In Strava? Not really. Because Strava includes all the stops and cofee breaks for calculating average speed, making this metric irrelevant for any sort of long rides. And another thing that makes it irrelevant - wind. Riders now are frequently using weather forecast apps to get KOMs on segments. It's nice to see I've done a fast segment, but it is impacted by so many factors (traffic, elevation, weather, road quality, riding in a group or solo, etc.) that it's kinda pointless. Train with power and HR and stop obsessing over speed.
I've just completed a Gran Fondo in the Sierra Nevada ( Spain ), it was the last 24km of 114km that dropped my average speed as it was uphill with an elevation gain of over 2000 meters. Up to that point I made sure I was holding 26kmph, sometimes due to down hill sections.
I fell into that trap…but with my garmin i ride to heart rate now… found i did too much in zones 3-4. Shocking how much less intense the ride is just 2 km per hour slower. Still i do track average speed because i am a numbers guy.
@@secretagent86 I too use my heart rate watch as speedometer :) On some of my long rides I keeps my heartrate zone 2 low to avoid getting tired early and keeping fresh for most of the ride.
Average speed is useful if you ever want to try and race at any level. I for one found that if I slowed my cadence down and barely increased my power my speed increased. Then I refined my body position and further increased my speed all while maintaining my heart rate. It’s just a data point for efficiency. if you don’t care about that and every ride is just for fun tracking heart rate power and all the rest is a waste of time too.
I became a bit obsessed with my average speed and it ruined my enjoyment with cycling. Any time I didn't complete my ride with a "good" average speed, that ride would be written off as a bad ride. During the ride, as well, I would be looking at the average speed field on my head unit and get frustrated that it was lower than it should be. I have since removed the average speed field from my head unit, and my enjoyment in cycling has magically returned!
This is so true sometimes you just go for a ride and enjoy it rather than worry about how fast you are but that said instill find myself pushing to reach a desired average mph.. lol but I'm on control
Yep - sometimes you can take the fun out of things by getting too obsessed by it ... I had a friend that become obssessed by the MPG of his car ... ended up turning every journey in to a stress ..
Well it's not like you're a pro that get paid to go fast anyway
3 месяца назад+74
Not using any electronics anymore on my bike has been one of my best decisions. Sure, sometimes it would be nice to know how much i've ridden or how fast i was going, but overall it gives back the joy of riding. I just go out and ride, sometimes slow down to enjoy the scenery, or sprint up a hill just for the sake of it with an unknown heart rate. If i wanted to train more seriously, it would be different, but now this freedom is way more valuable (and i still get fit)
I ride the same routes that I have ridden for years. I know the mileage, so I know my average speed at the end of a ride, but I really don't cars anymore. I still keep my computer on the bike, as seems like there is something missing when it isn't there.
I turned up to the start of RideLondon a few years back having left my Garmin at home by accident. It's one of the best rides I've ever had! I didn't have to worry about power, speed heart rate or anything else - I just rode on feel. The only thing I'm slightly gutted about was that I didn't realise how close I was to finishing in under 5 hrs until afterwards...
A map up front is nice in newer regions, and heads up about climbs. I'll switch the screen to that instead of stats. Too many stats up there and it is just distracting.
Cycling for speed is like going on holiday and being obsessed about how comfortable the bed is. There's so much more to holidays, and cycling. Be careful you don't forget to enjoy yourself.
You are right! My mother is very clever and tells me to cool down and enjoy the scenery. I think that if I go to fast I get a kind of tunnelsight, and dont fully enjoy the nature. Friday morning a deer was standing besides the road. I liked to watch it.
@@FRFC2020 I dont think many extremely slow riders are hanging out here. There are some extremely fast that goes faster than 40 kmh average, there are some reasonably fit averaging 30 kmh, and some normal, averaging 15-25 kmh, and maybe a few very slow ones, averaging below 10 kmh.
The bad thing about average speed is "security". Wanting to improve it increase your chance of taking risks at junctions and/or going too fast on busy area. Not sure many of your viewer starts their Strava only on the part of their ride that is safe to go faster. Don't be TOO obsessed with speed folks.
At my age (78), I find average speeds are the best way to keep track of fitness, especially as I have some rides I do regularly. My almost daily 16.8 Km workout takes in a mixture of sealed and dirt roads and is quite hilly. Done on a mountain bike (my roadies would not like the rough stuff), 20KPH is my ideal average and can be achieved under the right conditions, but very early mornings, on an empty stomach, in cold dense air and wearing a not very aero jacket knocks it down to around 18KPH. Road bike rides I try to keep about 25KPH, over about 40Km, and again dependent on conditions. The other thing I discovered quite a few years ago is that working this way on shortish training rides serves well when tackling longer event rides of 100Km or more. You don't need to train over long distances if you do continuous solid work on shorter ones. Just my observations over the past 15 or so years.
I trail you by 10 years and have a similar ride I use virtually all the time but the out and back are longer or shorter depending on how long I want to ride. I think that average time can become an obsession but it also can be a big help and for me often a warning. If my average on the out leg is lower than normal but feels harder it is time to ease off because my legs are tired. Same goes with heart beat that can tell you when you are not going easy often enough. Also it gives some encouragement when you are going easy and your average is up. But in all you have to consider things that help and hinder your average. I ride mostly on a greenway where you can have family groups or animals or dogs that require you to slow down. Also the bridges are wood and if they are wet well you have to go with great care. Wind can help or hinder as we all know also traffic. I guess I do focus on it a good deal but at my age I do not live or die by it. Some are faster some are slower it just is. So many things can affect you now that I am older, heat or cold or not sleeping well or time of day and just some days you just feel tired. But over all I think you can see a trend or a range that lets you know if you are not doing enough or doing too much. A low average cannot make or break your day.
I’ve stopped watching my average speed while on a ride because it’s not good for my mentality while on a ride especially if you’re ending with a headwind. But I do track my average speed after every ride and I’m happy to say that from last June to this June my average speed on flat for 1 hour has gone up by almost 5 mph from 15.5- ~20mph now this is also with a lot of bike upgrades and I’m sure the rate of increase will start to go down now that I’m on the bike that I’m going to be riding probably for the next 10+ years but it is fun to see improvements. It’s also nice to watch this video and think that all of the things Connor recommended are things that I was already doing! Thanks for the great content y’all!
I recently retired and hope to ride as much as possible which is a great deal more than when I worked way too many hours and biking was a few days a week at most. But I do not imagine my average will go up that much. I would hope as my fitness improves maybe a mile or two would be great. I think losing some of the weight accumulated during my time working will help as well. But I really wanted to comment that your increase in speed is very impressive.
Why does everything have to be about speed? Who gives a shit if you are not a club racer etc?. As an older rider i just love riding my bikes with friends and the wife or just alone. I love looking at the scenery finding things you would never see speeding along at top speed or in the car. I feel GCN sometimes forgets how many people in the cycling community are of retirement age or at least over 50 far more people are older rarther than unfortunately younger and that is something to be concerned about!!
I'm an an older rider and I'm paranoid about getting injured by doing too much for current fitness level - unfortunately this has happened a few times. Having some idea of average speed on different bikes and terrain means I can carefully increase the duration of my rides by no more than 10% each week. So for me it's not about going faster, it's about not going too far.
Average speed doesn’t mean ‘going fast’ though. As Connor explains, knowing your average speed also allows you to know how long it will take to complete a route, or get home - which says nothing about whether that’s at 10mph or 20mph.
@@rob-c. It also helps you understand how you can lose time in events and how to avoid it. It tells close to nothing about effort level though. The tiniest of head wind at 3m/s will drop you from 30kmh to about 25kmh, or maybe to 26-27kmh if you have a very aggressive position. 6m/s wind is something that will slow you down on in even most cross winds or about 8-10kmh if straight head wind.
Maybe for the newbies. I was like that before, thinking how fast I was when I was just sucking wheels. Then I started going solo and realized how weak I was. Now, training with power & heart rate is the way to improve.
I don't worry about average speed. I ride a couple of routes where I have to cross major roads in the city. Waiting for traffic to clear or the light to turn green, can be a few minutes during the daytime. If I wanted to, I could pause my cycling computer and restart it when I start going again, but that is just not necessary. I do ride a couple of routes with minimal stops, but they can be very busy during regular hours, so I only ride them during certain days and times. I'm 66 and ride about 15-18 mph, which is about 24 to 29 kph, on a 25 mile ride. The average speed can get knocked down quite a bit, when having to stop at all the intersections.
@@stickymiky123 I have an older unit that won't do that. It does almost everything that the newer units do, except that it only does cadence or heart rate, not both at the same time. No power meter either, which I don't need.
Personally, I don’t look at my metrics and focus on breathing and fueling. If I drank enough, ate enough, and breath only trough my nose, I treat it as my optimal cruising speed for flats. Don’t go too hard on climbs, don’t let go on downhills. Come home, finish a workout on Strava, and spend a gratification moment thinking “I’m not so big of a slouch” 😂
Average speed matters to me for practical reasons because I like doing long rides (100 km and mi and the occasional 200K). My range of average speeds for my typical routes results in over a one-hour difference in finishing times. In other words, when I'm fit and performing well, I can finish a route over an hour faster than when I have mediocre fitness/performance. This matters because I might have responsibilities and/or social plans after a long weekend ride, or for formal organized events, I'd want to finish when most other riders (and the food!) are still there. The extra time out on the road can also mean more time in the heat and exposure to the sun, more time away from a proper meal, and more time away from family and friends. Available daylight for late-finishing rides is also an important consideration. Sure, 15-60 minutes more or less shouldn't always matter-and of course, if I've made the decision to do a longer ride, one of my reasons is likely to maximize my time outdoors to enjoy the scenery-but realistically for the initial reasons I stated above, average speed can matter. At the very least, even if I'm going "slow" on a long ride, I want the option (i.e., the fitness and ability) to go faster if I desired. (I shared this exact response under the community post and am sharing here again, for the algorithm! 😀)
That's really interesting point! We've heard similar opinions from ultra distance riders 🙌 They are always amazed at the time those further down the leader-board can endure for. Often spending more time on the road can lead to lots of other issues. Do you find if you are unfit, you are cut your ride distances to get back at the same time?
@@gcn Good question, and my answer is sometimes yes! Most notably, this can affect what formal events I do and which routes I do. Perfect example: I have the choice between two different century events on June 1, and I also have a social event I will be attending that afternoon. One arguably has better scenery but also has about 300 m (915 ft) more elevation gain than the other over climbs that are more sustained. Knowing my average speed in general plus my average speed at the moment over climbs lasting more than a few minutes, my smart choice to allow me to attend my afternoon event at a reasonable time would be the flatter (or let's say "more aero-friendly" 😀) route. Also, the hills are much smaller on that route, and I am a puncheur, so I can play more to my strengths. By the way, I mention "aero" for a reason. I have an aero bike frame and the option to ride an aero wheelset, which I prefer. I want to give myself every opportunity to reach sustained higher speeds for as long as possible to take advantage of my aero setup, save watts, hopefully gain some bonus speed, and not be a hangry zombie at my social gathering after the ride. 😄
GCN, you've surprised (disappointed?) me! Avg speed of all the metrics available out there carries the most variables and IMO is the biggest problem/obsession that Strava has brought to cycling.. Wind, uphill, downhill, rolling, group, solo, all affect your speed. Head out and avg 40kph on your local group ride ..now try it yourself :)....HR/PWR even KJ are far more accurate to let you know where your fitness level is....most importantly, Enjoy the ride :)
Average speed is useful if you ever want to try and race at any level. I for one found that if I slowed my cadence down and barely increased my power my speed increased. Then I refined my body position and further increased my speed all while maintaining my heart rate. It’s just a data point for efficiency. if you don’t care about that and every ride is just for fun tracking heart rate power and all the rest is a waste of time too.
And Fun >> Power. If I have a good ride, feel good with my body, enjoy the countryside or the mountains, come back home happy and relaxed, who gives a dam' about speed, power etc?
Speed can be a tricky one! Especially when you're looking at doing different routes! Power is a great metric but not everyone has access to these numbers
@@gcn Everyone should aim to get a powermeter if they want to become a better cyclist. If they're not serious about cycling and training then I doubt they are are watching these videos.
When cycling around my familiar loops I find I am much happier ignoring this and just focusing on perceived effort and keeping in Z2 (conversation pace, not obsessing about HR either). One trap is working too hard at the end to come in at say 27.0 rather than 26.9, a second risk is being a bit too casual about traffic especially at junctions, a third is feeling obliged to start quick rather than gradually warm up the muscles. I’ll keep an eye on it once or twice a week on harder efforts.
Totally agree! I’ve found myself doing really dumb things with regard to traffic because I was stupidly focused on completing my ride with a “good” average speed. A few years ago I removed the average speed from my bike computer views and chose to ignore it completely - a decision that has increased my ride enjoyment immensely.
It's cool to hear that you want to keep your rides chilled 🙌 Zone 2 is the way to go! Did you see what zone 2 did for Manon? 👉ruclips.net/video/W2n0VeBnlpM/видео.html
It's road to madness though. I tend to average a modest 13-17mph depending upon terrain. However, if I ride exact same route as I'd previously done but it was say 0.5mph average slower than previously I get disappointed. Unless you are young and very fit it's a law of diminishing returns.
I do the same route as regular training & alternate the “push”, so one ride I take it easy zone 2 ish & enjoy, then try to improve every other ride. I’ve seen a gradual improvement in my times that way without making every ride a gruelling grind!
Average speed might be useful for long steady rides with no stops, but if you live in metropolitan area, even if you stay on road with cars, your average speed sucks because of traffic lights, accelerations and freewheeling to the red light, stops, mergers, curb-side parked cars etc. I comfortably sit at 30km/h, but because of all the above, average speed is still around 20km/h. Same for cadence - it doesn't matter that you keep your cadence around 80-90 when pedaling, because of the stops etc. the average goes to 70. So for me I focus more on what's happening during the ride, and not the post-ride metrics.
For those of us without power meters it is pretty much the only metric to use. I don't watch mine a lot but I like to make sure it stays over 30km/h for a full week of training (300km, mix of commuting, training, and group rides).
I am on a plateau right now, and paying attention to my avg speed really took away some of the riding enjoyment - it keeps reminding me that I am no longer improving. I am much happier since I stopped caring about average speeds. These days, whenever I feel the need to keep track of any stats while riding, it's heart rate. But only because it helps me pace myself during long rides.
There is not much in the way of videos except for keeping your heart rate below AT for easy workouts. I agree with it and learned the hard way many years ago when feel the burn was the rage and no internet to learn you are crazy to train that way. So lots of injuries from training too hard. But I also think that your heart rate can tell you so much more. Like when you are going easy and your heart rate is going higher than normal well time to ease of as you are just breaking down your legs by doing to much hard work. I also can see how long it takes to recover from a hard effort. The better my condition the quicker it drops. I always use my heart rate in any workout be it on the bike, running or on a treadmill or any other gym device. I think knowing what your heart is doing is for me one of the most important thing to monitor.
Since getting back on after injury and illness, I seem to still be stuck between 3 and 4 MPH behind my previous average speed. I hate it casue I used to be so much faster and could maintain the higher speeds for a lot longer
I agree you need to know , but also helps figure different zone riding as well as no one can keep going at max pace for a long ride so if you truly want to do longer rides understanding your capabilities are key in this .
I'm 66 and go riding 2 - 3 times a week. I have set myself a target average speed of 15 mph to help me say fit and healthy for as long as possible. I know that on routes with more climbing than usual my average speed will be lower and vice versa on routes with less climbing than usual. My average speed isn't so affected by wind speed so much since by finishing where you start from means you'll have head and tail winds in equal measure, provided the wind doesn't change direction during the ride ! You do however have to bear in mind the effects of wind direction and hills when comparing your average speed on the outward and return legs of your ride. A fast tailwind assisted outward leg usually means a slow slog on the return leg. I also found it interesting to see how my annual average speed over each of the last few years has remained pretty static which I'm pretty chuffed with, given my advancing years.
Sounds like you're smashing it! You've certainly got the right idea - route choice will always make a huge difference to your average speed. The most important thing it you're staying active and enjoying yourself 🙌
I'm right with you brother. At 65, I'm averaging 15 as well but I do understand that too much focus on average speed can be bad. One fun thing was that I switched to TPU tubes recently and increased my average speed almost .5 MPH. I could feel the lower rolling resistance a little but didn't' think it would show up in my stats that much. I switch off between monitoring my heart rate, cadence and average speed, and yes, the wind can be a big factor. Not just a head or tail wind but a cross wind as well. If it's too windy and I know that my speed will suffer on a ride, I'll just focus on something else.
Great points Conor! Couldn't agree more! Particularly around group ride expectations. One thing I particularly appreciated about our Northumberland Hills Cycling Club (Ontario) was clearly defined parameters to which we ride leaders were held for each level. This prevented disaster of someone biting off more tan they could chew. Also articulated was which rides had sweeps. Keeping the leaders from getting carried away was the biggest problem but buying them speedometer if they didn't have head units made all the difference. Perceived effort is so individual and the average speed on the unit keeps everyone honest, builds inclusion and prevents disappointment! Love this content!
I really like doing exploring rides, just traveling down various side roads with no real plan as to where I go beyond a general direction. Built a bike specifically for doing so (wider, semi-slick tires). I've gotten really good at estimating distances, by doing so.
I regularly consider average speed. Helps me to see how/if I am improving in my fitness. Allows me to challenge myself then too. Particularly helpful as I mainly ride on my own. Thanks for the video.
I live in a town where average speed clearly matters to many, i see them cherry picking routes and it's more than a coincidence the group who all know each other always average 19mph and won't be seen dead averaging 15mph (which is perfectly acceptable if it's lumpy)
I use my average speed on my commute to gauge the condition of my bike and me. If it is off by more than the normal deviation, I have a lok at my bike, and think about how well rested I am, what my recent training load has been. If all those are ok, then I know it is something to do with me. It has been a great predictor to hen I am about to come down with the flu, a cold, or 1-day bug.
I am aware of my average speed on every ride… but I’m in control enough to be able to ride hard one day, but then put in a spinning ride at a slower pace to let my legs rest. It’s not hard.
Knowing one’s average speed helps in route planning and gauging fitness, providing the latter is linked to heart rate. Caring about average speed is another matter that depends on what one chooses to get out of a ride. Im a fitness rider, so my goal is to have my average speed and moving average be within 0.1 kmh of each other (which means that I don’t stop except for things like lights and stop signs). The clock, speedo and HR monitor are my fitness task masters. I do enjoy the sense of accomplishment from a hard ride.
I'm off to Pollensa on Friday and plan to bike for 6 of the 7 days I'm there. Zone 2 it will be and that includes Formentor and Sa Calobra (or however low I can keep it in 34/34 lol)... Planning to turn the Garmin into power save screen so I actually pay more attention to the road (right hand side dangers), signs and the scenery.... Been practicing up Cairngorm a few times a week just focussing on breathing, starting slow and finding the right pace- yes- using the old perceived rate of exertion or whatever it was called back in the day....And I'm even sitting here with my SPD's and Shimano XC100 shoes off the indoor bike and wondering whether just to take them instead of the SL's as I can stop and walk about a bit rather than just stay on the bike.... I don't get hung up about average speed though, no two days are the same even on regular rides I do...(though curiously I've noticed I'm fastest on days with no wind!)
Lately I switched from monitoring speed to monitoring the cadence and I’m enjoying my rides again. I know what is my endurance but not too endurance cadence and I always play with myself a game of keeping it even at the cost of speed.
I commute to work 17-18km one way multiple days a week so having an idea of my average speed is pretty important because it helps me know how long it will take to get there pretty accurately.... if I know it's a headwind the whole way i know my average speed is gonna be much lower meaning I'd have to leave earlier than usual and vice versa if i have a strong tailwind
These are all fair points. I use average speed for one thing and one thing only, and that's to track my fitness. I use the polarized training method, which means I do most of my rides at endurance pace/heart rate. As my fitness improves, I'm able to ride faster while still maintaining that heart rate, and it also doesn't start to rise as quickly, known as cardiac drift. Cardiac drift is a great way to tell where your fitness is going, just as well as average speed.
I’m loving the comments to this as they mirror mine.im an older rider not built for speed!!for years I recorded my rides and just chased faster times,then I read an article on naked running (no
Knowing when average speed is a relevant metric is important! I ignore it on commutes and I don't compare rides between a hilly and flat routes. I only really use it for judging my pacing of a Time Trial, but I try to ride on feel as well in case I over or underestimate my ability.
Useful to a point. I rode out with my mtb with a roadie friend. The avg speed was way higher than my usual, and it was more about us keeping to a good average than a particular speed.
As has been sead by Connor, average speed greatly depends on the route you are taking, so it only stays comparable if you take the exact same route every time. Also, taking brakes changes the value even with automatic pausing activated on your computer. All said and done, if you want to compare, take the same route, and watch how long it takes you. And this is exactly what I've done with a simple wristwatch my memory and nothing else since I'm riding as probably anyone else ever did, I suppose.
I hope there's some kind of trade union within GCN : Conor seems to work impossible overtime as he's featured in several videos per day ! (great content as always, that said !)
Been doing this a long time, all across the US., and only people I've encountered, who ever talk about their average speed during rides are tourists or recreational riders. Racers might talk about average speed of a race, but never heard them talk about average speed of a training ride.
For the people saying to compare power instead of speed: We all have a mate that has a crappily-calibrated power meter that inflates their power - if you don't it might just be you. If your GPS screws up and overestimates your speed it will be obvious on the strava map but if your power meter overestimates your actual power you'll just pretend it's correct.
If anything, I am learning to care less and less about average speed and just enjoy my rides! Is it a nice number? Sure. Does it tell the full story? Not quite.
From the beginning 31 years ago, the average speed was (and still is) the key for me. Especially in the first years, only fast rides were fun rides. Today, I focus more on split times, which I have in mind. By doing so, I can estimate whether my ride is going to be a base, tempo, threshold or VOmax ride; in case of zone 4 or zone 5, I return earlier home to avoid overcooking (which I did rather often in my earlier years - the reason for my nickname), and in case it is going to be a base or tempo-ride, I can add some extra kilometers.
I just ride and use my garmin to make sure I'm not pushing too hard out of zone 2 on longer rides, my natural tendency is to stay near the top of zone 3 perceived effort wise. Speed/time/etc are all just numbers I look at after the ride, nice to see them improve, but not what I focus on.
Avg speed is how I measure my gains as a cyclist. I live adjacent to a 35 mile long paved bike trail in Sacramento, CA, no cars. I ride this trail almost exclusively My ride is a Fuji endurance bike. I'm 67. When I started riding regularly 2-1/2 year ago, my average speed was about 9.5 mph. Now it's about 15-16. Also, if I ride longer than about 25 miles, my average speed drops. Fatigue sets in after about 20 miles and I'm dogging it the final 5 miles to get home.
i ride solo, so my ave speed is relevant to my training towards my race type ; duathlon non-draft legal. for those ppl who do group rides, its dependent to what kind of race if they do some. the downside of groupride might be giving decieving capability one think he/she can cover the same distance at same pace or overestimate tad-down solo speed.
Knock me down with a feather. Based on your estimate, I'm actually average. With a nerve injury and a few paralysed muscles in one leg I base effort on my cadence rather than speed. Sustained cadence over 75 leads to nerve pain, so I simply use my computer to help me select the gear that lets me maintain that cadence. Happy to find out in this video that my overall speed, at the end of rides, is in your average range or a bit better - I simply don't monitor speed during my rides. Thanks for the interesting video.
Yep - have a set route that I tend to ride once every 3-4 weeks - 60km/2 hours give or take - don't ride it test my average speed, etc ... but its a good gauge for me, and has been steadily getting faster/quicker ... but don't take each ride too seriously - wind direction can make a reasonable difference ...
If you ride regularly, you will likely gain fitness, especially if you're new to the sport or have been away for a while. An inability to gain or maintain fitness could indicate a medical condition such as a metabolic disorder or a heart issue. Some people ride mainly for pleasure, but they still seek some level of fitness. Point being that regardless of your fitness goals, if you're having difficulties in reaching them it could be a sign of some underlying health issue.
Average speed can be calculated as your distance pedaled on your 🚲 divided by the time or your distance pedaled on your entire 🚲 ride divided by the time. Because I go grocery shopping and planning long trips like the 1000 kilometer roundtrip Shikoku Circuit in Japan (01-15JUN28), the latter average speed that factors in all the stop times is vital. We have two 100 kilometer rides then a 130 kilometer ride in the 11 day ride. We are training so we can get to our hotel before nightfall. Every 🍣 break, 🚽 break, ☕ break, and rest break counts against us getting to our hotel in time.
Focus on average speed is not important. It is more important to enjoy yourself. Often I don't even take a bike computer with me. That is cycling in its purest form
Personally, I go by average heart rate. I have varying goals when I ride, whether that be long zone 2 rides, or shorter Z3-4 rides, or rides where I do intervals, etc. I honestly don't really pay much attention to speed, it kinda just is what it is. I do like to see that number go up over time while maintaining the same heart rate as previous rides though!
The good thing about average speed is that it keeps you focused to keep pedaling, and for sure it makes zone2 and efficiency ("aero") rides more effective. The bad thing, and this one by a mile, is that it can make you take risks just to keep the number where it needs to be. Also, in some busier parts of the world fellow road users won't be expecting you to go over 25 kph. So I'm on the fence about this one, but the game of becoming more aero and practicing the tuck is a big one for me (also in terms of cycling enjoyment) so I hope that people are responsible and find a middle ground.
I ride gravel roads in Kansas, on a gravel bike, XC bike and a fat bike. I have several different loops/routes, that range from 8 miles to 30 miles and I use average MPH to compete with myself. I keep all my PR's for each different bike, on each route, on my phone and compare after each ride. There's tons of variables at play. Especially, considering the wind in Kansas, being what it is, but it's still nice to be able to have a goal to strive for and a marker to beat.
I don't really care about average speeds on my rides. I just do a distance, say 50km/day, and adjust my intensity from there. Typically doing 27kmh average on all my rides now.
Strava also has pure uphill rides. I have many rides with video training on the Passo - Pordoi, Mortirolo or Mount Ventoux. If you drive the mountains on the road, you also have to go down again, which makes the average speed much higher.
What made the greatest difference in my average speed for me is the weather. Once temperatures get colder I drop up to 5kph average, but overall it seems impossible to improve. Weirdly being on a racey 2x11 gravel bike made me a lot slower compared to my MTB for some reason. No clue why.
I don’t need an average speed to tell me what my W/KG cannot already do. That said, my outdoor rides are ridden at Z2 pace, because what’s the point of a fully tricked out bike if you aren’t going slow enough for people to see?
Traffic lights and busy high streets over the last few km always bust our average, so average speed is not our key performance metric but do find it's a fair time estimate for getting to a meet point, doing a ride and when doing events. Even spot on for keeping hydration and fuelling on-track over the duration of the ride 😁
average speed is good for all the reasons you mention about being able to predict roughly how long rides will take or how long youll take to finish, and riding the same loop alot of the time flattens out most of the variability of wind, traffic,bike setup, clothing etc. So its a useful yardstick. Where its bad is obsessing about it, or thinking it was important to increase to catch up others, as reading lots of comments here Im woefully slow in comparison to alot of riders,Im happy to average 20kph though I still somehow overtake a fair few riders on the road, so maybe not everyones as honest to themselves about their own numbers.
I track average speed to track fitness gains but it’s really just a rough estimate. If you ride in an area with a lot of traffic lights getting a good average speed is dependent on how many green lights you can get. In these instances I give more credence to what I’ve done on Strava segments. If I get a lot of PR’s without even trying on some, I know my fitness is on the rise. I look closer at average speed when I’m on bike paths for extended periods of time with no cross traffic to have to stop for. One such path is the Santa Ana river trail in Southern California. It’s a good test of fitness because it’s like riding a time trial for over twenty miles. Average speed needs to be looked at in the context of the ride as to how much traffic interference you may encounter on the route!
One of the dubious benefits of age 🤨 (and six decades of cycling) is that averages settle. I plan all my multi-day bike tours with a 20 kph expectation- which I often exceed. At the end of each day, I give myself a pat on the back and feel gratified to have met my modest goal.
Thanks Conor and crew...I use it to know how slow I am in comparison to others , and to know my limitations for , group rides , etc....yessir ...I am a Sloth , and proud !
I am interested in my average speed to a degree. At 73 I have enough experience to know how the various contingencys that occurre can affect it. However I am insanely competitive especially with myself. I just don't obsess about it. I could never ride without my computer though as I need to monitor my arythmia.
A little bit of knowledge is valid is fair is good and is enough... To get a bit of understanding that part of the fun is improving with the time. And time ... Leads to average speed gains.
I don't particularly focus on avg speed, because of varied road condition. instead, I try to keep the current speed at least 30kph as long as the route allows to feel that I'm exercising. not a leisure ride.
Yes, I care about average speed (and power output) when out on training rides. However, I don't care about those things during my work commutes. It's interesting to say this because I've never actually thought about it. It's purely a subconscious thing.
I have 3 regular routes varying in distance from 28 miles to 40 to 75 miles. Vastly different average speeds as some routes im baulked by crossing roads, super steep hills neccitating hard braking and loss of benefit of having climbed in the first place. Notwithstanding that i base my own fitness on trends over the same route over time
I've generally used average speed (rightly or wrongly) to gauge my fitness. I have a few routes that I do weekly, where my average is around ~20mph. Often on club rides, I'll go with "the fast group" where 22mph average is possible because i like to challenge myself a bit. I used to get a little obsessed with average speed initially but quickly realised that so many factors can affect it like traffic, weather, tiredness (I don't get anywhere near enough sleep) etc.. Now, I just like to ride, especially in groups, and try not to focus too much on the average speed.
I like looking at my stats after rides but since I use a MTB to get around speed isn't really my focus. I'd rather look at improving my distances and exploring the world around me in ways I wouldn't do just walking.
Average power is a better indicator of improvement as speed is influenced by too many variables. I’m doing Central Park laps with a club and can only gauge my effort by looking at power. Lap time or speed is the group effort. By the way @GCN, whenever you’re in NYC, you gotta ride with NYCC and make a video about the crazy fast morning laps. So much fun.
What is the purpose of training with a power meter if it does not help you get faster with less effort? If you're pushing crazy Watt number but don't go fast it just frustrating, or shows you're doing something wrong.
For me, average speed is very important. I ride a number of routes regularly so I know what I should be able to achieve. If I know I can achieve 19mph average on a route and come home with a 17mph average I won't be very happy. But I'm an old fool and I shouldn't be bothering about speed to be honest.
I used to have the speed displayed on my head unit and ride to attain a given average. I then rearranged the display to show heart rate / cadence and power and now go by heart rate zone (and power if doing intervals). The only time I know my speed these days is at the end of the ride and since I stopped focusing on speed as the metric it has gone up on average 10-15% on like for like rides.
Just have fun, enjoy the ride and scenery, and being in the zone, I have a cycle cumputer but its for distance, not bothered about average speed really
I don't often not like a video, but I totally disagree. It's probably least important if you are looking at metrics as it's impacted by so many factors that you can't always control (traffic, weather) but also type of bike, route, clothing etc! Also, as people have said, it kills the enjoyment. Once I stopped focusing on my speed I started enjoying riding way more, I started enjoying things way more, and I think I am actually more efficient not constantly checking my speed.
For me; I always aim for > 17mph for a ride, race pace should be around 18-19mph. Generally if I feel sluggish I’d be below 17 and if I’m feeling rapid I’d be well above
we should care more on average, constant power output rather than average speed. sudden spikes in power such as climbing on low gear, sprinting, sudden acceleration, pauses when spining the crank and then trying to gain lost speed have much bigger effect on overall performance while speed is really a result of all other combined factors. power output will always tell the truth
Yes, but in the end training by power is supposed to make you faster. If in the end you don't end up with better results in races (i.e. there were much more riders slower than you than there were riders faster than you) or finish your local route in shorter time (i.e. with a faster average speed), then power-oriented training was worthless. So increased average speed is how you measure your success.
The only time I use average speed is on a particular loop where I know traffic isn't going to be an issue and I only use that loop when I want to concern with average speed. Most of the time I'm using hr and power trying to stick to zones.
I was obsessed with the 30kph limit, but it is simply out of my reach. Im simply too light and dont have the absolute wattage to pull it off. The good thing is that i go uphill quite easy. Long live watts per kilo!
Not only is measuring in metric is more precise (imperial has not unit smaller than inches and ounces), and it gives you bigger numbers. 20 mph sounds slow, but 32.2 kph sounds fast.
Do you care about your average speed? Or not? Let us know in the comments 👇
In Strava? Not really. Because Strava includes all the stops and cofee breaks for calculating average speed, making this metric irrelevant for any sort of long rides.
And another thing that makes it irrelevant - wind. Riders now are frequently using weather forecast apps to get KOMs on segments. It's nice to see I've done a fast segment, but it is impacted by so many factors (traffic, elevation, weather, road quality, riding in a group or solo, etc.) that it's kinda pointless.
Train with power and HR and stop obsessing over speed.
Traffic is most often the biggest factor, especially if you ride out and back into a city or town
I've just completed a Gran Fondo in the Sierra Nevada ( Spain ), it was the last 24km of 114km that dropped my average speed as it was uphill with an elevation gain of over 2000 meters. Up to that point I made sure I was holding 26kmph, sometimes due to down hill sections.
yes and no. i prefer HR and cadence,
I care about it on my stationary bike, but just enjoy the ride when I'm outside.
My speed has always been very average
Hell yeah
lol. Mine is below average
@@Helldivers2Guy agreed. I have had days where I walked my ride rather than ride her.
🤣🤣me too
😂
Once you start focussing on average speed you can never go back. Every ride turns into a race, even against yourself :)
I fell into that trap…but with my garmin i ride to heart rate now… found i did too much in zones 3-4. Shocking how much less intense the ride is just 2 km per hour slower. Still i do track average speed because i am a numbers guy.
@@secretagent86 I too use my heart rate watch as speedometer :) On some of my long rides I keeps my heartrate zone 2 low to avoid getting tired early and keeping fresh for most of the ride.
It's okay it not look now and again! You've got to keep things fun 🙌
Sounds miserable.
Average speed is useful if you ever want to try and race at any level. I for one found that if I slowed my cadence down and barely increased my power my speed increased. Then I refined my body position and further increased my speed all while maintaining my heart rate. It’s just a data point for efficiency. if you don’t care about that and every ride is just for fun tracking heart rate power and all the rest is a waste of time too.
I became a bit obsessed with my average speed and it ruined my enjoyment with cycling. Any time I didn't complete my ride with a "good" average speed, that ride would be written off as a bad ride. During the ride, as well, I would be looking at the average speed field on my head unit and get frustrated that it was lower than it should be. I have since removed the average speed field from my head unit, and my enjoyment in cycling has magically returned!
This is so true sometimes you just go for a ride and enjoy it rather than worry about how fast you are but that said instill find myself pushing to reach a desired average mph.. lol but I'm on control
Yep - sometimes you can take the fun out of things by getting too obsessed by it ... I had a friend that become obssessed by the MPG of his car ... ended up turning every journey in to a stress ..
it can be an obsession for some! Whatever makes you happy, makes us happy!
I've had the same issue. Realized that I LIKE going for bikerides too much.. doing them fast just gets them over faster.
Well it's not like you're a pro that get paid to go fast anyway
Not using any electronics anymore on my bike has been one of my best decisions. Sure, sometimes it would be nice to know how much i've ridden or how fast i was going, but overall it gives back the joy of riding. I just go out and ride, sometimes slow down to enjoy the scenery, or sprint up a hill just for the sake of it with an unknown heart rate.
If i wanted to train more seriously, it would be different, but now this freedom is way more valuable (and i still get fit)
i do the same but with a computer to know my current speed, avg, max distance, ambient temperature and the best one MAX VELOCITY! yeeeeee! XD
@@MsTatakai so... you're not doing the same :D
I ride the same routes that I have ridden for years. I know the mileage, so I know my average speed at the end of a ride, but I really don't cars anymore. I still keep my computer on the bike, as seems like there is something missing when it isn't there.
I turned up to the start of RideLondon a few years back having left my Garmin at home by accident. It's one of the best rides I've ever had! I didn't have to worry about power, speed heart rate or anything else - I just rode on feel. The only thing I'm slightly gutted about was that I didn't realise how close I was to finishing in under 5 hrs until afterwards...
A map up front is nice in newer regions, and heads up about climbs. I'll switch the screen to that instead of stats. Too many stats up there and it is just distracting.
Cycling for speed is like going on holiday and being obsessed about how comfortable the bed is. There's so much more to holidays, and cycling. Be careful you don't forget to enjoy yourself.
You're right! Enjoyment is oh so important, and going on holiday is about jumping in the pool/sea! Forget how comfortable the bed is!
You are right! My mother is very clever and tells me to cool down and enjoy the scenery. I think that if I go to fast I get a kind of tunnelsight, and dont fully enjoy the nature. Friday morning a deer was standing besides the road. I liked to watch it.
Typically said by an extremely slow rider
@@FRFC2020 I dont think many extremely slow riders are hanging out here. There are some extremely fast that goes faster than 40 kmh average, there are some reasonably fit averaging 30 kmh, and some normal, averaging 15-25 kmh, and maybe a few very slow ones, averaging below 10 kmh.
The bad thing about average speed is "security". Wanting to improve it increase your chance of taking risks at junctions and/or going too fast on busy area. Not sure many of your viewer starts their Strava only on the part of their ride that is safe to go faster. Don't be TOO obsessed with speed folks.
Agreed, applies to anyone that lives in a city
Yeah, it ends up like the movie Speed at some point
Absolutely this. However, the video mentions different reasons as well. Bottom line: Don't take average speed as a goal, but as a tool.
Next week:
“Why average speed doesn’t matter”
At my age (78), I find average speeds are the best way to keep track of fitness, especially as I have some rides I do regularly. My almost daily 16.8 Km workout takes in a mixture of sealed and dirt roads and is quite hilly. Done on a mountain bike (my roadies would not like the rough stuff), 20KPH is my ideal average and can be achieved under the right conditions, but very early mornings, on an empty stomach, in cold dense air and wearing a not very aero jacket knocks it down to around 18KPH. Road bike rides I try to keep about 25KPH, over about 40Km, and again dependent on conditions. The other thing I discovered quite a few years ago is that working this way on shortish training rides serves well when tackling longer event rides of 100Km or more. You don't need to train over long distances if you do continuous solid work on shorter ones. Just my observations over the past 15 or so years.
I trail you by 10 years and have a similar ride I use virtually all the time but the out and back are longer or shorter depending on how long I want to ride. I think that average time can become an obsession but it also can be a big help and for me often a warning. If my average on the out leg is lower than normal but feels harder it is time to ease off because my legs are tired. Same goes with heart beat that can tell you when you are not going easy often enough. Also it gives some encouragement when you are going easy and your average is up. But in all you have to consider things that help and hinder your average. I ride mostly on a greenway where you can have family groups or animals or dogs that require you to slow down. Also the bridges are wood and if they are wet well you have to go with great care. Wind can help or hinder as we all know also traffic. I guess I do focus on it a good deal but at my age I do not live or die by it. Some are faster some are slower it just is. So many things can affect you now that I am older, heat or cold or not sleeping well or time of day and just some days you just feel tired. But over all I think you can see a trend or a range that lets you know if you are not doing enough or doing too much. A low average cannot make or break your day.
Living in London it's traffic that kills my average speed.
Dog walkers for me ✌️ bud
Getting to an average speed is what Richmond Park is for.
Funny. Being a fat old fart has been the biggest issue slowing me down. Lol
@@wildsurfer12 Actually thats where i go, but it's getting there and back thats the problem.
But we bet you have a great cycling community in London?
I’ve stopped watching my average speed while on a ride because it’s not good for my mentality while on a ride especially if you’re ending with a headwind. But I do track my average speed after every ride and I’m happy to say that from last June to this June my average speed on flat for 1 hour has gone up by almost 5 mph from 15.5- ~20mph now this is also with a lot of bike upgrades and I’m sure the rate of increase will start to go down now that I’m on the bike that I’m going to be riding probably for the next 10+ years but it is fun to see improvements. It’s also nice to watch this video and think that all of the things Connor recommended are things that I was already doing! Thanks for the great content y’all!
I recently retired and hope to ride as much as possible which is a great deal more than when I worked way too many hours and biking was a few days a week at most. But I do not imagine my average will go up that much. I would hope as my fitness improves maybe a mile or two would be great. I think losing some of the weight accumulated during my time working will help as well. But I really wanted to comment that your increase in speed is very impressive.
Why does everything have to be about speed? Who gives a shit if you are not a club racer etc?. As an older rider i just love riding my bikes with friends and the wife or just alone. I love looking at the scenery finding things you would never see speeding along at top speed or in the car. I feel GCN sometimes forgets how many people in the cycling community are of retirement age or at least over 50 far more people are older rarther than unfortunately younger and that is something to be concerned about!!
I'm an an older rider and I'm paranoid about getting injured by doing too much for current fitness level - unfortunately this has happened a few times. Having some idea of average speed on different bikes and terrain means I can carefully increase the duration of my rides by no more than 10% each week. So for me it's not about going faster, it's about not going too far.
Average speed doesn’t mean ‘going fast’ though. As Connor explains, knowing your average speed also allows you to know how long it will take to complete a route, or get home - which says nothing about whether that’s at 10mph or 20mph.
It it wasn't about speed at all, road bikes would not exist.
@@einundsiebenziger5488 True, I am going to sell my roadbike, sacrificing 1 kmh average speed going on my gravelbike.
@@rob-c. It also helps you understand how you can lose time in events and how to avoid it. It tells close to nothing about effort level though. The tiniest of head wind at 3m/s will drop you from 30kmh to about 25kmh, or maybe to 26-27kmh if you have a very aggressive position. 6m/s wind is something that will slow you down on in even most cross winds or about 8-10kmh if straight head wind.
Maybe for the newbies. I was like that before, thinking how fast I was when I was just sucking wheels. Then I started going solo and realized how weak I was. Now, training with power & heart rate is the way to improve.
Hahaha those solo ride times can be pretty humbling can't they 🤣
I don't worry about average speed. I ride a couple of routes where I have to cross major roads in the city. Waiting for traffic to clear or the light to turn green, can be a few minutes during the daytime. If I wanted to, I could pause my cycling computer and restart it when I start going again, but that is just not necessary. I do ride a couple of routes with minimal stops, but they can be very busy during regular hours, so I only ride them during certain days and times. I'm 66 and ride about 15-18 mph, which is about 24 to 29 kph, on a 25 mile ride. The average speed can get knocked down quite a bit, when having to stop at all the intersections.
You know you can set your head unit to pause automatically ?
@@stickymiky123 I have an older unit that won't do that. It does almost everything that the newer units do, except that it only does cadence or heart rate, not both at the same time. No power meter either, which I don't need.
Personally, I don’t look at my metrics and focus on breathing and fueling. If I drank enough, ate enough, and breath only trough my nose, I treat it as my optimal cruising speed for flats. Don’t go too hard on climbs, don’t let go on downhills. Come home, finish a workout on Strava, and spend a gratification moment thinking “I’m not so big of a slouch” 😂
Great to hear you've found a system that works for you 🙌 It's all about enjoying the ride!
I really value these short videos covering the smaller topics. Excellent as a checklist, and I always seem to pick up something new.
We're happy that you find them useful!
Average speed matters to me for practical reasons because I like doing long rides (100 km and mi and the occasional 200K). My range of average speeds for my typical routes results in over a one-hour difference in finishing times. In other words, when I'm fit and performing well, I can finish a route over an hour faster than when I have mediocre fitness/performance.
This matters because I might have responsibilities and/or social plans after a long weekend ride, or for formal organized events, I'd want to finish when most other riders (and the food!) are still there. The extra time out on the road can also mean more time in the heat and exposure to the sun, more time away from a proper meal, and more time away from family and friends. Available daylight for late-finishing rides is also an important consideration.
Sure, 15-60 minutes more or less shouldn't always matter-and of course, if I've made the decision to do a longer ride, one of my reasons is likely to maximize my time outdoors to enjoy the scenery-but realistically for the initial reasons I stated above, average speed can matter. At the very least, even if I'm going "slow" on a long ride, I want the option (i.e., the fitness and ability) to go faster if I desired.
(I shared this exact response under the community post and am sharing here again, for the algorithm! 😀)
That's really interesting point! We've heard similar opinions from ultra distance riders 🙌 They are always amazed at the time those further down the leader-board can endure for. Often spending more time on the road can lead to lots of other issues. Do you find if you are unfit, you are cut your ride distances to get back at the same time?
@@gcn Good question, and my answer is sometimes yes! Most notably, this can affect what formal events I do and which routes I do.
Perfect example: I have the choice between two different century events on June 1, and I also have a social event I will be attending that afternoon. One arguably has better scenery but also has about 300 m (915 ft) more elevation gain than the other over climbs that are more sustained. Knowing my average speed in general plus my average speed at the moment over climbs lasting more than a few minutes, my smart choice to allow me to attend my afternoon event at a reasonable time would be the flatter (or let's say "more aero-friendly" 😀) route. Also, the hills are much smaller on that route, and I am a puncheur, so I can play more to my strengths.
By the way, I mention "aero" for a reason. I have an aero bike frame and the option to ride an aero wheelset, which I prefer. I want to give myself every opportunity to reach sustained higher speeds for as long as possible to take advantage of my aero setup, save watts, hopefully gain some bonus speed, and not be a hangry zombie at my social gathering after the ride. 😄
GCN, you've surprised (disappointed?) me! Avg speed of all the metrics available out there carries the most variables and IMO is the biggest problem/obsession that Strava has brought to cycling.. Wind, uphill, downhill, rolling, group, solo, all affect your speed. Head out and avg 40kph on your local group ride ..now try it yourself :)....HR/PWR even KJ are far more accurate to let you know where your fitness level is....most importantly, Enjoy the ride :)
don't worry, over everything we want everyone to enjoy the ride!
That’s all covered in the video and what average speed can/ should be used for.
Average speed is useful if you ever want to try and race at any level. I for one found that if I slowed my cadence down and barely increased my power my speed increased. Then I refined my body position and further increased my speed all while maintaining my heart rate. It’s just a data point for efficiency. if you don’t care about that and every ride is just for fun tracking heart rate power and all the rest is a waste of time too.
I use to care about it but once you achievement unlock 30kph average you move on. These days I look at power. Power > Average speed.
Absolutely. I've been saying that to myself but most normie cyclists don't get it.
And Fun >> Power.
If I have a good ride, feel good with my body, enjoy the countryside or the mountains, come back home happy and relaxed, who gives a dam' about speed, power etc?
Speed can be a tricky one! Especially when you're looking at doing different routes! Power is a great metric but not everyone has access to these numbers
@@gcn Everyone should aim to get a powermeter if they want to become a better cyclist. If they're not serious about cycling and training then I doubt they are are watching these videos.
If increased power does not result in becoming faster what is the point in measuring power at all?
When cycling around my familiar loops I find I am much happier ignoring this and just focusing on perceived effort and keeping in Z2 (conversation pace, not obsessing about HR either). One trap is working too hard at the end to come in at say 27.0 rather than 26.9, a second risk is being a bit too casual about traffic especially at junctions, a third is feeling obliged to start quick rather than gradually warm up the muscles. I’ll keep an eye on it once or twice a week on harder efforts.
Totally agree! I’ve found myself doing really dumb things with regard to traffic because I was stupidly focused on completing my ride with a “good” average speed. A few years ago I removed the average speed from my bike computer views and chose to ignore it completely - a decision that has increased my ride enjoyment immensely.
It's cool to hear that you want to keep your rides chilled 🙌 Zone 2 is the way to go! Did you see what zone 2 did for Manon? 👉ruclips.net/video/W2n0VeBnlpM/видео.html
It's road to madness though. I tend to average a modest 13-17mph depending upon terrain. However, if I ride exact same route as I'd previously done but it was say 0.5mph average slower than previously I get disappointed. Unless you are young and very fit it's a law of diminishing returns.
I find checking the wind speed and direction can help as well with route planning.
If it’s an out and back, always do the headwinds for the first half!
We've made this mistake a few times 🥵💨
I do the same route as regular training & alternate the “push”, so one ride I take it easy zone 2 ish & enjoy, then try to improve every other ride. I’ve seen a gradual improvement in my times that way without making every ride a gruelling grind!
Average speed might be useful for long steady rides with no stops, but if you live in metropolitan area, even if you stay on road with cars, your average speed sucks because of traffic lights, accelerations and freewheeling to the red light, stops, mergers, curb-side parked cars etc.
I comfortably sit at 30km/h, but because of all the above, average speed is still around 20km/h.
Same for cadence - it doesn't matter that you keep your cadence around 80-90 when pedaling, because of the stops etc. the average goes to 70.
So for me I focus more on what's happening during the ride, and not the post-ride metrics.
For those of us without power meters it is pretty much the only metric to use. I don't watch mine a lot but I like to make sure it stays over 30km/h for a full week of training (300km, mix of commuting, training, and group rides).
I am on a plateau right now, and paying attention to my avg speed really took away some of the riding enjoyment - it keeps reminding me that I am no longer improving.
I am much happier since I stopped caring about average speeds. These days, whenever I feel the need to keep track of any stats while riding, it's heart rate. But only because it helps me pace myself during long rides.
There is not much in the way of videos except for keeping your heart rate below AT for easy workouts. I agree with it and learned the hard way many years ago when feel the burn was the rage and no internet to learn you are crazy to train that way. So lots of injuries from training too hard. But I also think that your heart rate can tell you so much more. Like when you are going easy and your heart rate is going higher than normal well time to ease of as you are just breaking down your legs by doing to much hard work. I also can see how long it takes to recover from a hard effort. The better my condition the quicker it drops. I always use my heart rate in any workout be it on the bike, running or on a treadmill or any other gym device. I think knowing what your heart is doing is for me one of the most important thing to monitor.
Since getting back on after injury and illness, I seem to still be stuck between 3 and 4 MPH behind my previous average speed. I hate it casue I used to be so much faster and could maintain the higher speeds for a lot longer
I agree you need to know , but also helps figure different zone riding as well as no one can keep going at max pace for a long ride so if you truly want to do longer rides understanding your capabilities are key in this .
I'm 66 and go riding 2 - 3 times a week. I have set myself a target average speed of 15 mph to help me say fit and healthy for as long as possible. I know that on routes with more climbing than usual my average speed will be lower and vice versa on routes with less climbing than usual. My average speed isn't so affected by wind speed so much since by finishing where you start from means you'll have head and tail winds in equal measure, provided the wind doesn't change direction during the ride ! You do however have to bear in mind the effects of wind direction and hills when comparing your average speed on the outward and return legs of your ride. A fast tailwind assisted outward leg usually means a slow slog on the return leg. I also found it interesting to see how my annual average speed over each of the last few years has remained pretty static which I'm pretty chuffed with, given my advancing years.
Sounds like you're smashing it! You've certainly got the right idea - route choice will always make a huge difference to your average speed. The most important thing it you're staying active and enjoying yourself 🙌
I'm right with you brother. At 65, I'm averaging 15 as well but I do understand that too much focus on average speed can be bad. One fun thing was that I switched to TPU tubes recently and increased my average speed almost .5 MPH. I could feel the lower rolling resistance a little but didn't' think it would show up in my stats that much.
I switch off between monitoring my heart rate, cadence and average speed, and yes, the wind can be a big factor. Not just a head or tail wind but a cross wind as well. If it's too windy and I know that my speed will suffer on a ride, I'll just focus on something else.
Great points Conor! Couldn't agree more! Particularly around group ride expectations. One thing I particularly appreciated about our Northumberland Hills Cycling Club (Ontario) was clearly defined parameters to which we ride leaders were held for each level. This prevented disaster of someone biting off more tan they could chew. Also articulated was which rides had sweeps. Keeping the leaders from getting carried away was the biggest problem but buying them speedometer if they didn't have head units made all the difference. Perceived effort is so individual and the average speed on the unit keeps everyone honest, builds inclusion and prevents disappointment! Love this content!
I really like doing exploring rides, just traveling down various side roads with no real plan as to where I go beyond a general direction. Built a bike specifically for doing so (wider, semi-slick tires). I've gotten really good at estimating distances, by doing so.
Exploring by bike is fantastic
I used to care too much about my avg speed to the point that I was always chasing it. I removed it from my head unit and now only review it post ride.
I regularly consider average speed. Helps me to see how/if I am improving in my fitness. Allows me to challenge myself then too. Particularly helpful as I mainly ride on my own. Thanks for the video.
I live in a town where average speed clearly matters to many, i see them cherry picking routes and it's more than a coincidence the group who all know each other always average 19mph and won't be seen dead averaging 15mph (which is perfectly acceptable if it's lumpy)
I use my average speed on my commute to gauge the condition of my bike and me. If it is off by more than the normal deviation, I have a lok at my bike, and think about how well rested I am, what my recent training load has been. If all those are ok, then I know it is something to do with me. It has been a great predictor to hen I am about to come down with the flu, a cold, or 1-day bug.
I am aware of my average speed on every ride… but I’m in control enough to be able to ride hard one day, but then put in a spinning ride at a slower pace to let my legs rest. It’s not hard.
Knowing one’s average speed helps in route planning and gauging fitness, providing the latter is linked to heart rate. Caring about average speed is another matter that depends on what one chooses to get out of a ride.
Im a fitness rider, so my goal is to have my average speed and moving average be within 0.1 kmh of each other (which means that I don’t stop except for things like lights and stop signs). The clock, speedo and HR monitor are my fitness task masters. I do enjoy the sense of accomplishment from a hard ride.
I'm off to Pollensa on Friday and plan to bike for 6 of the 7 days I'm there. Zone 2 it will be and that includes Formentor and Sa Calobra (or however low I can keep it in 34/34 lol)... Planning to turn the Garmin into power save screen so I actually pay more attention to the road (right hand side dangers), signs and the scenery.... Been practicing up Cairngorm a few times a week just focussing on breathing, starting slow and finding the right pace- yes- using the old perceived rate of exertion or whatever it was called back in the day....And I'm even sitting here with my SPD's and Shimano XC100 shoes off the indoor bike and wondering whether just to take them instead of the SL's as I can stop and walk about a bit rather than just stay on the bike.... I don't get hung up about average speed though, no two days are the same even on regular rides I do...(though curiously I've noticed I'm fastest on days with no wind!)
Lately I switched from monitoring speed to monitoring the cadence and I’m enjoying my rides again. I know what is my endurance but not too endurance cadence and I always play with myself a game of keeping it even at the cost of speed.
I commute to work 17-18km one way multiple days a week so having an idea of my average speed is pretty important because it helps me know how long it will take to get there pretty accurately.... if I know it's a headwind the whole way i know my average speed is gonna be much lower meaning I'd have to leave earlier than usual and vice versa if i have a strong tailwind
These are all fair points. I use average speed for one thing and one thing only, and that's to track my fitness. I use the polarized training method, which means I do most of my rides at endurance pace/heart rate. As my fitness improves, I'm able to ride faster while still maintaining that heart rate, and it also doesn't start to rise as quickly, known as cardiac drift. Cardiac drift is a great way to tell where your fitness is going, just as well as average speed.
I’m loving the comments to this as they mirror mine.im an older rider not built for speed!!for years I recorded my rides and just chased faster times,then I read an article on naked running (no
Knowing when average speed is a relevant metric is important! I ignore it on commutes and I don't compare rides between a hilly and flat routes. I only really use it for judging my pacing of a Time Trial, but I try to ride on feel as well in case I over or underestimate my ability.
Just enjoy your ride and don't obsess about the data
🙌do what's right for you!
Obsessing about the data is what motivates me to get out on the bike I like chasing segment times and racing myself
@@gordonsmith3987 I may be bipolar on this. Stats IS a great part of my enjoyment of the sport, but riding for fun is really, REALLY a good idea too.
Not everyone rides for fun. Some of us ride to get faster.
@@inz_uzi What so you don't ride for fun? Guess you must be a pro then....🙄
Useful to a point. I rode out with my mtb with a roadie friend. The avg speed was way higher than my usual, and it was more about us keeping to a good average than a particular speed.
As has been sead by Connor, average speed greatly depends on the route you are taking, so it only stays comparable if you take the exact same route every time. Also, taking brakes changes the value even with automatic pausing activated on your computer. All said and done, if you want to compare, take the same route, and watch how long it takes you. And this is exactly what I've done with a simple wristwatch my memory and nothing else since I'm riding as probably anyone else ever did, I suppose.
I always keep track of my average speed. It tells me how I progressed.
I hope there's some kind of trade union within GCN : Conor seems to work impossible overtime as he's featured in several videos per day ! (great content as always, that said !)
Been doing this a long time, all across the US., and only people I've encountered, who ever talk about their average speed during rides are tourists or recreational riders. Racers might talk about average speed of a race, but never heard them talk about average speed of a training ride.
For the people saying to compare power instead of speed:
We all have a mate that has a crappily-calibrated power meter that inflates their power - if you don't it might just be you.
If your GPS screws up and overestimates your speed it will be obvious on the strava map but if your power meter overestimates your actual power you'll just pretend it's correct.
If anything, I am learning to care less and less about average speed and just enjoy my rides! Is it a nice number? Sure. Does it tell the full story? Not quite.
From the beginning 31 years ago, the average speed was (and still is) the key for me. Especially in the first years, only fast rides were fun rides. Today, I focus more on split times, which I have in mind. By doing so, I can estimate whether my ride is going to be a base, tempo, threshold or VOmax ride; in case of zone 4 or zone 5, I return earlier home to avoid overcooking (which I did rather often in my earlier years - the reason for my nickname), and in case it is going to be a base or tempo-ride, I can add some extra kilometers.
I just ride and use my garmin to make sure I'm not pushing too hard out of zone 2 on longer rides, my natural tendency is to stay near the top of zone 3 perceived effort wise. Speed/time/etc are all just numbers I look at after the ride, nice to see them improve, but not what I focus on.
Avg speed is how I measure my gains as a cyclist. I live adjacent to a 35 mile long paved bike trail in Sacramento, CA, no cars. I ride this trail almost exclusively My ride is a Fuji endurance bike. I'm 67. When I started riding regularly 2-1/2 year ago, my average speed was about 9.5 mph. Now it's about 15-16. Also, if I ride longer than about 25 miles, my average speed drops. Fatigue sets in after about 20 miles and I'm dogging it the final 5 miles to get home.
i ride solo, so my ave speed is relevant to my training towards my race type ; duathlon non-draft legal.
for those ppl who do group rides, its dependent to what kind of race if they do some. the downside of groupride might be giving decieving capability one think he/she can cover the same distance at same pace or overestimate tad-down solo speed.
Knock me down with a feather. Based on your estimate, I'm actually average. With a nerve injury and a few paralysed muscles in one leg I base effort on my cadence rather than speed. Sustained cadence over 75 leads to nerve pain, so I simply use my computer to help me select the gear that lets me maintain that cadence. Happy to find out in this video that my overall speed, at the end of rides, is in your average range or a bit better - I simply don't monitor speed during my rides. Thanks for the interesting video.
Yep - have a set route that I tend to ride once every 3-4 weeks - 60km/2 hours give or take - don't ride it test my average speed, etc ... but its a good gauge for me, and has been steadily getting faster/quicker ... but don't take each ride too seriously - wind direction can make a reasonable difference ...
If you ride regularly, you will likely gain fitness, especially if you're new to the sport or have been away for a while. An inability to gain or maintain fitness could indicate a medical condition such as a metabolic disorder or a heart issue. Some people ride mainly for pleasure, but they still seek some level of fitness. Point being that regardless of your fitness goals, if you're having difficulties in reaching them it could be a sign of some underlying health issue.
Average speed can be calculated as your distance pedaled on your 🚲 divided by the time or your distance pedaled on your entire 🚲 ride divided by the time. Because I go grocery shopping and planning long trips like the 1000 kilometer roundtrip Shikoku Circuit in Japan (01-15JUN28), the latter average speed that factors in all the stop times is vital. We have two 100 kilometer rides then a 130 kilometer ride in the 11 day ride. We are training so we can get to our hotel before nightfall. Every 🍣 break, 🚽 break, ☕ break, and rest break counts against us getting to our hotel in time.
My average speed is average 16 or 17 mph but of course varies depending on wind and how many hills.
Focus on average speed is not important. It is more important to enjoy yourself. Often I don't even take a bike computer with me. That is cycling in its purest form
I ride at lunch time a lot, so the time it takes to complete various loops is important and I guess you could say that is average speed.
Thanks for explaining the obvious at great length.
Personally, I go by average heart rate. I have varying goals when I ride, whether that be long zone 2 rides, or shorter Z3-4 rides, or rides where I do intervals, etc. I honestly don't really pay much attention to speed, it kinda just is what it is. I do like to see that number go up over time while maintaining the same heart rate as previous rides though!
The good thing about average speed is that it keeps you focused to keep pedaling, and for sure it makes zone2 and efficiency ("aero") rides more effective.
The bad thing, and this one by a mile, is that it can make you take risks just to keep the number where it needs to be. Also, in some busier parts of the world fellow road users won't be expecting you to go over 25 kph. So I'm on the fence about this one, but the game of becoming more aero and practicing the tuck is a big one for me (also in terms of cycling enjoyment) so I hope that people are responsible and find a middle ground.
I ride gravel roads in Kansas, on a gravel bike, XC bike and a fat bike. I have several different loops/routes, that range from 8 miles to 30 miles and I use average MPH to compete with myself. I keep all my PR's for each different bike, on each route, on my phone and compare after each ride. There's tons of variables at play. Especially, considering the wind in Kansas, being what it is, but it's still nice to be able to have a goal to strive for and a marker to beat.
I don't really care about average speeds on my rides. I just do a distance, say 50km/day, and adjust my intensity from there. Typically doing 27kmh average on all my rides now.
Strava also has pure uphill rides. I have many rides with video training on the Passo - Pordoi, Mortirolo or Mount Ventoux. If you drive the mountains on the road, you also have to go down again, which makes the average speed much higher.
Fit a magnet cycle computer. Have it on Auto start/stop and never reset it. Display Avg Spd. Take monthly jottings if you wish.
What made the greatest difference in my average speed for me is the weather. Once temperatures get colder I drop up to 5kph average, but overall it seems impossible to improve. Weirdly being on a racey 2x11 gravel bike made me a lot slower compared to my MTB for some reason. No clue why.
I don’t need an average speed to tell me what my W/KG cannot already do.
That said, my outdoor rides are ridden at Z2 pace, because what’s the point of a fully tricked out bike if you aren’t going slow enough for people to see?
Traffic lights and busy high streets over the last few km always bust our average, so average speed is not our key performance metric but do find it's a fair time estimate for getting to a meet point, doing a ride and when doing events. Even spot on for keeping hydration and fuelling on-track over the duration of the ride 😁
average speed is good for all the reasons you mention about being able to predict roughly how long rides will take or how long youll take to finish, and riding the same loop alot of the time flattens out most of the variability of wind, traffic,bike setup, clothing etc. So its a useful yardstick. Where its bad is obsessing about it, or thinking it was important to increase to catch up others, as reading lots of comments here Im woefully slow in comparison to alot of riders,Im happy to average 20kph though I still somehow overtake a fair few riders on the road, so maybe not everyones as honest to themselves about their own numbers.
It's also distance relevant. Shorter distances or fast Vs endurance rides affect this too.
I track average speed to track fitness gains but it’s really just a rough estimate. If you ride in an area with a lot of traffic lights getting a good average speed is dependent on how many green lights you can get. In these instances I give more credence to what I’ve done on Strava segments. If I get a lot of PR’s without even trying on some, I know my fitness is on the rise. I look closer at average speed when I’m on bike paths for extended periods of time with no cross traffic to have to stop for. One such path is the Santa Ana river trail in Southern California. It’s a good test of fitness because it’s like riding a time trial for over twenty miles. Average speed needs to be looked at in the context of the ride as to how much traffic interference you may encounter on the route!
One of the dubious benefits of age 🤨 (and six decades of cycling) is that averages settle. I plan all my multi-day bike tours with a 20 kph expectation- which I often exceed. At the end of each day, I give myself a pat on the back and feel gratified to have met my modest goal.
Every ride is unique.
Thanks Conor and crew...I use it to know how slow I am in comparison to others , and to know my limitations for , group rides , etc....yessir ...I am a Sloth , and proud !
`Nothing wrong with living life at party pace 🙌 We're here for it!
Your punctuation sucks!
I am interested in my average speed to a degree. At 73 I have enough experience to know how the various contingencys that occurre can affect it. However I am insanely competitive especially with myself. I just don't obsess about it. I could never ride without my computer though as I need to monitor my arythmia.
A little bit of knowledge is valid is fair is good and is enough... To get a bit of understanding that part of the fun is improving with the time. And time ... Leads to average speed gains.
I don't particularly focus on avg speed, because of varied road condition. instead, I try to keep the current speed at least 30kph as long as the route allows to feel that I'm exercising. not a leisure ride.
Yes, I care about average speed (and power output) when out on training rides.
However, I don't care about those things during my work commutes.
It's interesting to say this because I've never actually thought about it. It's purely a subconscious thing.
I have 3 regular routes varying in distance from 28 miles to 40 to 75 miles. Vastly different average speeds as some routes im baulked by crossing roads, super steep hills neccitating hard braking and loss of benefit of having climbed in the first place. Notwithstanding that i base my own fitness on trends over the same route over time
I'm training for a 100 mile ride in early August. I'm really hoping to build my speed along with my strength and lung capacity.
I've generally used average speed (rightly or wrongly) to gauge my fitness.
I have a few routes that I do weekly, where my average is around ~20mph.
Often on club rides, I'll go with "the fast group" where 22mph average is possible because i like to challenge myself a bit.
I used to get a little obsessed with average speed initially but quickly realised that so many factors can affect it like traffic, weather, tiredness (I don't get anywhere near enough sleep) etc..
Now, I just like to ride, especially in groups, and try not to focus too much on the average speed.
whatever works for you! Just enjoy riding the bike 👍
I like looking at my stats after rides but since I use a MTB to get around speed isn't really my focus. I'd rather look at improving my distances and exploring the world around me in ways I wouldn't do just walking.
Average power is a better indicator of improvement as speed is influenced by too many variables. I’m doing Central Park laps with a club and can only gauge my effort by looking at power. Lap time or speed is the group effort. By the way @GCN, whenever you’re in NYC, you gotta ride with NYCC and make a video about the crazy fast morning laps. So much fun.
What is the purpose of training with a power meter if it does not help you get faster with less effort? If you're pushing crazy Watt number but don't go fast it just frustrating, or shows you're doing something wrong.
As a mountain biker never worried about it until I started road biking and wanted to measure my progress over similar routes…..
For me, average speed is very important. I ride a number of routes regularly so I know what I should be able to achieve. If I know I can achieve 19mph average on a route and come home with a 17mph average I won't be very happy. But I'm an old fool and I shouldn't be bothering about speed to be honest.
I used to have the speed displayed on my head unit and ride to attain a given average. I then rearranged the display to show heart rate / cadence and power and now go by heart rate zone (and power if doing intervals). The only time I know my speed these days is at the end of the ride and since I stopped focusing on speed as the metric it has gone up on average 10-15% on like for like rides.
Just have fun, enjoy the ride and scenery, and being in the zone, I have a cycle cumputer but its for distance, not bothered about average speed really
It is not how fast you go, it is how little you slow down.
I don't often not like a video, but I totally disagree. It's probably least important if you are looking at metrics as it's impacted by so many factors that you can't always control (traffic, weather) but also type of bike, route, clothing etc! Also, as people have said, it kills the enjoyment. Once I stopped focusing on my speed I started enjoying riding way more, I started enjoying things way more, and I think I am actually more efficient not constantly checking my speed.
Do whatever makes your ride happy! 😊
For me; I always aim for > 17mph for a ride, race pace should be around 18-19mph. Generally if I feel sluggish I’d be below 17 and if I’m feeling rapid I’d be well above
we should care more on average, constant power output rather than average speed.
sudden spikes in power such as climbing on low gear, sprinting, sudden acceleration, pauses when spining the crank and then trying to gain lost speed have much bigger effect on overall performance while speed is really a result of all other combined factors.
power output will always tell the truth
Yes, but in the end training by power is supposed to make you faster. If in the end you don't end up with better results in races (i.e. there were much more riders slower than you than there were riders faster than you) or finish your local route in shorter time (i.e. with a faster average speed), then power-oriented training was worthless. So increased average speed is how you measure your success.
The only time I use average speed is on a particular loop where I know traffic isn't going to be an issue and I only use that loop when I want to concern with average speed. Most of the time I'm using hr and power trying to stick to zones.
I was obsessed with the 30kph limit, but it is simply out of my reach. Im simply too light and dont have the absolute wattage to pull it off. The good thing is that i go uphill quite easy. Long live watts per kilo!
You should use that same watts per kilo on the flats. You only need 3w/kg on the flats for 30kph average.
That's unfortunately not how physics works.
Am I the only person in the UK who rides in MPH?! I honestly dont get it, our road signs and cars all use MPH. Why has cycling got to be different 🤣
Not only is measuring in metric is more precise (imperial has not unit smaller than inches and ounces), and it gives you bigger numbers. 20 mph sounds slow, but 32.2 kph sounds fast.
@einundsiebenziger5488 the unit of measurement has nothing to do with the precision of the measurement, it's just better for the ego.
@@garykeen1 My bad, was indeed a little un-precise in my first statement and corrected that. Thanks for the fast reply.
@@einundsiebenziger5488 🤣🤣🤣
This Video turns my 🚲 down time in to work