what is your average speed. Am I really that slow ?

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what is your average speed. Am I really that slow ?

35 posts & 27 voices | Started 8 months ago by MadBillMcMad | Latest reply from winterfold

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MadBillMcMad - Member

& I know the answer is 'yes' ....

so it was almost a winter ride last night. Very wet, extremely windy, hilly for the time of year but not too cold.

We managed 7mph riding average and 6mph start to finish average and yet I thought we were going at a reasonable pace for the conditions.

What is yours ?

I am in a slight panic as we are doing 90 miles over two days completely off road at the weekend and I am sure our average will come right down with faff time, mechanicals, food and simply being knackered.

Posted 8 months ago #
Klunk - Member

throw your computer/gps in the bin then you'll never need to worry.

Posted 8 months ago #
uplink - Member

Well I'm pretty slow and my average in appalling conditions at Kielder at the weekend was ~8mph for 55 miles or so

Posted 8 months ago #
on and on - Member

If you have a 90 miler at the weekend it a bit too late to panic
Did you use a GPS for the average?

If a group of you are doing the 90 miles, i'm sure you will find a pace which works for all.

Don't worry, just enjoy

Posted 8 months ago #
Jamie - Member

throw your computer/gps in the bin then you'll never need to worry.

STW problem solving at its finest.

Posted 8 months ago #
mrmo - Member

it is impossible to say if that is fast or slow, i have done c15mph off road in places like sherwood pines and c5mph in places like the black mountains.

Posted 8 months ago #
still s8tannorm - Member

When I'm guiding (very hilly and often boggy terrain) we work on a 10kph average ... that will mostly be over 7-8 hours. Many of the people I guide are only used to riding for between 3-4 hours, so the extra riding time does slow things up as the day goes on.

Yes and throw your computer away ... time means much more than distance.

Posted 8 months ago #
Ecky-Thump - Member

At one extreme :
20.4 miles in 6 hrs at the weekend, so that's only 3.4 mph.
Only three of us out and no waiting around, except maybe 10 mins for lunch-stop.
But that was lots of pushing up and some slow speed techy descents. Not far short of a vertical mile ascent/descent. That was not a "slow" ride.

At the other extreme:
Usually 10mph average on your typical night ride over the same distance, on something like MTL terrain.

Or anywhere on the sliding scale in-between

Posted 8 months ago #
rickmeister - Member

If its hilly for that time of year, could you go in a non hilly season to up your average speed?

Posted 8 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

7 mph average offroad is around the norm I think - its about what I do and I am neither the fastest nor the slowest out there

Posted 8 months ago #
tyredbiker - Member

If its hilly for that time of year, could you go in a non hilly season to up your average speed?

Regardless, you'll complete 45miles in 6 and 1/2 hours each day if you stick to that pace, so have a plenty of leeway if you start off early. Don't try and go faster than feels comfortable to get a better mph as you'll tire yourself out and that's when it all goes a bit wrong.Take plenty of malt loaf and good luck!

Posted 8 months ago #
D0NK - Member

think we managed 2.5mph on our last lakes jaunt, junkyard can confirm.

Posted 8 months ago #
Klunk - Member

think we managed 2.5mph on our last lakes jaunt, junkyard can confirm.

ah a nice walk

Posted 8 months ago #
D0NK - Member

ah a nice walk
pretty much yeah

Posted 8 months ago #
don simon - Member

Llandegla black in 1:15 hr (2 laps and a quick food stop 2:50)
Llandegla red in 1 hr
Back in Spain I would generally ride at around 18-20km/h

Posted 8 months ago #
xc-steve - Member

Seeing as this thread is just asking for some willy waving here's my Garmin data from the past 6 or so months:

Count:241 Activities
Distance: 2,588.43 mi
Time: 251:40:29 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 69,460 m
Avg Speed: 10.3 mph
Avg HR: 130 bpm
Avg Bike Cadence: 73 rpm
Calories: 122,199 C
Max Avg HR: 174 bpm

That's mostly riding in Devon.

Posted 8 months ago #
fenred - Member

Road bike - 15-16 mph Ave
Mtb - 6-8 mph ave although seen it as low as 3.5 in winter gloop.

Posted 8 months ago #
glenh - Member

I always work on a 10kph (6/7mph) average over challenging terrain.

At trail centres, more like 15kph unless they are very twisty singletrack.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Seeing as this thread is just asking for some willy waving here's my Garmin data from the past 6 or so months

That's pretty poor willy waving

Mine from the first few months of the year that I've actually put on Connect:

Count: 156 Activities
Distance: 2,836.08 mi
Time: 195:24:45 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 303,758 ft
Avg Speed: 14.5 mph
Avg HR: 160 bpm
Avg Run Cadence: --
Avg Bike Cadence: 86 rpm
Calories: 207,626 C
Avg Power: 203 W
Max Power: 1,050 W
Max Avg Power: 252 W

That's obviously biased by the road. However... off road, it's totally irrelevant IMO. I usually average about 10mph around the Surrey Hills, but if it was 8 I'd not read anything into it, conditions change so much.

If you want to know if you're fit, try racing, otherwise, as long as you can keep up with your mates and are happy with the pace WGAS?

Edit: in fact, as a standalone bit of data it's not that relevant on the road either! A hard interval session may have a slow average speed, whilst an easy spin with a nice tail wind can be good and quick!

Posted 8 months ago #
Freester - Member

It really depends.

Anything between 7-11mph depending on how hilly, muddy and how much road linking up the good bits there is on the route.

Posted 8 months ago #
mrmo - Member

njee20, where does the power come from? 1050watts just seems a tad high? If you can fair play, just curious if it is some calculated number or from a power meter or a spike?

Posted 8 months ago #
Rusty Spanner - Member

When we're bimbling on the road, sightseeing, owl sanctuaries etc, we always average just under 11mph.
Doesn't matter if it's on the road bikes or mtb's, it's just a nice pace for exploring the countryside.

My flat, 45 minute commute is usually 15mph on the road bike and most proper off road stuff never gets much above 8mph, usually quite a bit slower.

All the above are riding time. Yep, we're slow
Only started looking at this recently, just out of interest and it doesn't affect how we ride, but it does help when planning days out.
We generally add on a couple of hours chatting, exploring, eating & cafe time if we're out for the day.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

njee20, where does the power come from? 1050watts just seems a tad high?

I could choose to be offended by that

It's a PowerTap, only hit 1000 watts 3 times this year, which is slightly depressing, 1050 on this ride, right at the end in the sprint for the final town sign!

Posted 8 months ago #
hilldodger - Member

I've always thought that 10mph is the boundary between a 'normal' ride and a 'fast' ride.
Agree that ground conditions can make a big difference although if I was down to 6-7mph averages over several rides I'd think 'well slow' to be honest.

As for the 90 mile ride, I wouldn't worry too much about average speeds, just break the ride down into sections of distances that you're more familar with and have a short break in between them.

Even at 6mph, 90 miles is only 15 hours over two days, so 3 x 2 1/2 hours a day with a half hour rest in between sections and you're sorted - hope you enjoy it

Posted 8 months ago #
paulrockliffe - Member

Njee, the Garmin Graph clearly shows your max power was below 1000 watts on that there ride.

I've averages 12.2mph this year, 8.4mph mountain biking and 16.6mph road biking according to connect. I think the road biking average is affected by something though as it seems low, I've done two 110 mile rides at 17.5mph and most of my other rides have been quicker. Wonder what else it's lumped in there......

Posted 8 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

Obviously, it makes a big difference what terrain and conditions are like. I ride around the Peaks and our group has an average overall speed of around 4 mph and I have a moving speed of 7 to 8 mph.

Then again, we're not in a hurry to get anywhere (obviously).

Posted 8 months ago #
joemarshall - Member

I think my worst ever average on a bike ride is 2.8 mph (including stops, but there weren't many).

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/pFMUY6IEVzk

It was a night ride in 2 foot deep snow mind.

Posted 8 months ago #
m1kea - Member

Great as Garmins are, their elevation and calorie calculations are generally bolx.

Dunno if the new 500 and 800 have improved things but I get 50+ ft variances in the elevation data on the same out and back route with my 705. Tis the lack of an accurate altimeter.

As for average speeds are we talking wheels turning times or elapsed time? - Big differences here.

When I've done point to point XC style rides on the South Downs I've generally averaged 10mph. Recent excursions round techie single track have been about 7mph. If I drop below 18mph on the road I get annoyed with myself....

Posted 8 months ago #
paulrockliffe - Member

Huge scope for variation:

Eg:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/65194370

vs

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/83582724

Virtually the same ride, one done in the winter, less fit and muddy on a 456C, the other on dry trails, a bit fitter and on an Anthem Advanced. 3mph difference.

Posted 8 months ago #
IanW - Member

Fat bloke, mostly past it..

Suffolk xc 12/13mph really trying though.
Kielder 7/8mph.

Average almost everywhere not at the extreme 10.5ish mph so I stopped looking.

(all exc stops)

Posted 8 months ago #
Ecky-Thump - Member

The appendage wavers need to find a few bigger hills methinks.

njee20, your average ride is 590mtrs climb / 18.2 miles
xc-steve, your average ride is 288mtrs climb / 10.7 miles

Where do you guys live? Norfolk???

[MrT mode] Get some Calderdale/Peaks/Lakes. 1 vertical mile for every 25 miles. It's the law. [/MrT mode]

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Njee, the Garmin Graph clearly shows your max power was below 1000 watts on that there ride

The graph has a large sampling range though - I've got the WKO graph which shows it far more accurately, including crank torque at that moment if you really want to know

Connect is utterly useless for any sort of analysis, just useful for sending routes or whatever!

Get some Calderdale/Peaks/Lakes. 1 vertical mile for every 25 miles. It's the law

I reckon on 100ft/mile on a hilly ride, happy to concede that I'd struggle to double that, but then I suspect you would as well unless you just did hill reps

Commute's not all that hilly though, and that's probably the bulk of the mileage. Often divert via the hills on the way home to get some decent riding in!

Posted 8 months ago #
craig1975 - Member

my average off road speed is from 6-8mph

Posted 8 months ago #
MadBillMcMad - Member

looking fwd to the ride.

This is what we are doing - Edgworth to Haworth & back.
day1.
day2.

It is basically the MTL with extras at start & end plus a loop of Cragg just for a laugh (& if the sun is shining), so the terrain mostly non tech.

Posted 8 months ago #
winterfold - Member

No but it's MTB so who cares?

Posted 8 months ago #

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