So close...

Every morning I make a note of the average speed shown by my computer
when I arrive at work. I no longer bother trying for a PB - it depends
far too much on luck since my commute has been slowed down by the
opening of the final section of the ring road 3 years ago and by the
lack of sleep since becoming a father 2 1/2 years ago. But I do
sometimes try for what I call a PBM.

At the beginning of each month I look back through my log and see what
the fastest average speed I've recorded for that month of the year was.
It means that even in the winter months I have a fair chance of
getting the psychological boost associated with recording a new best
time. My PBM for July is 16.3mph, recorded on 31/07/01.

Yesterday (Monday) morning I set out not feeling on top form, but when I
realised (from the relatively clear roads) that the school summer
holiday must have started I decided to ride hard. I was doing well, and
by the time I left the cyclepath I reckoned I was in with a chance of a
new PBM, despite 2 red lights and 2 other delays where I had to wait for
motorists before reaching the cyclepath.

Then, in the last 200 yards, I had 2 very significant delays caused by
cars on the narrow village road that my office is sited on. When I
pulled up at the office door, my computer showed an average speed of
15.9mph :-(

So this morning I set out for a PBM. I set specific speed targets for
specific parts of the ride. I had the usual motorist-associated delays
and the usual 2 red lights on the way to the cyclepath, but I thought I
could still make it.

For the first couple of miles along the cyclepath I didn't once drop
below 19mph, unless to negotiate an obstacle. For most of that distance
I was riding at 20mph, which meant holding back in places but it's not
really safe to go faster, even without kids walking to school.

On the one section of the cyclepath where the sight lines are good
enough to allow a bit more speed I maintained a speed above 24mph and I
hit 26mph.

I rode up the final hill (where I'm happy to get into double figures) at
12mph. No delays on that section today. I pulled up at the office
door, pressed the button on my computer and saw an average speed of
16.2mph. Bugger!

Oh well. I shan't try again tomorrow. I can't put in that sort of
effort 3 days running. And I'll be a whole year older tomorrow, that's
bound to slow me down a bit.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

the fastest average speed

How far to work?

--
Kev

Good story. Made me smile. Thanks Danny


"Danny Colyer" wrote in message
...
Every morning I make a note of the average speed shown by my computer
when I arrive at work. I no longer bother trying for a PB - it depends
far too much on luck since my commute has been slowed down by the
opening of the final section of the ring road 3 years ago and by the
lack of sleep since becoming a father 2 1/2 years ago. But I do
sometimes try for what I call a PBM.

At the beginning of each month I look back through my log and see what
the fastest average speed I've recorded for that month of the year was.
It means that even in the winter months I have a fair chance of
getting the psychological boost associated with recording a new best
time. My PBM for July is 16.3mph, recorded on 31/07/01.

Yesterday (Monday) morning I set out not feeling on top form, but when I
realised (from the relatively clear roads) that the school summer
holiday must have started I decided to ride hard. I was doing well, and
by the time I left the cyclepath I reckoned I was in with a chance of a
new PBM, despite 2 red lights and 2 other delays where I had to wait for
motorists before reaching the cyclepath.

Then, in the last 200 yards, I had 2 very significant delays caused by
cars on the narrow village road that my office is sited on. When I
pulled up at the office door, my computer showed an average speed of
15.9mph :-(

So this morning I set out for a PBM. I set specific speed targets for
specific parts of the ride. I had the usual motorist-associated delays
and the usual 2 red lights on the way to the cyclepath, but I thought I
could still make it.

For the first couple of miles along the cyclepath I didn't once drop
below 19mph, unless to negotiate an obstacle. For most of that distance
I was riding at 20mph, which meant holding back in places but it's not
really safe to go faster, even without kids walking to school.

On the one section of the cyclepath where the sight lines are good
enough to allow a bit more speed I maintained a speed above 24mph and I
hit 26mph.

I rode up the final hill (where I'm happy to get into double figures) at
12mph. No delays on that section today. I pulled up at the office
door, pressed the button on my computer and saw an average speed of
16.2mph. Bugger!

Oh well. I shan't try again tomorrow. I can't put in that sort of
effort 3 days running. And I'll be a whole year older tomorrow, that's
bound to slow me down a bit.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Kevin Stone asked:
How far to work?

5.39 miles.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Danny Colyer wrote:

snip exceedingly good story about pb's

I rode up the final hill (where I'm happy to get into double figures) at
12mph. No delays on that section today. I pulled up at the office
door, pressed the button on my computer and saw an average speed of
16.2mph. Bugger!

Oh well. I shan't try again tomorrow. I can't put in that sort of
effort 3 days running. And I'll be a whole year older tomorrow, that's
bound to slow me down a bit.


I also like to make my journey more interesting by trying to do better
times occasionally. I find I get beaten by the wind more than anything.
I am astounded at the difference it can make having the wind almost -
but - not - quite at right angles to the direction of travel. A bit in
front and you can feel it, a bit behind and your average goes for a chop.

Should you wish to compare notes I tend to record my efforts in my
cycling diary on my website. Hopefully at the end of the year it will
show conclusive proof of the fact that it doesn't rain as often as we think.

And finally, on behalf of all of the readers of urc:

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy b'day dear Danny
Happy birthday to you.

--
Terry Duckmanton.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/terry.duckmanton
A website mostly dedicated to cycling

Danny Colyer wrote:

Kevin Stone asked:

How far to work?


5.39 miles.


Almost identical to my route to work (5.35 miles). Out of
interest, is your cycle computer auto-stopping when you
stop? My PB time is something like 19mins 10s which is
16.7mph. However, this is with the computer auto-stopping.
What's frustrating is that like you I spent most of the
ride at around 20mph but all the little delays really seem
to add up!

My best ever time over a distance is 19.1mph over 10 miles.

--
Simon

Danny Colyer wrote:

Oh well. I shan't try again tomorrow. I can't put in that sort of
effort 3 days running. And I'll be a whole year older tomorrow,
that's bound to slow me down a bit.

Ooh, it's tomorrow now. Happy birthday, Danny!

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

In article ,
says...
My best ever time over a distance is 19.1mph over 10 miles.

20.1mph (Auto-start) over 8 miles. Monday morning, good weather and a
new route that incorporated a part of the A1 on the return into town. I
never managed to get it that fast again, and soon changed the route.
Partly to make it longer, and partly because while fast, the A1 isn't
fun!

Jon

Terry D wrote:
I find I get beaten by the wind more than anything.
I am astounded at the difference it can make having the wind almost -
but - not - quite at right angles to the direction of travel. A bit in
front and you can feel it, a bit behind and your average goes for a chop.

The most exposed part of my ride is along an old railway embankment. On
a really good day I can get up to 28mph along there. On a windy day
I'll be doing well to reach 20mph. The prevailing wind comes from about
2 o'clock in the morning and 8 o'clock in the evening. It can make a
huge difference.

Should you wish to compare notes I tend to record my efforts in my
cycling diary on my website. Hopefully at the end of the year it will
show conclusive proof of the fact that it doesn't rain as often as we
think.

I like it. My own log is less detailed, but I *do* make a note of
weather conditions every morning (and in the evening if there's
precipitation). And if I've got an excuse for a poor performance I'll
make a note of that as well. Keeping a weather log has actually shown
me that it rains more often than I thought!

URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/z-hilo.txt

The single character in brackets on each day represents which machine I
rode.
H = Helga (my Street Machine)
N = Nemesis (my old slicked-up ATB, now retired)
I = Iggy (the Giant Iguana that I took off the hands of a friend who was
throwing it out, now my emergency backup bike)
C = Cindy (my Coker 36" unicycle)
M = Mindy (my Muni)

The speed figure listed at the top of each month other than the current
month represents an average of my average speeds over the month, taking
into account only the days that I rode Helga.

The figures right at the bottom of the page (dated 2000) were taken when
Nemesis was my only bike. For a few months I recorded my highest and
lowest average speed each month.

And finally, on behalf of all of the readers of urc:

Happy birthday to you

Thank you, and the same to the other well wishers. Now I can go and
read the copy of "The Recumbent Bicycle" that DW bought me :-)

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Simon Proven wrote:
Almost identical to my route to work (5.35 miles). Out of
interest, is your cycle computer auto-stopping when you
stop? My PB time is something like 19mins 10s which is
16.7mph. However, this is with the computer auto-stopping.

Yes, it should be auto-stopping. I don't know how long it carries on
recording after I stop. The manual implies only 2 seconds, but I'm not
so sure about that (it's a Cateye Astrale, BTW).

I can think of 9 places where I would have to stop for at least a few
seconds on a morning commute with relatively light traffic [1]. Often
I'll have to stop a few more times than that, when I'm unable to filter
past stationary traffic on a narrowish road with cars parked up one side.

What's frustrating is that like you I spent most of the
ride at around 20mph but all the little delays really seem
to add up!

Yup.

My best ever time over a distance is 19.1mph over 10 miles.

I've only really recorded times for my morning commute. The best I've
done on the Street Machine is 17.0mph. On my slicked-up ATB I once
managed 17.1mph, and on my Coker the best I've done is 10.2mph.


[1] Numbered stops:
1) The end of my drive, waiting for a gap to turn into the road.
2) The end of my road.
3) The end of the next road.
4) The first set of traffic lights.
5) Rejoining the A420 after passing under the ring road.
6) Waiting to turn right onto the cyclepath.
7) Dismounting to go through the cyclepath barrier at Victoria Road.
8) Waiting to cross Victoria Road after passing through said barrier.
9) Stop to remount after passing through the barrier on the other side
of Victoria Road.


--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine