Women, on the other hand, have to contend with hormonal changes, particularly as they age and enter menopause. This impacts their ability to retain muscle mass, even if they are training hard.
Women tend to have average speeds miles slower than men in their same age group, though the gap lessens with age. Your physical conditioning is the one physiological factor over which you have influence, and it has the largest impact on your average cycling speed. To maximize speed, cyclists need to train their leg muscles for both power and speed.
Pedaling in heavy gears is made easier by building new muscle and increasing overall strength. Fast-pedaling in high gears benefits from training fast-twitch muscle fibers and your nervous system response. Weight is also important, and lean cyclists with minimal body fat have an advantage over their heavier competitors. Fitness is what accounts for the average speed of a pro cyclist being roughly twice that of a beginner.
The wrong perception can cause you to cut back on your effort before you have reached your peak. You can become demoralized from the very sight of a hill ahead, and slow down preemptively. Fixating on your aching muscles can enlarge the pain and discomfort in your mind.
This effect has been proven using an interesting method: music. A cyclist who ride while listening to fast paced music ride faster for longer. The music distracts them from the discomfort they would normally feel. Likewise, focusing on energy output versus perceived effort has proven helpful to many.
For instance, when riding up a hill, it is possible to maintain the same energy output as when riding on flat ground. Seeing your numbers on a tracker provides objectivity and the motivation to continue. The longer you ride at a steady pace, the greater your average speed.
Riding skillfully arises from learning all the little tricks that only experience can teach. What is the most comfortable position on your bike? How far forward should you lean? Skillful riders automatically fall into the ideal position, elbows tucked in, body forward to reduce drag. They intuitively know how to switch their cadence to best match a situation and utilize the environment to their advantage. Everything from the road you ride on to the air you ride through can add or subtract speed from your ride.
More than that, the fundamental forces of the physical world are the ultimate arbiters of what helps and what does not. The best speeds will be obtained on flat, even paths. As the way becomes more uneven, rocky, or sandy speed decreases. So you should always take sandy or dusty roads as your last option. Likewise, riding uphill dramatically reduces your speed. The same is true for rain, snow, and ice. The temperature matters, too. Cycling in the cold usually involves wearing bulkier clothing that will increase drag.
Conversely, in hot weather, you can wear the most aerodynamic clothing. Ultimately, forces such as drag, momentum, and gravity are what really determine how all the other factors impact your motion. Inclines and declines are a perfect example. Riding uphill is slower because it involves fighting against gravity in addition to battling wind resistance. Conversely, going downhill is such a breeze because you work with gravity.
Pumping the brakes drains off your kinetic energy and kills your momentum, slowing you down. While sometimes this is unavoidable, a cyclist who breaks less has higher, more consistent overall speeds. It pays to work with the forces of the universe. Finally, there is the role of the bike itself.
Different types of bikes can attain different top speeds. Achieving that optimal performance requires that the bike be well maintained. There are many types of bicycles, though the three most common are road bikes, mountain bikes, and hybrid bikes.
As their names suggest, they are each made to meet particular demands, and their designs reflect this. Road bikes are the lightest and fastest type of bike.
They are often made of aluminum or carbon fiber to minimize frame weight, and feature drop bar style handlebars to allow the rider to change posture to suit the situation.
Road bikes are intended to be ridden on flat, uniform surfaces, the best terrain for achieving consistent speed. Cyclists on these bikes will have the highest average speeds. Mountain and hybrid bikes are not exactly slow, and they certainly outpace road bikes in off-road conditions.
However, they are made of heavier material to withstand the punishment of rough riding and have wider profiles making them subject to more drag. A bike that is cared for will outpace one that is neglected. Cyclist age is important, but often less so than the number of years experience that the cyclist has.
Over the years cyclists accumulate a greater proportion of 'slow twitch' muscle fibres in their legs. Heart and lungs will often be strong and efficient. But age counts against all of us! Older riders will usually be less strong at fast sprints or bursts up short hills, but very good at maintaining steady speed over longer distances. There are lots of year old cyclists who can hold their own in rides with 25 year olds. Cycling in a group - paceline riding - has very significant benefits.
For much of the time you will be 'drafting' the person in front ie experiencing limited wind resistance yourself. So it is very unlikely your average solo speed will be comparable with the local cycling group.
The Tour de France riders achieve 25 miles per hour over miles, but that is very much due to the large size of the peloton group of cyclists. Bearing in mind all the provisos above, you still want to know the 'average cycling speed? They often do it for the sake of massages and in case of crashes, as shaved legs heal more easily than hairy ones. Bikes and Gear. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Are Wider Tires Always Faster?
Tim de Waele Getty Images. Average Time Trial Speed. Stuart Franklin Getty Images.
0コメント