Gerry221

Forgive me if there is already a post regarding this topic.

I have recently began cycling, at the tender age of 51. I am very overweight and unfit, but getting better!

Was just wondering what you guys think and what it is that you "chase"?

When you go out, do you focus on getting the miles in or is it more about getting your avg speed up?

I must admit, when I started 2 months ago, I was all about just getting my miles up. Now, I find myself chasing avg speed. If I am out and I do not get 15mph I am not too happy, even if I have done 20 miles....

Thoughts?

Machka 

Get your base in first ... get so you feel comfortable with 50 km or even 100 km. Cover at least 1000 km ... maybe 2000 km.

Then work on speed.

indyfabz

I did a 62 mile ride where I averaged about 10 mph. It was one of the hardest rides I have ever done. Mostly unpaved (some of that was really rough) and extremely hilly. See where I am going with this?

wphamilton

@Gerry221 I've been at it awhile so my distances are pretty set, 5 days commute plus 40-65 mile rides on the weekend. I'm more inclined to work on something specific these days than chase an average speed. Hills, sprints, threshold intervals etc.

But near when I started, I would extend the length of my rides. (I say "near" because at the very beginning I was just getting somewhere, and not chasing anything). That slowly built up, per ride and yearly, and it wasn't until my third year that I started to get "fast" compared to what I was previously.

The goal is build up steadily without injury or burning out, enjoy the incremental speed gains that come with that, and at some point with enough base miles we can more easily build speed if we want to.

cyclist2000

I more of a time and distance person, I try to ride for at least 1.5 hours. I normally ride at least 23 miles. I am older and speed isn't my thing anymore.

caloso

Time and effort. Sometimes that time is long and the effort is low, sometimes the time is broken up into short increments and the effort is super high.

DougRNS

Sounds like you have an addiction problem. You won't be happy until you have both! Congratulations, your health will benefit greatly.

In all honesty, you have to decide what kind of riding you like best. Slower, longer rides or faster, shorter rides. As you get more fit you will be able to do quite long rides at quite fast speeds - if that is what you want. Enjoy your rides.

bargeon

Hardly average over 10 mph on 20 to 30 mile rides for 2-3 hours. Frankly I don't try for any faster, I ride through some of the prettiest country in the NE, east of the Finger Lakes in Central NY. Why hurry?

unterhausen

look into structured training approaches. You will never get faster if you are always trying to go as fast as you can.

Insidious C. 

Miles, then more miles, then even more miles.

DrIsotope

Doing more miles builds endurance. Increased average speed is usually a byproduct.

gobicycling

Smiles and hours (time).

Biker395 

That's me too.

Smiles, photos, and a destination goal. I don't get too concerned with distance or average speed.

pdlamb

Average speed doesn't mean much unless all of your riding is either flat or on a given course.


For instance, I could do roughly the same ride, except for which road I take, to the river and back. One route has 500 feet of climbing, the other has 2,000 feet. It's more work to average 12 mph on the second route than 15 mph on the first.


That said, they're both 32-34 miles. I track miles because it's simpler. You could track any number of things -- speed, distance, climbs, average or maximum heart rate, etc., etc. But make sure you're having fun, or you won't want to ride.

Bob Ross

Average speed is for average people.

I document distance, both as a way of keeping track of maintenance needs on my bikes, and also so I can participate in the annual year-end pissing match thread over in the 41.

Bandera

Yep, cycling as a sport requires Endurance, Power & Speed built as a pyramid of performance in that order.

As @Machka notes acquiring a solid Base of seat time is Step #1, for which there is no substitute.

To understand and apply the concepts such as "Base" to an effective cycling program do as @unterhausen notes and research structured training programs for older cyclists which concentrate as much on rest/recovery as doing intense hard work. Then: Ride the bike with purpose.

-Bandera

elocs

I focus on neither miles nor speed. I just go where I need to go and then come back. My bike is my car and my purpose in riding it is to get where I need to go so I don't ride for fitness but that is certainly a byproduct.
My speedometer broke last year and I've never replaced it but I would guess my miles are few and my speed is slow. But I'm certain my miles are few and my speed is slow.

John_V 

For those just getting started or restarted into cycling, distance should always trump speed. You're not going to be doing any racing any time soon so just concentrate on miles and saddle time.

There are some good stories about members when they started to ride in the Did you see yourself riding the distances you ride? thread on this forum.

OldTryGuy

I have my own take on things. IMO, if average speed meant nothing, there wouldn't be categories for club rides. On "A" category rides with the group I ride with, it does not mean occasional 20mph for 40 miles rather 20mph(+) average whether we do 40 miles or 60 miles or this past Sunday's Tour of Sebring 104 miler at 21.5mph average and I was no where being with a fast group. Granted that there wasn't a bunch of climbing on that ride but in a couple of weeks I have Six Gap Century with 11,200' of climbing and would love to average 16mph being a 67yo Florida Flatlander rider.

When I started riding some 40 years ago I hoped for distance and that quickly morphed to increased distances with increasing averages. Riding with stronger riders quickly improved my abilities and the ENJOYMENT of the rides because I went further and faster.

My current goal is a 17.5mph average for 23 hours out of 24 hours for the RAAM Qualifier at Bike Sebring 12/24 Hour next February.

Leebo

Just average. Some of my bikes don't even have computer. Not a roadie per se. More touring, commuting and bikepacking and mt biking. But usually keep track of distance. And if I ever break my max speed of 46 mph.

brianmcg123

Time and effort are the only thing your body understands.

I like to go out for at least an hour mon-fri as that's all I really have time for. Sat and Sun I like to go out for 2 hours.

Some days I ride easy, other days I look for lots of hills.

I break it up so I can recover from the harder sessions.

Average speed is irrelevant.

rumrunn6

for me the target is often a destination with hopes of time or miles. I look at the avrg speed on my computer at the 1/2 way mark & at the end of the ride for reference only

had a ride w Wifey yesterday & forgot the computer. we had a lovely time. figured the miles when I got home using Google Maps

everyone's motivation is different, so get back out there!

WNCGoater

When I started riding, it was mostly about completing a loop. Then climbing the mountain back up to home. Then climbing the mountain without stopping to rest. Then making a bigger loop & adding miles. Then it became time spent on a ride and distance, just enjoying riding. The rides got longer as my endurance grew. In the midst of it all, I noticed my speed averages about 15 mph. If I'm down near the coast on flat land, a little faster. For me I like the distance and endurance. Some days I go 40 miles at 16 mph. Some days the same 40 miles at 14.

I've quit focusing so much on speed, figuring as I get older I will likely get slower, but I still want to be able to ride 40 miles without killing myself and if that is one or two MPH slower than last year I'm okay with that. For me, constantly focusing on increasing speed will likely result in reduced mileage albeit at a faster pace. Then if I don't hit my "goal speed", I will be disappointed.

To me, riding 20 miles fast isn't as much fun as riding 40 miles at a comfortable pace with some fast and some slower riding mixed together. But I live in the mountains so that defines my riding, slower uphills and faster downhills. Very little flat routes.

So I guess my answer to the OP's question is for me, distance is the focus.

The Snowman

I would go more by how you feel, rather than statistics. If you can, get yourself a fitness tracker w/ a heart rate monitor and ride to a specific heart rate goal. Remember that lower heart rates of 60-70% of max range is what burns fat. 70-80% builds cardiovascular. When your riding at the same speed produces a lower heart rate, bump up the pace or distance a little, and so on, and so on . . .

Rick@OCRR

For me it's mostly climbing and miles and I let the average speed fall where it may. Of course, the more feet of climbing I do, the slower my average speed, but I'm okay with that.

A favorite local ride I do is 42 miles with 5,600 ft. of climbing. 20 years ago I could do it at 13 mph. Last Saturday I was down to 10. But last Saturday it was closed to motor traffic and we had to lift our bikes over four barricades in each direction so maybe that slowed me down a bit.

Regardless, I wouldn't worry about average speed; mostly just miles and feet of climbing.

Rick / OCRR