Improve Fitness Improved Speed

Nicholas Lea-Trengrouse

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 10, 2018
17
9
36
UK
Hi,

So I did my first full commute today 28 mile round trip, Google said it would take 1hr 19mins one way, it actually took me 2hrs (I think Google doesn't take into account things like bad terrain, slow downs etc).

Anyway, I'm hoping my timings will get better as I get fitter. Anyone notice decent gains as their fitness improved?

Thanks.

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Nicholas Lea-Trengrouse

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 10, 2018
17
9
36
UK
With an ebike I found that learning how to use it improved mt journey times...
Do you mind elaborating? In what works best for you?

I found that flicking into Turbo to get through the rougher parts quicker helped, but of course depletes battery quicker.

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Gubbins

Esteemed Pedelecer
Hard to explain but in the beginning i was going as fast as I could up the hills but as the novelty wore off a bit I settled down to keeping a steadier pace, learning when to push and when to back off a bit which seems to be more effective at covering distance economically. I don't plan cycle routes using Google I use Strava, other apps work just as well, and find that I beat the projected times easily.
My average speed is around 16 mph mostly on moorland roads or canal towpath so would expect 28 miles in just under 2 hours.. depending on terain.
I find using Google maps to plan car journeys to be surprisingly acurate.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,913
8,529
61
West Sx RH
14mph average speed for the 28 mile trip is good going, though fitness improvement will eventually knock time off as well up to a point.
Terrain conditions will vary so times will change and as Gubbins has mentioned you will learn to use the system more efficiently by use of gearing and modes.

On a 48 mile jaunt today I was pleased with a14.4mph average speed, though I spent 30 - 40 mins at low speed helping someone by scouting around lanes and tracks looking for two small lost dogs.
 

Altop1

Pedelecer
Oct 27, 2016
107
76
58
Lincolnshire
Hi usually ride at around cut off speed 15to16mph which has an average of around 11to12 according to the display.But i use it for hobby,pleasure use. Would like to think it helps my general fittness.
 

Gubbins

Esteemed Pedelecer
Whatever anyone says baout cheating, no effort neaded and all the rest.. I am nearly 70 and have been riding ebikes for 5 years now, but due to my wife being very ill I have had to stop riding regularly. On the odd occasions I am able to get out I notice that my fitness has dropped dramtically and I find the ride much more intensive and to go back to 30+ miles will be hard.
So yes, riding an electric bike makes you fitter!!!
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
It got me fit enough to go back to riding unpowered.
 

Nicholas Lea-Trengrouse

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 10, 2018
17
9
36
UK
Thanks for the replies, just to be clear it took me two hours to do 14 miles, terrain was quite bad for about half of it but still think 2 hours is excessive. I'm going to look at alternate routes that may have better terrain.

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Tom Rae

Pedelecer
Jan 14, 2017
128
49
Edinburgh Scotland
Thanks for the replies, just to be clear it took me two hours to do 14 miles, terrain was quite bad for about half of it but still think 2 hours is excessive. I'm going to look at alternate routes that may have better terrain.

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk
Nicholas, that sounds pretty severe terrain? Where are you riding?

Tom
 

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