I'm curious as to what your pace is on rides you do alone.Particularly the longer rides that take a little more time.Long rides for some can be 40 miles and to others 120 miles.Whatever that mileage is that makes you extend a little to complete.What effort level do you try to keep to pace yourself through it?Do you stay within a certain HR or try to maintain a certain speed?
Pace on solo rides
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
varies widely
The best I've done solo for 200 miles is just over 20 mph, but mostly flat. I've done 130 miles at 23 mph with a tailwind. However, most of my riding is in the mountains, and there 18 mph for 60-90 miles or so is really cooking, and frequently it's more like 16 mph average. Long, slow climbs really kill the average. I'll go out at lunch and do 20-30 miles at 18-20 mph, but that's pushing pretty hard. When I did the 508, solo of course, I averaged just under 14 mph, but consider that's with 35,000 feet climbing and temps over 104 degrees, and all stops on the clock.
When I was first doing road riding, I'd be lucky to average 15 mph for 40-50 miles in hilly terrain.
I always report averages in terms of total time, not just rolling time, too.
Doug
The best I've done solo for 200 miles is just over 20 mph, but mostly flat. I've done 130 miles at 23 mph with a tailwind. However, most of my riding is in the mountains, and there 18 mph for 60-90 miles or so is really cooking, and frequently it's more like 16 mph average. Long, slow climbs really kill the average. I'll go out at lunch and do 20-30 miles at 18-20 mph, but that's pushing pretty hard. When I did the 508, solo of course, I averaged just under 14 mph, but consider that's with 35,000 feet climbing and temps over 104 degrees, and all stops on the clock.
When I was first doing road riding, I'd be lucky to average 15 mph for 40-50 miles in hilly terrain.
I always report averages in terms of total time, not just rolling time, too.
Doug
Joined
·
283 Posts
Most of my rides are rolling to hilly (midwest hilly, not mountain west hilly) and I do around 17-19 mph avg. I do one very flat ride each week and that avg is around 22-23.
Way too many variables go into this though to really make the numbers and accurate indicator of anything. Temp, wind, time of year, pavement conditions, etc.
Way too many variables go into this though to really make the numbers and accurate indicator of anything. Temp, wind, time of year, pavement conditions, etc.
Joined
·
20,800 Posts
I don't do a lot of solo rides. Most of the time I ride with one other friend, who doesn't typically do hammer fests, so when I go solo, that's usually what I do. Hard and fast but not more than 40 miles.
Joined
·
2,750 Posts
pedlfoot said:
40 mile rides usually around a 19MPH average on rolling terrain--12-14 on serious hills--centuries about 19 again unless really hilly. I usually just go by percieved exertion unless I'm racing or doing serious training and them I'll stick to HR parameters.
Joined
·
2,750 Posts
By the way...this would be a good time to put in a picture of poor Aarontoy....pedlfoot said:
Joined
·
3,866 Posts
I generally ride solo...
I do most of my riding during the week, having the fortune of being retired. It's a mixed bag for me. I can ride solo at a faster pace on some occasions. Riding with others makes me more competitive, but I can empty my tank and ride very sluggish for the next couple of days.
I ride a lot of mountain roads so I don't pay much attention to pace as sometimes I might be averaging 10MPH on the ascents. I check myself once and awhile and note my time when I hit my 10 mile marker.
I checked a couple of weeks ago and I was 5 minutes below my usual time. If I push a bigger gear when I am climbing (21 vs 23) it pushes me up the hill faster, but in the winter I have to take it easy for the first 5 miles or so or the cold will take a toll on my knees. RoadBikeRider.com had a clip a couple of weeks ago by Fred Matheny talking about how he was able to ride faster on solo rides. Riding on strange roads makes me slower also, riding on roads I am familiar with allows me to push harder. Over-all I am a distance junky, I just ride for a set distance and click on the computer and see what my average speed was when I get home.
I guess it comes down to what your goals are and why you ride. I backed off after I had a bad crash a couple of years ago and my main goal is to make it back home in one piece, that's a good ride for me...
I do most of my riding during the week, having the fortune of being retired. It's a mixed bag for me. I can ride solo at a faster pace on some occasions. Riding with others makes me more competitive, but I can empty my tank and ride very sluggish for the next couple of days.
I ride a lot of mountain roads so I don't pay much attention to pace as sometimes I might be averaging 10MPH on the ascents. I check myself once and awhile and note my time when I hit my 10 mile marker.
I checked a couple of weeks ago and I was 5 minutes below my usual time. If I push a bigger gear when I am climbing (21 vs 23) it pushes me up the hill faster, but in the winter I have to take it easy for the first 5 miles or so or the cold will take a toll on my knees. RoadBikeRider.com had a clip a couple of weeks ago by Fred Matheny talking about how he was able to ride faster on solo rides. Riding on strange roads makes me slower also, riding on roads I am familiar with allows me to push harder. Over-all I am a distance junky, I just ride for a set distance and click on the computer and see what my average speed was when I get home.
I guess it comes down to what your goals are and why you ride. I backed off after I had a bad crash a couple of years ago and my main goal is to make it back home in one piece, that's a good ride for me...
I 'm pretty much the same type of rider.I like to get in a good ride at a distance that I feel challenges me.I try to keep my pace steady and effort moderate so i can finish the ride .I too am a distance junkie.I like to see a good number on the computer when I finish and if it took me a little longer to do it that's fine with me.I guess what I was looking for was do you ride easier when you want to do a longer distance and pace yourself as to not bonk before you get back or do you like to go hard and see how fast you can go.Dinosaur said:
Joined
·
1,434 Posts
30 mph
OK, with a 20mph tailwind on a 10 mile ride. Back to reality
I live in Northern KY where I ride in and out of several river valleys over any ride of distance. On my 'normal' Sunday AM 75 miler, I'll average around 18mph. My ride time is time on the bike. I'll usually stop once at the halfway point to refill my water and a nature break
. Its' usually a 5-10 minute stop.
I have one 69 mile ride from my home to the city of Maysville, KY. On this ride, there are 6 hills over 1.5 miles long in 6-10%. Just plain mean. On this trip, I'll average 17.5mph overall - no stops. My goal this year is to hit an avg 19mph. This is my own invidual TT. This is the only ride that I carry two water bottles and sometimes a camelback.
Paul
OK, with a 20mph tailwind on a 10 mile ride. Back to reality
I live in Northern KY where I ride in and out of several river valleys over any ride of distance. On my 'normal' Sunday AM 75 miler, I'll average around 18mph. My ride time is time on the bike. I'll usually stop once at the halfway point to refill my water and a nature break
. Its' usually a 5-10 minute stop.I have one 69 mile ride from my home to the city of Maysville, KY. On this ride, there are 6 hills over 1.5 miles long in 6-10%. Just plain mean. On this trip, I'll average 17.5mph overall - no stops. My goal this year is to hit an avg 19mph. This is my own invidual TT. This is the only ride that I carry two water bottles and sometimes a camelback.
Paul
Joined
·
2,254 Posts
18 to 21 MPH when just out riding
Low of 17 if it is windy high of 21 on a calm day that is not too hot and if feel like pushing it a bit. Even when I do interval training it ends up in this range between the times I'm pushing it and the time I spend recovering. These are average times from the computer. Even when I do stop and go city riding it ends up between 19 & 20, The stop lights give me a breather so I can push it harder when riding.
Always a loop course with some to a lot of rolling hills.
When I do a pratice TT I can get up to 23 on a 24 mile course. I'm trying to reach the magic 1 hour this year in a sanctioned 40 K TT
Low of 17 if it is windy high of 21 on a calm day that is not too hot and if feel like pushing it a bit. Even when I do interval training it ends up in this range between the times I'm pushing it and the time I spend recovering. These are average times from the computer. Even when I do stop and go city riding it ends up between 19 & 20, The stop lights give me a breather so I can push it harder when riding.
Always a loop course with some to a lot of rolling hills.
When I do a pratice TT I can get up to 23 on a 24 mile course. I'm trying to reach the magic 1 hour this year in a sanctioned 40 K TT
Joined
·
197 Posts
My usual route is the lakefront path here in Chicago, very flat with a few silicone hills on North Ave. beach-hehe! I try and keep my speed at around 25-27mph on the 53 mile course. I find that with a Chicago tailwind I can get up to 35 no prob, however going into it drops me down to 17-19. It was on this path last fall, going north that I pedaled my way up to 37mph (with viscious tailwind) and was passing the cars on Lakeshore Drive-their expressions were priceless!!
Joined
·
35 Posts
Solo: My around-the-lake morning route is 17.1 miles, which I usually pop off in about 50 minutes or so. That's a tad more than 20 average, I guess. It's comfortable, but I throw in some sprint work and such, usually.
My heart rate usually hovers between 130 and 150. I push to 170 during sprints.
My heart rate usually hovers between 130 and 150. I push to 170 during sprints.
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
