Average speed of a moderately heavy commuter bike on the LFP?

Just curious. My bike with fairly loaded panniers weighs in around 40+ pounds, maybe almost nearly 50 pounds. If the wind is fairly calm, I usually ride an average of about 15 mph. With a tailwind I can often go as fast, on average, as about 18 mph with jaunts up into the 23-27mph range. Days where the wind is right in my face kicking the crap out of me, I'm lucky to be doing 13 mph average, although that average is skewed by a couple occasions where I can get a higher speed in. Most of the time when I'm cruising along fighting a severe wind I can look down and see that I'm really only going from 10-12 mph at most. Just wondering what other folks on heavily-laden bikes are doing. I always mutter a curse under my breath when I get passed by someone who's just zipping by making it look all effortless. Usually that person zipping by and passing me is someone on a "race bike" (mine is a touring bike - fenders, racks, etc.), with a backpack and no racks or fenders or panniers that create all kinds of wind resistance. So, I mutter and grumble, but I figure I'm doin' pretty damn well considering the load I'm pushing along.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on April 19, 2012 at 6:10am

Your situation is almost exactly like mine.  I live in Hyde Park and commute to the Loop.  My commuter, loaded, probably comes in at around 50 lbs.

My average speed, door-to-door, measured on the computer for a week (and therefore accounting for all sorts of wind and weather), is typically between 16-17.  My speed on the LFP portion of the trip is typically 18-20 mph.  Wind in my face?  15-16 mph.  Wind really, really, in my face (20+ mph)? 12-14 mph, with gusts sometimes bringing me to 8-10 mph.

In the mornings, on that descent before the underpass at Shedd Aquarium, I almost always hit 25+ mph.  Somedays, path clear, feeling good, I'll hit 27-30 on that nice straight south of McCormick Place.

My riding faster has nothingto do with wanting to get to work fast.  I just like pushing it when I can.  Plus, it is easier to push when the LFP is basically empty, as it often is when I commute.

I am definitely glad to be on the south part of the LFP, however.  North side?  I rarely get above 14 mph until I get very far north.


 kiltedcelt said:

Let me add an addendum to my post. I am NOT one of those jackelopeholes who buzzes peds and other cyclists at high speed, too close for comfort and without warning. I am fortunate in that I ride south to north in the morning and thus I get to ride on one of the less crowded stretches of the path, even in the summer. A few rides last summer up north of Navy Pier made me realize just how good I have it with the lower traffic on the south end. However, with that being said, I pass a few more beaches than the north end folks and thus deal with a lot of inconsiderate jackass pedestrians who often refuse to move when called out to, "on your left" "coming through, please move over". Anyway, that's topic for a whole other post. At any rate, I like to ride at a pretty high cadence, which for me is between 90+ and 100+ rpms which means I typically ride somewhere in the teens average speed. Some days it's high teens, some days it's low teens. Without any gear on the bike, just the frame, racks, lights, and fenders, my tourer probably weighs in around 35 pounds. Get the panniers on there and loaded with a bike lock, books, lunch, extra layers to take on or off, and before you know it I'm pushing 50 pounds. Mostly I was just curious whether anyone else was riding a similar set up and given what we contend with in terms of wind, peds, etc. what those other bikers were getting for an average speed. If I  want to ride like a bat outta hell I know places to do it safely but I imagine it would be kinda difficult to ride that fast carrying the amount of gear that I do.

Permalink Reply by JeffB on April 19, 2012 at 6:54am

You're right that peds have the right-of-way on any path by default, but they also have the same responsibility to share the path as everyone else.  Like keeping to the right in general, not traveling more than two abreast, monitoring their kids and pets (walk your dogs on the RIGHT people!), looking before crossing lanes, stepping off the path when stopping to rest or chat, and using the ped-friendly areas to the sides of the painted lanes when available.  I'm thinking specifically of those areas there there is ample room on either side of the painted lanes for peds.  Like this morning, I'm heading south around the Oak St curve and I pass two south-bound joggers who are chatting away in the north-bound bike lane.  At that point, there are wide, paved spaces on either side of the lanes, so not only are they using lanes they don't need to use (and from which they gain no advantage), they're in the wrong lane altogether.  Its this thoughtlessness that irks me.  Ok, done venting.

But even in the face of such foolishness, its our responsibilty to travel at a speed that allows us to avoid collisions when someone ahead of us does something unexpected.  And to call out when passing.

That said, while I don't know the exact weight I'm carrying, its probably similar to the other commuters who've posted, although I carry my gear on my back rather than my rack; I seem to blow more rear spokes when I load the rack.  My average speed, sans wind, is 14-16mph.  But this morning I had the strong NE tail wind and was going 18-19 easily.  And I detoured to Northerly Island and got up to 28mph southbound, but was brought back to a 10-12mph reality on the northbound leg



James BlackHeron said:

Pedestrians on the LFP have every bit as much of a right to "take the lane" on the path as a bicyclist does on the road.  They are the ones being overtaken by a faster moving vehicle/pathuser and thus they have the right of way -NOT the overtaking vehicle.  This is the same for a bicycle using the road when being overtaken by a car.  

These are entirely analogous situations.

Ringing a bell at them does not in any way necessitate the pedestrian moving aside any more than a car beeping their horn at you when you are taking the lane on the road.  They have the right of way -not the faster overtaking vehicle.  

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on April 19, 2012 at 7:18am

Weight does have to do with speed because it has a direct correlation to how much force it takes to move the bike.  A lighter bike will allow you to apply the same amount of force in a higher gear which results in a higher speed for the same given effort and cadence.

envane x said:

Weight has damn near nothing to do with LFP speeds since its flat.  Speed gains would come from aerodynamics.  I also ride a touring bike that is maybe 35# loaded.  I go around 18 mph with no wind.  Severe wind (15+ mph) days will bring me down to 10-12 though.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on April 19, 2012 at 7:37am

Mostly just for acceleration, especially in rim weight. Heavier objects have more momentum and hold their speed better

Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on April 19, 2012 at 7:43am



notoriousDUG said:

Weight does have to do with speed because it has a direct correlation to how much force it takes to move the bike.  A lighter bike will allow you to apply the same amount of force in a higher gear which results in a higher speed for the same given effort and cadence.

On a level smooth surface at steady speed the major force you're fighting is aerodynamic resistance. Air drag is proportional to the square of your velocity, so it quickly starts to dwarf rolling resistance and drivetrain ineffeciency as you increase your speed above around 15 mph. Weight comes into play mainly on inclines (gravity is directitly proportional to weight) and when you are accelerating (inertia is directly proportinal to weight). Niether of these are big issues on a LFP when there is low traffic - its as close to steady-state riding as you'll find outside of a velodrome.

Permalink Reply by Michael A on April 19, 2012 at 11:17am

My commute along the northbound LFP is done very early, usually starting before sun up, The path is clear and I tend to motor along at a good clip. I pull a travoy trailer, on a good day my avg speed is 19-22. Winds have a much larger effect on my speed then the weight (bike and trailer loaded is aprox 80 lbs. On the way home at 4 pm I can seldom get those speeds because of other path users. On some days I can get away taking a road bike with a backpack loaded at about 35 lbs, the morning speeds increase a couple miles per hour. I seldom pass close to other riders or peds unless they are doing something stupid like walking sideways down the middle of the path with their headphones on. I am not into the whole "passing on your left" thing, I think it is pointless and more dangerous then just passing with plenty of room when it is safe. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 19, 2012 at 12:14pm

+100000

Michael A said:

My commute along the northbound LFP is done very early, usually starting before sun up, The path is clear and I tend to motor along at a good clip. I pull a travoy trailer, on a good day my avg speed is 19-22. Winds have a much larger effect on my speed then the weight (bike and trailer loaded is aprox 80 lbs. On the way home at 4 pm I can seldom get those speeds because of other path users. On some days I can get away taking a road bike with a backpack loaded at about 35 lbs, the morning speeds increase a couple miles per hour. I seldom pass close to other riders or peds unless they are doing something stupid like walking sideways down the middle of the path with their headphones on. I am not into the whole "passing on your left" thing, I think it is pointless and more dangerous then just passing with plenty of room when it is safe. 

Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on April 21, 2012 at 8:27am

FWIW, I don't think you fall in the "slow-ass commuter" category.  I'd place you on the faster end of the spectrum for commuters.

And I mean that in a good way.
 
kiltedcelt said:

Well, I'd intended only to try and find out if I was just a slow-ass, or if there were other similarly loaded commuters who were running around the same speed as me.

Permalink Reply by paulcycles on April 21, 2012 at 11:48am

You covered the reasons to avoid LFP in summer peaks (Sat/Sun), and use the bike lanes and points further W in the City or Suburbs...



kiltedcelt said:

Well, I'd intended only to try and find out if I was just a slow-ass, or if there were other similarly loaded commuters who were running around the same speed as me. Riding at a fast clip seems to be getting construed as wanting to ride in an unsafe and dangerous manner. It is only unsafe if you are not aware of your surroundings and are willing to make the necessary adjustments to insure you get where you're going safely. This means slowing down when there are peds and slower cyclists around. I too agree that peds have the right away, but as has been mentioned, we're not talking about considerate peds who make room for other path users but instead those people who walk two abreast and refuse to move over or as often happens for some reason on the southbound section of the path, particularly around beaches, those peds who walk in large groups completely blocking both lanes for traffic going in either direction. I have no problem giving peds the right of way, but when someone is being a rude-ass dick, then I have no compunction about calling them out on it, just as I have no problem shouting down some cyclist who buzzes me with six inches to spare and never so much as calls out before doing it. We can debate all day long about calling out in any manner, how saying "on your left" causes people in fact to move left and swerve into you - whatever. The fact is, the LFP is crowded and there are entirely too many people on it with their heads stuck so far up their own asses that they can't see daylight. We as cyclists have to be the responsible ones and make sure we're not causing the accidents. Anyway, this is all way off topic from the original post.

Permalink Reply by Jimmy Jam on April 21, 2012 at 1:51pm

New here, and first post, I actually joined to respond to this topic.  Hopefully I will find other useful info here as well. 

I come from North Center and commute to Navy Pier.  I ride pretty loaded, not sure the weight (40lbs?), but steel commuter, rack, panniers with bags and backpack.  But I have noticed something strange.  With a backpack on my back, I am a bit slower.  But that same backpack in my pannier bags I am a bit quicker.  I have averaged about 13 mph over the last few weeks.  I try to maintain that as my ride is about 6 miles and it gets me there in about 30 minutes.  Without wind I can maintain 15-18mph but I try not to get sweaty before work. 

On the way home I kick it up a notch.  Without the wind in my face I have hit up around 26 mph.  Thats a short burst after a good downhill through LP, though.  Wind seems to be the biggest factor-we all know- but weight is certainly a factor.

Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on April 22, 2012 at 5:18am

As to backpack vs. panniers, I'm not sure about the aerodynamics or anything.  All I know is that I feel less constrained on the bike when I have all my load in panniers.  I, too, feel faster without a backpack.  I attribute that to having to use less energy to maintain a good position on the bike, and that translating into more efficient power transfer.

But it could all be in my mind.

 
Jimmy Jam said:

[snip] With a backpack on my back, I am a bit slower.  But that same backpack in my pannier bags I am a bit quicker.  [snip]

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