I am a slow bike rider .. help.

How long have you been riding? What kind of bike are you on? What does your current weekly mileage look like?

When I was just starting out I sounded a lot like you do now. There came a point back then when I thought I would never "figure out" how to go faster on the bike, like there was some secret trick to it that I was missing. As a former "glory days" pretty decent High School athlete, when I was starting out in Triathlon I couldn't understand why I simply could not just practice a little and then learn how to "go fast." Like anything worth doing, it just doesn't work that way.

The T.I.T.S. eventually pays dividends. There is no secret we're not letting you in on, and there is not really any shortcut. If you're on a fat tire hybrid or something, then a better bike will help some. But if you have been riding less than 6 months and/or have been riding only relatively low mileage, you already know the answer to this question.......

This is my first year of cycling. At first, I was very frustrated b/c I could not maintain a 16mph average over 12 miles. I've put some time in the saddle (T.I.T.S) and have started to see the benefits. Sure, it takes a while, but all you've got is time.

Look for a trainer for the upcoming winter (or, buy some really warm cycling clothes) and cycle, baby! For your 2010 tri's, you're sure to see a difference!

good luck.

Thanks; here's the long of it to try to answer all your questions. 
 
First things first - Totally new to riding.  I borrowed a Mountain Bike earlier this summer for the Callaway Sprint to see if I would like triathlon.  I LOVED IT.  Kept on running as usual and began to swim twice a week.  Got a total immersion DVD and began to see immediate gains in swimming. 

I bit the bullet and bought a road bike (Specialized Tarmac) early in August  so I could ride all winter to get faster for next year.  The LBS, Conte's in Conyers, did a "proper fit" on me as far as I know.  Measured hip angle, knee angle, all that jive.  I went out for "my first real" ride the next day, did 28.85 miles in 2 hrs 8mins (13.42 MPH).  I did pretty good for the first 15 miles, hovering around 14.5 MPH and then everything began to fall apart as the legs got tired and the back / shoulders got stiff.  I thought I just went to far and needed to start a little less aggressively.

Since I am in the height of running, I haven't been worrying about riding it to much until after my fall half marathons.  Last night I decided to go for a short ride with the goal of going faster.  7.49 miles in 34:04 yuck. 

Several of you have the answer I expected,  I just need more T.I.T.S. to improve my bike fitness!!!

This is my first year as well and Callaway was also my first race.  If I could run like you do I would not care about the bike but, since I am fat and slow, I look for gains in all 3 disciplines.  For me the most benefit has come from more riding.  I managed ~ 19mph in both races but there is an adrenaline boost while racing that I don't necessarily have while training.  I spend a lot of time on the SCT which is nice and flat and helps me work harder longer and has built my confidence on the bike.  Because it is not on the streets I am also more confident working on from technique and cadence without having to worry about getting run over.

For me the answer is still just T.I.T.S and from an endurance standpoint it seems to be paying dividends.  I also find that when I have riden with other people I tend to push harder than I do when by myself.  I dont see me doing any 21+ avgs this year but with more time all gains seem to be easy at this point in my efforts.

Good luck and if you need someone to ride the SCT, I am always up for a ride.

Thanks, and I may take you up on that.  It would be nice to work on cadence without worrying about cars turning left and stopping for red lights.  Can you ever ride during the week??  Weekends are no good for me. 

I just started riding a couple months ago as well man. My averages have been a bit higher than yours but these are based in group rides which I get to draft a lot and the motivation of not wanting to fall behind pushes me to my upper limits I probably wouldnt reach by myself.

Maybe you can find a local bike or tri club to ride with. I know it helps me push a lot harder. I am also still learning how to efficiently use my gears.

Good luck!! I hear that the biking is the fastest to improve in. Just keep putting the time in the saddle and keep us posted.

Like everyone is saying, you just have to ride.   Three summers ago I did the Callaway sprint for the first time.  Avg on bike was around 14mph.  I have trained very hard on the bike since then and this year in same race my avg was close to 22 mph.    In other normal (with hills) races I am averaging around 21.       The increase speed will come but it will take time.

This will sound goofy and probably breaks some 'rule' out there but I really believe good "ride" aka "spin' classes at your local gym can help get you stronger on the bike.  I had not ridden a bike since I was a little kid when I started doing sprint tris last year.  I found I was super strong on the bike and realized it was all those years of taking spin classes.  I still use them as part of my training.  I find they force you to do interval work and force you to push hard since you have an 'audience' of other riders.  I also like the whole music, yelling etc part of it.   While time in the saddle is also key, if your schedule is tight during the week try ride classes a few times a week, they can really help build a good base.

The off season will start soon and a lot of us base train with long, slower rides.  Watch this site for announcements and come join us as much as you can.  Don't worry...My cigar smoking, two beer a night drinking hubby was in your same boat just a few months ago and he can now do a 17-18 mph for 3 plus hours....Ride classes and a wife who is quick on the bike got him there...

I am a freak in that I actually like doing the trainer, it gets you targeted training in shorter period of time. I saw the most gains when I was doing longer 40-50 mile rides over the winter once a week, January-ish along with the trainer sessions. I'd recommend, especially with colder weather coming, getting a good trainer and doing some 2 x 20 min work at threshold. They hurt, but work.

I got a lot better doing the trainer and the longer rides, maybe b/c I had such a long way to go! However, that was for cycling specific stuff. I had disappointing bike times in tris, mostly because I think I had worked on more shorter, interval stuff rather than sustained time trialing type of work. Or I'm just not fast. That could be it too.

Only thing I would add is to work on cadence...this is advice I am just "passing through me"...I am in a very similar boat as you. I have seen nice improvement over last two months even though I am still slow. Those with experience (including Tour stuff) emphasized that starting out, I should spin at 85-90 and stay out of big gears. Good for form and helps avoid injury. It feels a little weird in the beginning but then later on pedaling slowly starts feeling...well slow.

Good luck. It will come.