# What's a good riding speed?



## Bubba Mediocrates (Apr 10, 2015)

As of right now I can average about 16 mph on gently rolling terrain over the course of a one hour ride. My best ever one mile split so far has been about 20.5 mph. I weigh 182 and am riding on an old Tiagra/105 component set. I've been riding on a road bike since April; prior to that a mountain bike but stayed mostly in the streets as there are no mountains in my vicinity. 

My my question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Good for what, and respectable as compared to whom? There will always be others faster to make a point. I think your 'state' of fitness would be better gauged and metered by using a HRM [heart rate monitor] and learning trends as to what constitutes fitness levels for given goals. if you have goals, you may just want to enjoy riding 1 hour rides for you exercise need/goals. Or you may want a more specific goal. My example is that I have not done a 100 mile ride since 2001. So I want to work up to that, and specifically have a certain time frame for the century and am building up towards that with building and recovering... I don't just want to do a century for the 100 miles. Again this is my goal, I will do it in 6 hours or less. I used to do a hilly 100 in 6:15 15 years ago. Be happy if my next one is 6 hours for a flat one.  And I also want to to usual 50 or more like I am doing now after a day off, maybe two from the century.


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## Bubba Mediocrates (Apr 10, 2015)

Thanks for your reply. I'm pretty sure I just don't know the exact question I should be asking. "Good for what?" -- maybe good for a nice workout on the bike for 60-90 minutes. As for "respectable as compared to whom?" -- I would think as compared to experienced riders whose average ride is in the 15-25 mile range. My goals, you ask? Very simply, to get a mich better level of fitness and to be able to stay in the saddle for a couple of hours.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

"maybe good for a nice workout on the bike for 60-90 minutes."

It really depends on your fitness level. Folks do that duration and speed that not fit enough could cause harm. So I believe in a HRM to 'see'. If you for example are in zone 4 for most of that time I say you should go slower longer, or ride a shorter duration. If you are low zone 3 90% of that time, I say do both longer durations or harder efforts for same duration. Again, if your goal is higher average speed, train for it. If you just keep riding fitness will follow. Or a heart attack if you are not fit enough for it. 

Age,weight, current fitness, smoker, hypertension, all factor in certainly...


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

What's your age? How tall are you? 182lbs doesn't tell us anything. If you're 5' tall that's not too good. If you're 6'2, you're pretty lean.



Bubba Mediocrates said:


> I'm pretty sure I just don't know the exact question I should be asking. "Good for what?" -- maybe good for a nice workout on the bike for 60-90 minutes.


 Sure that's good for a "nice workout". But a nice workout means different things to different people.



> I would think as compared to experienced riders whose average ride is in the 15-25 mile range.


Most experienced cyclists don't average in the 15-25mi range. That's just getting warmed up.




> My my question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


In short... yes. If you were on a 25mi group ride with a bunch of beginners you'd be doing well.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

Everyone is different. There are plenty of experienced riders who don't average more than 15mph regardless of terrain and duration of their rides. There are also plenty of riders who are much faster than that. You don't need to worry about achieving any specific average speed unless you want to. "gently rolling terrain" means different things to different people and doesn't really tell us anything. 
Personally, I just try to have fun on the bike regardless of the speed or terrain.


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

yes that is a good speed, now go out and do better.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Faster than you went last month, and last year.

All other comparisons are meaningless.


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## GlobalGuy (Jun 9, 2015)

Speed in of itself by itself is meaningless. Fitness is what counts. Fitness comes with the length of time on the bike, (the workout), combined with the intensity of the workout. Speed is the byproduct. As far as what's fast that depends upon how your speed compares to other riders in your "category."


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

The average man rides between 15 and 16mph (15.6).
The average woman rides between 13 and 14mph (13.4).

This is based on the millions of rides uploaded to strava worldwide so far.


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## ExChefinMA (May 9, 2012)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> As of right now I can average about 16 mph on gently rolling terrain over the course of a one hour ride. My best ever one mile split so far has been about 20.5 mph. I weigh 182 and am riding on an old Tiagra/105 component set. I've been riding on a road bike since April; prior to that a mountain bike but stayed mostly in the streets as there are no mountains in my vicinity.
> 
> My my question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


"How long is a piece of string?"

Forget what others can do, do what you can and build up from there. It's your ride, not theirs.

EEC


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

JCavilia said:


> Faster than you went last month, and last year.
> 
> All other comparisons are meaningless.


This.

Always ride more, at a pace that stretches you that you can maintain. Speed/pace will vary depending on your body, the terrain, and how ungodly hot and humid it is outside.


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

Forget average speed for now as you are just starting out. It really only plays factor if you decide to start riding in groups. Then you got to pick an appropriate speed that you would feel comfortable at.

If your looking to enjoy the bike, dont think about metrics. I made the mistake when i first started.

All riders are built differently, all riders have different skillsets. You got to decide what you want to bike for.
Enjoyment
Racing
Fitness
Socialization
Exploration

For Example
My Nightly ride consists of 22-25 miles 1000+ Gain (17-19 mph avg) but i hammer
Weekend saturday 50 to 100 miles 2000 to 4000+ gain (13 to 15 mph avg) depending on group or if did a solo ride
Weekend sunday 30 to 50 miles 1500 to 3000 gain (14-15 mph average) typically solo

If its raining or nasty out A session on the trainer 60 to 90 mins using various virtual power depending on how i am feeling so i dont even care about speed. I focus on consistent cadence and power. 

For group riding it can vary from social to challenging to competitive.


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## config (Aug 16, 2002)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> My question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


OK, I'll tell you want you WANT to hear. You've only been riding for 3 months and already averaging 16 mph, you are amazing!!!


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Just when you think you are going fast enough it's time to step it up:


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## Bubba Mediocrates (Apr 10, 2015)

config said:


> OK, I'll tell you want you WANT to hear. You've only been riding for 3 months and already averaging 16 mph, you are amazing!!!


LOL, you probably hit the nail on the head. I do hope my avg speed is good for a relative newbie to road cycling. I'd like to think I'm doing pretty good but i don't really know how to gauge where I am.


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> LOL, you probably hit the nail on the head. I do hope my avg speed is good for a relative newbie to road cycling. I'd like to think I'm doing pretty good but i don't really know how to gauge where I am.


You're doing fine. I only average around 16.5-17 MPH on my regular route. That includes my having numerous rolling stops for traffic, pedestrians, signals/stop signs, as well as headwinds which don't automatically turn into tailwinds for the ride back (unfortunately). Despite that, I hold up moderately well for my weight and age group on many of the Strava segments on that route, which would seem to imply either I 1) dog it everywhere else or 2) there's more to this than "average speed." 

Enjoy the process. The whole experience is one you will come to love, guaranteed.


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

I must be slow... I average around 14.5 mph on most rides and on a good day I can crack a 15mph average.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> As of right now I can average about 16 mph on gently rolling terrain over the course of a one hour ride. My best ever one mile split so far has been about 20.5 mph. I weigh 182 and am riding on an old Tiagra/105 component set. I've been riding on a road bike since April; prior to that a mountain bike but stayed mostly in the streets as there are no mountains in my vicinity.
> 
> My my question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


back in the day, the club used to have a saturday road ride. The head guy suggested anyone wanting to go on the ride should be able to average 30kph on their own rides. But that was pretty flat terrain. I could not average 30kph today around here today (hilly, and mountains). So maybe 25kph in hilly area, 30 for midwest


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

BCSaltchucker said:


> back in the day, the club used to have a saturday road ride. The head guy suggested anyone wanting to go on the ride should be able to average 30kph on their own rides. But that was pretty flat terrain. I could not average 30kph today around here today (hilly, and mountains). So maybe 25kph in hilly area, 30 for midwest



What the heck is a kph? 

OP--it is all relative. For some people 16.5 is fast and to others it is slow. The best way to measure yourself is to go on a group ride and see how you match up.
If you want to get faster than you have to push yourself. Personally, I hate riding slowly. The great thing about this sport is that there are many ways to enjoy it. So when you ask, is 16mh good. The answer lies within yourself.
I am sure that there are many on this board who are far slower and there are also many who are far faster. Just ride and enjoy the sport in your own way.


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

I do and LBS ride a lot and our average is between 18-19mph over rolling terrain and stop lights and regroups.. It's a pretty good workout for me. By myself I'd easily be 2-3 mph slower.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

If you're on your bike having fun, you're going a good speed.

Strava is the way to find out how your speed compares to other people. There you can at least compare against people who rides the same segments. Comparing average speeds with random internet posters is useless because the amount of climbing and wind have a huge effect on speed. Comparing Strava segments will eliminate the discrepancy due to climbing.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Bubba, this type of question came up back in 2012 and I remembered answering with this, below. I hope it sort of helps you.

As others have said (and I agree) it's really tough to compare yourself to others. Oh sure you can but do you get anything truly useful out of it? You decide. It's much better for *you* to compare yourself with *you* - and see progress, or lack of.

My old post -

_The OP should do this. It's best for him to compare himself to himself as there are too many variables to compare himself to others. I have a 30 mile out & back route that I've used for years for this purpose but it's best not to get obsessed by it. Once in a while (say every month or so) it's ok to do a trial ride. 
_
_I'll give him some very rough benchmark speeds that are arguably close. This is true average ride speed (mine are always "driveway to driveway") and not a speed seen lots during a ride.

12-15mph. Ok newby speeds.
16-18mph. Ok speeds for recreational riders who ride fairly often and seriously. Ok for old geezers who try hard (like me).
18-20mph. You have to get serious to get into this zone.
20-23mph. Training ride pace for racers.
22-25mph. Race pace for racers - time trials or road races.
25+mph. Race pace for top racers._

And it's all very dependent on terrain. That's why it's tough to compare. The above is for my version and definition of "gently rolly". OOMV.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

on this planet, kilometres are the only measure that should matter to cyclists, LOL. we are in majority, we are borg, you are assimilated


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## Bubba Mediocrates (Apr 10, 2015)

Thanks to all who took a minute or maybe more to reply. I'm trying to find my way in this new (to me) sport and I'm sure I'll have a few more ignorant questions in the coming months. Thanks in advance for your forbearance.


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

I don't think I've ever done more than 20 miles on a stretch...but that was an MTB group that I had to ride 7 miles on road (each way) to the trailhead.

Typically, on my own, I've never really ridden more than an hour and a half, lest I become bored. On the road, that'll get me somewhere between 15-20 miles. So, crunching those numbers puts me squarely in the 10-15mph range on average...depending on terrain, how explorative I'm feeling, stops, etc.


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

As of right now, 35 miles, 2+ hours riding on a road bike is my limit. I really don't have any desire to ride a century or even a metric century. My longest ride to date on a road bike was 38 miles... and the last 3 miles about killed me. My usual weekend rides are about 7.5 miles in 30 minutes... unless I go to a local paved MUT... and then I can get in about 17 miles. 

Hats off to you cyclists who can ride centuries on a regular basis. It's not for me. :thumbsup:


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

HyperCycle said:


> Hats off to you cyclists who can ride centuries on a regular basis. It's not for me. :thumbsup:


I think you have century rides all wrong for most of us who do plenty of them. "can" has nothing to with it. That's a given and "want to" is the reason.
And there's no need to take your hat off to someone because they enjoyed themself while leaving all else behind for a day.


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I think you have century rides all wrong for most of us who do plenty of them. "can" has nothing to with it. That's a given and "want to" is the reason.
> And there's no need to take your hat off to someone because they enjoyed themself while leaving all else behind for a day.


Like the guy who posted before me... I get bored after about 2 hours. Anywhere between 30 minutes... to an hour an a half is plenty of "enjoyment" for me on a bike ride.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I think you have century rides all wrong for most of us who do plenty of them. "can" has nothing to with it. That's a given and "want to" is the reason.
> And there's no need to take your hat off to someone because they enjoyed themself while leaving all else behind for a day.


FWIW, I'll defend Old Fuji's and Hypercycles right to voice their opinions on duration/ intensity of their rides, just as I would others opinions on their perceived benefits of riding centuries (or similar). To each his or her own. That's the beauty of a forum. 

Also FWIW, I've been riding 30+ years and have never ridden further than ~35 miles in maybe ~2 hours - and that's mostly because I got lost. 

But all this points up just how 'personal' cycling is.... a lesson for the OP. Just focus on you and what you can (safely) and want to do. Push and you'll likely either suffer a sports injury or burn out and park the bike.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> and that's mostly because I got lost.
> 
> But all this points up just how 'personal' cycling is.... a lesson for the OP.


One of my favorite things to do is go out and get lost. My perception of time becomes very different than say the same out and back 50+ miler. Maybe the OP can take something away from this. When the route terrain is the same and very familiar time goes [is perceived as] slower. But when I am 'lost' bordering needing to get the GPS on my phone involved, time perception goes away.

Likewise, yesterday where I had several issues with poorly marked construction and a few cars do a right on red while I was 20+ MPH in the bike lane. Not to mention several cross walk crossing where cars did not yield even though I had the walk light... Moon or planets in lines, what ever... I lost perception of time due to adversity and some pedals getting turned in anger I can tell you.



EDIT: And of course I should have mentioned riding with other is the best cure for time perception. Unless they are dragging you for the duration of course.


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## joeinchi (Sep 24, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> FWIW, I'll defend Old Fuji's and Hypercycles right to voice their opinions on duration/ intensity of their rides ...


I think Jay's comment may have been misconstrued. He's not suggesting that long rides provide superior benefits, perceived or otherwise, over shorter rides. Nor do centuries require super human effort or desire. Long rides with friends are simply a great way to enjoy cycling. 

Sure, there are many looking for bragging rights and personal bests but, for the rest of us, it's a shared adventure full of good times and camaraderie. And this perception that it's a huge undertaking is simply not true--we're not trying to summit Everest, here. If you can do 40-50 miles at a good pace, you can easily do a friendly 100.

I don't think I've ever felt bored doing a century. And usually, after bikes are put away and you're sitting down with a cold one, thoughts of "What's our next one?" often enter the conversation.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

joeinchi said:


> *I think Jay's comment may have been misconstrued*. He's not suggesting that long rides provide superior benefits, perceived or otherwise, over shorter rides. Nor do centuries require super human effort or desire. Long rides with friends are simply a great way to enjoy cycling.
> 
> Sure, there are many looking for bragging rights and personal bests but, for the rest of us, it's a shared adventure full of good times and camaraderie. And this perception that it's a huge undertaking is simply not true--we're not trying to summit Everest, here. If you can do 40-50 miles at a good pace, you can easily do a friendly 100.
> 
> I don't think I've ever felt bored doing a century. And usually, after bikes are put away and you're sitting down with a cold one, thoughts of "What's our next one?" often enter the conversation.


yeah I was wondering if that were the case.
My only point, which you clearly understood, was that riding a bike 100 miles isn't any type of acomplishment or sacrifice for most people who do it. It's just for enjoyment.
Sure it requires more fitness but it's no different from going fishing, playing golf, gardening or doing whatever your 'thing' is.


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## pittcanna (Oct 2, 2014)

joeinchi said:


> I think Jay's comment may have been misconstrued. He's not suggesting that long rides provide superior benefits, perceived or otherwise, over shorter rides. Nor do centuries require super human effort or desire. Long rides with friends are simply a great way to enjoy cycling.
> 
> Sure, there are many looking for bragging rights and personal bests but, for the rest of us, it's a shared adventure full of good times and camaraderie. And this perception that it's a huge undertaking is simply not true--we're not trying to summit Everest, here. If you can do 40-50 miles at a good pace, you can easily do a friendly 100.
> 
> I don't think I've ever felt bored doing a century. And usually, after bikes are put away and you're sitting down with a cold one, thoughts of "What's our next one?" often enter the conversation.


To echo what others are saying rides in the 70 to 100 mile rides are doable and even enjoyable, at the right pace, location, outside weather etc. Its getting the mindset right, like you have to be really excited to do an adventure on your bike. Going with a few people also helps as your talking to them and enjoying there company.

But if the 2 hr mark is mental hurdle for you, there might be other concerns. The reality is biking is supposed to be enjoyable activity you could do what i did for my first few months obsess about the immediate performance, and only focus on the wrong metrics.

Now i focus on the following
Where am i going to ride today
How am i going to get there
Why am i going to a location
What will make this ride interesting or fun
When will i feel like thats enough for the ride
What am i going to see on my ride.

Last night was great night in riding for me. I planned a 27 mile ride around a small park. It had some moderate climbing, but more importantly great views.




























Because cycling at the end of day is about getting outside and enjoying the scenery. 

If you dont care about the outside well then get a spin bike and do an hour inside.


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## greg12666 (Mar 29, 2012)

I measure it based on feet per mile climbed with average speed. On my usual route I average 85-90 feet per mile at 17 MPH. Riding a mostly flat route at 15-16 mph is ok. So every hour I am climbing 1445-1530 feet. If you can find a hilly route that will make you a stronger rider.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

joeinchi said:


> I Long rides with friends are simply a great way to enjoy cycling.
> 
> Sure, there are many looking for bragging rights and personal bests but, for the rest of us, it's a shared adventure full of good times and camaraderie.


I will only take issue with the implication that the communal experience is a necessary element. Long rides (or short ones) by myself arr another great way to enjoy cycling. Some of us, for lots of reasons, ride solo most of the time. It's a good time even without camaraderie.


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

a good riding speed is what ever speed I am doing at the moment...
good for me at least, and I don't care about you.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

obed said:


> a good riding speed is what ever speed I am doing at the moment...
> good for me at least, and I don't care about you.


When one reaches a certain age, one realizes that "a good riding speed" = "still moving."


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

In the first year of riding, I would suggest comparing your speed to the same rides a week or month ago. After a year comparing yourself to others can help with motivation to get faster if that is an objective but still keep an eye on your personal bests primarily. 

I think you will find what is important to demonstrate for you as a measure of success will change overtime. One thing I like about the sport its multi-dimensional. Speed, Distance, Grade, Climb category, and combinations there in plus many more. All great areas to explore for personal bests. 

My personal recent achievement is a couple of HC climbs, not super fast but I did them and my next achievement (hopefully) will be doing one of those climbs faster in a couple days.


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> FWIW, I'll defend Old Fuji's and Hypercycles right to voice their opinions on duration/ intensity of their rides, just as I would others opinions on their perceived benefits of riding centuries (or similar). To each his or her own. That's the beauty of a forum.
> 
> Also FWIW, I've been riding 30+ years and have never ridden further than ~35 miles in maybe ~2 hours - and that's mostly because I got lost.
> 
> But all this points up just how 'personal' cycling is.... a lesson for the OP. Just focus on you and what you can (safely) and want to do. Push and you'll likely either suffer a sports injury or burn out and park the bike.


+1

Like I said, I honestly lose interest in going for longer than an hour or two. That said, it's always been a nice daydream of mine to fly to northern central Europe and do a beer/wine tour by bicycle...I do entirely realize that it's quite a stretch from my current (former?) 10-15 mile rides, but it's a nice aspiration. I did make a recent post about losing steam, and not having the ambition to ride much, but I'm trying to push through that.


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## Corenfa (Jun 9, 2014)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> As of right now I can average about 16 mph on gently rolling terrain over the course of a one hour ride. My best ever one mile split so far has been about 20.5 mph. I weigh 182 and am riding on an old Tiagra/105 component set. I've been riding on a road bike since April; prior to that a mountain bike but stayed mostly in the streets as there are no mountains in my vicinity.
> 
> My my question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


Quick question and comment(s):
What are you using to measure your average speed? Many people average their speed based on what they see on their speedometer from time to time only to find out that the speed is much lower when they see actual data.

As for speed - don't worry about speed. No matter how fast you go, you'll always find yourself pushing yourself. You'll just be getting faster while you're at it. I do some group rides with folks that have been riding for a few decades but never get above 15MPH averages. Then, I race against a guy who just started last year and he can average 28 around a closed circuit for an hour (in a group of course).

Find someone who is about your level and ride with them. Let them know your goal is to work on getting a little faster and you'll find that you'll both push each other and feed off of each other.


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## GlobalGuy (Jun 9, 2015)

greg12666 said:


> On my usual route I average 85-90 feet per mile at 17 MPH. Riding a mostly flat route at 15-16 mph is ok. So every hour I am climbing 1445-1530 feet.


The amount of feet you climb or gain over a given distance is constant regardless of what speed you ride. Average speed or top speed has nothing to do with the how much you are climbing or gaining in elevation.


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## Corenfa (Jun 9, 2014)

GlobalGuy said:


> The amount of feet you climb or gain over a given distance is constant regardless of what speed you ride. Average speed or top speed has nothing to do with the how much you are climbing or gaining in elevation.


I don't follow. If you're climbing a lot, average speed will be slower. Altitude gain isn't constant at all either. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're suggesting.


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## GlobalGuy (Jun 9, 2015)

I was attempting to emphasize that over a specific fixed distance your speed doesn't affect how much you climb. The climb or elevation gain is fixed regardless of speed.


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## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

GlobalGuy said:


> I was attempting to emphasize that over a specific fixed distance your speed doesn't affect how much you climb. The climb or elevation gain is fixed regardless of speed.



But, if you carry too much speed and pop, how much you climbed may well be less.


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

JCavilia said:


> I will only take issue with the implication that the communal experience is a necessary element. Long rides (or short ones) by myself arr another great way to enjoy cycling. Some of us, for lots of reasons, ride solo most of the time. It's a good time even without camaraderie.


I agree. There are different enjoyment factors for different people. I used to only ride solo. I started riding with a group on Sat mornings a few years ago. Now, I enjoy both rides most of the time. I really do not care about talking while riding. I can do without that. I like to go faster and further with the group. When by myself, there are no rules and I can just go as I see fit. I enjoy most group rides if they are fast. I do not like it when the pace is really slow though. It does not have to be a hammer fest but I do not enjoy lolly gagging around.


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## cnardone (Jun 28, 2014)




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## LuckyB (Sep 9, 2012)

PJ352 said:


> .......Push and you'll likely either suffer a sports injury or burn out and park the bike.


.....or you'll get in really good shape and want to ride more, and go faster......


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## Corenfa (Jun 9, 2014)

LuckyB said:


> .....or you'll get in really good shape and want to ride more, and go faster......


Yup.

I don't understand some mentalities. I'm not saying they're wrong, I just don't understand them. In some of the group rides I do where we have multiple paces, I hear folks talk about how they've ridden for 20+ years and can't go more than 15 MPH on flat roads. But when people try to pick up the speeds a little, they're the first ones to say that it's too fast. Instead of trying, the moment it gets a little harder, they say they can't do it. 

Pushing yourself is good. It's how you get strong. Pushing yourself too much (which can be harder than some people think) can injure you. The body has a wonderful mechanism for telling you when you've hit that point. It's called pain.


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## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

I've only been riding since the late 1970s, but I can go almost 12 mph now. (Hilly ride, but still....)


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Corenfa said:


> Pushing yourself is good. It's how you get strong.


To a point, yes, but _overdo_ and injuries can result.



Corenfa said:


> Pushing yourself too much (which can be harder than some people think) can injure you. *The body has a wonderful mechanism for telling you when you've hit that point. It's called pain*.


If that were universally true, there wouldn't be the number of sports injuries that we've seen through the years. Some people can push through the pain, then crash (physically).

Key is to up intensity and duration_ incrementally_, and pay heed to how we recover after rides.


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

JCavilia said:


> When one reaches a certain age, one realizes that "a good riding speed" = "still moving."


A friend's father used to answer the question "How are you" with "Still sitting up and taking nourishment." I used to think it was a low bar, but now that my age approaches his, I appreciate the sentiment.

For the OP--much good advice has been offered--and I would offer this thought. Some of us need the encouragement of others to push ourselves a little--go a bit farther, or a bit faster, and riding in a group is the best way to get the motivation. The desire to keep up is a great motivator. If you are a social person, I can't recommend too highly the experience of group riding as a kind of reality check on how we are doing.

For me, at this stage I ride without data, by myself and savor the feeling of freedom.


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## Mengtian (May 31, 2015)

Learn about Heart Zones (i.e Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5). Try to stay in Z2 (Endurance) or Z3 (Tempo) for most of the ride. Of course you need a HR monitor for that. Map my Ride calculates how long you spend in each zone. Here is a screenshot of a 40 mile ride @ 20.8 mph. You can tell that I may have been working too hard LOL......


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

How much do you care about your fitness beyond the level you're at now? What is your motivation to ride, to get "faster" or to maintain? This varies for everyone. Maybe it's not even important to be deliberate about it. I don't race anymore and I have no specified goals and yet I push myself repeatedly until I feel like my chest is going to cave in almost every day on my bike. I have no idea why.

One thing I'd suggest is find a group and ride with other people. That may give you some perspective.


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## QuiQuaeQuod (Jan 24, 2003)

Lots of good, considered info in this thread. But let me boil it down and oversimplify things a bit.



Bubba Mediocrates said:


> My my question is this: is a 16 mph average speed "respectable" for a novice rider like myself?


Flat ride, out and back so the wind is equal, one hour duration. If you can do 18mph on that, you can go ride with a group of experienced cyclists and not worry about being fast enough. Worry about other things, sure, but not your speed.

So a 16 mph average is pretty good. (with the caveat that average speed is just about useless, other than over a long term to measure how you do on known, repeated rides). But you should know the difference between 16 and 18 is WAY bigger than the difference between 14 and 16.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

QuiQuaeQuod said:


> So a 16 mph average is pretty good. (with the caveat that average speed is just about useless, other than over a long term to measure how you do on known, repeated rides). But you should know the difference between 16 and 18 is WAY bigger than the difference between 14 and 16.


Hey, all that is the truth.


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## HyperCycle (Sep 5, 2012)

For me... it's all about cardio exercise. I could care less about setting speed records. According to my Cateye... I topped out at 31mph and averaged 14.5 mph on my 7.5 mile ride.... wooopety do! Damn I'm fast.


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## Bubba Mediocrates (Apr 10, 2015)

I'm using the Mapmyride app on my smartphone. That's my average speed at the end of a ride. As a newbie to the cycling world, that's the only metric I know of to gauge my level of riding. Based on all the answers I've received to my OP I think i need to direct my attention on more than just speed.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

Watch where you're going is high on the attention list. 
How fast am I going is pretty down the line, unless I am getting close to blowing up.


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## ColaJacket (Apr 13, 2015)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> I'm using the Mapmyride app on my smartphone. That's my average speed at the end of a ride. As a newbie to the cycling world, that's the only metric I know of to gauge my level of riding. Based on all the answers I've received to my OP I think i need to direct my attention on more than just speed.


Have you bike 1000 miles since you've started biking? 

If you haven't get those base miles under your belt, and miles biked is probably more important than average speed (except for known courses). 

I use Strava, and I've put some segments on some of the hills that I regularly have to climb (and as a newbie, they're probably not very big hills to most, but they tax me). So I do use the time on those segments to make sure that I'm either improving or in the ballpark of previous tries. I do notice that after a rest day, the next day is normally pretty good, and then I go a little bit slower on successive days, until I take another rest day. 

Once you have 1000 miles, then you can use a HRM or Power Meter to train a little better. That's what I'm planning. I'm not quite to 700 miles, but when I get there (which should be around my birthday), I plan on getting a HRM so that I can train a little better. 

GH


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## Bubba Mediocrates (Apr 10, 2015)

I have about 1500 miles logged on Mapmyride. The last 400 are road bike miles (I got the road bike--a 2002 model Specialized Allez Sport--in April of this year). Everything prior was on a mountain bike mostly ridden on the streets around my house. Like you, I created some local courses on Mapmyride and have been sort of measuring my performance against myself. After having done that for a while, I'm looking for the next logical "measuring stick."


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Bubba Mediocrates said:


> Thanks for your reply. I'm pretty sure I just don't know the exact question I should be asking. "Good for what?" -- maybe good for a nice workout on the bike for 60-90 minutes. As for "respectable as compared to whom?" -- I would think as compared to experienced riders whose average ride is in the 15-25 mile range. My goals, you ask? Very simply, to get a mich better level of fitness and to be able to stay in the saddle for a couple of hours.


I don't compete against others, I compete against myself. Every week is a quest for either faster speed, longer riding, higher climbs, better scenery or most importantly more enjoyment. There's always someone faster and trying to size yourself up against other riders can be self defeating.


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## DannoDeManno (Aug 2, 2015)

I'm 55 year old, just got riding about 2 mo ago after deciding running was no fun, but I needed a cardio activity. I ride on a 30 year old Cromoly road bike, about 30 lbs and I'm averaging 16.5 mph, sounds like we're riding at a similar pace.


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