[Closed] Average road speeds.

Lol, guys, all I'm talking about is a road race over 50/60 miles with a high ave, road racing is fast.

Yeah i think we all got that, quite a few of us have road raced, its not a new sport, its just that 28 mph avg is not just fast, its stupid fast and pretty much unheard of in amateur sport, unless of course you happen to be a continental pro.....which i assume you are not.

27/28mph over 50/60 miles is very impressive, got to be cat 2 racer?

Anything over 18mph on a solo effort I consider good (route depending)

In the words of Victor Meldrew....

I ride in my club's A group but I'm no racer.

Sat's ride was: 116k, 1,417m ascent @ 29.0 km/h,
Previous week was: 150k, 2,168m ascent @ 26.7 km/h

I only do short rides (under 25 miles) and my averages are crap, about 15mph if it's windy, 17mph if its a little bit windy and I've averaged 20mph on a still day which I was happy with.

This is a pointless thread,nobody on STW is average 😉

Looking forward to seeing cavs blast out from behind his new lead out man Rochey in this years tour de France!!!! On second thoughts might not pass him!!!

I'm sure rochy isn't lying chaps. Why would he? I follow a few quick racers on Strava who are currently racing cat 3/4 and coming in top 5. Over say a 45 mile ride they'll average 25mph. So whilst 27/28moh is quick for a cat 1/2 it's doable.

I managed 18.7mph average over 15 miles on my single-speed roadie the other night.

(Gearing: 42:16)

27/28 avg is doable, but course dependant. If its pretty flat, not much wind then its fine ( as long as everyone is doing a turn), but generally 24/25 is more avg of a decent course race. We talk wind dependant, i remember last year on a 1% incline in a group of 6 doing 7mph the wind was that strong. We prob avg 13/14 over the last 6 mile stretch of road.

If its a course like the 1st stage of tour of turkey ( on just now), where it was circuits of a flat course then 30mph is easily achievable.

Strava confirms all though 🙂

Anyway, to OP point. If your unfit(ish), a tad overweight then 17mph is a very good average. In next few months you may budge 18/18.5mph. The 20mph avg is pretty hard to crack solo over say 100 miles. If you can crack 5hrs solo for 100 miles your doing very very well. Over 1 -2 hour rides over a hilly course then 20mph avg is really good, but hit Holland and its shizzley crap

17mph is very good.
Averages for any one person will vary a great deal, here's some of mine.
100km Luton CC trial 19.6 solo
100km Luton CC trial 17.4 with club and trying to set higher pace
100km Luton CC trial 15.4 solo bad weather
100 mile hilly 16.9 perfect conditions
1 hour flat crit oval circuit 24-26 in bunch
25 Mile TT 59.03 old steel bike, exposed cables etc
25 Mile TT 2-Up 1.13 bad weather.
I don't use a computer in open road races.

You can definitely have a 4 mph window.

I've found my average speed is really variable, depending on the weather (windy / wet), riding solo or in a group, and especially how much climbing is involved (usually lots round here!)

It's been more useful to join a club and see where I 'fit' relative to a large number of people. The fastest guys and girls in the club kick my arse in terms of average speed (but then they are very, very good!), I'm 'middle of the pack' riding with the 'intermediate' group of guys, and I'm quicker than the slower group.

On average, gender and age start to have an impact when you look at the fastest racers, but for most of us it's possible to become a "good intermediate" rider with sufficient effort.

But I think it's easy to become obsessed with the 'numbers', as in the end I just ride because I love it 🙂

I'm a (just turned) 56, fit rider. My averages on road are very consistent:

Pootling solo, hilly: 14.2 mph

Pootling solo, flat: 17.4 mph

Trying much harder with some bunch riding, hilly: 17.1 mph

If you're younger and a racing snake you can better this by 1 - 2 mph, I expect.

Can't remember who it was (someone reasonably well known in enduro MTBing circles) who rode from Liverpool to Catton Park, took the panniers off his bike, rode the 6hr race solo (really rather fast) and then rode back to Liverpool.

James Ouchterlony used to do that sort of thing. After winning the national marathon champs he fitted panniers and rode to Spain!

Whilst Rochy's 28 is doable that is bloody fast, 60 miles is unlikely to be a flat Crit circuit, so I'm assuming proper roads. Irrelevant if he's winning or back of the bunch, their average will be near as dammit the same! I've ridden E/1/2 crits at Goodwood (pan flat, no braking) slower than that.

i could believe it rochey.

strava course record for a lap of torworth RR circuit is a shade over 31 mph.

makes me think 28mph is doable for a race no probs...

we did 5 laps of it last thurs and averaged 25mph, we are the middle group and frankly the pace for 90% of the race was perfectly sustainable and unhurried IMO.

fast group are normally an mph or two above us on average so 27ish... and none of them are Cav, this is regional stuff chaps.

all of you claiming you 'don't believe it' either need to MTFU or go watch a road race!

I would think averaging 25mph plus for extended periods of time is something to do with being in a group as you can share the work etc. Just got back from mallorca and Palma nova to Santa maria is 30 mils approx with a big hill in between two of us averaged 18 miles an hour so took us 1 hour 40 ish. Took 20 mins out of that with a four up so averaged 22 mph and it was actually easier to ride. True story.

Of course it is, but 28 is still fast. The comment was:

When I'm racing 50/60 miles my ave is around 27/28mph.

That implies that's Rochey's 'normal' race speed. IMO, unless you only race on the same, very fast, course, that's a really good average.

Not doubting it, just saying that's not the norm for road racing IME.

Lol at people comparing rochey's 60 miles ride average to the overall average of the TdF winner......isn't the TdF slightly longer than 60 miles overall and don't they do a bit of climbing at some point too?

As people have said above though, that average suggests a pretty fast E12 race. Then again the pros will average 30mph for 200miles on a flat TdF stage.....

Thanks for all those replies guys. At least it makes me feel better about my fitness.
I don't 'train' at all really, just go for a ride on either the HT or road bike from home, never ride in a group cos I don't want to, & rarely if ever try to beat a previous best, & always wear baggies! (believe me, you do not want to see me in lycra)
I know you can't compare Rocheys time to the TDF really, 3 weeks of that stuff must put a dent in the speeds.
So next question, if I lost 2 stones & wore lycra, would I be quicker?? 😆

yes.

So next question, if I lost 2 stones & wore lycra, would I be quicker??

yes

So next question, if I lost 2 stones & wore lycra, would I be quicker??

Maybe

But more importantly you would be hella KEWL

dont worry about the two stones. lycra alone will have you lapping rochey in seconds.

lycra alone will have you lapping rochey in seconds.

*shudders

So next question, if I lost 2 stones & wore lycra, would I be quicker??

I average 13-14 at the moment over 100 miles wich is f****** depressing, mainly because I spend 90% of the ride looking at my HRM thinking "I could go faster" then still hit a wall of pain at the end. My target is 200miles at 15mph by July.

Weight* make a huge difference, especialy on a hill, I don't reckon I was any fitter at 21, but I could hold 18/19mph for a couple of hours, and rode with a propper set of gears not a compact without using the bottom gear on most rides. The difference between then and now is about 15-20kg 🙁

*body not bike

I'm a fellow fatty, I wear Lycra and like to pootle rather than go flat out all the time. I average about 14.5mph on the road solo, I'm sure I'd be quicker in a group but I always ride solo.

think we have confirmed that proper group riding is faster.

not only is it faster, it is savagely awesome, and a big enough group will allow you to bash out ridiculous mileage with limited effort.

for all those that say 'i only ever ride alone' i'd strongly advise you getting out with a club group to get used to pottering with other people and to enjoy your riding a bit more!

but then go hunt out a faster group to go and experience the true joy of being sucked along the flat at 30mph.

only downside is the next time you get on your bike it will feel slooooowwwww...and doing any where near 30, solo, on the flat for more than two seconds is a true lesson in pain.

If you put my averages into a racing context in a 3/4 race you'll be top ten.
And my fastest races are the crits. The MK Bowl is my local circuit. It's bloody fast from the off but never more than 26mph average.
And for open road races, and I've done about 700/800 the average has been below 25mph. Open road races in the UK IME have speeds far higher than that, but also far lower.

Edit 50% or more would be crits.

Getting a tow off some people who know what they are doing who then subsequently moto pace a tractor is awesome. A bit scary but awesome none the less.

If you put my averages into a racing context in a 3/4 race you'll be top ten.

As I said though, with bunch racing the first and last place in the bunch will have a near identical average, so that's meaningless...

for all those that say 'i only ever ride alone' i'd strongly advise you getting out with a club group to get used to pottering with other people and to enjoy your riding a bit more!

Why? I don't find riding in a big group enjoyable? With a few mates, but any more than about 6 at the most I don't really enjoy frankly.

This thread depresses me. I went out a couple of weeks ago and felt like I was going "comfortably fast", then got back and checked the GPS tracker which told me 13.2 mph. Granted it wasn't flat and I did get stuck at some red lights (the tracker doesn't stop timing) for a considerable proportion of the time, but still... 🙁

I average about 18-19mph for a long ride solo and 21-22mph for an hour ride.

I'm dubious of these 30mph group average speeds. I've read that the peloton in the TdF does about 50kph on flattish terrain... 31.25mph.

looking at this group/solo thing....

I usually ride on my own on the road and my typical ride is hilly and around 40-50 miles. My average is 15-17 mph, depending on weather and how I am feeling.

I am currently upping mileage for Etape Caledonia in a few weeks. Assuming I am ready for the distance, and reconising that the route is about as 'hilly' as my typical ride...am I likely to be a bit faster by being in bunches ?

Its harder to stay in groups on the climbs

think some people are born to be difficult. if you don't enjoy group riding then that's great. i was just suggesting people try it as i think its excellent, and worth experiencing.

21-22 solo is fine. assuming on the flat yeh? you'd manage 25+ in a decent group no problem.

why be dubious about 30mph groups? everything is possible. open your mind.

http://app.strava.com/rides/7048279#132472062

Iainc - the simple answer is 'yes'. If you do manage to get on the back of a group... don't forget to do your turn at the front. If you can't keep up the required speed at the front... you probably have no place in that particular group.

Or just wheel suck your way around...

whats with the constant TDF references? even without climbs their daily mileage is insane.

surely you'd expect a 1 to 2 hr regional/national circuit race to be faster than a 7hr tdf stage?

SURELY???

tsy - sounds a plan ! Not done a road event before and not much experience of big groups, although have done a few small group rides on road

iainc, you'll be a good couple of mph faster in any groups, though uts hard to find one going at the right speed. Too fast and you'll stick with them and knacker yourself, too slow and you'll get frustrated. With good weather you should be able to do it under 4.5 hours, probably nearer to 4.

nicko - they're top professionals competing in the premier race in this sport... and your strava link is for a ride averaging less than 25mph?

I'll accept that for a 1 hr race TdF riders would be silly fast.

surely you'd expect a 1 to 2 hr regional/national circuit race to be faster than a 7hr tdf stage?

This.

iainc - Member
looking at this group/solo thing....

I usually ride on my own on the road and my typical ride is hilly and around 40-50 miles. My average is 15-17 mph, depending on weather and how I am feeling.

I am currently upping mileage for Etape Caledonia in a few weeks. Assuming I am ready for the distance, and reconising that the route is about as 'hilly' as my typical ride...am I likely to be a bit faster by being in bunches ?

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/1280146

well the top time is 26.9 mph average for his total race as it happens. and 31.8 for a single lap.

so yes i take your point that he didn't average 30 for the entire race. thanks for making that clear to me.

Iain, Yes- you'll be faster in a group.

You'll be ready for the distance no problem. Etape Caledonia isn't super super hilly to be honest ( like the Bealach or Whitton )

IIRC The first section is undulating hills, then it runs flat along the side of loch rannoch for a long while... its this area that you can put the speed in if you sit in with a group ... i'd advise that you dont burst a gut trying to keep up before the main climb. Save something for the climb. I'm not the fastest and I tried to keep up with a group on the run up to the start of the big climb and burned out leaving not much energy for the climb.

After the descent, its a little bit more of undulating, then a long flat stretch again back to the start with a climb just at the end. Again, the long flat stretch heading back can be made better and quicker by means of a group.

Group riding wise, if you've not done much then there are probably threads on here and other forums about some ettiquettes involved. some road riders/groups are quite formal about it, some less so, but it does help to know the unwritten rules so that you can identify whats happening in the dynamic of the group and go along with it. the better a group works, the faster you go.

For example riding solo, working along I may settle into a speed of about 18 to 19mph ... riding the same with a group of about 8 to 10, that speed ups to 21 to 22 or faster if the gropu really wants to up the effort.

druidh - sounds good, and the endomondo stats are handy, cheers

fisha - excellent info, thanks