Increasing bike speed tips needed!

Cadence
Never stop looking at your cadence.
Only check your average speed at the end of a ride.
My focus all summer has been to keep my cadence above 80 regardless of terrain. Drop to your lowest gear if you have to just keep your cadence - forget the speed.
Keep working on cadence increasing your gearing as you progress. Use your gears - that is what they are there for. Get used to dropping and increasing gears as terrain changes. Don't wait to see if you can keep it at 79 until you get to the top of the hill drop the gear and crank it up to 86.

This is of course my approach, but it has made a huge difference in my cycling this year. My average speed last year was around 15MPH this year it is closer to 17.5MPH. Nothing stellar, but a big improvement.

My next goal is to get the cadence to the 90 level. When I get my new bike I hope that will make a huge difference in the overall speed.

I hope that helps.

Thanks! Job for the weekend...get to the bike shop and get a computer!!!

Just make sure the computer has cadence on it....mine doesn't

Get one with cadence (as if the FatMan didn't drive that point home). The bike I'm borrowing has a cadence readout, first time I've ever ridden with one. I knew a I had a fast cadence, but I was surprised to see I stayed over 105 most of the time.

Best tip I can give is to "Ride Lots"! Seriously, in any of these disciplines, you need to first build a substantial base, then start to work on speed. Especially in cycling, stronger=faster.

Yeah, I bet you were averaging over 20mph on the LifeCycle!

Edited by the bear 2004-08-13 5:29 PM

This is what the off season is ALL about for me this year. How to take my really super pathetic 14mph and bring it to ~17mph. First step, bike computer. 2nd step, hours and hours on my bike trainer!!

Dana

Oh man, you're telling me. Not just the speed, but also that real bikes are just kinda harder. :-P Oh well.....

I was at 23.5 on level 10 the other day on the LifeCycle...I think this one was a lot easier than the one I used last week though.

Yeah, I'll usually do "hills" at level 8 or 9 and average well over 20 mph for 70 minute "rides". Then I got on my new MTB the other day and rode 9 miles to work at 13-14 mph (granted, lots of stop lights and riding for quite a while on a very curvy trail). I felt pathetic. :-P I thought I was gonna be the female Lance once I got a real bike. :-( LOL!

Ride like you stole something.

The best advice I have is ride a lot, just like Bear said. The frequency will do you wonders. I did a Trek Travel trip not too long ago that included 2 free months of Carmichael Training prior. The focus on riding as well as the drills took me to the next level very quickly. I ride on a trainer during the week and outside on the weekends. I find it much harder to ride on a trainer so I don't even compare the 2 efforts. All I know is that it has done wonders for me. Good luck!!

Good One Chucky. I'll remember that next time I go riding.

And to add to that, I find sitting on the tip of my saddle to help. I ride a mountain bike and don't have an aerobar but I set my elbows on my handle bar and pretend that I do. It works for me.

Edited by David_Zen 2004-08-13 6:40 PM

My BF has some really good trainer workouts. I'm sure he won't mind if I share them with you all. Maybe I'll post them somewhere online. Definitely strength workouts! Our garage has sweat stains!

The cadence tip is good. Bike with a group that is faster than you. That forces you to ride faster. I bet complacent riding alone and don't always push myself. Lately I have been trying intervals, 2 minuntes in high gear pushing hard, followed by 2 minutes easy. I don't know if it helps but will find out in my tri tomorrow.

I agree, ride with a group that is faster. Don't spend all of your time drafting spend some time pulling, that always helps me. Plus I look at my cadence, if you can keep a good cadence 90-95 rpm the speed will come. And build a good base like Bear says.

You don't always have to ride fast to be fast.