[tech-77]

hey if you guys could give me some feedback im pretty new to cycling and i am more of a commuter to and from work. lately i have been pushing myself to go further and ride on my days off. Today i rode 37 miles with a total time of 2:31 min but the first 15 miles were rough with alot of headwind and i had 15 miles down in 1 hour and 25 min. on the way back i put in 20 miles in just under an hour about 59min or so. My question is that ok for a newbie and also. I love to ride and i felt great after the ride. No cramps at all. im 26 5'8 174lbs. Just seeing if this is an average time or is it embarrassing? also this is my first post so im looking forward to the responses...Thank. Happy Riding.

 

[rola643]

Welcome tech, Nothing wrong with 2.5 hrs on that ride, keep it up and your time will drop!

 

[tech-77]

cool thanks im sure i could of been a lot better ride if it wasn't so windy the first 15 miles.

 

[wild]

From my house to Tuckahoe bike shop and back is 37.5 miles for me 3.5 hrs ride time slow and old

 

[Dubgurl]

well if you look at it this way, that's an average of 14.8 mph, with stop signs, traffic, and the occasional stop for water that's pretty quick! I've been riding for about 2 months now and I usually average around the low 15's So I'd say you're off to a great start!

 

[Xela]

I'd say that's good for one of your first longer rides. Also, it sounds like you had fun, which is the more important thing, IMO. Good to have you around here.

 

[Industry_Hack]

What's your goal? If it's just to get out and enjoy the fresh air, then you don't need to worry about times. If you want to improve your fitness and performance, then you have a good base to start.

Is this a route you will regularly ride? If it is, one of the best ways to shorten that time is via intervals. After you are warmed up a bit, put in a hard effort for 30-60 seconds. Give yourself a few minutes to recover, and then do it again. As long as you allow yourself adequate warm up and cool off times, you should see an improvement in the overall time. But keep it fun.

By the way, you didn't mention what kind of bike you ride. For a mountain bike with knobbies, that's an excellent time. For a road bike or hybrid on skinnier, high pressure tires, that's still respectable. Just remember that if you want to do better, compete against yourself, and don't worry about how fast other riders go.

 

[Dubgurl]

What's your goal? If it's just to get out and enjoy the fresh air, then you don't need to worry about times. If you want to improve your fitness and performance, then you have a good base to start.

Is this a route you will regularly ride? If it is, one of the best ways to shorten that time is via intervals. After you are warmed up a bit, put in a hard effort for 30-60 seconds. Give yourself a few minutes to recover, and then do it again. As long as you allow yourself adequate warm up and cool off times, you should see an improvement in the overall time. But keep it fun.

By the way, you didn't mention what kind of bike you ride. For a mountain bike with knobbies, that's an excellent time. For a road bike or hybrid on skinnier, high pressure tires, that's still respectable. Just remember that if you want to do better, compete against yourself, and don't worry about how fast other riders go.

Insert Facebook "Like" button here.

 

[Industry_Hack]

Insert Facebook "Like" button here.

Thanks. I've been preaching the interval gospel since forever, simply because it works. There's always someone posting about how they keep increasing their distance, and not getting any faster. Increase your intensity, and you'll increase your sustained speed.

About that Like button, I found one here for you, and another here.

 

[rola643]

Thanks. I've been preaching the interval gospel since forever, simply because it works.

But they are so much work and hurt

 

[Industry_Hack]

but they are so much work and hurt

Htfu!

 

[tech-77]

I ride a 2009 Lapierre Tech-7 road bike (the one pictured) i decided to get it for myself for my 25th birthday.
I dont ride with no one since i live in a small town. I had alot of fun on my ride. plus that ride had no stop signs or or stop lights. the town i live in dont even have a stop light only stop signs. I would like to join a group but no one is near where i live. I just try and improve my personal time and when i move to a bigger city ill join a club ride. I evolved from BMX flatland in high school to MTN bikes early twenty's and now im into cycling. I love it and respect it now that i ride, i can give respect to the guys who are pro and hammer out the long rides daily. Thanks for the input everyone i plan to make this my ride 3 times a week so ill post my time again when i ride, hopefully it wont be a strong head wind because im sure i can smash my time current time. I'd like to ride with a group i read and hear that its more fun and you go way faster. i plan to move to PHX AZ beginning of the new year. cheers and thanks for the reply's guys. this is a cool site.

 

[rola643]

Htfu!

lol, I got nut'n !

 

[Industry_Hack]

lol, I got nut'n !

In all fairness, my first time on the BMX track as an adult left me dry heaving. It's like pedaling around a roller coaster, flat out for 40-50 seconds.

 

[photosbymark]

Well the main thing is you are out riding. As long as you are on the bike, the rest usually takes care of itself. Yeah it might have happened a little faster if you do one way vs another. If you goal is to race you need different skills, but as long as you are riding and having fun you will improve.