What's your average speed ?

[Artstu]

I noticed in a couple of threads that 12.5 mph seems to be a perfectly acceptable average speed on an e-bike. I was very surprised at how low it actually was.

My average is a bit higher than that.

 

[RobF]

'Lower than yours' was the answer I had in mind before reading the post.

And so it's proved to be.

When I've bothered to check, my average is around 10 or 12mph.

 

[flecc]

Three different speeds entered due to three different e-bikes owned, all at one time for a while. This will be quite common for many of our members with more than one e-bike.

My long term average speeds on the three e-bikes in order of their purchase are 12 mph, 17 mph and 15 mph, all mainly in the hilly North Downs area.

Since the riding is part leisure, part utility like shopping etc, and the two slower averages are affected by intermittent heavy trailer towing, those lower speeds don't indicate very much due to such variable usage.

 

[trex]

that depends where you ride. In middle of London, you'd be lucky to do better than 10mph.

 

[Artstu]

that depends where you ride. In middle of London, you'd be lucky to do better than 10mph.

Indeed, thanks for reminding me how lucky I am to have an abundance of virtually traffic free lanes on my doorstep

So far it looks like the average e-bike speed is actually lower than non-electric bikes.

 

[Gubbins]

I have a lightweight Road Bike and a very heavy e bike.. On flatfish windless runs of up to 20 miles or so my averages are slightly better on the e-bike (15 mph give or take v 13 to 14) but throw in a hill or two, or a head wind and the differences become quite dramatic! I try to ride above the cut-off wherever possible (15.5mph) and rarely use Sport or Turbo modes even on the big climbs. Strava used to log riding average v total average, but doesn't seem to do that now. Just to note I NEVER do climbs on the road bike!
In conclusion I can ride my e bike faster than my road bike 95% of the time.

 

[rippedupno1]

My average is 17.76 mph over 1346.5 miles since last September, only 16569 ft climbed as my courses are fairly flat. I noticed with interest when working the above out, since I started training using a HRM at the beginning of February my average speed has increased to 19.2 mph with an average hr of 140, learning to control my breathing and effort has substantially increased my performance.

 

[Gubbins]

My average is 17.76 mph over 1346.5 miles since last September, only 16569 ft climbed as my courses are fairly flat. I noticed with interest when working the above out, since I started training using a HRM at the beginning of February my average speed has increased to 19.2 mph with an average hr of 140, learning to control my breathing and effort has substantially increased my performance.

Oh how I wish I could turn back the clock!

 

[maloflora]

I ride in the middle of London every day and manage about 14mph on average. Some early mornings and weekends bumps that up a bit from the weekday commute.

Better than a car or public transport!

 

[wehey]

I would normally average 14-15mph without assistance but since my conversion it's nearer 20mph. But then again it's still all new to me and I am very throttle happy
I'm sure over time it will drop to nearer my unassisted level as battery range will become more important as I ride further.

 

[Hugh]

I normally travel at around 20 mph when I can, but that's only the speed I'd do when cruising along - doesn't allow for stops and starts which will knock the average down a lot.

 

[SRS]

Varies day to day but always, always faster on the way home from work than it is on the way there.

 

[EddiePJ]

Mine varies quite significantly depending upon the type of terrain that I'm riding and the distance covered.

Road average is approx. 14mph over distances of between 30 and 40 miles
But I'm more interested in my off road averages. But can be around 18mph on distances of approx. 20 or less miles. It greatly depends upon how much assist that I have.

On an off road ride of say 20miles, my average is 12-14mph.

This drops significantly on greater distances such as the Wiggle event on the South Downs, where my rate dropped to a disappointingly low 9.1mph. I guess that the lengthy climbs and trying to squeeze every last ounce of power from the NEO Xtrem's battery over that distance probably accounts for the low rate of speed, with eco setting and no assist being used. Must try harder!

 

[Gubbins]

Mine varies quite significantly depending upon the type of terrain that I'm riding and the distance covered.

Road average is approx. 14mph over distances of between 30 and 40 miles
But I'm more interested in my off road averages.

On a ride of say 20miles, my average isn't that much different to my road average, and is 12.6mph

This drops significantly on greater distances such as the Wiggle event on the South Downs, where my rate dropped to a disappointingly low 9.1mph. I guess that trying to squeeze every last ounce of power from the NEO Xtrem's battery over that distance probably accounts for the low rate of speed, with eco setting and no assist being used. Must try harder!

That is one hell of a ride!

 

[EddiePJ]

That is one hell of a ride!

Brilliant fun though.

I'm toying with the idea of trying to borrow a mid drive bike to use in the next event, as I'm sure that I could get a Bosch mid drive motor to complete the distance without the battery dying on me, and it would be interesting to see what the time difference would be, as I have an idea that being physically harder to power the mid drive, it could make the average speed slower.
My average times are faster on the BH with hub drive, than they are on the Haibike with mid drive, and the BH is also less tiring.

The experiment has to be worth trying out.

 

[OldBob1]

I fined that I now seem to be slowing down now after finding the E-force
It could be that I am finding places around me after 40+ years, or is it that I am now being nosey

 

[Gubbins]

I tried an experiment of my own tonight with a 15 mile night run, half road half canal tow-path. Using a Garmin device to monitor HR and Ave speed and giving it almost my all I had attained and ave of 16.2 mph (bear in mind my helper goes on strike at 15.5) Had to stop to change one of my light batteries and ave went straight down to 15.5 and stayed there all the way home. As for effort my ave HR was 147 maxing at 162 for the hour it took which I know is pushing it for a pensioner. This ave speed was a bit disappointing as I was often in the 20's, so I conclude that unless measured by a device, then our perceived average speed is much higher than our actual average speed, a bit like the monster fish that got away!

Also I suspect that some of us have a helper that doesn't go in strike at the 15.5 limit!

 

[flecc]

I conclude that unless measured by a device, then our perceived average speed is much higher than our actual average speed, a bit like the monster fish that got away!

Absolutely, and it's why I posted that my averages were over time (years), as recorded on an accurately calibrated cycle computer on each bike.

 

[Gubbins]

Absolutely, and it's why I posted that my averages were over time (years), as recorded on an accurately calibrated cycle computer on each bike.

Hi Flecc, how do you store this information so you can put it all together.... Over time?

 

[Geebee]

Hmm, I put my average before my health went south again, as it is a more realistic average for my hilly terrain, and hopefully will again become my average in the future.