What speed do you cycle?

[coursesforhorses]

Just wondering what speed other women cycle. I'm averaging 14mph on flat(ish) rides (it's hilly where I live) and 11-12mph on rides where I do the proper big hills.

I don't seem to get any faster.

What's your speed and how can I get faster?

How long is a piece of string? Average speed without distance is meaningless. If you're averaging 14 mph over 20 miles that's ok.

Ways to get fitter include joining a club and riding with people faster than you. If you're working harder you'll get faster or die trying! Following a training plan to get you faster over a particular distance. Do you have a particular goal in mind?

Hi. I ride about 10 miles to work each day. A good stretch of the journey is along a flat, quiet cycle path. I average about 17mph on that stretch on the way in, usually a bit slower coming home. I find that trying to keep up with someone who's overtaken me helps me to go faster. The only thing that I've noticed that really makes me go faster is anger (think boss annoying me just before home time) - not something I'd recommend or that you can plan either!

I think that in order to make a consistent improvement to my speed I would need to focus on going "all out" for a set distance with slower pace in between. I tried doing it but to be honest I didn't have the motivation, at the pace I'm going at now I can enjoy the view and also by the time I'm showered, changed and sitting at my desk my face has returned to its normal colour.

12-14 mph max - 10-12 with a full load of 4 panniers rack bag and bar bag.

Distance mostly 20- 30 miles.

I don't want to go faster than I do, I find it relaxing and enjoy the view.

Hilly, edge of the Pennines but my speed was more or less the same in Norfolk and is back at 12mph after a few rides after having all winter off.

I did add a granny ring when we moved for the hills.

"Commuter racing" is great fun. The unwritten rules include whoever breaks the red light loses. Never acknowledge your opponent no matter how much you're huffing and puffing. Trying to maintain the grace of a swan while your legs are spinning madly.

You need to play this

www.itsnotarace.org/

Silly commuter racing.

I'm a 9. Because i have a singlespeed with a very silly gear. Anything above 12mph for more than 10 seconds is an utter killer. But I can briefly out accelerate road cyclists in full replica kit.

Well..... you completely lost me at racing.

I have got a new rear light that 'brakes' like a car light though so even if I did it I couldn't hide it.

TheLongRider yes I'm riding over 20 miles. Yesterday I rode 35 very hilly miles. Average speed was about 11mph.

That is ok isn't it Courses. Now, I am not in it for speed at all but I do ride on some of the hilly bits of the Tour de Yorkshire route.

The sportive says .....Any rider taking part in the Long Route (100km) will be required to maintain an average speed of 15kph. This ride takes in 1,947m of climbing and requires riders to have a very good level of fitness to maintain the necessary average speed.

So a very hilly 11mph must be ok, but I have been known to get off and push my bike up the hill out of Pateley Bridge on a bad day.

I think cycling is like running and you need to both build a base and push your limit sometimes.
i.e. Do lots of miles at a pace that is steady for you but also do shortish stretches which get you out of breath at a pace that you can't maintain for long.
If you keep on doing hilly rides you will get stronger and fitter which will help with flat speeds.
A heart rate monitor is useful for this as you will soon work out what heart rate you can maintain for a couple of hours compared to a couple of minutes and can use this to know how hard you are pushing yourself.

I normally cycle at an ave of 14mph ish for a hilly route and have almost managed to push it to 18mph on a flat route of about 40m. Depends on the company though as to how fast I go.
If you are at the back of a large group you will find it easier to push beyond your normal average speed as you benefit from drafting.
In a sportive last year I managed the first flat 20m at an ave of 20mph at the back of a group of fast young men but dropped off the back of the group when the route started to climb and paid the price for the next 40miles 🚴‍♀️😤😤

Mumski - are you the person who did TdY last year? Are you doing it again?

I often think of the mnetter who did TdY as I struggle up the hills 😁.

you'd be surprised how quickly your average speed drops if your journey includes frequent stops or junctions. When commuting, I'd be lucky to average 15 mph, more likely 13. However, I can do a 100 km (65 mile) sportive in around 4 hours as there are usually few holdups.

Hi Barchester yes I did do it last year. I am registered for it again but my friend has pulled out so I have no one with me on the day and DH not keen on me going alone. I am hoping to persuade him to come along with me and bring the DS's. I think it would be a good day out but they are not convinced.
It's a shorter course this year at 100k but much more hilly 😲

Mumski45

Is no one else from your local cycling club doing it?

Ifailed Unfortunately I don't belong to a cycling club as the times of the long rides don't fit around kids activities at the weekend.

Mumski45

I can appreciate that. Cycling Clubs tend to be a pretty friendly bunch though, maybe contact a few local ones to see if anyone else is planning to ride the TdY who you could buddy up with?

I hope you find a way to do it again Mumski, good luck if you do.

It is very hilly, we live in the middle of the Pateley - Lofthouse - Masham - Ripon circle on the TdY map.

You could always use an app like Strava to plot a course and see if you can improve your speed over the distance. Try going for a PB on a particular hill. Hill repeats are evil but another good way to tackle speed over distance.

You can use online plans like Trainerroad to create training plans with specific workouts to help improve your speed.

My average speed goes up in the summer and down in the winter.

I cycle about 12 mph. And have for decades (eg., yesterday over 33miles). Recently I killed myself on the 5kg bike over 10 miles. My speed increased to a mahoosive 14 mph. DH reckons he has magic wheels that will make me 10% faster... we shall see. #Plodder

Our club lets you start rides at a time and distance to suit, could you do the same mumski then if others come along and it works then it stays iyswim

We use Facebook etc to do this type of thing