Average Speed?

[SONEPHETH]

I am curious and competative. What is your average speed on your commute? On my 20 mile commute from Bowie to S.W, DC, my average is 15 to 16 mph on a Trek Top Fuel 69er with road tires. I average about the same on a road bike but I can get up to 19mph on with my Trek with the Bionx electric motor helping.

Topic

[Tim Kelley]

With stop lights it’s between 10 and 12 mph…unless I’m Cat 6 racing DismalScientist.

[americancyclo]

About 17 through VA, but drops down to about 15 by the time I slog through DC traffic lights.

[consularrider]

The average moving speed on my commute over the past four years (about 1600 logged rides, two per day) has been 14 mph. This is 90% on various combinations of the Custis, Mt Vernon, 4 Mile Run, and W&OD trails. This has been done on four different bikes, two road and two hybrid.

[SONEPHETH]

Thanks for making me feel good about my average speed. DC traffic definitely slow me down.

[Brent]

I commute the Custis trail to Rosslyn, then across the Key Bridge and through DC…My average is almost always 14 something. Lots of slowdowns and stops though. I second what americancyclo said.

[DismalScientist]

15 with lights and traffic. But I’ll speed up next time if I see anyone on a mountain bike with a child seat who is wearing flip flops.

[CCrew]

16-17mph. This morning was a little higher. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/105355781

Yesterday: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/105121741

You kids need to up your game, I’m turning 55 in a couple weeks.

[acc]

I witnessed Mr. Kelley sprinting last night at a ride in Arlington. One moment he was there and the next, he was just a speck on the horizon. My guess is he rolls at 10-12 mph just coasting without applying much effort to his pedals. And because I have absolutely no pride at all I will also report that as I was breathlessly huffing and puffing my way up some horrible hill in god knows where in Arlington I could hear Mr. Kelley and Mr. Blacknell behind me calmly yakking about something or other, I think it had to do with crochet. We had to be going around 16 mph. Whatever they say in public, understand these two are accomplished cyclists and it pains me to no end to say that. [banging head against keyboard]

Happy hurtful Arlington hills,
ann

[Greenbelt]

16 miles in 65 minutes on a good day, 70 minutes if I’m dragging. So that’s an average net time of about 14 I think including stops (there aren’t too many). Seems like it’s usually around 16-18 on flat, straight trail sections, more if tailwind, less if headwind. 14 or 15 in the neighborhoods, 21-24 coming down the MBT most mornings (it’s usually wide open and little traffic), depending on the wind.

[Greenbelt]

How in the heck do you get from Bowie to SW DC? You should write a post explaining your route — others might be interested.

[eminva]

I think Mr. Kelley is setting a good example for his fellow commuters by taking a nice, leisurely pace. I’m going to claim to be doing the same, and hence, median speed from Vienna to Farragut Square area (via W&OD, Custis, Key Bridge and streets of NW DC) of 13.84 mph on the way in, and median speed of 12.89 mph on the way home (same route).*

*Based on Cyclemeter data since 7/7/11.

Liz

[OneEighth]

The only data I have on either bike is my wristwatch. It beeps every minute and I figure my speed based on cadence. I actually made a chart giving cadence:mph for each bike. Both are fixed gear (46:17 and 48:16) so it’s pretty straight forward.
Normally, I’m spinning between 85 and 95 which puts my speed between 18.5 and 22.5 depending on the bike.
I tend to ignore the effects of traffic on average speed as they are a matter of chance rather than a measure of fitness.

[SONEPHETH]

@DismalScientist 6980 wrote:

15 with lights and traffic. But I’ll speed up next time if I see anyone on a mountain bike with a child seat who is wearing flip flops.

You got me, I don’t have the child seat in the back of my bike anymore but I do have a black plastic carton on the front of my bike now and still wearing flip flops.

[DismalScientist]

SONEPHETH:

That was a reference to this fine thread: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?1003-Some-Great-Cat-6-Racing-This-Morning-7-28-Race-Recap

[DaveK]

Leisurely ride home (my HR is still high from the hill ride before I logged this) – http://connect.garmin.com/activity/104284202

12 mph average with stops through city traffic. I take it pretty easy when I’m just going from place to place. You get to see more that way and enjoy the ride.

[Author]

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