# is Avg. 14-15 mph a good pace?



## BikerBamBam (Apr 18, 2006)

i just got my first road bike this week, and in the past 4 days i have put about 80 miles on it. here is my question, is a 14-15 mph avg pace a good pace? or should i pust it hard and try to speed it up? im try to loos weight by the way, well let me know.
thanks


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## HBPUNK (Mar 25, 2006)

most beginners over train, ride to fast/hard. Legs burninging, heart rate through the roof. Condition your heart before your legs, your legs burning doesnt mean youre going to get in shape faster.

get a heart rate moniter

14-15mph average sounds like a good pace but you need to get a monitor and have one of the more experienced riders on the forum tell you what your heart rate should be at when riding

Most the time I spend 75% 132-142 heart rate and 25% going balls out, riding 100miles wk. I've lost 19lbs in about 8wks, eating clean and riding


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## handsomerob (Oct 5, 2005)

BikerBamBam said:


> i just got my first road bike this week, and in the past 4 days i have put about 80 miles on it. here is my question, is a 14-15 mph avg pace a good pace? or should i pust it hard and try to speed it up? im try to loos weight by the way, well let me know.
> thanks


you are exactly where I was in January..... keep putting in the miles and you will build speed very quickly. I think my first few rides were in the 14's and just Tuesday I set a personal best average of 18.6mph over 27 miles. I dropped from 210lbs to about 190lbs in the first couple months, but you will find that after a while you start building more muscle and your pants will fit better without loosing any more actual weight.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I agree on the HR monitor. 14-15 mph is good, but it really depends on conditions. Is the terrain flat? Was it windy? Cold? Raining? etc.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

BikerBamBam said:


> i just got my first road bike this week, and in the past 4 days i have put about 80 miles on it. here is my question, is a 14-15 mph avg pace a good pace? or should i pust it hard and try to speed it up? im try to loos weight by the way, well let me know.
> thanks


sounds about right for a beginner.


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## mprevost (Jul 30, 2005)

*well...*



BikerBamBam said:


> i just got my first road bike this week, and in the past 4 days i have put about 80 miles on it. here is my question, is a 14-15 mph avg pace a good pace? or should i pust it hard and try to speed it up? im try to loos weight by the way, well let me know.
> thanks


Is it a good pace? If by good you mean competitive, then the answer is no. Competitive would be more like 23-24 mph at least.

If by good you mean appropriate, then the answer is probably yes if you are a beginner. 

Either way, don't sweat it too much. Your pace will improve by leaps and bounds with consistent time on the bike. Before long 15 mph will feel like you are hardly pushing on the pedals at all. In fact, it will be hard to go that slow. Just focus on training at an appropriate pace (and yes, losing weight will help) and the speed will come in time.

Mike


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## estone2 (Sep 25, 2005)

mprevost said:


> Is it a good pace? If by good you mean competitive, then the answer is no. Competitive would be more like 23-24 mph at least.
> 
> If by good you mean appropriate, then the answer is probably yes if you are a beginner.
> 
> ...


23-24 if you wanna be a Cat. 2!
As a beginner, I would say that logging training like that, by the end of the year you should be up to around 19-21mph, which is actually competitive for Category 5 racers, and starting to be for Category 4 races - you'd be able to 'sit in' on the pack in Cat. 4, but not do winning, Cat 5 you could probably do some winning.
Getting up to 23-24 takes a ton of training - you'll find in your first year you'll get up to around 19-21mph if you're training well, and then the next year you'll maybe gain a mile and a half or two, etc; as you get faster your gains get smaller
-estone2


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## Pepe (Jun 24, 2004)

Anything that propels you forward on the bike is good!. Keep a log, which can be as simple as a 3x5 notepad and track your mileage, time, and pace. Over time, you'll be amazed at your personal improvement if you stick with it.

If you are just starting out, just try to get miles and familiarity / comfort in riding rather than focusing on getting faster. If you just get miles, speed will follow naturally, at least at first. After a few months, if you're still hankering to go faster, or you've hit a plateau, search this site or do a google search on bicycle + race + training. There are numerous resources out there.


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## capt_phun (Jun 14, 2004)

If you ever read the book "Lance Armstrongs War" in the chapter "Hard Men" i believe it was called, the author goes on to describe how any 6th grader can get on a bike and ride 15mph, but the hard men can get on a bike and ride 25 mph. Citing that as speed increases wind resistance increases exponentially. It made me feel like a pu$$ when I used to tool around at 19mph. I am no Belgian Hard man! 

15mph is where you start. Give it a couple years and you'll be up in the 19-20 mile range for solo speeds, more if you get anal with diet an training. Group rides that average 22 will feel the norm.


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## zooog (Mar 18, 2002)

Welcome to addiction of road bikes. Just enjoy. Do what you can. The fact your out and riding is great....good luck


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## halifaxrider (Mar 30, 2006)

*At least you are better than me*

I have put about 140 miles in these past two weeks on my new bike, and my avg. speed during that time is 10-11miles. If I am able to maintain an avg. 14-15 mph , I would be ecstatic.


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## Bertrand (Feb 1, 2005)

*Set your speedo to KPH*

It'll make it seem faster


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## Angelracer (Dec 12, 2004)

Riding a bike makes you more than the average american.


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## physasst (Oct 1, 2005)

*For*



kpcw said:


> Are you riding on the Salt Flats or Mt. Everest?
> 
> A 14-15mph rate...if the the terrain is as flat as Elizabeth Mary McQuade in fifth grade, then you just made Kerry Irons puke.



a beginner though, that is a pretty good rate for flats. I was in that boat about a year ago, and it is amazing how fast the progression is if you get bit by the bug. I rode 22 miles today, average speed was 18.3mph. Of course, as KP has mentioned, there are a ton of variables. On our weekend ride a few weeks ago, we had a 24mph headwind heading out, and average speed with a group was only 16-17, coming back though was pure joy. Had it in the 50/12 gear and averaged 28-29mph. Hills, terrain, weight, wind, lots of variables, but that's pretty good if you're just starting out.


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## handsomerob (Oct 5, 2005)

physasst said:


> coming back though was pure joy. Had it in the 50/12 gear and averaged 28-29mph. Hills, terrain, weight, wind, lots of variables, but that's pretty good if you're just starting out.



that is flying!!! bet it was a blast:thumbsup:


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## botto (Jul 22, 2005)

what was that line by LeMond? 

_Average speeds = Average riders_

don't sweat your avg. right now just ride and enjoy. want to lose weight? then ride LSD, or long/slow/distance.




BikerBamBam said:


> i just got my first road bike this week, and in the past 4 days i have put about 80 miles on it. here is my question, is a 14-15 mph avg pace a good pace? or should i pust it hard and try to speed it up? im try to loos weight by the way, well let me know.
> thanks


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## BugMan (Feb 16, 2004)

botto said:


> what was that line by LeMond?
> 
> _Average speeds = Average riders_


Ditto! Try not to even track avg speed (which, I know, is very hard for a beginner NOT to do). Don't even think in terms of miles. Instead, think in terms of hours (e.g., I've got 1 hour to ride today, 1 hour Friday, 2 on Sunday, etc.). Avg speed is meaningless and often becomes a source of fixation for beginners that goads them into always trying to 'beat' last ride's avg.

I will clarify, if you want to loose weight, there is no 'fat burning zone' that magically burns more fat than other zones. Riding faster will not burn less fat than riding slow. The body burns about the same amount of fat per hour in absolute terms when cycling regardless of speed. The faster one rides, the more stored glycogen the muscles will recruit for the increased energy demands. Weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume, so spend as much time on the bike as you can. You'll want to ride easy on some days to promote muscle recovery, but don't avoid riding hard on those days you're feeling chipper because of some fear it will take you outside the 'fat burning zone.'


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## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

halifaxrider said:


> I have put about 140 miles in these past two weeks on my new bike, and my avg. speed during that time is 10-11miles. If I am able to maintain an avg. 14-15 mph , I would be ecstatic.


yeah... but you're in halifax ! I know halifax's terrain and you're doing fine


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## rugger (Mar 1, 2005)

*Small changes make BIG difference*

When I upgraded to a real road bike last year, I was starting in the 18 mph category. I would go out mostly in a tank top shirt due to the heat, didn't have a real jersey because I couldn't find one I liked. After I bought one, I noticed speed took an average +0.5 mph over my loop. Next I tried adjusting seat height to optimize stroke, and found another big improvement, legs less fatigued at the end of the run by raising seat 1/4 - 1/2 inch (now i know why lance was nicknamed "Mr. Millimeter"). 

The biggest improvement however came when I asked someone what my tire pressure should be, I would keep it in the 80's because in the old bike I would get blowouts alot, using a pump that I plugged in to the car cigarette lighter. The LBS said keep it at 110-120 mph, and pump before every ride, at the min every other day. A HUGE increase in speed, I routinely average now in the 20.5 - 21 range (wind ALWAYS sucks in the coast in Maine in spring). I noticed a big boost this spring after riding the trainer for the first time this winter. 

Another thing that affects average speed is air temp. Riding in the 40's can take as much as 0.5 mph off the average, due both to the higher drag from winter clothes, and the higher density of the warmer air. Had my first ride in the upper 60's this weekend, up to 21 mph average!

:thumbsup:


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

First of all, you need to know that people lie about their average speed. Many people ESTIMATE their average speed. So don't worry about comparing your average speed. As others said, hills make a BIG difference. Plus, riding by yourself makes a big difference. For example, I ride about 14-15 when I'm alone in hilly/mountainous terrain near my house. On a flat ride last week where I had to do almost all the pulling, I averaged 18.5. In a big pack on flatish ground, I have averaged over 22. 

So don't let anybody make you feel bad when they tell you their average. There are many variables, even if you don't include the possibility that they are bs-ing you.


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## weiwentg (Feb 3, 2004)

BikerBamBam said:


> i just got my first road bike this week, and in the past 4 days i have put about 80 miles on it. here is my question, is a 14-15 mph avg pace a good pace? or should i pust it hard and try to speed it up? im try to loos weight by the way, well let me know.
> thanks


it's absolutely fine for a beginner. don't overtrain, though, you'll get burned out and sick of cycling, and then you won't lose weight. take a break. and take it easy while you ride, you want to get used to riding first before you try to push it.


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## wayneanneli (Jul 8, 2004)

It's fun isn't it? But don't worry, just continue having fun without getting too much into numbers. On Saturday, I rode 52 km (33 miles) by myself and averaged 25 km/h (16 mph). Then on Sunday, I rode in a group of 3 riders and averaged 20 mph. I know I'll never be a fast rider, but part of the fun is just being there. 
Cheers, Wayne


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

*You have to remember too...*

The average speed that your computer spits out at you at the end of a ride includes those moments where you slow down to synch up with a traffic light, and those stretches where you crawl along the sidewalk to avoid all the double-parked trucks and SUV's. It includes the times you slow down so that the riders who somehow got lost behind you can catch up. I often get the feeling that some of the high speeds some folks claim to average comes not from the final judgment of their bicycle computer, but instead comes from them glancing down at their computer while they're grooving along.


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## elviento (Mar 24, 2002)

Right. It's pretty normal to have a crusing speed 2-4mph faster than the average speed shown on the computer. Especially if it's a longish ride.


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## RoughRider (Jun 1, 2005)

*Pace vs. average speed*



Mapei Roida said:


> The average speed that your computer spits out at you at the end of a ride includes those moments where you slow down to synch up with a traffic light, and those stretches where you crawl along the sidewalk to avoid all the double-parked trucks and SUV's. It includes the times you slow down so that the riders who somehow got lost behind you can catch up. I often get the feeling that some of the high speeds some folks claim to average comes not from the final judgment of their bicycle computer, but instead comes from them glancing down at their computer while they're grooving along.


I agree. There is a distinction to be made between the average speed your computer calculates and the typical pace or speed you maintain when pedalling along.

For those of us in urban areas, with more frequent intersections and more congested roads, the difference between the two becomes more acute.

As others have mentioned, there are a myriad factors that affect the speed in which we all travel. In addition to elevation changes and wind speed, both of which can have a significant effect on speed, and temperature which has a smaller but noticeable effect since it affects how we dress and how well the body can regulate its temperature as well as how viscous the air is, another smaller effect is barometric pressure. Not to mention tire pressure, tire size/type and the mechanical condition of the bicycle.

A potentially large effect is the quality/smoothness of the road surface. There is quite a difference between riding on a rough or bumpy road where you are frequently rising off the seat to miss the nastiest bumps and maneuvering around bad patches of pavement which can also interrupt your pedalling stroke and pedalling evenly over smooth and level pavement which does not present any nasty surprises.

Many times I have been pedalling comfortably along on a 50-70 mile solo training ride with the impression that much of the time I'm sustaining a pace of 17-19 mph (on mostly flat terrain here in Chicagoland), only to find that my average speed for the ride was in the 16-17 mph range. So what? Should I be disappointed?

My suggestion to newer riders is not to become obsessed by speed. While you are riding find your comfortable positions on the saddle and handle bars, focus on maintaining a smooth pedal stroke, on picking a gear that is not too high, on good cornering and try to keep it fun. The more you ride, the better you will ride and the more comfortable you will feel.

Cycling is a great way to go outside and leave the couch and daily worries behind for a while. It's certainly nice to feel we have achieved something by seeing our average speed bump up from the last ride, but that is not possible every time. However, if you keep at it (and you need to avoid pushing too hard too early and overtraining in order to keep at it) and try to gradually improve your skills you will feel more comfortable and go faster - guaranteed!


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## Woolbury (Oct 12, 2005)

I've been riding 20 yrs and it's only been the last 2-3 yrs that I've finally overcome my obsession with average speed. It's been a great help for my overall training and fitness, and will increase your ability to ride hard and fast in the long run. Many great comments above, definitely get a HRM, keep a log and focus on your total hours vs the other stats and you'll find you've stumbled onto one of the best fitness methods possible. Good luck, keep riding!


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## wooliferkins (May 8, 2006)

*Agreement with above*

Heart rate monitors are the way forward with a good training diary. You dont have to get anal about it just accurate. There is a world of training info out there. I joined a gym on leaving the military got a training programme and try to ride within my "zone." Polar are the biggies in the HRM world and you need to choose which one will give you the data you want now and in the future but still within your budget. You may well feel to begin with that you are not working hard enough, trust us, you'll work longer better and you'll be able to get up the next day. As an aside, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, at training at work and at home. Good luck


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## stevee (Feb 4, 2005)

Going a circuitous route that you are familiar with is a good way to monitor speed; as the main variable will be the wind which can change direction; hopefully giving you a tailwind in opposite directions! If there is flat land it must be in Illinois or somewhere besides where I live. Striving for speed can also cause one to do dumb things like slam on brakes at stoplights and signs to maintain pace until the last minute, or ride too fast on trails where peds and dogs, or rollerbladers sinewaving to the gentle beat of I-pods, dot the landscape. Twelve mph is touted as fat burning speed. Once your stores of glycogen are depleted you are prolly doing yourself more harm than good by grossly exceeding that speed, if you haven't taken on compensatory nutrition. Plenty of info around RBR about increasing speed, but remember the old saying "safety first"!


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

like a few other have mentioned on here, i dont beleive that you can call out a certain avg. without taking the conditions into consideration. if i were riding down wind or crosswind for the majority of my ride with relatively flat roads my avg. would be well over 20 mph, but here the winds avg around 20 mph daily if not more and and the route we ride is almost always into the wind, we have hills the entire way with the final leg resulting in a 1-1.5 mile climb that throws everyone into a max of 6-7 mph by the time the crest the top of it. this is around a 10mile circuit we ride 3 times over and the group i ride with averages around 18mph, this doesn't make us beginners, it just shows the outcome of a harder than average route. everyone is different and will have different strengths and different road conditions so their avg speed will have a different outcome, ride to your abilities and just have fun!


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## cmg (Oct 27, 2004)

Don't concern yourself with speed. Concern yourself with fun. Concern yourself to ride painfree, ride for recreation. the only average speed that matters is the one that keeps you in the center of the pack your riding with. you'll have plenty of time to drive yourself crazy with the "what if i change this" during the winter upgrades season. Unless you plan to enter "Race 2 Replace" later this summer. then yea you'll need to go faster. take the speedometer off.


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## BaadDawg (Mar 27, 2003)

Personally I don't like HR monitors. But if you decide to use one (many swear by them) make you know know what YOUR true max HR is before getting into the zones thing. Do not use the zones supplied with the MR monitor or even some of the many convaluted formulas you can find on the net. Get professional advice on this one. You can get tested at an athletic performance center. Using a HR monitor without first establishing your precise zones for training imho is a waste of time and can be scary even for many people. Many have max HR's much higher than the formulas and freak (count me in that category) when they see much higher than expected HR's.

My advice would be to enjoy your riding, get out as much as you can and if it starts to feel like work or something you don't really want to do, then take a day or two off. You will be itching to get back out after a break.


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

Get a bicycle computer, one with a HRM on it.

Then, go ride. Don't try to "beat" anything. Just ride. As you ride you'll find that your average speed will go up over time. Use the HRM as a tachometer for your body so you don't push too hard and burn yoursefl up from the inside out. Keep a log of the average speed of your rides and you'll find it to be inching a bit at a time as you get stronger. Your heart will begin to recover faster as it gets in better shape too. Don't try to do too much too fast. Start with an hour every other day, then do that and add a 2 hour ride on the weekends, sprinkle in some hills and some distance. As you get in shape, you'll go farther faster. The secret is consistency.

I just started riding in Feb 2005. Trained up from zero in February to Ride the Rockies in June. Did not set any speed records, but then again, wasn't out to prove anything except that I could have a good time on my bike for a week with my brother in laws, a good friend, and the open road. My average speed on that ride: Probably about 10-12 MPH. Training for this year's RTR is going much better -- coming up in the 12-14 MPH range this year. But we also have lots of hills where I live in Colorado Springs (a 15 mile ride can get you 1800 feet of climbing) so the averages get skewed by the hill climbing I guess. The best thing is that I am feeling stronger every day I get out on the bike. Being on your bike an hour each day on a consistent and easy pace is much better than going out for five hours on some Saturday and mashing the pedals all day to beat the average. Take it easy, your body will fight it at first, then rise to the challenge of riding at higher speeds -- naturally.


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## snaps10 (May 9, 2006)

my advice, since there seems to be alot of it here. i to turn off your computer. log how far the ride is once, then dont look at your computer while you're riding if you are going to take into account ave. mph, etc. what you should be worried about right now is: a) does the bike fit right? b) hows my form? c) am i keeping a good, consistent cadence?
any joe blow can go out and pump a few miles fast. but get in with a club, or good group of experienced riders, and have your stroke and form analyzed a bit. correct fit and form will do wonders for your riding. 
when i first started riding (round 11 yrs old) my dad wouldn't let me have a computer. made me use clipless times (even though i wasn't heavy enough to clip in, he had to hold me up and help push my foot in) what he did was stress that cadence and form were keys to my successful cycling. 
have fun first, training will follow. and get your base mileage in. i like between 500 and 1000 miles of flat spinning before i worry about training.

not to say it didn't feel good last night to "average" 24 on a flat solo


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