Hi!
I sold my MTB recently and bought Orbea Terra H45 1x.
Main goal is lose sime weight. I roll with 700×38 wheels. In last 75km my avg speed has been around 22-23km/h. Is that good speed for beginner or am I just slow? Are is not flat but also not insane hills.
by epieepos
34 Comments
You’re not slow, you’re doing great.
For weight loss remember that it’s going to mostly be diet, but the cycling will help. As I too cycle for weight loss (in theory), but often (consistently) ignore the diet side, I’ve found that riding before a meal helps – they I just have a big meal instead of eating all the things throughout the day.
When calculating calories burned and eating accordingly, I normally half how many calories the apps tell me I burned. You have to fuel for rides, but maintain that calorie deficit to lose weight, which is a tricky balance.
There’s a lot that depends. What’s the gravel like, is it chooonky or hard packed, is there mud or is it dry, is there a headwind, is there a cross wind, are you riding alone, are you riding in a group, etc..?
Too many factors go into judging whether you’re going “fast” or not.
Just go out and have fun! If you stay consistent you’ll get faster over time.
I only know freedom units, but I’d say if you can average 16 mph on relatively flat terrain and hardpack thats pretty good for a beginner.
Don’t get hung up on speed. So many variables. Speed will come in time. Just worry about hours in the saddle and having fun.
Beautiful bike by the way.
Hello
I am in the same journey. I am now at 120kg.
The first 1000km i was at 22-23.5km/h avg and since 1000km i am now at 25.5-27km/h (riding mostly 55 to 80km, d+ 480-780m)
As said by another comment here, the weight loss will come by the diet, proper sleep and knowing your capacity.
At 22kms you’re faster than the under 20km/h crowd, but slower than the over 25km/h crowd. You’re welcome 😁
Sounds stupid but after years you kind of get it. You end up riding at your speed, and with groups that match your speed. You’re lapping everyone who’s on the couch, yet dying when trying to keep up with the pros….neither one is realistic (unless you’re shooting for that particular group)
Instead, I would suggest you to have fun, and if speed is your goal work on your fitness and diet, and compare in a month or year if you’re doing better than today. After all, it’s a fairly individual activity
I do reach 23/24km/h on aluminium 14 kg bike. So you’re good brother, keep going!
There are so many variables and factors that affect avg speed – wind, terrain, recovery, sleep, nutrition, and on and on…
Focus on having fun and developing fundamental skill (which as a mtb rider you likely have a feel for) and the speed will come.
Two ways I have gotten faster include structured training plans and also riding with other cyclists/groups that will push your comfort zone.
Good luck, have fun, and ride on!
That’s fast enough, I been cycling for years and my avg is the same as yours.
Anything > 0 is best.
Don’t worry about speed. Worry about fun!
What others have said. And I love the look of that Orbea!
Thanks for replys! I know that speed is not everything. I was just thinking that I’m not a burden if I go with a group.
So far it have been so fun. Bike is also my main method to move around. I have a car but bike is faster in my city and I also want make an impact to my kids that car is not always the best option. So far they have picked that great since it is a fight to get them in the car.
Who cares your average speed if you are enjoying you’re self. That’s one of the reasons I got into gravel rather than road where everyone is obsessed with average speed. That’s the beauty of gravel you can ride at 12 mpoh average and still enjoy you self.
Don’t worry about speed. That is kind of slow – but good for a beginner. You’ll get faster and fitter in no time. Keep riding.
Greater than ZERO
Don’t compare yourself with anyone else as a beginner
You’re faster than all the people who don’t bike, including some who do. And that bike is gorgeous at any speed.
Bro, just go ride your bike and enjoy man. And then sprinkle in One or two day a week go ride some climbs as hard as you can for as long as you can. You’ll make a huge improvement fast.
Pretty decent and the speed will creep up with more time in the saddle. As somebody who was also cycling a lot while trying to lose weight, I finally talked to a coach who told me to consume more carbs while cycling. Once I started doing 45-60g of simple carbs per hour on the bike, it was suddenly WAY easier to eat way less while off the bike. Before that I would get impossibly hungry and overeat. Kinda funny that eating more sugar helped me eat less and lose weight.
Speed is for chumps. It is about time in the saddle. Speed doesn’t matter much if your endurance is crap.
Speed will happen if you want it. But first see if you can spin consistently over an hour then we can work on your strength.
Dang that seems fast to me, I usually average 10-15 km/h lol
As fast as the bike can go and as slow as it needs to and everywhere in between
Race yourself, not others. Track your averages across different routes and try to beat your previous numbers. Don’t compare a hilly route to a rail trail.
Also, one of the numbers can be how much fun you had.
Just keep pedaling, you’ll get faster over time! Others have commented to ride before a meal. I actually find success doing the opposite – I eat, let my meal settle, and then roll after about 30min-1hr. I drink a protein shake after the ride to stave off hunger and help me to not over-eat at the next meal.
If I’m riding less than 1.5hrs I won’t fuel as I ride (taboo!). If I’m riding 2hrs+ I begin fueling an hour in, with electrolytes starting at 45min. I went from 170lbs down to 150lbs in 3mo 🤷♂️
Damn did those shifters come that way?! To answer the question. New cyclist whose really out of shape I would say 14mph for an hour on champagne gravel would be good. You’ll get faster quickly and as you approach 20mph things get really hard.
Who cares?
Very hard to say when not dead flat. If it’s a lot of rolling punchy shots of short gains, you could end up a lot slower simply because you aren’t good at quickly downshifting to save your engine. Effort management is a lot different between road and mountain.
In general, speed cutoffs on flats for riders, where I’d say 30 is a reasonable target for anyone, 35 you are good, but not winning, 40 is competitive, 45 is wowzer amateur, 50 is a pro. Call that average for 20 minute effort.
To give you an idea deep in a race, wout did a pull at an average of 47.5kph for 6 minutes, at 1.7%.
Friend, it does not matter
You’re slow man, just quit while you can 🙄. No one is going to call a beginner slow. You’re obviously fine lol
2
I think you good, if you use your bike everyday like for go to work you will progess fast, my average when I bought my bike was arround 19-25 and max at 34 now im at 25-30 (30-34 if wind is with me) and max 50 on flat 1 years later
Make sure you find a nice pedal frequency that feels good and natural for you. Try to keep that frequency (cadence) consistent no matter the gradient. – that‘s what gears are for. Whatever speed you end up at is good and mainly you should just enjoy the new bike. That way you‘ll keep riding the kgs will topple soon.
Speed is also very dependent on what surface you ride on, what tyres, pressure and position you ride in. Make sure to keep the smile up and the drivetrain clean.
Note: have a look at your handle bars. They might be a little steep. Play around with them and find an angle that‘s most comfortable for you.
Depends on a lot of factors and in the end it is not important especially when you start.
75km is a lot and your average speed is good. There will almost always be people that are faster and ride longer and thats a good thing. Enjoy riding and if that is your goal: just try to get faster compared to the last time. Over time you can join a group at your pace if that is your thing.
it does not matter how fast you are. Just ride 🤟
It’s pointless to compare speeds if you’re not racing. IF you want to crunch numbers: It’s watts you put in the pedal x time ridden, thats kinda all that matters. Say, you’re riding 3h with 180watts; with a slight tailwind, on fast rolling tyres, on very smooth grade A gravel or fast rolling tarmac you will be way more fast that on cat 2-3 gravel.
That being said: The Terreno Drys roll quite slowly. If your concern is speed, you might check bicyclerollingresistance and get some tyres that give you some more speed for the same amount of watts you’re putting out