and the cold, generally more windy, heavier bike etc.

I have loop I do pretty regularly on my road bike, it’s 43km/27miles with only 250m of climbing.

Fastest I’ve ever done it was 1hr15ish give or take, so c. 35kph/21.5mph and that was at 240 watts avg (can’t do that now). That was in the summer.

Did it a couple of days ago, took 1h25ish at 200 watts avg, so 30kph/18.5mph.

Found a couple of files where I did it an average of 200 watts in the summer, both of those were around 1h20, so 32kph/20mph.

There you go, time of year makes about 1.5mph difference!

Also, your blood is thicker in the cold. (This could be an internet myth.)

I like this response the best…

Regardless of season, I find CX and knobblies around 2 mph slower than summer road bike over my typical 20-40 hilly roads rides

Makes me feel much better about myself!

🙂

About 2mph.

I heard the air was thicker in winter

Very good question OP I often wonder myself..

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/03/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq/technical-faq-why-is-riding-in-the-cold-so-hard_277626

Tpbiker – you’re very welcome 🙂

I didn’t even make it up !

I was definitely slower 3 weeks ago due to limited bike time across oct/Nov (lots of work plus multiple infections). I was averaging 17.5 to 18.5mph consistently during july/August. Distances upto 70 miles but a few months of limited bike time and it soon dropped off.

Like I said though, that was 3weeks ago. I’ve done about 15 to 20 hours quality riding in the past 20 days (Road, cross, my and fat bike) and back comes the power and endurance. Went out on a regular 23 mile road loop yesterday, 17.5mph again and 30 strava PRs out of 36 segments.

35kph/21.5mph and that was at 240 watts avg (can’t do that now). That was in the summer.

Did it a couple of days ago, took 1h25ish at 200 watts avg, so 30kph/18.5mph.

Was that with a power meter? If so it suggests that it’s nothing to do with weather / headwinds / knobbly tyres. You’re just not as fit?

Me? I’m definitely not as fit. Just can’t get motivated to go out on these dark nights.

35kph/21.5mph and that was at 240 watts avg (can’t do that now). That was in the summer.
Did it a couple of days ago, took 1h25ish at 200 watts avg, so 30kph/18.5mph.
Was that with a power meter? If so it suggests that it’s nothing to do with weather / headwinds / knobbly tyres. You’re just not as fit?

Me? I’m definitely not as fit. Just can’t get motivated to go out on these dark nights.

It was indeed. Read the bit below, it compares two rides about 6 months apart with almost exactly the same power outputs. 🙂 I can’t quite do 240 watts for 1hr15 at the moment, so like I said, you’re not a ‘strong'(i.e. you can’t produce the same power as you can when you’re ‘in form’).

OP how does your HR data compare between the 2 rides?

didn’t often use the HRM last year, just started using it more recently until I lost it over christmas.

Ride on Christmas day av HR was 166 for an hour and 40 min. In the Summer it was 162 looking at old strava data.

I just do the same training all year. I miss not caning myself doing intervals too much otherwise. Most people I race with have some time off in winter. I just like riding my bike too much. There’s no doubt I’d go faster if I trained properly but it would be a lot more stressful and and lot less enjoyable.

Winter rides are still slower due to wind, dark, poor condition roads and lower temps, so you have a higher HR for the same effort.

GB

Why would you expect to be as fast on a cross bike with knobblies as on a road bike with slicks regardless of the time of year?

To Gee and others with the benefit of a power meter: How does winter affect your MTB average speeds for the same route and same effort (normalised power I guess) for the same fitness (FTP could be the measure)?

I’ve always been curious how very muddy trails and the necessary nobblier tyres affect average speed.

I had a good Summer and was averaging around 10mph quite consistently for hilly off road rides which made planning rides around a given time duration quite easy (i.e. easy to plan a 3 or 4 hour route).

When the wet weather hit it threw my ride planning way out of whack and I’d forgotten how much of a trudge the winter mud can be. Average speeds are now closer to 8mph so around 20% less for the same perceived level of fitness (Trainerroad FTP tests) and effort (HR when out on the MTB). The first few rides when I thought “nice 40 mile off road route, 4 hours, no problem” became much longer than first planned!

Dan

I don’t use any kind of meter, be it heart rate or power. I only do intervals in the gym on a spinning bike or on the stepper machine, either once or twice a week. The intervals are pretty full on eg 3 or 4 x 5min efforts on the bike with a 2 1/2 min rest and I pretty much collapse after the last one. I just set a program and once it gets easier I up the level or duration. This is good as it’s repeatable and I can measure progress. I’m just not interested in power or anything too serious. I’m happy with the balance I currently have between how fast I ride and how enjoyable and unstructured my riding is.

In terms of speed, a summer Mtb ride might average 12mph, same in the winter is more like 10 due to the mud.

GB