Reading the thread and your responses, I thought it might be useful for you to try some other bike types, like a trekking bike and a racing bike. Because you are pretty new to biking in general, this might expand your context window efficiently and effectively. I love the feel of 'fast' bikes because your muscle power gets you so much, giving me a little bit of that same feeling when windsurfing or sailing. I also like the versatility and confidence a mountain bike gives you, but it's like it eats your speed when you're not using it for rougher terrain. Had the same experience when pushing my grandma through the forest in an offroad wheelchair, getting back on the tarmac was actually _ worse_

1.5 months is also basically just starting out, no matter if you are fit or talented, it takes some km/hours to 'attune' or adapt or 'get the feel'. Same with saddle discomfort/monkey butt. Your butt and the saddle take a lot of time to get used to each other, and more time will increase comfort. Your speed will improve with just time, I'm sure. Can we have a pick of your bike?? Have fun pedaling!

I think considering you started biking 1.5 months ago you are off to a great start! I think many people in your position would be unable to complete a 33KM trip, especially considering your practice is overwhelmingly city biking.

I of course am unaware of your previous physical shape, but assuming your body has not been trained to bike it will take you a while to get into shape.

My average is around 20-25km/h not including traffic stopping etc. It took me over three years to get here by biking to work daily, which is half uphill and half downhill (so I always have to bike uphill somewhat) and whenever I started feeling comfortable with my speed, pushing harder until uncomfortable again.

Some tips I learned in this experience and some I got from others:

1. Your muscles will get good and more efficient the more you use them. To avoid becoming complacent in your speed in the city for instance, consider every opportunity to push yourself.

2. Never going to make that green light anyway? Not today, try to make it as if your life depends on it. If you don't and have to break hard (you won't at first) remember you did it to be able to do it in a year if bot today.

3. Similarly racing plublic transport (where safe) can be fun as well as good training.

4. Isn't it nice biking in the wind shadow of this e-bike? Fuck e-bikes(cheaters(JK)), try to always pass them (great interval training) (the slow ones anyway, in my city some are capped at 20kmh and go more like 15)

5. Nutrition: I noticed after a year or so that certain breakfast items made it easier or harder to push myself biking

6. I don't know if you are EU or NA, but if EU or similar consider biking places that are relatively nearby, but you usually drive. This way you get new experience and slightly longer trips than you are used too which always 'stretches' you a bit more, then you 'snap back into place' a bit better that where you started.

With all advice given: don't worry about speed.. everyone goes their own speed and it's all the right speed. We're all different and I'd focus on what is comfortable and fun for you. The more hou enjoy it, the more you'll do it.

training, conditioning (more than a month) routes, gear (you'd be surprised an how much you gain from new wheels, for example)...oh....and age?

Basically be comfortable where you are right now, you just started. Set yourself up for incremental and sustainable gains, the when you are able to try and hit the higher speeds.

Another thing to review is your riding position and bike fit.

You'll notice people on road bikes will have their bodies very horizontal which allows them to put more power in to the pedal strokes. At the other end of the spectrum you have a kind of Dutch riding position where the body is straight up. This will be inherently slower just because it's more relaxed.

On an XC bike in the city you are probably somewhere in the middle of those positions, i would guess.

Then it is good to make sure you have your saddle at the right height so you are able to use all your leverage. If it is too low then you'll be pushing more with your knees and you'll need to spend more effort to move the bike. You want your leg to be almost but not fully straight when you have the pedal at its lowest position.

I agree with the other comment that if you're already doing those kinds of distances, if you keep riding then your "bike fitness" will come together quickly.

It got a lot to do with leg strength and endurance. You mentioned that you started to do it 1.5 month, that's like still very early into that skill so 11.5kmph is really normal, like REALLY normal, and nothing to stress about it.

Another thing affecting your speed is you still getting a hang of it on when to apply power and when not to. Cycling is a whole new thing you need to get your muscle memory used to. Even if you jog regularly before, the difference in muscle use and timing would impact your cycling speed. Keep riding and have your leg tuned to it, there's no technique or theory to read for this one, you just have to keep riding and you will eventually get it.

Also sometimes city riding isn't always the fastest, it depend on your route. Turn will slow you down, junction will slow you down, pot hole or uneven road will slow you down, headwind will slow you down, ascent will slow you down.

Keep it up! I think you did good for 1.5 month of cycling, riding 33km takes a lot of endurance. I did a sightseeing tour at a neighbouring town recently for 26km and my average speed is 13.7kmph. So i'd say ride in your own pace, it's not a competition.

Who cares. Are you having fun? Because that's all that matters.

Are traffic lights added to your average? On my commute I lose up to a third of time on red traffic lights.

As an (ex currently post child..) mountain biker my threshold for having good endurance or not was being able to ride at pace for hours without sitting down. It takes a lot of fitness to do, but I found when you train like that it comes fairly quickly.

I say that because riding standing I found let's you put more power down and also makes using minimum suspension comfortable as you use your knees instead. You need to find what works re bars and stem though as you can fuck your back up in the wrong position. To ride xc or full sus bikes off the trails I had a second set of wheels with smooth road tyres. Anything but road tyres will dramatically increase your rolling resistance on tarmac.