canklecat

One of my riding friends is in his early 70s (I'm 60), and we're about the same height, weight and build -- 5'11" (he may be a smidge taller) and 155-160 lbs. I met him a couple of years ago during a large group ride and it took me about two years to match his conditioning. He still has more stamina than I do. He rides almost every day, including our recent 100+F solar furnace days. I ride only 3-5 times a week.

Last weekend we did a large group ride and on a long flat segment we were pacing each other at about 25 mph -- pretty good clip for two or three miles. We slowed way down when we turned into a head wind and just chattered for awhile. A couple of years ago I wouldn't have been able to keep up with him at that speed.

I found it pretty easy to cruise along at about 12 mph for 20-50 miles on my hybrid. Getting a little faster took a lot more work, disproportionate to results. When I seemed to top out at 14 mph and couldn't get any faster I got a drop bar road bike, just for the aero advantage.

I average 15-16 mph over distance on the road bike, but even that took a lot of effort -- interval training, a fairly methodical approach that can be painful if done by high intensity (HIIT) protocols. I limit my HIIT sessions to once a week now, sometimes only once every two weeks, and of relatively short overall duration -- around 30 minutes, including warm up and cool down. I overdid HIIT sessions last summer and it set me back a few months because I wasn't getting enough rest and nutrients to recover. Those hurt because I'm redlining, pushing until I'm dizzy and on the verge of nausea. But it helps. Not so much with maximum speed but in terms of quicker recovery from hard efforts -- for example, I no longer need to stop at the tops of hills to catch my breath. I can just ease up on the pedaling effort a bit and recover while riding. For me, that's a significant improvement.

Most of my interval training sessions now are more like the fartlek training favored by some long distance runners -- less formal, no specific pattern, duration or interval between higher efforts. I use the roller coaster terrain around my familiar routes to determine my efforts. I avoid redlining -- I don't want to go so hard that I'm dizzy or risking losing control. I need to stay in control and retain energy to watch for traffic, critters darting across the roads, etc. (My favorite rural route usually involves dodging at least one deer, rabbit, skunk, possum, armadillo or other varmint.)

I'm still far from fast, even by old dude standards. In any 50+ group of experienced riders, men and women, I'm usually the caboose, dragging the rear. But I'm less slow than I was a couple of years ago. That's good enough. For now. Subject to change at a moment's ambitious whim.

Nothing wrong with bike computers or doodads to check progress. I almost always record my rides on a phone, although I don't always mount it on the handlebar. Usually it's in my pocket. Only recently I got a cheap $12 wireless bike computer for my road bike, so I don't check my phone at all until I finish a ride. The handlebar mounted bike computer is lighter, with less aero drag and handy for quickly guesstimating my workouts, if I want a methodical approach for that day. But I haven't added bike computers to my hybrids. Those are for more leisurely rides, casual group rides with friends. I don't really need to know how fast, far, etc.

Cassave

I'd start by thinking about the bike you have and how it fits you. A fairly common mistake with new riders is having the saddle adjusted too low. Saddle height should
allow your leg to nearly straighten with the ball of the foot over the pedal spindle. By nearly I mean about 10 to 15 degrees bend at the knee.
There are plenty of instructions available for getting a bike adjusted for maximum efficiency.

Maelochs

Actually, the deal with a flat-bar bike is that often, not always, it is coupled with a more upright riding position. Depending on stem length and angle, and spacers, and bar shape, you can get anywhere from sitting bolt upright to crouched down almost like riding in the drops.

The idea that a bike will make you faster is a myth. Unless you are climbing steep hills, bike weight is not That important ... once you get it rolling it rolls. Aero will slow you some---more, the faster you go.

if your wheels are straight and true and your tires are properly inflated ... a new bike won't matter much unless you are looking at something a Lot lighter and more aero. Even with a flat-bar bike with sky-0high handlebars ... for short periods you can lay flat and reach up to the bars to get under the wind.

But .... I will always advocate for buying a new bike unless you already have three or four ... in which case you probably need one more.

robertj298 

Exactly. If you focus too much on going fast you will miss the beauty that surrounds you along the way. I'm 64 years old and haven't been back riding that long. I probably average around 12 mph.
Could I exert myself to go faster and faster? Probably, but why? I'm not in a race, I like to enjoy things going on around me,

Iride01 

While speed isn't everything, it does seem to cool me effectively. It's been a relatively cool summer so far here with temps mid to low 90's instead of constantly bumping 100's as it sometimes does.


When I go out to ride, any time I'm less than around 12 - 14 mph I feel the heat. If I'm over 16 mph and sweating I am seldom bothered by the heat. So if you have high temp conditions that currently cause you to say it's too hot to ride, then maybe working on your speed training can get you faster and allow you to ride on days you'd otherwise say it's too hot.

Hondo Gravel

noglider 

You should expect what you've been getting. Sorry that sounds flippant. Maybe your question is really, how can you improve your speed?

I had the same question. I use ridewithgps on my phone to track my riding. I hit START when I start riding and STOP when I stop. I tried to increase my average speed by pedaling a little harder. The result was that I would be more tired by the end of the ride, but I didn't manage to go faster. Then I read about high intensity interval training (HIIT). A burst of a minute or less, occasionally, builds strength better than pushing yourself a little harder over a distance. Not only that, it surprisingly builds endurance. Well, I didn't expect it.

ridewithgps provides many graphs, and this is the one that changed things for me. It shows me how much time I spent at each speed. I noticed I spent more time at 13 mph than at any other speed, and I spent hardly any time above 13 mph. I pedaled to keep my speed above 13. Now that I spend more time at 14 and 15 mph, riding seems easier than before, thanks to my added strength. And I seem to be faster than 90% of the cyclists on my route.

canerods

The wealth of knowledge and experience in the replies to my original post are incredible indeed! So much to read and absorb... many thanks to each of you for your thoughtful input.

OldsCOOL

Retro Grouch 

I belong to a local club for people who are mostly in our age range and mostly pretty experienced riders. Rides are posted by speed range. We have riders in the club who ride faster, but 12 to 15 MPH is a pretty common pace.

bruce19

Lots of excellent responses here. I am also 72 and about 10 lbs over weight at 187 lbs. I rode for years but then had an 8 year layoff. I returned to cycling at age 58. My first ride back on the bike was a disaster. I ended up walking up a hill I used to ride pretty well. On group rides I was the slowest rider and off the back on every ride. But, as the miles and seasons passed, I got a little stronger and a little wiser. I joined a local club about 10 years ago and, these days, I am a solid B rider. A typical ride for me would be about 30 miles, with 1800 ft. of climbing at approx. 14.5-15.5 mph. I have a 6.4 mi. TT that I did last year at 17.7 mph. My goal for this year was 18 mph and last month I hit 18.4 mph. In that TT is a flat Strava segment of .8 mi. I'm up to 24.4 mph on it. The two most important things I've learned are these.....Be patient with yourself. Progress will come but it may take time. And, as we all tend to say, enjoy the ride. Nothing is more important than getting off the bike after a ride and thinking "I'm looking forward to riding again." As an ex-college scholarship athlete I love statistical improvement. But, that's no longer why I ride. The French have a word ...suplesse. When you can ride with suplesse, the stats won't matter.